Appreciation
Dear Editor: Pacific High School would like to extend our gratitude to the community members and organizations that are sharing their knowledge, wisdom, and experiences with our students in honor of Native American Heritage Month.
We have been utilizing our all-school meeting time to host a series of speakers. Chuck Miller, the caretaker of the Coho Clan House and the Language and Cultural Education manager with Sitka Tribe, started off the month for us. He engaged students in traditional storytelling practices accompanied by drumming, talked about the role of respect and Tlingit culture and history, and discussed his own upbringing within the culture.
Talia Chavarillo talked about San Felipe Pueblo, bringing in several precious items for the students to view including pottery and apparel; she cooked traditional Pueblo fry bread and two types of chile. Peter Williams joined the students and talked candidly about his own experience growing up as a young Yu’pik man in Sitka, reflecting on the significant spiritual aspects of hunting seal and sea otter as well as building a successful far-reaching business using this traditional fine art form.
We are looking forward to having Harry Bradley come in next week to talk about multigenerational grief and traditional Alaska Native healing practices. We are also eager to have the Haa Toow’u Litseen drum group come to drum and sing with our students in the coming weeks. Additionally artists Frea Hillaire and Mia Merculief (PHS graduate, class of 2016) will be coming in to teach students how to make sun catchers. We also very much look forward to having Herman Davis, Coho Clan leader, speak to our students, sharing the wisdom of a Tlingit elder. Meanwhile, as part of our regular ongoing curriculum, Charlie Skultka Jr., traditional arts specialist with Sitka Tribe, continues to teach classes incorporating Alaska Native art forms; to say his classes are well-loved and well-attended by students is an understatement.
With the array of visiting community members, students have expressed sincere interest, gratitude, and inspiration. As a result of the students’ enthusiasm and a belief that Alaska Native Heritage should be celebrated year-long, we will continue to host Alaska Native and Native American speakers throughout the year.
We are fortunate as a community to have so many people with the desire and willingness to share of themselves and pass down the cultural practices so that they may continue to be carried forward with honor and pride by this next generation. We express our thanks to you. Gunalchéesh.
Pacific High School
Gratitude
Dear Editor: At this time of Thanksgiving, I am compelled to express my deepest gratitude toward my community, friends and family for all the love and support that has been shown us since losing Noah.
We live in an amazing place, full of amazing people and even though I am not able to name everyone please know that every card, bouquet of flowers, gift of food, offering of help and assistance, your presence, hugs, acts of kindness and words of encouragement are deeply appreciated and what has sustained us. Life is uncertain and truly lived from moment to moment. Please embrace those people near you and let them know you care.
Thank you for embracing us. Thank you.
Sherie Mayo, Sitka
Thanksgiving
Dear Editor: Thanksgiving is a time for thinking about family, the year that has passed, and what we are thankful for. I had a pretty big loss this year, and am always thinking about life and what was and what the future will be. Many of us lose people every year, and after the crushing blow passes and our emotions ease and start to heal, we start remembering the funny things and the memories of our loved one start to come with a smile instead of a tear, especially this time of year.
I finally feel like it is safe to share one of Napoleon’s secrets to all of those people who will be remembering him this Thanksgiving. Our Thanksgivings went like this: I always had plans at many different houses; relatives and friends. Napoleon used the day to stay home and watch football without interruptions. As I was leaving the house he would ask me, “how many Thanksgivings are you going to?” After I replied with my answer, often three or four, he would say, “bring me leftovers.” So I would dutifully fill up leftovers – on many different paper plates stacking them in the passenger seat of my truck after every gathering I attended. There is always so much food at Thanksgiving, and people were glad I was taking leftovers to him. I would come in the door all excited for the treasures and treats I had for him, to find him already noshing at the table.
Now here is the secret, he told everyone he knew, “bring me leftovers.” So when I came home last year after being at various family dinners and friends’ houses and loading up all those plates wrapped in tin foil, there was so much food already there! I do not know who all the people were who arrived at our house to bring him treats over the course of the day, knowing he would not leave the house, but the leftovers had arrived. He would have plates of turkey, enchiladas, adobo, dineguan, pancit, eggrolls, cookies, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole. There were even plates of cookies, cake and pie. He had a fork in every plate and would just walk around the table tasting everything.
Napoleon had a charm about him and a twinkle in his eye and it brought out the best in everyone who came into contact with him. Taking him food always seemed like it was more a favor to us, than to him in receiving the food – and I am sure the people left our house smiling.
Every year I always told him, “I am NOT bringing you food this year” but I always did. Just like those people who always made him a special plate and delivered it, not knowing it may have been the seventh plate he received. He was so truly thankful and felt so loved – greeting us all with that big smile that it did not matter how many Thanksgiving dinners he received. He understood the point of it all - Thanksgiving is about giving and friends and family – not worrying about who has what. Thanks to all of you who made his Thanksgivings rich and full, even though he stayed home.
Chaix Johnson, Sitka
Trump
Dear Editor: I have written this letter to President-Elect Trump:
I am writing you this letter because I am astonished that you expect an apology from the actors of Hamilton in their expressing their opinions with Vice President-Elect Mr. Pence. Let me remind you that you and you alone have created an atmosphere of hate and opened a course for people to feel free to express their bigotry. But when a group of people want to express an attitude for all to be peaceful and for all to get along they must apologize? I think not!
If you want to mention the word apology then begin apologizing for all you have done and release your taxes, Mr. Trump. Please show us that you have some ability to represent the more than half the voters who did not vote for you.
You have the capacity to unite this country in a manner that will bring the country and world to prosperity in cultural and religious togetherness. Please use your power to unite us, not to destroy us. I need you to do this, we all need you to do this.
Lorraine Inez Lil, Sitka
Artifice, Brutality, Innocence
Dear Editor: Our local municipal administration has adopted what Joni Mitchell warned my generation of decades ago.
A prime example is the Electric Fund. The artifice is convincing the public that it is being operated the same as any business. The brutality is the Electric Fund is nothing more than a government-owned monopoly. The innocence is the distortion of how the bond covenants are being interpreted.
Thirty some years ago the city entered into long-term debt where the adoption of certain bond covenants were among other things, also to assure residents affordable electricity. The covenants were used as managerial cost controls. These same bond covenants have now been completely turned around in intent and meaning by our municipal administration. The current application of the covenants allow the municipal monopoly to operate as a “cost plus covenants” entity. There is no way to have affordable electricity under this model.
Shame on the top leadership for not being honest with themselves, and thereby be able to be honest with others. The financial issues facing Sitka in particular and Alaska in general are not going away in the next year or two.
We must rely on our elected officials to be more vigilant by “reading between the lines,” and lead the discussion to the level everyone is presently dancing around.
Bradley Shaffer, Sitka
City Budget
Dear Editor: In his 2016 budget dated June 29, 2015, Mark Gorman stated, “It is the financial philosophy of the City and Borough of Sitka that each enterprise fund (electric, water, waste water, solid waste, harbor, airport terminal, Marine Services Center, and Gray Paxton Industrial Park) and Internal Service Fund is a separate and distinct business element and should stand on its own financially.”
If the city is structured to operate on this philosophy the Assembly should not be robbing monies from the General Fund, or increasing property taxes or sales taxes to subsidize electric rates. Set the electric rates so they pay for the debts of the electric fund.
Clyde Bright, Sitka
