"Everyone had a job. The men and boys drove the boats upriver to dip the nets in the river and seine. The women waited. Never wondering. There were always enough. The salmon that filled the boats when they returned weren't huge - humpies aren't - maybe a foot long. But they were plentiful and made for good drying. My cousins and I played in the water."
"Eaton Station: The best resort. We played badminton in the sand. Tanned on hand-sewn calico blankets laid on the beach. We ate Norton Sound red king crab, fatty grilled king salmon, and, if we were lucky, akutaq made by Mom or an auntie. It seemed like the sun was always shining. And it probably was. Climate change wasn't a part of our daily vocabulary, and persistent summer rains and winds weren't a thing back then. July was for sun and salmon."
Men and boys drove boats upriver to seine nets while women worked at fish-cutting tables, creating a predictable seasonal rhythm. Humpies, around a foot long, arrived plentifully and were ideal for drying. Children played on Eaton Station's sandbar, swimming, somersaulting, and playing badminton on calico blankets. Meals included Norton Sound red king crab, fatty grilled king salmon, and occasional akutaq from relatives. Summers featured constant sun, with no consciousness of climate change or unusual rains and winds. Women at the cutting tables provided skill, humor, and a sense of safety. A child's first job involved rinsing fillets in clear river water.
Read at High Country News
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