Up River: A Journey to Alaska Without Getting Cold

By Roger Slagle MFA MSW

A journey to Alaska without getting cold. Synopsis: Up River is about an Inupiat Eskimo family. A narrative story line as seen by Miinglu, the lead character from the age of seventeen to that of an elder. His story merges with history and personal experiences. Up River is a documentation of the Native peoples of Northwestern Alaska. Up River is about dog sledding, dog sled races and Iditarod Mushers. Up River is written with linguistic references to the Inupiat, Iwevemute, Yupic and Siberian Yupic experience and culture. A full Glossary and Chapter footnotes are available for definition. Up River presents a juxtaposition of the past and present life on Northwestern Alaska as we follow the story in two-time frames, 1934 and 1997.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781665555999

Roger Slagle MFA MSW

That’s My Girl is a narrative story and it is based on the experiences of it’s author Roger Slagle, MFA MSW while working as a Clinical Social Worker for 38 years in Alaska, Oregon and California. All Characters and Narratives presented in the work are strictly a result of his imagination as the Author/Screenwriter. Roger Slagle, MFA MSW is an award winning feature film Director, Producer and Screenwriter. He is a Graduate of the professionals Program in Screenwriting at UCLA School of Film and Television. He also holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from California State University Sacramento and has held a Clinical License in Social Work sense 1984 to current. Roger Slagle has worked in Child Protective Service Agencies, Psychiatric inpatient units, Group Homes, Schools and Northern California State Prisons (CDC R) as a Psychiatric Social Worker II. Roger has also worked in the Native villages and clinics of Northwestern Alaska. He is the Author of Up River, A journey to Alaska without getting cold (Author House 2021)

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© 2022 Roger Slagle, MFA MSW. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

UP RIVER is also a screenplay, registered at the Writers Guild of America,w.

The Screenplay of UP RIVER won the DANALI AWARD at the Alaska Film Festival… Anchorage Alaska, 2010

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6655-5598-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-5599-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022905616

Published by AuthorHouse 05/16/2022

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER IOLD DAYS

CHAPTER IIANCHORAGE

CHAPTER IIIANTICIPATION

CHAPTER IVTHE JOURNEY

CHAPTER VNOME

CHAPTER VIVILLAGE

CHAPTER VIIMUSHING

CHAPTER VIIIGRADUATION

CHAPTER IXFIRE AND ICE

CHAPTER XROADHOUSE

CHAPTER XIGROUND STORM

CHAPTER XIIWHITE OUT

CHAPTER XIIIBREAK UP

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Alaskan wild Salmon are the best tasting fish in the world.

Illustrations by: Roger Slagle, MFA MSW

This work is

dedicated to our daughter Amanda Marie

Tukuunuk Slagle and our grandson, Max VandeWater

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PREFACE:

The story line used in the development of this work is strictly fictional. All characters represented here-in are without reference to others living or dead.

The dialogue of this document is written in the languages of Northwestern Alaska; a mixture of English, Pigeon English, Inupiaq, Siberian Yupic and Yupic.

Footnotes and Pigeon English, Inupiaq, Siberian Yupic and Yupic language translations correspond to definitions and explanations found in respective Chapter Footnotes and within the Glossary.

Roger M. Slagle, MFA MSW

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

First, I would like to thank Magdalene Sebwenna (Eva Sebwenna) for her support and help with the writing of this book.

This work is dedicated to our daughter Amanda Marie Tukuunuk Slagle.

Secondly, It would like to thank my friends and acquaintances in Alaska and Northern California who have encouraged me to finally finish it. .

This book would have not have been possible without the help of the staff at FedX-Office, in Redding California. A special thanks to Nick Glasure for putting up with my phone calls, ramblings, visits and questions during the many drafts.

To Dr. Lew Hunter, (Professor and Dean Emeritus, UCLA School of Film and Television) a very special thank you, with a sincere appreciation for your encouragement and faith in my writing over these many years.

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CHAPTER I 17069.png

OLD DAYS

The villagers flocked toward an Island beach in the chill of the foggy afternoon. They watched as men rowed an umiak(*) on the distant Bering Sea.

The skin boat neared the beach as the villagers ran with their pole knives(*) and ulu’s(*) ready.

With a common effort and many ropes the villagers pulled the large black whale toward the pebbled beach.

Miinglu, was a boy of seventeen with long hair and wide black eyes. He was dressed in a seal skin parki as he sat against the side of the umiak and methodically rowed toward the villagers on the jagged shore.

A man climbed on the back of the whale and danced to the beat of a seal skin drum(*). Miinglu felt proud to be a hunter as he watched the boat’s captain call out the docking orders in the Inupiaq language.

Every man woman and child of the Northern Alaskan village were soon carving on the thick black skin of the huge whale. A young man took a slice of the dark meat from the whale’s lips with his knife. Three other men stood on the whale’s back and cut some fresh muk-tuk* into slabs.

It was a festive time in the village while the hunters divided the slabs of meat and muc- tuc into neatly arranged piles on the ice for all to take.

The bright red of the blood and dark purple of the meat contrasted against the pristine snow and ice of the frozen sea.

It was an early Spring and the whales had come early.

Miinglu entered a sod house(*) and took off his parki,(skin coat).

The light from the seal oil lamp(*) on the floor seemed bright to Miinglu’s eyes. Enlegtaq sat in the small room talking with Ukuma.

Ukuma noticed her son, Father proud from grave. One remembers when killed first whale. She looked directly at her future daughter-in-law, After hunt, we married. Enlegtaq blushed while she turned and gazed at Miinglu with laughter and a beaming smile.

Miinglu felt a deep pounding in his chest. For a brief moment he felt a sense of wholeness.

At last he was worthy to marry his prearranged bride.

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Herald age 69 awoke from a deep sleep in a leather armchair. The elder rubbed his eyes in an effort to wake.

Later that evening Herald sat in the same living room with his grandson Mark and his daughter-in-law Alice. She held a young baby in her arms. A wood stove’s fire reflected a soft light into the cozy room.

Mark locked eyes with the elder... "Grandpa, I’m starting college.

Herald spoke slowly as if to process what he had just been told, That good news? I want to become a teacher.

The elder paused, Nobody in family graduated college. Herald quietly coughed then continued, When your age, only thing that mattered was that we were alive and family together. Many died from sickness in old days. Kids raised by Catholic missionaries at Pilgrim Hot Springs(*)… UP RIVER.

He continued, Took nap this afternoon. He paused, Had dream of old days.

What was it about?

First whale hunt, al’ right.

Alice looked at the baby asleep in her arms. She added, Speaking of dreams, don’t you think it’s time we call it a day?

Later that evening Herald climbed into his bed. He began to think of the old days when the world was quiet and not motorized with snow machines (*) and four wheelers(*). The elder was soon asleep.

The smell of the aging seal meat(*) permeated the air as Miinglu walked along the edge of the dog lot(*) with the gate of a young man. He looked directly at a calm wolf/dog(*) on the end of a chain attached to a dog lot pole(*).

Miko?(*)

The huskies stood and greeted the young man with barking and howling. It was as if they knew what was about to occur.

The young man walked toward the large rack of King Salmon(*) that were drying in the clear Arctic air.

A basket sled(*) sat in the dog lot. Its runners had frozen to the icy tundra. After considerable effort Miinglu was finally able to loosen it.

Miko sat quietly waiting for his master’s patient attention.

With a methodical precision Miinglu unhooked his lead dog from the anchor pole. He then held the dog tightly between his knees as he slid a dog harness over the black husky’s head. Soon he was able to tie the harnessed dog to the front of the thick gang line.

After Miinglu had harnessed and positioned nine more dogs to the gang-line(*) he stood on the back of the sled; unhooked the secured anchor line and yelled, Miko...hike!

The huskies ran as if launched from a rocket.

Miinglu skillfully balanced on the sled runners as he commanded the team toward the frozen arctic landscape. The day seemed to linger with an indescribable stillness.

The gated huskies gracefully bobbed up and down in their powerful gate. The brightness of the day hurt Miinglu’s eyes.

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After a few hours Miinglu commanded the team to a halt. In the far distance he could see the green tar paper of his uncle’s small house on the out skirts of the village. He had reached his destination.

Miinglu unload provisions from the basket of the crafted hardwood sled. His thoughts were of the impending visit with his father’s family.

A bright orange sun lingered on the horizon of the distant saw tooth(*) mountains. A single dog barked in the silence of the still arctic air.

Miinglu noticed something strange about the village. It was silent... huskies and the dog sleds were gone.

Miinglu felt as if something was wrong as he set the sled’s snow anchor(*) and walked in the direction of his uncles home.

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Miinglu entered the house of his family.

Uma sat at a kitchen table in corner. She looked as if she was in a state of shock as she quietly gazed at her nephew.

Pain was written on her face. Uncle dead.

Uma began to cry.

Miinglu felt numb with sadness.

Umiack:

An Inupiaq word for a walrus skin boat. Walrus have very thick hides which are attached to a wooden boat ribbing. The hides are replaced on a regular basis for safety reasons. These sea boats are very large. They are still in use on Little Diamede and St. Lawrence Island.

Ulu:

An Ulu is a blade with a horizontal handle directly attached to it. Circular saw blades can be cut in half and filed down to create a fine cutting edge. A hard wood or walrus ivory handle is the n attached to the flat side of the blade. Cutting is easily done with an action in the wrist. These tools are used in butchering and cutting meat throughout Alaska.

Muk Tuk:

Commonly known as whale blubber and the tender part of the whale’s skin. It is eaten raw with a little salt and is considered very healthy. Medical studies indicate that meat and fat from the whale doesn’t contain the harmful form of cholesterol. This is believed to be attributed to the very rich sea diet of the whale.