In 2022, Sandra Smith-Poling, a long time friend of Chugach and a major contributor to Nuuciq Spirit Camp (NSC), shared a collection of haiku poems that she had crafted about her experiences at NSC. Chugach’s Cultural Resources department worked with Sandra and Sally Ash, a fluent speaker of Sugt’stun, to create a publication for this collection that has both English and Sugt’stun translations. In addition, this collection of poems also displayed beautiful water-colors that Sandra had painted over the years, and that are each tied to individual haikus. The following links provide each poem in the book in audio format that can be listened to and enjoyed. Sally Ash first offers words and lines from the poems in English, and then offers the same words and lines in Sugt’stun.

Preface

Bear

Beaver

Deer

Fox

Otter and Urchins

Otter Mama

Sheep

Wolf

Sealion

Humpback Whale

Octopus

Crab

Chitons

Starfish

Heron

Eagle

Raven

Seagull

Loon

Oystercatcher

Puffin

Ptarmigan

Swan & Mallard

Goose

Chickadee

Hummingbird

Kingfisher

Bluebird

Russian Chapel at Nuchek

View from Nuchek Lake

Don Kompkoff Kayaking

Marka Point Boat

Gabriel by Tree

The Fisherman

Halibut

David & Buddy

Peter Anahonak

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Director Randi Jo Gause

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