Day 52 19 September Kodiak

Kodiak has a population of just under 6,000 people and is an island as well. The Alutiq people have lived here for over 7,000 years. The Russians first sighted Kodiak Island in 1741. In 1778, Captain Cook explored the area and wrote of "Kodiak" in his journals. The next year the Spanish also reached the area.  
 
It was settled in 1792 by the Russians who called it Paul’s Harbour. They enslaved the local people, forcing them to hunt sea otters. That enslavement lasted for over 150 years. By the mid-19th century, the sea otter was almost extinct and 85% of the First Nations population had disappeared from exposure to European diseases and violence.

The oldest building in Alaska, built in 1808, is the Russian-American Magazin. This was a storage facility, and it is the correct spelling. It is now the Kodiak Historical Museum.

A bust of Tsar Alexander I. His armies fought against Napoleon.

Russian coins.

The influence of the Russian Orthodox Church.

This half of a Kodiak Bear, a sub-species, was a novelty in a curio shop. It was only half a bear because the back end was too mangy to taxidermy. Two of the front teeth had to be replaced as they had fallen out after so many people had touched them. The local dentist had done a cast and replaced them. I am not sure I would use him. Perhaps it was done under Medicare-bear.

Kodiak has suffered two natural disasters in the 20th century: There was a volcanic ashfall from a 1912 volcanic eruption (about 30cm of ash was deposited) destroying crops and devastating the fishing industry for four years. The 1964 Alaska earthquake which affected the entire area it seems, also affected Kodiak,

FUN FACT 
The US Navy operates a small training base nearby where they train their Navy SEALS

 in cold weather survival and advanced tactics.

We visited the Russian Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church. It was very attractive inside, and look at the almost cloudless skies!

 

Here are the remains of St Herman who was the first canonised saint in North America.

Saint Innocent, Bishop of Irkutsk, was made a saint when his body did not decompose.

These church bells have been replaced over time.

There is also a Russian Orthodox Chapel and Seminary. We met a lovely Alutiq (native) priest the Very Rev. Michael Nicolai who was the Seminary Chaplain. He told us that the chapel was an exact replica of what had been there. At the moment they have about 9 people being trained for the priesthood in residence, and local communities are demanding the church have a presence. Baptisms are very popular It was an attractive religion for the native peoples as they shared some of the same beliefs.  

I am not sure that this Kodiak Bear outside the Kodiak Wildlife Refuge is life size. There was a prehistoric bear that probably was that size though.

Their static displays were good, and all the animals were sculptures, so presumably kids can touch them.

This was a great way to display to kids the variety of foods that bears eat.

The annual Kodiak Crab Festival involves the official Pardoning of the Crab. A crab is given a crab themed name, and then saved from the crab pot by a special guest, to live at the Kodiak Fisheries Research Center Aquarium. In 2019 the special crab was named Sheldon, and in 2021, it was Lenny Crabitz.

There are several bars that claim to be the oldest, all built in the same year.

Personalized number plates.

The weather was brilliant today.