For the 12 month study period, New Stuyahok's 40 sampled houses reported that 37.5 percent had given away at least one resource and the mean number was 6.0. Caribou was the resource most frequently shared and was given away by 60.5 percent of the households. Other resources shared most frequently were moose (52.6 percent), beaver and whitefish (40.0 percent), grayling and pike (37.5 percent); king salmon 35.3 percent); berries (28.2 percent); suckers (22.5 percent), and porcupine (21.1 percent). Nearly every household (97.5 percent) received at least one resource with harbor seal topping the list (75.0 percent). This was followed by caribou (61.5 percent), king salmon (61.1 percent); moose (59. 0 percent), smelt (57.5 percent); red salmon (51.4 percent); whitefish (47.5 percent); beaver and pike (45.0 percent); and berries (38.5 percent).
It is interesting that smelt and harbor seal had such a prominent place in the sharing networks. These are products not available in the riverine environment of the Nushagak River villages. Seal oil is considered a staple in many homes and is the favorite condiment for wild foods. Nushagak River villagers have a long history of trading relationships with coastal communities such as Togiak, of ten trading moose or caribou meat for seal oil (see VanStone 1967:128). One woman reported that she offered money for seal oil but the giver requested cranberries instead. Many families have regular trading partners. Seal oil is often presented as a gift. Hunters from Togiak and Manokotak bring gifts of marine mammal products when they travel to the Nushagak River villages for moose or caribou hunting. In 1983, one instance was observed where coastal hunters was given surplus caribou in exchange for seal and the hunters never even went out (Wolfe et al 1984)
SalviPrepared foods were often shared through community and religious celebrations such as name days (the day the Russian Orthodox church observes one's sainted namesake), birthdays, and weddings. On these occasions, members of the entire village were often invited to partake in a feast. The most elaborate festivities occurred during the Russian Orthodox Christmas also known as Slavi or Slaviq. According to Oleksa(1986), the celebrations which accompany Slavi in Western Alaska are a synthesis of traditions derived from Russian Orthodox liturgy, Ukrainian folkways, and the ancient Eskimo Bladder Festival. Oleska speculates that feasting and gift giving are aspects of the modern Christian holiday which derive from the traditional Bladder Festival. Fienup-Riordan (1990) also stresses that the Christian holiday is strongly perceived as a Yup'ik celebration in which the elaborate feasting is a central aspect with strong spiritual overtones.... Traveling by snowmachines and airplanes, visits were often exchanged with church groups from Alenagik, Dillingham, Iliama, Kokhanok, Newhalen, Levelock, Nondalton, and Portage Creek. Each group first visited the church leader's home and carried at least one rotating, multi-pointed star, usually with a picture of the nativity scene. As the ritual carols were sung in Yup'ik, Slavonic, or English, the star was twirled. Each household then made a donation to the star. Since it was the custom to carol and feast at every house regardless of how large the community, some groups carried two stars so they could divide the houses between them. Even so, caroling often lasted well into the night.
When the singing finished, each group was invited to sit and eat. Refreshments ranged from a simple snack of salted fish, pilot crackers, and coffee to a full meal. Some households also held village-wide feasts in addition to meals served to the carolers and many households had overnight guests as well. Over the course of the seven day holiday, huge quantities of food were served and consumed. Upon questioning, respondents stated that any food could be served but "Native" foods were preferred. Candy was always given to the children. Preparations began well in advance of the actual event with the preservation of large quantities of salmon and berries during the summer months. The various combinations of akutaq, a dish made from berries, sugar, and vegetable fat, were considered essential to any feast. Winter hunters often went out specifically to harvest a moose or caribou for the Slavi table.
In 1984, a division researcher attempted to quantify the amounts and types of foods, which were used for Slavi in New Stuyahok. Although it is considered poor manners to keep track of the food provided to guests, several households did provide their best estimates for the researcher's benefit. In interviews with eight households, moose, caribou, salmon (smoked, dried, frozen, or salted), and berries were the foods most commonly mentioned. Store-bought foods, such as coffee, tea, juice, crackers, and sweets were also used to fill out the menus (Field Notes, Kraus and Wright, 1984).
Case 1 This New Stuyahok household was visited by nine "starring" groups, composed of 10 to 30 people each. All groups were fed. Six people from the Newhalen contingent were overnight guests one evening. The family itself mostly staved in the village. The couple took one trip to Dillingham and the wife also went to Levelock. The family reported using about 18 pounds of moose meat, 10 pounds of caribou meat, over 50 pounds of salted fish, one large king salmon, five gallons of smoked salmon strips, a large box of dried fish, five gallons of blackberries, five gallons of cranberries, and two and a half gallons of salmonberries. The salted fish referred to above was also used by the son's household. Approximately $100 was spent on store-bought foods, including a turkey, fresh vegetables, cake mixes, and pie fillings. About two gallons of akutaq were given to the overnight guests. No other gifts were exchanged.
Case 2. Four or five families, about twelve people, stayed with this New Stuyahok household during the week of Slavi. The families were from Koliganek, Portage Creek, and Kokhanok. The husband, with his mother, and aunt spent two days in Dillingham and two days in Portage Creek where they stayed with relatives. The husband staved at 44 houses in his own village. When he could afford it, he liked to travel to the Iliamna communities. The household estimated they used approximately 350 pounds of meat (moose and caribou), two fairly large boxes of dry fish, fifteen gallons of blackberries, and 3 gallons of salmonberries. They chipped in with four other households to purchase about $600 worth of store bought foods.
Case 3. This New Stuyahok household hosted five or six households each night, the guests were mostly relatives. Two of the sons traveled to Dillingham. A married son from another household shot a caribou for his mother to serve during Slavi. The entire animal was used during the seven day period. One gallon of king salmon strips and a small amount of dried fish were also served. The mother would have cooked some freshwater fish but her supply was ruined when electrical problems turned off her freezer. Four gallons of blackberries and three quarts of salmonberries were used for akutaq. Some of the berries were contributed by her daughter-in-law. This household estimated expenses of $100 for store bought food.
As the foregoing examples illustrate, subsistence foods and activities were an integral part of Slavi festivities. Although subsistence foods are important for other celebrations throughout the year, only at Slavi is there such continual feasting. In some ways, the celebration of Slavi also provides continuity with the ancient Eskimos winter festivals of the past.
Kulukak Bay during the herring season. Resource maps which identified harvest areas used by Koliganek residents between 1963 and 1983 also recognized areas near Protection Point and Ekuk bluff as clam harvest areas during the commercial fishing season (Fig. 29). Razor clams were received by two households, one in Koliganek and the other in New Stuyahok.
Berries were an extremely important resource in all three communities during the study period, widely harvested and gathered in large quantities when abundant...Berries-picking areas were located along the Nushagak and Mulchatna Rivers and their tributaries. Berries also were collected on the tundra a short distance from each village. The particular areas used each year varied depending on the abundance and location of each species in a particular year.
Salmonberries were picked beginning in mid-July at fish camps or in areas near the villages. When salmonberries were plentiful along the Snake River, some families made skiff trips to harvest them before returning home after the fishing season. Blueberries and blackberries were subsequently harvested and cranberries were picked after the first frost and into October. Most families considered it essential to have a good store of berries on hand for the winter, especially blackberries and salmonberries. If unfavorable growing conditions resulted in a poor berry crop, people grumbled about the lack of berries throughout the winter because the berries were sorely missed. Sometimes, long trips were made to pick berries where they were known to be plentiful. Other families combined berry picking with visiting relatives or friends in distant communities. Some other communities where berries were picked during the study period included Tuntatuliak, Kwethluk, Manokotak, Dillingham, Iliamna, Platinum, and Aleknagik. In 1987, blueberries were especially abundant in Ekwok, and many women from New Stuyahok picked there.
Although women were primarily responsible for berry picking, it was not uncommon to see whole families involved. Occasionally, men might even be seen out alone. Berries were most commonly served in akutaq, a mixture of berries, sugar, and shortening. Cranberries were frequently made into atsiraq, a type of sauce. Smaller amounts or berries were eaten fresh, made into jams, or used in cooking.
Berries contributed 61.0 pounds to the mean household harvest in Ekwok. Berries were used by a greater percentage of the sample (93.1 percent) than any other resource category. Most households picked berries as well (89.7 percent). The community's berry harvest totaled 442 gallons during the study period. Harvest quantities in Koliganek were also substantial. During the summer and fall of 1987, 34 households (81.0 percent) gathered 846 gallons of berries. Berries were used by almost every household (90.5 percent) in Koliganek, more than any other single resource. New Stuyahok's pattern was similar. Berries were used by all but one household (97.5 percent) and along with caribou were reported as the most frequently used resource. They also were the most frequently harvested (92.5 percent) resource. For the sampled New Stuyhok households, the total berries harvest was reported as 639.9 gallons. The expanded community harvest was 1,183 gallons.