Chena Athabascan Indian Village

Good Morning Friends, Part of the Riverboat tour took us to a replica of a Chena Athabascan Indian Village. We were taught so much about the lifestyle of this tribe; the college age girls who gave the tour also modeled traditional fur dressed and coats.  I love that all those we heard talk about their heritage could tell us how many generations had lived this way.  It was a hard life but one rich in tradition.  The village consisted of cabins, trappers cabins, a salmon smokehouse, the chief's cabin, iron dog display, trading post, reindeer pen, food cache, animal fur display area. There were reindeer there as well-which are domesticated Caribou and they were beautiful. Here is a fish wheel that people still use today to catch Salmon.

 

 

 

Many people still dry Salmon this way today; some mainly use this technique for the chum salmon(fed to their dogs)but there are those who still use traditional methods. Of course, they keep the drying racks away from their homes due to the threat that bears might come in after it.

 

A food cache for the dried salmon and other meats.

 

Sleeping tents; furs lined the bed and were used for warmth.

 

A statue of Susan Butcher's dog Granite.

 

 

 

 

I wanted to record all that we heard for fear that I might not remember it all to tell the grands. Today, most of the Athabascan's live in log homes; we were also told that there Eskimos that lived in Igloos but many native cultures didn't. I hope you've enjoyed this little bit of Athabascan history.
Blessings on your day~
Noreen & Hunter