Atkaan and Sadie: I sneak in one more before the festivities begin (part 3 of 10)

Friday, June 26, 2009 at 12:33PM
Wasilla, Alaska, by 300 in Atkaan crew, Julius Rexford, Nalukatak, Point Lay, Sadie Rexford, and then some, whaling

I did go back, and I found that after I had left, this honor to the Atkaan Crew had been added to the windbreak. Atkaan, also known as Burton Rexford, is Sadie's late husband. Atkaan was a very respected whaling captain in Barrow, not only because of the many times he fed his community, but for his work in protecting Eskimo subsistence whaling rights after the International Whaling Commission tried to take the hunt away in 1977. 

He also served many years as Chairman of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission.

Sadie will eat well today, thanks to the skills and knowledge she and her husband passed down to their children. I am certain she will think of Atkaan often, as will everyone who sees these words on the windbreak.

Article originally appeared on wasillaalaskaby300 (http://wasillaalaskaby300.squarespace.com/).