Tundra times., 1963-09-23
Editorial
Editorial
 Mun Made Menace


 of made menace-he menace of radation Fate, in one of its unusual forms, is frownng on this little village of O8 Eskmos with threat that seems to spell doom 10 its very existence through it's food source, the caribou.
 The people of Anaktvvuk Pass have, for centuries. hunted caribou for their Livelihood This animal everything in their way of ife Ii food, clothing, shelter, and many other multiple II to the stark reality that inc people of this village cannot exist without the caribou. at
 Man discovered the secret of inc atom and found that it had great potential weapon of He needed to perfect and the way do that explode varying sizes of atom bombs underground and in inc air. to the equivalent of millions of tons of TINT. In the process, scientists found that there radioactive falout that potentially dangerous if absorbed in sufficient quantities.
 A strange, ironic, and ominous paI| emanating from the achievement of of the great sciences, the splitting of the aom has made vsations upon the ancient eul- of the unique Arctic food chain of northern Alaska. The most garing example of this has become evident in inc little village of Anaktuvuk Pass. Anaktuvuk Pass, remote, deep in inc rugged fast nesses of the Brooks Range has become inc victim of of mans great achievements in science, the invention of weapon of war-the atom bomb. Its side product the radioactive faout is contamnatng the food source ot the northern Eskimos, especially those in Anaktuvuk Pass
 The caribou, inc restless, wandering animal that tra- ves through the length of northern Alaska and Canada, feed principally chens These plants fake their noUris ment out of inc air instead of the so This pecuiay of taking nutrients allows inc plants 10 absorb radioactive IfaoU Feeding these plants, caribou become contam- inated with radioactive faoU Ekimos hunt this animal for food of them to supplement other food animals on which they subsist. But to inc people of Anakuvuk Pass caribou the main of food They cannot exist without this animal.
 The Anaktuvuk Pass radiation problem is getting the attention of people in high offices. There is talk that the people of inc village should change their diet. Others think that inc village should be relocated.
 After visiting Anaktuvuk Pass, this paper has found that there is some reluctance to both ideas.
 Simon Paneak, president of the Anaktuvuk Pass ooun- ci said when asked to comment inc possibility of reo- cation and changing of diet, ' is no good to think ot moving We have lived in this for long tme This land with its caribou is way of life. We like it better than inc Arctic coast We wouldn't know how to make living in inc Yukon country.
 "It would cost ot of money 10 inc government to feed US and us but if should become necessary ii would be inc only way"
 Simon Paneak was ref|ecng inc feelings of his peo" pe-their reluctance be burden to inc government and their reluctance be moved somewhere else where food-getting would be strange to them
 The problem at Anakuvuk Pass is big one: fs kind of problem that will worsen with lime under inc present circumstances If nuc|ear testing is continued by inc great powers it could destroy inc great Arctic food ohan Being close Russian testing areas, and the peou- ary of meteorological conditions, the danger great that Alaska may get excessive faIout.
 There should not be "wait and see" period as far inc Anaktuvuk Pass problem concerned The situation there calls for serious thought Whatever may evove from inc problem, say from Washington Juneau, if should not be confined 10 those of government Peo