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Kenaitze Indian Tribe

Kahtnuht’ana Dena’ina

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Passing down the knowledge

July 18, 2017

Mary Lou Bottorff, in grey at center, shows participants how to cut salmon into strips for smoking during a Yinihugheltani workshop at the tribal fishery in June. Grass on the cutting board serves the same purpose as the burlap – to keep the fillets from sliding as they are cut.

With an ulu in her right hand and a salmon filet under her left, Mary Lou Bottorff leaned forward and slid the blade toward the fish’s tail. A thin strip of meat, the length of a ruler, peeled away from the slab.

“You get better leverage with an ulu than a long knife,” Bottorff said. “Always cut from the head end of the fish toward the tail.”

About 15 people huddled around the wooden table, covered in burlap, as the tribal Elder neatly cut filet after filet into dozens of strips. Between slices, she slashed the ulu across a smooth rock sitting atop the table. Soon the strips went into a bucket of brine, where they would soak for precisely 25 minutes before hanging to dry.

Red salmon strips are tied and ready for brining.

Red salmon strips are tied and ready for brining.

Bottorff, 76, led a salmon smoking demonstration in partnership with the tribe’s suicide prevention program, Yinihugheltani, at the tribal fishery site in June. The event catered toward tribal and community youth but was open to anyone interested in attending. The goal was to teach attendees traditional methods of preparing salmon for the smoker.

Bottorff processed her first salmon at the age of 8 when she was an orphan at the Holy Cross Mission along the Yukon River.

In those days, Bottorff remembers, it was not unusual for her and the other orphans to clean 500 king salmon a day.

“It was up to us kids to do all the cutting, stripping, hanging,” she said.

Mary Lou Bottorff pulls smoked salmon from a jar for participants to sample at the end of the workshop.

Mary Lou Bottorff pulls smoked salmon from a jar for participants to sample at the end of the workshop.

On this afternoon, Bottorff was preparing sockeye or “red” salmon for the smoker and offered a range of tips:

  • When cutting the meat, slice from the head of the fish toward the tail
  • When putting the meat up to dry, hang it vertically with the tail end of the fish up
  • Soak the first batch of fish in brine for 25 minutes, and add five minutes for each additional batch
  • After brining, hang the fish to dry until a glaze appears over the meat
  • A “cold” smoke requires more smoking time than a “hard” smoke

Working alongside Bottorff, participants has a chance to cut fish, place it in the brine and hang it to dry. Those who attended called the demonstration a great learning experience.

Youth tribal member Jasmine Koster was impressed that Bottorff didn’t use exact measurements when creating the brine – choosing instead to dip her finger into the liquid and lick it for taste before adding more ingredients.

Mary Lou Bottorff offers smoked salmon to Julianne Wilson and other participants to sample at the end of the workshop.

Mary Lou Bottorff offers smoked salmon to Julianne Wilson and other participants to sample at the end of the workshop.

Koster, who is enrolled in college and currently working as a language apprentice for the tribe, said it’s important for youth to learn from tribal Elders so traditions can be passed down to future generations.

“It’s important to honor peoples’ journey that they’ve gone through over the course of their life by coming out and listening to them,” she said.

Koster’s friend, Marianne Ensley, attended because she doesn’t have much experience processing fish and wanted to learn. It was only the second tribal event Ensley had attended but now she plans on attending more.

The best part of the demonstration, she said, was getting hands-on experience.

“Mary Lou was really sweet,” Ensley said. “It was really cool to learn from an Elder that has been doing this pretty much her whole life now, learning from somebody who already knows the tricks of the trade and everything, and then teaching youth.”

And Bottorff was happy to share her knowledge.

“I need to pass it down,” she said. “It needs to be passed on.”

Mary Lou Bottorff pulls red salmon strips from a brining solution before hanging them to smoke.

Mary Lou Bottorff pulls red salmon strips from a brining solution before hanging them to smoke.

Mary Lou Bottorff shows young participants in a Yinihugheltani workshop in June how to strip and smoke salmon. The tribe's Yinihugheltani program is using activities for young people to build resilience and strengthen relationships with a longer term goal of lowering the peninsula's suicide rate.

Mary Lou Bottorff shows young participants in a Yinihugheltani workshop in June how to strip and smoke salmon. The tribe’s Yinihugheltani program is using activities for young people to build resilience and strengthen relationships with a longer term goal of lowering the peninsula’s suicide rate.

 

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Kenaitze Indian Tribe

Locations

Kenaitze Administration • (907) 335-7200
Dena'ina Wellness Center • (907) 335-7500
Early Childhood Center • (907) 335-7260
Yaghanen Youth Programs • (907) 335-7290
Tyotkas Elder Services • (907) 335-7280
Na’ini Family and Social Services • (907) 335-7600
Kenaitze Tribal Court • (907) 335-7219

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Heidi King, NCAC II, CDCS

Recovery Support Manager/Counselor
Heidi has eight years of experience in the chemical dependency field. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a minor in Women’s Studies, from the University of Alaska. She is a nationally accredited Chemical Dependency Clinician, and a state accredited Chemical Dependency Clinical Supervisor.

Heidi has a background in providing residential chemical dependency counseling. She is certified as a Conflict Resolution and Relapse Prevention Trainer with the National Association of Addiction Counselors. She is also a certified Peer Supports Trainer and Supervisor through the Alaska Commission of Behavioral Health Certification.

When she’s not serving un’ina, Heidi teaches yoga as a certified and registered instructor. She also enjoys hiking, fishing, and spending time with her child, spouse, and numerous pets, camping all over Alaska.

Heidi provides chemical dependency counseling services in group settings and individual sessions.

Heidi can personally relate to chemical dependency and is passionate about helping those seeking recovery supports. For Heidi, healing is community, and community is an important part of connection with one’s self. She sees the positive ripple effect that healing can provide throughout the community.

Fridrik Rafn Gudmundsson, MSW, LCSW

Recovery Support Manager
Fridrik has earned his master’s degree in Social Work and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He studied massage therapy in Iceland, and became fascinated with the mind-body connection. He completed his undergraduate degree in philosophy with a psychology minor.

Fridrik has had the opportunity to live in four countries and to travel to many others. He counts finding and marrying the love of his life and adopting his son among his greatest accomplishments. He is grateful to be able to live in this beautiful and sacred part of the world and to serve the Tribe and un’ina, “those who come to us.”

When he’s not serving un’ina, Fridrik loves spending time with his family, hiking, kayaking, camping, fishing, traveling, and having fun. He enjoys learning, listening to music, and taking time for spiritual practice.

Fridrik provides assessments and individual, family and group psychotherapy at Chuq’eya Qenq’a, Birch Tree House.

For Fridrik, coming to the Kenaitze Indian Tribe felt like coming home. The more he learned about the Tribe and its history, as well as the history of the Alaska Native people, the more he knew he had found a place to be of service.

Teresa A. Ford, MSW, LMSW

Behavioral Health Clinician
Teresa earned her bachelor’s degree in Social Work at Limestone University in South Carolina, and her master’s degree in Social Work from Campbellsville University in Kentucky. Teresa’s experience includes serving homeless and other disadvantaged populations, as well as work in outpatient rehabilitation, hospice, chemical dependency, adult and adolescent counseling, and prevention.

Teresa appreciates the Kenaitze Indian Tribe’s traditional values. She sees them as a driving force in how we treat ourselves and others, and how we serve those in need of help.

When not serving un’ina, “those who come to us,” Teresa spends her time bonding with her family, creating and traveling. She also enjoys learning about Alaska Native culture, exploring new hobbies, and gardening.

Teresa provides individual, family, and group therapy services. Teresa takes a variety of approaches to therapy, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma Focused Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

Teresa has always been a helper at heart. Being able to overcome the things she experienced growing up in South Carolina empowered and inspired her to help others navigate through their life journeys.