Justin Patsy

Mike Spindler interviewed Justin Patsy in Nulato on October 26, 1997. The interview was edited and produced by Clinton Brown

JUSTIN PATSY was born on January 10, 1926 in Old Louden, 13 miles above present day Galena. His birth parents were Charlie and Leena Wholecheese. When Justin was still a baby he was adopted by Jack and Elizabeth Patsy. Justin completed four years of school, two in Nulato at the mission and two years at the Holy Cross Mission School. He grew up on the Koyukuk River hunting and trapping with his family until he was 12. They predominantly trapped on the Dulbi River and fished on the Yukon, four miles above Nulato. His mother fell ill when he was 12 so he spent most of his teen years around Nulato to be near her. On January 23, 1951, Justin married Maryanna Agnes of Nulato. Together they raised eleven children, 4 boys and 7 girls. To support the family, Justin trapped in the winter in Kaiyuh (Northern Innoko Refuge) and worked seasonal jobs in the summer. Some of those jobs include 6 seasons working for canneries in Dillingham and Petersons point, 30+ years fighting fires in Alaska and the lower 48, and fishing for many years commercially four miles above Nulato. He also served four years in the National Guard from 1958-1962. Lately he has been spending time in Nulato with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The goal of Raven's Story is to record elders' stories, observations, and experiences relating to wildlife, fish, and subsistence in the Koyukuk and middle Yukon areas of interior Alaska. This Raven's Story was produced by Clinton Brown at public radio station KIYU-AM in Galena, Alaska, with the support of Louden Tribal Council and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.