Eskimo to the World

I am Trina Landlord and this is my blog. In a past life, Eskimo to the World documented my adventures in New York – where in minute everything can change. Much like my life changed when I moved from Alaska to the 'city that never sleeps'. From the biggest state in America to the most populous city in the United States. From the immaculate nature of the Chugach Mountains, Yukon River and Bering Sea to the urban tundra of sky scrapers, enclaves of business and cultural capitals and the nation's foremost trendsetters. From 'the great land' to arguably the 'greatest city on earth'. I made a 5,000 mile prodigious leap from Anchorage to New York City – AND BACK TO ALASKA. The determination of Yup’ik peoples to survive in harsh Arctic conditions had given me the foundation to survive on streets of New York, I will continue to chronicle the parallels of both worlds.
July 4
Chekohak This is my great-grandfather, Chekohak. As the story goes, he is the founder of Asa’carsarmiut, which is now called Mountain Village. My friend once told me that the Yup’ik word Asa’carsarmiut translated into English means “beginning of the mountains to the North and to the South.” They aren’t mountains like the Chugach Range bordering Anchorage, but more like large hills like the Appalachian Mountains. Chekohak staked claim of the village on the north bank of the Yukon River which is about 470 miles northwest of Anchorage. It is at the foot of the 500 foot Azachorok Mountain which is the first mountain encountered for those traveling up the Yukon. The State of Alaska Community Database states: Mountain Village was a summer fish camp until the opening of a general store in 1908. This prompted residents of Liberty Landing and Johnny’s Place to immigrate. A Covenant Church missionary school was also built in that same year. A post office was established in 1923, followed by a salmon saltery in 1956 and a cannery in 1964 which have since ceased operating. The city government was incorporated in 1967. Mountain Village became a regional education center in 1976 when it was selected as headquarters for the Lower Yukon School District.  It’s said that when either the federal government or the missionaries were “handing out” English names, we were given the last name Landlord. It’s also said that my great-grandfather took in children whose parents were killed by the tuberculosis and influenza epidemic which impacted so many of the Yup’ik Eskimo people at the turn of the 2oth century. This is a crap photo. My aunt has the original and made copies for everyone in the family except my mother and I. She treats us differently but that’s a story for another day. Someday, I would like to document these family stories.

Chekohak

This is my great-grandfather, Chekohak. As the story goes, he is the founder of Asa’carsarmiut, which is now called Mountain Village. My friend once told me that the Yup’ik word Asa’carsarmiut translated into English means “beginning of the mountains to the North and to the South.” They aren’t mountains like the Chugach Range bordering Anchorage, but more like large hills like the Appalachian Mountains.

Chekohak staked claim of the village on the north bank of the Yukon River which is about 470 miles northwest of Anchorage. It is at the foot of the 500 foot Azachorok Mountain which is the first mountain encountered for those traveling up the Yukon.

The State of Alaska Community Database states: Mountain Village was a summer fish camp until the opening of a general store in 1908. This prompted residents of Liberty Landing and Johnny’s Place to immigrate. A Covenant Church missionary school was also built in that same year. A post office was established in 1923, followed by a salmon saltery in 1956 and a cannery in 1964 which have since ceased operating. The city government was incorporated in 1967. Mountain Village became a regional education center in 1976 when it was selected as headquarters for the Lower Yukon School District. 

It’s said that when either the federal government or the missionaries were “handing out” English names, we were given the last name Landlord. It’s also said that my great-grandfather took in children whose parents were killed by the tuberculosis and influenza epidemic which impacted so many of the Yup’ik Eskimo people at the turn of the 2oth century.

This is a crap photo. My aunt has the original and made copies for everyone in the family except my mother and I. She treats us differently but that’s a story for another day.

Someday, I would like to document these family stories.