Tradition and Family

Sidney is interested in preserving Koyukon traditions. He talks about traditional methods of fishing, making spears and hunting grizzlies with spears, and making clothes. He discusses how the Koyukon Indians lived with nature and viewed the spirits of animals. Sidney sees that many traditions, handed down orally through generations, are being lost in modern times. While life is constantly changing, through many means, Sidney wants to preserve the past.

An important part of tradition is family. The family unit is the center of Koyukon society, and Koyukons have family relationships with many people throughout the land. People are nomadic, and they travel to wherever the food is that winter, in the harsh environment. Families let each other go easily, because of this difficult style of life. Even before Sidney's mother's death, his older sisters were sent away to school. Sidney himself is separated from his father...