More historical resources, Mr Peter Nick of Russian Mission

Nastasia (Nastasia’s Window to Rural Living - http://yupikteacherinprogress.blogspot.com/), one of the Tundra Teachers, writes from Russian Mission.

Her grandfather Ap’a Peter “Papasneak” Nick just turned 90 years old.

He remembers how the Great Pandemic of 1918-1919 affected him and those around him.

When his health started declining he told me how his mom died when he was around two due to the flu epidemic. He would look down and put his hand in a sweeping motion in front of him and say, “I can still see it when they put her in the mud. My auntie Qiatguq- the first Qiatguq behind me, and behind her my other three aunties.” He said that his aunt that took him in died shortly after his mom, then he was adopted by the couple he calls his parents - Peter and Nastasia Nick. I once asked him what was his mom’s name, he did not recall only knowing her as mom. His biological father was not in the picture, being a Caucasian miner by the name of George Fredricks who later moved to Sleetmute. By the time he was a teenager both his adoptive parents died and he lived with his uncle and cousins.

• My Grandfather Peter - http://yupikteacherinprogress.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-grandfather-peter.html [there's a video of him and his family, which unfortunately my computer can't view]

I hope we get to hear more from him and from others. There is an urgent need to understand how people cope with disasters. In Canada, there has been a special call for nonagenarians to work with epidemiologists.

Read the entry here [...] British Columbian? Over 98? Please call
Yesterday Helen Branswell reported on a British Columbia project to interview people who recall the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-19.

Oral histories aren’t just recordings. When asked by prepared interviewers, people’s experiences are invaluable for those yet to come. [see your local archivist or state museum for more information. I have a number of resources I send out to the SciTEK teachers but none posted on-line at the moment.]

I also hope Nastasia continues writing.

Previous posts–

• What he knew in 1918 could save millions of lives today
  http://ykalaska.wordpress.com/2006/07/09/what-he-knew-in-1918-could-save-millions-of-lives-today/
• Jesse Lee Home, Alaska and the pandemic of 1919
  http://ykalaska.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/jesse-lee-home-alaska-and-the-pandemic-of-1919/
• Alaska History reading list
• Alaska and Eskimo data in 1920 British report
• Alaska history books
• Cangerlaagpiit (Epidemics) historical lessons
• Excerpts hearings on Alaska influenza devastation
• Flu history and research database
• Influenza in Alaska 1919 Hearings
• Letters from 1918 SW Alaska British Columbia
• More historical pandemic resources (Michigan archives)
• More historical resources (Brevig Mission)
• New historic pandemic resources available
• The National Archives: Influenza Epidemic of 1918
• Timeline of Human Flu Pandemics
• More history to follow up
• Historical analyses help plan for future pandemics

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