Fish Camp

Fish Camp. The First Permanent Food Source for the Athabascans and their Dogs. , Fish camps played an enormous role in the lives of native Alaskans. These small summertime settlements were often set up about 30 miles from the village and served as the family's summer home. Salmon was caught using fishwheels, then were cleaned and prepared for the smokehouse. Fish camp provided a reliable source of food for the Athabascans and the teams of dogs they kept., The centerpiece of every Athabascan fish camp is the fish wheel. Originally used by the Chinese, this technology was introduced to Alaska by the early prospectors. Fishwheels are constructed out of spr[u]ce logs and poles and are powered entirely by the current of the river. The wheel would normally be placed along a cut-bank where the salmon would run strong. They were such an effective fish catching device that one wheel could catch hundreds of salmon in a single day., Some of the other features of fish camp include the white canvas wall tents, which is where families would sleep at fish camp. Surprisingly comfortable beds were made from spruce boughs covered with caribou hides. If it was chilly out a fire could be built in a small stove inside the tent. Air drying racks were used to hang the salmon until it was ready to be put in the smokehouse where the salmon would be fully dehydrated over a constantly burning fire. The small white boxes you see at this camp are doghouses. Dogs made for an effective alarm system against bears and other predators. The small cabin on stilts is a cache, which was used to keep food and supplies up off the ground and away from animals., Having a lightweight, nutritious and abundant food source allowed families to keep teams of up to 20 dogs, which would be used to work trap lines in the winter. Each dog would eat one dehydrated salmon per day. While the Athabascans would usually save the more numerous and lower quality Chum salmon for the dogs, they took great pride in the rich and oily King and Silver salmon they prepared for themselves. Each family had their own recipes, traditions and techniques for preserving salmon. The style of cut, brine ingredients, wood sources used for smoking and time spent in the smokehouse varied from village to village and from family to family., Fish camp is still an important part of contemporary native life today. It continues to provide a significant source of food for those maintaining a subsistence lifestyle, and also serves as a cultural center where younger generations can connect with their elders to learn traditional skills, practice their native language and listen to stories., [Photo caption reads] "Fish Camp at Salchaket"