2/28/2024 0 Comments Ufish camp washington![]() Summer salmon processing at fish camps, and especially Nondalton Fish Camp (Nundaltin Q’estsiq’), is arguably the most important and enduring traditional subsistence practice found in the inland Dena’ina world. Situated at the outlet of Sixmile Lake where it enters Newhalen River (Nughil Vetnu), “Fish Camp” is not only a place, but as the name implies, an event, a practice, a temporary community, a way of life. Most fundamentally, Fish Camp is the venue for harvesting much of the salmon eaten by the inland Dena’ina community. Over the centuries, the locations of fish camps have been established based on intimate knowledge of fish behavior and migration. ![]() Such camps were created at places where salmon were known to be predictable, in places where families had both easy physical access and rights to fish in the particular location. Also, the river was and is predictable in its characteristics-with harvesters wishing to avoid places with too much or too little current. Thus, Bill and Martha Trefon explain that “‘hey pick where the current is or eddies where all the slime could wash away. Or where they think it is easier to set the net. …You never see a fish camp where there is too much eddy. You choose it where the slime will wash away by moving water.’” As the salmon return to these camps each year, so too do entire inland Dena’ina communities. Historically, there were many salmon fishing camps distributed broadly throughout the landscape, each situated to take maximum advantage of the two-cycle salmon fishery in the Lake Clark Basin and its subbasins within the study area. During the fishing season, camps were historically located approximately one to two miles apart from each other. Families often moved between fish camps for many reasons-environmental, social, and otherwise. While many of these fishing camps have persisted in small ways, with individual families or groups of families using formerly large camps as fishing outposts, the use of many camps has declined. Multiple factors have contributed to this contraction, from a declining harvest associated with the loss of dog teams, to localized flooding from the introduction of the outboard motor to rising gas prices from scheduling conflicts with paid employment to the ease of ATV access across summertime trails from increases in brown bear numbers to an increasingly complex maze of land ownership and regulation.ĭuring the fish harvest, much eating, visiting, and shared labor transpires, as well as moments of gender-differentiated time allowing for moments of “men’s talk” or “women’s talk” throughout the day. Shared labor affords space to catch up on family and community news, and to teach children fishing skills and other traditional knowledge. Intergenerational reminiscing and the sharing of family lore and history take place, as well as public displays of humility, respect, and thanks-giving for food received-food that will sustain families in the year ahead as it has sustained the ancestors for generations. “Fish Camp gives back-it’s not just taking fish…but you have to be here for the whole month to really get that benefit.” (Karen Evanoff) A key facet of Fish Camp is that work is not an activity separated from family and social life work and social life are integrated. What hospitality and kindness! It was a moment I will never forget and a gesture that I promise to pay forward to someone else.In fact, valuing subsistence-related “work” only as utilitarian is viewed as dysfunctional and inconsistent with traditional practice. ![]() So I did! While waiting, I began chatting w a nice female customer from Cincinnati and explained to her how much I’ve been waiting to try their city’s famous dish! After a very nice conversation, she left, and it wasn’t until I was ready to pay my bill that I realized she paid for my tab without me even knowing it! I was floored. She not only guided me on what to get, but also suggested to get the fries w gravy too. I told her I was driving through to NY and how much I’ve been wanting to try Chili 5-ways for years but kept forgetting to stop. And oh boy, did I select the perfect place for a memorable, authentic experience! I sat at the breakfast bar and immediately was greeted by an extremely friendly waitress. So after a quick Google search, and reading a couple Yelp reviews, I decided to take a chance on Pleasant Ridge Chili. There was no way I was going to make that mistake again. This was my third time driving thru Cincinnati - the first two times I completely forgot to stop and try the city’s famous dish, Chili 5-ways. I was driving thru town on my way home to NY after a long cross-country trip.
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