Who was Marie Smith Jones?
January 27th 2008 10:38
Category: Gold Dust Fom Alaska
This is an unremarkable story about a tiny woman of giant spirit.
Anchorage Alaska - Honorary Chief Marie Smith Jones, the last full-blooded Eyak and last Native speaker of the Eyak language, died Monday at her apartment. She was 89.
Marie Smith Jones was well-known in Alaska and beyond as a feisty activist when it came to environmental and Indian Issues. She took on her own Native corporation in a fight against clear-cutting on ancestral lands near Cordova, Alaska. She oversaw the repatriation of bones when the Smithsonian Institution was forced to give them back. And on two occasions, she spoke at a United Nations conference on indigenous peoples languages and peace.
She married William F. Smith in 1948 and had eight children with him, none learned to speak Eyak. According to her son, Leonard Smith, she was found at home in her bed. Her family believes she died peacefully in her sleep. And is now free of the pain that had been plaguing her for some time.
Her children say she was full of spunk, very purposeful and single minded once she had made a decision about any issue. Marie was a tiny woman who smoked like a chimney and wasn’t afraid to say exactly what she thought. And reporters far and wide wanted to know what she knew.
She once told a writer from The New Yorker who knocked on her door to buzz off. She reconsidered when the fresh halibut brought as tribute wouldn’t fit in her mailbox, leaving her no choice but to open the door.
It wasn’t until Marie was in her 70s, after her sister, Sophie Borodkin, died in 1992, that she took up the cause and banner of her heiritage. Her sister’s death left her as the last fluent Native speaker of the Eyak language. When that New Yorker lady asked how she felt about that, Marie put it this way: “How would you feel if your baby died? If someone asked you, ‘What was it like to see it lying in the cradle?’ “
Marie Smith Jones wasn’t fond of such questions. Or reporters.
“It’s the first, but probably not the last at the rate things are going, of the Alaska Native languages to go extinct. She understood what was at stake and its significance, and bore that tragic mantle with grace and dignity,” continued Michael.
“She was fiercely, fiercely, fiercely independent."
Two years ago Smith Jones broke her hip, and doctors said her days of living on her own were over. That information was not well received, "she pitched a fit" and promised to do all this physical therapy but didn’t, and five weeks later she was back home again, with a little help from home health care and family.
She was legally blind and hard of hearing, “unless it was something she wanted to hear,” said her daughter with a laugh.
“Blind and deaf and she wouldn’t live with anybody.”
What kind of legacy will we leave behind? She left us in charge, and all many Alaskan can think of is oil revenues from ANWR, I am concerned that greed will destroy the true wealth of Alaska. Most will never know what that true value is worth.
A worthy torch bearer has left us, leaving us wanting and longing for what was precious to her.
Raven
Originated by Debra McKinney
Anchorage Daily News, edited by tlcorbin, et al
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Comment by katyzzz
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But it seems we can all learn from this feisty old woman, so independent, and not everyone wants that routine education which leads everyone down the same track, or endeavours to.
Life is the largest University of all, without the enforced bias of its lecturers.
Here was one independent soul with spirit aplenty.
I just hope someone recorded her speaking and translated it.
I don't normally have time to read such long posts nor do I intend making a habit of it. Which gives me rather a dilemma.
So I hope you'll understand if I do the usual skip and run.
katyzzz
Comment by tlcorbin
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Her language was recorded for posterity. Sadly, a lot of unrecorded history and cultural skills are being lost by the passing of those who could share them. Raven
Comment by Kleonaptra
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Do you think the language will be entirely lost? I cant explain how much things like this sadden me - The ancient woman in me mourns for the small skills and words that are lost every day.
To combat it in my own life, Im re-learning herb lore and feeling my way when it comes to traditional healing. Im quite good at it when the mood strikes me. As for langauges - being a lover of words it hurts whenever some are lost, with all their own private inflections and meanings, even though I know it will happen.
Thankyou for sharing this story Raven. I just wish I could have known her. Sounds like my kinda gal.
Comment by tlcorbin
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