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Location: land of quail, bunnies, and red tail hawks
1,513 posts, read 3,387,565 times
Reputation: 3539
Quote:
Originally Posted by Metlakatla
I really don't know what all the finger wagging's about. Go start a business yourself and then come back and post; you've got a lot of misconceptions here. There are certainly ways to stimulate local economies, but most of what you've suggested are sure failures. And investment capital isn't nearly as easy to get as you seem to think it is for projects that are poorly planned out. I'm sorry, I doubt that you could raise a dime to start a cafe on the banks of an interior river even if you could get the land.
Perhaps my ideas won't work. (I know some will because I've seen people do it.) However, I prefer to think something can be done to improve the local economies. Attitudes like yours and Ray's provide people no hope and keeps them as perpetual victims.
In my nine years in the small village, I saw three or four brick and mortar business built, at least two internet businesses, a hobby farm that provided supplemental income, and two other intermittent businesses where individuals flew to the community routinely to provide a service. Most of these were begun by community members who saw a need and fulfilled it. I personally know people from various communities that have side businesses in carpentry, skull cleaning (hunters love it!), automotive, drywalling and mudding, photography, quilting, music, and crafting. Two people I know even wrote books. I saw out of the box thinking by town leaders to solve problems, and people applying to multiple agencies for grants to improve infrastructure.
If I did have a desire to move back to the Bush and start a business that ultimately failed, at least I would have done something. If I listened to you and Ray and decided it wasn't possible, I would have failed before getting started. Personally, I prefer action to inaction. After thousands of attempts at making a lightbulb, Thomas Edison asserted that he didn't fail. He simply discovered multiple ways not to make the lightbulb. When he failed, he learned from his mistake, and he tried again. Eventually he got it right. There have been people in the Bush that tried various businesses, with varying measures of success, and continued until they got it right. That's how places like Bethel grew.
Last edited by Blueberry; 05-31-2015 at 01:29 AM..
Reason: additional thought
Blueberry, you have NO idea of who you're talking to here. My family's been in business in a fairly remote part of Alaska for decades, and we've done rather well. I've also seen all manner of hare-brained schemes along the lines of what you've suggested crash and burn, including anyone and everyone who's decided to offer us a little healthy competition.
I worked with my child strapped to my back during salmon season to make it happen...I'm probably the last person here you want to wag your silly finger at.
But yeah, who am I to argue with someone who's lived in remote Alaska for nine whole years, has obviously never been in business, and therefore knows it all? LOL?
Quote:
Two people I know even wrote books.
These days, I make my living as a writer. Less than three percent of the people who write for money can say the same, and I kind of doubt that the people you know who "wrote books" are self-supporting writers.
I'm not sure what your agenda is here, actually. You seem to be holding up your nine or whatever number of years in Alaska as some sort of trump card to wag your finger at those who don't live as you think they should. It's clear you know nothing about business -- the suggestions you've made here more than prove that.
Sure, some people can make it work if they want to live in remote villages badly enough; most flee when the romantic dream they had of that particular life crashed and burned on the rocks of cold, hard reality.
It's really easy for those who have never been in business to yap about these things, but like most people who have never actually tried to run a business, you have no idea of what you're talking about. Sounds like you and your husband lived on publically-funded jobs during your time in Alaska and left when the well dried up.
From the site of the Tanana Chief Conference, in 2012 Tanana had a population of 233, Minto had a population of 223, and Rampart had a population of 29. Tanana and Minto are only a little smaller in size to the village Keyman51 mentioned. They're about the size of my village, depending on the ebb and flow. I'm having a hard time believing they don't have a clinic, because I know of villages with only 40 and 90 people with a clinic and school. It might not be much, but it is infrastructure.
Minto is on the road system (correct me if I'm wrong), so it has lots of potential. The Wikipedia site has a photo of a pretty nice post office, which is a far cry from a counter in the back of the village store, which some villages have. When I lived on the road system, I loved exploring the small places. It could easily become similar to Talkeetna, with lots of boutique businesses that cater to the tourists. Talkeetna also has its infamous Moose Dropping Festival that draws in lots of people. By advertising heavily with the cruise lines, it could become a stop on one of the land tours.
Tanana is only about 20 miles from Manley, which is on the road system. When I lived on the road system, my family spent a night in Manley and enjoyed the hot springs. With a little ingenuity, someone could make Manley a jumping off point for Tanana. I don't know if the building that once housed the hospital is still there; if so, it might be able to be refurbished and given new life. There used to be a tour company that provided small bus/van trips to the Arctic Circle; I don't know if it still exists. If so, Manley and Tanana are just a hop, skip, and jump away.
Rampart is a bit tougher because it currently has so few people. In the height of the Gold Rush, it had 10,000 people. If you think about the Gold Rush, the government wasn't the entity that made things happen. Rampart has been used for farming and test crops in the past. Someone could do organic farming and perhaps replace Full Circle Farm (an out of state company) as the provider of produce boxes shipped to locations through Alaska. Perhaps a seed company could be established.
Both Tanana and Rampart are on major rivers. I'm really only familiar with river travel on the Kuskokwim, and I'm not sure if they're similar in nature. I do know that people who travel the rivers appreciate a place to take a break and get gas so they don't have to haul so much. A small cafe, trading post, and gas station would be a big help to river travelers. Start with things like that, and build on it. Then, the more inviting the town becomes, the more people might want to invest. If there are mines in the area, cater to their needs and the workers flying back and forth. Sitka and Galena both have thriving boarding schools. Education is a huge need in the villages as people get fed up with the local education. From what I hear, another school could probably thrive.
In 1880, Bethel was an AC trading post and had a population of 41. Today, there are over 6,000 people and multiple business and tourism opportunities. Once upon a time, it had visionaries that saw potential. They took risks, they started small, and then they grew. Some businesses boomed; some failed. Tenacious men adapted and branched out. The town grew. Then grew some more.
Don't tell me it can't be done. Don't tell me government is the only answer. The government can be handy, though, by way of small business loans. Green energy seems to be popular with this administration--take advantage of it. The only things holding these places back are visionaries and people willing to put in some effort. There's always a way to get money--lots of rich people out there looking for good investments or philanthropic projects that will let them feel good about themselves.
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ETA - Huslia wasn't mentioned when I created this post. I don't think I need to do research because my gist should be clear.
Keyman's village is dying. The school district there is broke and losing students. Businesses are struggling. McGrath is a hub that serves two other villages mainly and I think one of those villages has no clinic (but not positive) and the school there is a risk for closure. Another village within the school district doesn't have a clinic. Another village will have a school close unless more kids show up. Within that school district that covers an area the size of the state of Ohio there are 9 villages with two villages without schools. 4 without clinics. And currently about 200 students. 4 of the seven schools have less than 16 students.
But there is little opportunity for economic growth. There are no resources to exploit. No minerals. Plenty wildlife but it's used for subsistence. The upper kuskokwim is not economically feasible. I was looking at buying some land in McGrath(one of the few areas that a white thy can buy land without crazy loopholes) until I factored in the cost to build.
Last edited by Haolejohn; 05-31-2015 at 02:03 PM..
Reason: Rt
Also in the last 20 months there have been at least 25 jobs lost. The wildlife center closed less than 2years ago - 8 jobs all federal, now the wildfire dept. - 16 jobs All state
Also in the last 20 months there have been at least 25 jobs lost. The wildlife center closed less than 2years ago - 8 jobs all federal, now the wildfire dept. - 16 jobs All state
How bad did the Iditarod not coming through hurt the local businesses this year too?
My friend over there was talking to me yesterday about the Govt bailing on McGrath. Logistics...
So what happens when schools close? Do the kids in those places go live elsewhere?
Historically, interior Natives haven't spent much time in their villages; they've followed the caribou and moose, the salmon and whitefish. That old way of life is all but gone now, and no amount of quilting businesses is going to bring it back. I think that's really what's at the root of the problem. Human ingenuity really only goes so far; the land itself has to be cooperative. The same business idea that's going to work in western Washington will fall flat in interior Alaska. You can't impose a Little House on the Prairie ideal on villages that have historically been used as pit stops by semi-nomadic people.
If you don't want to pay taxes to support them, perhaps giving them back their land would relieve you of that terrible burden.
Location: land of quail, bunnies, and red tail hawks
1,513 posts, read 3,387,565 times
Reputation: 3539
Metlakatla, I'm aware of your background. I think I actually participated on this forum before you did.
All I've tried to do is give people hope. I'm sorry you can't see that.
Neither of the people who wrote books actually made much money. Most authors don't make a living wage. That wasn't the point. I was merely pointing out some things people do, because you and Ray seem to think that people from the villages are incapable of out of the box thinking. You seem to think that if someone doesn't hold their hands the whole way, they won't survive.
Just for clarification: 21 years in Alaska, 7 in Bethel, and 9 in a small village. Sorry that doesn't qualify me to have an opinion.
Last edited by Blueberry; 05-31-2015 at 05:18 PM..
So what happens when schools close? Do the kids in those places go live elsewhere?
Historically, interior Natives haven't spent much time in their villages; they've followed the caribou and moose, the salmon and whitefish. That old way of life is all but gone now, and no amount of quilting businesses is going to bring it back. I think that's really what's at the root of the problem. Human ingenuity really only goes so far; the land itself has to be cooperative. The same business idea that's going to work in western Washington will fall flat in interior Alaska. You can't impose a Little House on the Prairie ideal on villages that have historically been used as pit stops by semi-nomadic people.
If you don't want to pay taxes to support them, perhaps giving them back their land would relieve you of that terrible burden.
The village dies...
When a school closes the parents will either have to homeschool or the kids go away, or the family does. Schools will stay open with 10 or more students. So if it drops below 10, it will possibly be shut, unless funding can happen, which currently isn't going to happen.
education as we know it, has destroyed the Native life. It forced a culture to become stagnant and remain in one location.
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My family's been in business in a fairly remote part of Alaska for decades, and we've done rather well. I've also seen all manner of hare-brained schemes along the lines of what you've suggested crash and burn, including anyone and everyone who's decided to offer us a little healthy competition. 
