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Youthful perspectives on Peratrovich

Published on February 11th, 2010

By ALASKA NEWSPAPERS STAFF

As part of the follow-up activities for viewing and discussion of the film, "For the Rights of All," the coordinating committee and teachers from Mount Edgecumbe and Sitka high schools suggested an essay/art contest on the topics explored in the film and panel discussions. The Sitka Historical Society sponsored the contest, which concluded in December. The results are being published this month in Alaska Newspapers Inc. as well as the Daily Sitka Sentinel. The top three winners from each school were awarded. They are: Cameron Mutchler (first place, Sitka High School), Karimae Carlson (second place, Sitka High School), Lindsay Anderson (third place, Sitka High School), Celeste Menadelook (first place, Mount Edgecumbe), Sacha Mattley (second place, Mount Edgecumbe) and Harlyn Andrew (third place, Mount Edgecumbe). Essays and poems were submitted by all winners, with the exception of Harlyn, who won for artwork titled "Clasped Hands."

Tunnel Vision

By Cameron Mutchler

I was walking through a park one day. No matter what anyone says it was not the month of May it was in fact the day before Elizabeth Peratrovich day. So any way I was walking along and suddenly I was falling. I fell and I fell through a never ending tunnel. I fell and I fell. It felt like my mind was tearing apart. I could feel the glass wall that is my sanity cracking. Not only was my mind breaking, it felt like my body was as well. It felt like medieval torture, like I was being stretched by wild horses. I felt like I couldn't bear any more when I blacked out. I awoke to the voice of a stranger.

"Here let me help you up,"

"Ughhh!" I groaned

It felt like Zorro was practicing on all the soft parts of my head. Clutching my skull I looked around. I was in a city that did not look like my hometown of Sitka. It looked like the father or maybe even grandfather of modem cities. The steel and glass construction of most modem cities had been replaced with wood and cement there was also a distinct lack of neon signs and SUVs. Curious as to my location I looked to my rescuer. He was a middle aged man of obvious Native heritage with a kind face. He looked at me with concern.

He said, "Are you hurt?"

"No," I replied, "but I do have a splitting headache,"

He smiled broadly, "Well I know the cure for that we will go to my favorite ice cream parlor,"

"You use ice cream to cure a headache?" I asked him unbelievably.

"Sure. Well, want to come?"

I thought it over and rolled the idea around in my mind like a professional wine taster might do with a fine wine. Finally I came to a conclusion.

"Sure, but I should warn you I don't have any money."

"Well that's just fine," he said, "I will pay for you."

We went down to his favorite ice cream place, which turned out to really look like an old time soda shop. We sat in companionable silence eating our ice cream until I decided to break the silence.

"So," I asked him, "are you doing anything special for Elizabeth Peratrovich day?"

"What?!?" he asked in confusion.

"You know the holiday commemorating the woman who single-handedly won Native rights. "

A look of annoyance flickered across his face chased quickly by a look of pride.

"You know," he said conspiratorially, "Even though she is brave she didn't do it alone."

"Really," I said mouth agape.

"It's true she had someone backing her up and helping her every step of the way,"

"Who was it? Who was it?" I asked bouncing up and down like a child at story time.

"It was none other than her own husband," he said triumphantly!

"Wow I've got to do some research on this," I said wiping off my hands. Then swiftly I stuck out my hand and said, "Well thanks for the ice cream friend, I enjoyed talking with you! By the way what is your name?"

"Roy Peratrovich," he replied with a smile in his eyes.

I looked at him in amazement and was about to reply when suddenly I was snatched up by an unseen force and thrown in to the same tunnel I had been in before. Only this time there was a twist. I was falling up! I felt my mind being compressed. My body was being compressed as well it felt like giant hands were squeezing me from all sides, or as if I had walked into a trash compactor and was about to be turned out as a little cube. This time the landing was softer and instead of landing flat on my face (like last time) I landed on my back none the worse for wear. I wandered off wondering if it had all been a dream when I felt in my pocket a piece of sticky paper. I pulled it out and saw that it was the napkin that I had used to wipe the chocolate ice cream off my face. I will never forget my journey back in time, and I will always remember that to every story there are unsung heroes waiting to be discovered.

Two Sides of the Bridge

By Karimae Carlson

Growing up in Sitka there was and still is always activities and sports to go and watch. As a kid this is what I wanted to do everyday, I didn't care where or when the games were, but I would do a thousand chores so I could go and watch anyone of them. There were two places I could choose to go and watch, Mount Edgecumbe High School and Sitka High School, my eldest brother, who was a junior at the time, played Varsity basketball at Sitka High School so of course I would instantly want to go there first, but if there wasn't a game going on at Sitka I would go to Mt. Edgecumbe and cheer on whoever was playing that day.

My brother's team rivals here in town and in the Southeast in general were the Mt. Edgecumbe Braves. He was always talking down about them, saying how the school was full of Natives, and that the Wolves would take the Braves any day in any sport, even though he had a quarter Haida in him, and we were a 4a school at the time. He was convinced that he would never go there unless he absolutely had to. Listening to not only my brother say these things but also the rest of his basketball team, while I was growing up I began to believe them as well.

Eighth grade year is a hard year for any kid, it's the time when you are almost an adult, going up to the high school. Well for me it was hard for one major reason, my best friend for all three years, going to Blatchley Middle School said that her dad was making her go to Mt. Edgecumbe because he is the volleyball coach and P .E. teacher there. Now her family is the whitest family you could ever meet, she has blonde hair and blue eyes. Her family may be Native American, but there is no way that her family has any Alaska Native in their family. To me this was the worst news I had gotten all of our eighth grade year. That summer after eighth grade year, my friend and I got even closer. Having to say goodbye to my dear friend was horrific.

I convinced her that because we were going to different, rivaling schools we couldn't hangout, because that was what I grew up thinking, and being told. I thought this up until halfway through sophomore year; this was when my father began to work at Mt. Edgecumbe. After he began working there I would go over to Mt. Edgecumbe and use their gym because it was down time for basketball, and I had nothing better to do but get better, and hangout with my dad. I slowly began to warm up to the people at Mt. Edgecumbe as I started to make friends at my rival "Native" school. When my friends at Sitka High asked me what I did that weekend, on Monday I would make some weird story up of why they weren't able to get a hold of me, I would say I was camping or fishing or my phone blew up.

Slowly but surely I began to make more friends at Mt. Edgecumbe, and my best friend from middle school is still a great friend of mine today. I started to mix my Mt. Edgecumbe friends with my Sitka High friends and sure enough they started to get along as well. Looking back on my years and my brother's years of high school I can still see that the two rivaling schools are coming together in some ways. I am a senior at Sitka High School this year, I am a starter on the Lady Wolves basketball team and not only I but also my team has made friends with the Lady Braves basketball team at Mt. Edgecumbe. We are still both rivaling schools in the 3A division of Southeast division, and we still will fight to the death against each other off the court, but once the game is over we can be friends and go to each other's dances and just hangout and be friends, just like how we can be friends with the people at Sitka High School too.

The way that Native and White have looked at each other for so many years, is quite sad; the town of Sitka has been separated Natives and Whites not only in the schools, but also in the community for a very long time, you can see this in the fishing industry where the Natives believe that fishing should be cut down, but also in the hunting. I think that now the town's people can grow together, we aren't as separated as we once were before, and I think in the long run, this will benefit all the people of Sitka, and we can begin working together as a team, instead of two rivaling schools fighting to the death every chance we get to, just to get the last piece of fish left in the ocean.

Enhancing Everyone

By Lindsay Anderson

As I walk downtown, I glance at all the signs, different faces pass by. "Native people not allowed" is the slogan upon each sign.

As I am allowed to enter the movie theater, what do they think about me? Will they one day be able to watch "Gone With The Wind? "

I notice the sad faces upon the small children, I begin to ponder an idea.

What can I do to stop this? A separation between two individual groups, but both unique, I see strong bonds between Native groups. Each group told stories from generation to generation, oral tradition through song and dance. Would they ever allow me to be a part of them? Why can't they be a part of me?

I present this issue to different people in the community. I tell everyone how racism is a superior issue. Each day I explain how we can all come together as one, to create an equal environment for all. How come some listen and some don't? I come to realize racism is far worse than I ever thought.

The ones who lift their noses I can't even convince that racism is present among our community. This small town is divided and some people do not even notice. I know the people who took the time to listen can help me find a solution.

As a child I play with someone just because they are friendly. Just because they do not look as I do, does not make them different. We play hopscotch, tag, and ring around the rosy. We hold hands, and it does not hurt me. Why can't we all be equal? Why can't my friends come with me everywhere?

I begin to feel more anger build inside of me. How do they expect people to get along if we can't even be together?

I bring more ideas toward change.

I do not give up and educate people on what racism actually is. So many forms of racism people do not understand.

I continue to talk to people, until I find the people who want results, just as I do. Finally, I have found the group of people willing to listen.

We discuss the issues and create a resolution. We all decide everyone needs the equal opportunity to vote, and be where they want. No one should be left out due to the color of their skin. There are not allowed to be signs that create a boundary. After everyone agrees on equal rights and civil rights, we decide what to do. One brave one suggests going to the legislature.

After we make a layout, we all head to the meeting.

We sit in the room with the legislature.

I can feel who will be on our side. Some of the members glare, but other smile and keep their composure.

We do not separate.

We sit as one, whites and Natives together.

The groups are not separate, we are one.

She has such a powerful voice, which catches everyone's attention, no matter what their stand is on the horrific issue.

Even the people on the legislature who disagree stop to ponder what she has said.

This women, Elizabeth, the start, to a

difficult continuous process.

Can we join together, or will she be alone?

One brave women fighting for that equal chance.

Why?

By Celeste Menadelook

Some things on earth happen that we can't explain

But we can explain things that happen too often

Prejudice and discrimination are what we do not want

It's wrong. It's mean. Also, uncaring.

People want to hear the positive things in life

So why do we act like it

It's something not to be proud of, but ashamed.

We want people in our life

Instead we push them out.

We don't like to be teased about what type of culture we are or the skin color or the way we speak

Most people say hurtful things to be cool

Well its not

Some don't even realize that when they do say it, the words hurt us.

We will hide ourselves because of the actions we hear and we won't want to be in activities our enjoy life cause the awful things people say about us.

Yet, we talk and say it has to stop

But it still goes on through our lives and we can't handle it anymore.

So, before you open your mouth and think wrong about someone just because they are different

Rethink that thought.

Learn about them more before you speak the thoughts you think

Learn what they have to offer rather than just putting them down.

Who knows that the person maybe the opposite of what you think and the rumors you hear.

We all are different in religion, language, and color

But, overall we are just the same as each other.

We are all humans that have to share this life we have created on earth

So, let's put away Prejudice and discrimination

And all come together

Share this planet peacefully and with warmth.

For The Rights Of All

By Sacha Mattley

"Even if each person could alienate himself: he could not alienate his children; they are born free men; their liberty belongs to them, and no one has the right to dispose of it except themselves."

- Jean-Jacques Rousseau

This quote is important to me because it shows that you can only think for yourself and not for anyone else. You have the right to do whatever you want as long as it is not against the law. For example, you cannot force somebody else do your work for you, that is considered slavery.

You cannot turn someone into someone else, just because you don't like them the way they are. You can only change yourself. This semester we have been given a serious look at human rights issues by reading the memoir called "Night" by a survivor of World War Two, Elie Wiesel, studying the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and learning about how the world is trying to help those in need.

In the book "Night" by Elie Wiesel we learned about what had happened during the time that Elie was at the concentration camps in Germany. Elie told us, in his book, that six-million Jews were killed, for no reason at all.

The Germans (Nazis), just took them from their homes, stuffed and crammed them into box cars, then took them to a concentration camp. There the Jews were made to work for no pay. They barely got enough to eat to keep them alive.

When one was sick he was sent to the hospital if he did not recover he was killed, burned, cremated. Luckily Elie survived until the war was over. He is still alive today.

On December I0, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the UDHR to help the world heal from the destruction of World War Two.

After this, the Assembly called upon member countries to publicize the words of the Declaration and cause it to be displayed, read, and posted up in schools and educational places. Nobody ever wanted what happened in WW2 to ever happen again.

By posting these Rights, the people would surely follow these "rules" and live a better life. With these Rights, it was hoped and dreamed that nothing like that should ever happen again, if people followed them.

The only problem is, is that the UDHR is not a law so many people don't follow them. If the Human Rights were "born" and were a law before WW2, the Nazis would have been in a heap of trouble.

The "rules" or Human Rights that were broken, or disobeyed in the book "Night" were: Human Right #2 - Don't discriminate, Human Right #3 - The right to life, Human Right #4 - No slavery, Human Right #5 - No torture, Human Right #9 - Unfair detainment Human Right #I4 -The right to asylum, Human Right #I8­ - Freedom of thought, Human Right #I9 - Freedom of speech. Human Right #23 - Workers rights, Human Right #24 -The right to play, Human Right #25 - a bed and some food, and Human Right #28 - A fair, free world.

These Rights were not given to the Jews. They were disobeyed by the Nazis, who didn't believe that the Jews were human enough to have those Rights.

Say the Human Rights were "born" before WW2 when the Nazis disobeyed them and didn't give the Jews their Rights, they would have either gotten a prison sentence of forced to work, with no pay, and not eat, and be tortured and killed, just like the did to the Jews. Sweet Revenge.

While at the camp the Jews should have had their Rights. The Jews knew they had them, but if they stood up to the S.S. soldiers, and told them that they had their Rights, they would have been shot on the spot.

The UDHR has been around since I948. So far the U.S.A. has abided by the UDHR. In other countries, they must not believe in them because there is still slavery, torture, discrimination, unfair detainment and no right to a free education. The UDHR has been around for almost 70 years, and I hope that they will always be around and that everyone will follow them for years and years to come.

Many organizations are committed to helping people in need. Youth for Human Rights International (YHRl) teaches students about having their own Human Rights. Videos of Human Rights are posted up everywhere around the world: on small screens in cabs, during halftime at football, soccer and basketball games, in schools and in supermarkets. In February 2004 YHRI representatives went out on a 45,000 mile world educational tour. To date, these tours have touched the lives of millions. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization that keeps peace in the world. This organization was found in I945 right after World War Two.

The United Nations is best known for its peace building and peace keeping. It also works on a broad range of fundamental issues ranging from sustainable development, disaster relief, counter terrorism, human rights, and cleaning landmines to expanding food productions. Human Rights Watch (HRW) is the leading organization. It is dedicated to defending and protecting human rights.

For thirty years HRW has worked to bring greater justice and security to people around the world. HRW is stopping or trying to stop rape being used as a weapon in the Congo. Amnesty International focuses on freeing prisoners of conscience, it is a world wide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all.

This organization is outraged by Human Rights abuse but is inspired by hope for a better world. Its mission is to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuse of human rights and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated. All of these organizations and many more are dedicated to help everyone who needs it.

We have learned about how people need to be treated fairly by learning about the rights all human beings deserve. Since the look at the Human Rights by reading "Night," and lots of research, I have now decided to follow all human rights.

By respecting and doing what the human righls say. I too can help organizations and other people help the world to be a better place to live and help those who need it. What the Nazis did was wrong, and since the Human Rights are published, now people can read them, follow them, and make sure everyone can live happy and free, like they are supposed to be.