Dance rattle
Deborah McMullen: Brandon and my great grandmother was a healer and midwife. Her name was Anisha Anakimah (?) Yamak Moon (sp?). She lived in the Nuchek area. My mom was a nurse from the time she got out of high school. After she had a stroke she had to stop. My mom was very active in our region, and Nanwalek, and helped Seldovia and Homer, providing services that weren't otherwise available in the 1970s, and was village chief for a while as well.
Pamela Smith: I made a rattle, not similar to that, but had quite a lot of hooks on it. And I was told to use it to ward off angry spirits and hang it in the house when I felt I needed it. I wanted to utilize the deer hooves and things started showing up. But I was never raised to know anything, all I knew is that I wanted to do it, so it was like my ancestors coming through me. I don't know too many people who do use deer hooves in Cordova. I have to be honest, touching these items, it feels appropriate that not too much handling should be done. Just to honor and treat them with the utmost respect. When I have questions about how things should be handled, I bring it back to the Eyak people. My grandmother said that shamanic items should not be seen. And a shaman is buried in the Cordova area, but it is important not to look for them.
Deborah McMullen: There is a shaman buried near where she lives and she pays a bit of homage to them near the site where they are buried because they know that the shaman is there.
Pamela Smith: I made a rattle, not similar to that, but had quite a lot of hooks on it. And I was told to use it to ward off angry spirits and hang it in the house when I felt I needed it. I wanted to utilize the deer hooves and things started showing up. But I was never raised to know anything, all I knew is that I wanted to do it, so it was like my ancestors coming through me. I don't know too many people who do use deer hooves in Cordova. I have to be honest, touching these items, it feels appropriate that not too much handling should be done. Just to honor and treat them with the utmost respect. When I have questions about how things should be handled, I bring it back to the Eyak people. My grandmother said that shamanic items should not be seen. And a shaman is buried in the Cordova area, but it is important not to look for them.
Deborah McMullen: There is a shaman buried near where she lives and she pays a bit of homage to them near the site where they are buried because they know that the shaman is there.
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