Hop Thanks
Dear Editor: The child’s most wonderful time was had the night of March 23 at the ANB Founders Hall, bodies dramatically slidin’ across the floor to the good tunes of Livingstone Research, band members Kerry Livingston, Joe Ponzi, Bob Jacobs, Dan Littlefield, John Petraborg, Johnny Llago, Chris Rider and Greg Levans, who made the Hall come alive for the Herring Hop benefit dinner for historic preservation work at Cape Decision Lighthouse on southern Kuiu Island, our neighbor to the southeast. Without the dedicated help of Sharyn and John Ferrick in wirin’, decoratin’, an’ Jessica at Brave Heart for the herring ball painting, and techin’ the Hall, an’ the young lad Justin Franklin who stuck around to help, ‘t’would ne’er a been so easy.
Then, there was the Elks Lodge, Lloyd Dennis, John Shennett, an’ Ricco, wi’ their customary generous hospitality, the pig, the cooker, and the nigglin’ culinary details. Aye, an’ speakin’ o’ hospitality, ANB President Nels Lawson, and Vice President Kerry MacLane, tell the brothers and sisters the floor was so perfect an’ smooth for dancing, the atmosphere, so amiable, and top o’ the line work on the rehabilitation of your beautiful, old headquarters.
Course, the Swan Lake Senior Center, kitchen canna been better for food prep, and our vigil out back cooking the pig, yet t’was more congeniality. Ach, an’ nane wudda had a ticket t’weren’t for Melissa, Liz, Mary Beth, an’ Kari at Old Harbor Books; we thank ye all.
Canna done it wi’ na ‘elp from the donors: True Value, Teresa Helem, Amanda, Rhonda, Roger, we’re savin’ the apron for next year, an’ Bob Burnett, AC Lakeside for keepin’ the fire goin’, Tim Ryan, Billy Grant, Sitka Sound Seafoods for trucks, manpower, an’ ice an’ totes to brine, Roger Hames, SeaMart Quality Foods, the ice cream, cabbages and cornmeal an’ long time yearly support, an’ Rich Ross, Birch Equipment tae get us readyin’ the grill, an’ Bart Meyer, Alaska Housing Authority for the cookin’ spot, an’ Juan Barragan, El Burrito Loco, gracias por el uso de la congeladora; we are grateful.
Blessings on the bakers for the after sweets: Jamie and Brandon Marx, Greta Ryan, Louise Olmstead, Ilona Mayo, Dick Dapcevich, Chandra Sloane, Sherri Mayo, Dolores Clauss, Rhonda Kingwell, an’ all those pecan pies, pumpkin pies, white frosted cakes, bumped up the earnings, and then some! We do appreciate yous.
T’weren’t for the worker bees ’ands we’d a been completely outta luck: Chris Foster, F/V Stardust for the strong back, the lovely young lasses, Sarah Ohlin, Dena Williams ‘an baby Ruckus for fishing for the herring fleet with flyers, Elsa Hernandez and Elvia Torres, muchisimas gracias en la cocina, an’ board members Dick Dapcevich, beans man an’ bean counter, Kari Johnson Fish, cole slaw marathon winner and root beer float manager, chief chefs Brandon Marx, as well, BBQ sauce king, and Sean Cavlan the wee hours pig cooker, an’ Mike Mayo for drummin’ up the auction, an’ his little ’elpers, an’ Chandra and Elizabeth for steppin’ in to quell the tide, but kept it flowin’, aye, an’ Elizabeth Figus, who came doon fram Juneau to be both brains and brawn, the cornbread queen an’ runnin’ mate, an’ then, Mary Andersen for greetin’, and Sheila Finkenbinder, and Justin for servin’, and Amy, Jusoran and Shylee McGraw for servin’, an’ the wee lad Bjorn McGraw-Hilde for mannin’ the salt and pepper; your’s, our thanks!
T’was truly a community come together event. Sound the trumpet for the voices of Sitka, you, dear Editors Thad and Sandy Poulson, for the press an’ article in our hometown paper the Sentinel, watcher and recorder daily, Raven Radio, Ken Fate an’ Martina Kurzer for lettin’ me try me Scottish brogue in the ad, an’ the announcements, KIFW and KSCT for pitchin’ in; we’re deeply grateful, and tae all the diners and dancers who came ’oot to flip an’ flop at the ’erring ’op; we sincerely thank you. Next spring, with the ’erring snows, we’ll do it again!
Fond Respect tae the lot o’ yous,
Karen Lucas, president,
Cape Decision Lighthouse Society
Salvage Archaeology
Dear Editor: What is it like to do “salvage archaeology” at a building site in downtown Sitka? When you are 76 years old and ought to know better.
Well, folks, it is fun. Lots of fun. And full of suspense. What might be found? What might it tell us about our shared histories? A pencil from the old Territorial School built in 1926? A brick, a nail, a tarred roof tile from the old Russian Hospital built in 1843 and burned in 1882? Maybe a stone tool from the fine beach just below? A bit of 19th century glass, ceramic, porcelain?
Why am I so addicted to this crazy hobby? It has been so cold, so muddy, and scary, too. There hangs over the site the ominous shadow of disapproval of “real, traditional archaeologists” who of course would never bother to dig in an area which contains “already disturbed dirt.” “Never” – as if it was contaminated with disease microbes about to attack and devour.
Admittedly, a bit of terror does exist - of finding a bit of bone and having layers and layers of Regulations bear down on you, squishing the fun right back down into the dirt. A cow bone, a deer femur, a dog rib sometimes emerges. A human skull would stop everything, with good reason. But hopefully few hominids were buried or cremated this close to the beach.
Oh, yes, I suffered the agony of seeing truckloads of artifact-bearing dirt pulling out to be dumped somewhere, somewhere allocated for sorting and recycling dirt to be reused somewhere else, confusing fragments of history further. Or – a different perspective – adding yet another layer of mystery to the future.
So far since November 26, 2012, a total of 96 plastic baggies of stuff have been retrieved, with the day of “discovery” recorded on each bag. A huge mound remains to be explored. It is fenced, and all the artifacts found belong to the citizens of Sitka.
And now a real archaeologist, Anne Pollnow, has volunteered to lead a salvage dig on Sundays. Hoorah!
Anne is president of the Alaska Historical Preservation Commission. She knows the regulations, she owns her own company, Sea Level Consulting, and she really knows archaeology. Further, she is willing to work with already disturbed dirt. And teach the rest of us how to do it.
The city has prepared a release form for the privilege of working in the specified, fenced area, on Sunday, five persons at a time. If the time slots are filled, come by and watch how it is done, and join the fun of guessing about what is uncovered.
Rich reference resources abound relative to the Pacific High site on Lincoln Street: The National Park Service published works and archives about what was found right next door, just over the fence. The documentation of what was discovered on Castle Hill is on line - thousands and thousands of artifacts for comparison.
Finding artifacts is only a small, beginning part of a complex, interesting process. Washing, listing, drawing, photographing, identifying and comparing awaits attention in the future.
Also, Sitka is rich in living resources. Our citizens include at least three retired curators, numerous trained workers from previous digs, and long time residents with decades of knowledge and experience to draw on.
What a wonderful opportunity for Sitkans to experience first hand what is involved in A Dig. Thank you, National Park Service, for lending the screens, and funding many valuable studies, archives and publications in the past. Thank you, State of Alaska , Office of History and Archaeology for the extensive Castle Hill research. State Archaeologist Dave McMahan recently identified surface material on The Mound at Pacific High as including mid to late 19th century material. Thanks, too, to David Garcia and Team with Sunland Development Co., LLC, for their interest and artifacts contributed to the collection. And thank you City of Sitka for permission to explore a specific area and for preparing a Release Form for volunteers on this city property on Sundays.
Finally, I personally thank Anne Pollnow for volunteering her expertise to the Project, Salvage Archaeology of The Mound of Mysteries, at the new Pacific High School site.
We are linked across the city through our histories. The artifacts link us further, internationally, so much yet to be learned.
Call Anne Pollnow, 738-0794, to get on the volunteer list. It is great fun!
Nancy Yaw Davis, Sitka
