July's Object of the Month is one of the birch bark baskets that was hastily made by a woman from Nondalton to carry water to fight the fire near Port Alsworth. The story reminds us that kids will be kids, and good neighbors are a blessing.
Baskets like this one were quickly made in order to carry water. While it is obvious this basket was made hastily over half a century ago, the skill of the basket maker is still obvious to the modern day viewer. The purposeful folds, the wooden splints holding the basket together, the placement of a handle on the top (now missing), and the overall construction is clear evidence the maker was very good at what she did.
The fire ended up burning until the fall rains came-it burned all around Tanalian Mountain, up to Currant Creek, and even jumped the Tanalian River. This fire, started over 60 years ago, brought all sorts of people together-women and men, Dena'ina and Euroamerican, residents and visitors alike to attempt to save their community. This basket, made quickly with no intention of being saved for posterity, reminds us we don't need a lot to help our neighbors or to better our communities.
After 1953, the Village of Nondalton began sending crews of forest fire fighters throughout the Alaska Territory to fight wild land fires. Seasonal Nondalton fire crews became more important to the village economy as their reputation for toughness and competence grew. Nondalton crews to this day still fight fires throughout Alaska as well as in the Lower 48.