Kenaitze Indian Tribe

Address

Kenaitze Indian Tribe
P.O. Box 988
Kenai, AK 99611
Phone: (907) 283-3633
Fax: (907) 283-3052

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Educational Fishery Curriculum

The following curriculum has been established to teach and preserve the cultural and traditional subsistence way of life established by the early Dena'ina. Traditionally this way of life was handed down to the children from the Elders of the Tribe. The Kenaitze Indian Tribe hosts camps for small children and teens on an annual basis, which are centered around the Tribe's Educational Fishery. Some of these camps are conducted as a part of the Tribe's Yaghanen Program, (which include youth from Kenaitze Indian Tribe, IRA, Salamatof Tribal Council, and other Alaska Native Youth residing on the Kenai Peninsula) and other camps are hosted for children and teens at the request of other Alaska Native organizations throughout the State of Alaska, as more and more Native Tribes and other Native groups realize the importance of teaching the cultural and traditional values to their youth. This method of teaching will insure that this traditional way of life will not be lost. Teaching these customs to our youth not only insures that the traditional lifestyle will be preserved, but also strengthens and instills Tribal identity and pride.

CURRICULUM:

  1. Instruction on setting the net, and explanation of the tides, how the fishery is conducted with the change of the tide. The children will learn to read a tide book. Each child will have his or her own tide book to learn from.
     
  2. Knot tying: Each child will learn to tie various knots used to tie the running line and net.
     
  3. Fish Trap and Weir Construction: Older children and teens, under the guidance of Tribal Elders will construct a basket fish trap and weir. This process will be video taped for our Tribal Archives. The first will be constructed of willow and alder saplings, collected in the spring by children participating in the Tribe's Ada and Susten programs. To tie the saplings together the children will also collect spruce root. Spruce root, as well as birch bark, may be collected every third year without damaging the tree. This trap and weir will be placed on display during the summer at the Tribe's Interpretive Site, K'Beq', and during the winter will be used in school and other civic presentations. The second trap and weir will be constructed using chicken and hog wire, with baling wire and nails to tie it together. These materials are also traditional and serve to show our youth how quickly the Dena'ina, as well as all Alaska Native cultures, adapted the technology and materials brought to Alaska by Euro-American contact. This trap and weir will be placed in traditional sites, i.e. Swanson River, to be fished during youth camps, Elder gatherings, and by other Tribal members under the direct supervision of a member of the Kenaitze - Salamatof Educational Fishery Commission. In using the trap, the youth will be instructed on the importance of protecting river and stream banks from erosion.
     
  4. Early Dena'ina History will be taught along with the fishery so that the children will learn bow the Early Dena'ina depended upon the salmon and other wild, renewable resources for survival. Several aspects of subsistence will be taught, including plant lore, and preservation of wild food. The children will study maps of the Village of Kenai, Shkit'uk, the drainages of the Kenai, Kasilof and Swanson Rivers, and learn the place names, history, and resources of the Kenaitze Indian Tribe's original land base, which includes the Cook Inlet Basin and its tributaries. This will include field trips conducted with the children to study plant and animal life and the history of the lifestyle indigenous to the Kenaitze.
     
  5. The children will learn to pick fish from the net, and to identify different species of salmon.
     
  6. A Tribal Member will instruct the children to clean and cut the fish. The different ways of cutting the fish for preservation, (smoking, freezing, canning, drying, and salting).
     
  7. The children will cook and eat the salmon on the beach over an open fire.
     
  8. Tribal Members will learn to preserve fish for winter use by smoking, kippering, canning and salting the salmon. They will be taught what wood is used for smoking, and how to tend the fire. They will learn bow to make the brine used for hard smoke and kippering. These classes will be taught by Tribal Members, and we estimate that the classes will be conducted throughout the season. The fish that is preserved in these methods will be used for Tribal gatherings, our bi-weekly Elders luncheons, and will also be given to our Elders for food during the winter months. We estimate that 80 cases of fish are needed by the Tribe for these functions.

     As a part of this educational curriculum, the methods of preserving salmon by smoking, salting, kippering and canning, will be recorded by the Tribe for future generations. Traditionally, the Dena'ina smoked and kippered King Salmon in the early spring, Red Salmon during the warm dry months at summer fish camp, and Coho salmon in the fall. Traditionally, the Dena'ina depended upon Coho in the fail for winter food, and classes are scheduled to teach different methods of preserving Coho's for winter use.
     
  9. Net hanging and net mending classes will be conducted.
     
  10. Plant lore will be taught by a Tribal Elder or other Tribal Member. Plants are important to the Dena'ina both for food and medicinal purposes.
     
  11. Legends or storytelling will be conducted by a Tribal Elder to teach the children about the early Dena'ina Traditions and beliefs.
     
  12. Songs and language will be introduced as a part of the curriculum, as they relate to Dena'ina traditional customs.
  13. Outdoor survival skills will be taught which will include bear safety, fire safety, water safety, and conservation and protection of wild, renewable resources.

**The teaching and practice of respect for our Elders and each other, and caring for the land will be incorporated in every Tribal activity.

Copyright © Kenaitze Indian Tribe

Fish net in the water

Fish strip ready for smoking