TAZ'IN
Helen Dick
Spruce wood and root; L 291 cm, W 80.5 cm (cylindrical trap)
Lime Village, 2009
Fish trap
This whitefish trap commissioned by the Anchorage Museum involved three generations of the Dick family. Helen is a well-respected Dena’ina elder, and she and her husband Alan Dick supervised the construction by their son, Wayne, and Wayne’s son, Bryan. Whitefish were once an important food source in the spring, helping people avoid starvation before the arrival of the salmon. In the exhibition, visitors can see the trap as well as a short documentary film about its making.
Collection: Anchorage Museum 2009.010.001af
Image: © Chris Arend/Anchorage Museum