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Baidarka Building in Akutan

In the fall of 2003, Kurt Schmidt, teacher and principal at Akutan High School started his class on building baidarkas, the traditional hunting boat of the Aleutians. In the spring of 2004 on invitation of Kurt and supported by a grant from Trident Seafoods, I travelled to Akutan to help the class work on their boats. The following are some pictures from the building process.

Halihaena Stepetin, left, Christina McGlashan, back, Carmen Bereskin, front and Karen Vincler in front of the frames class members built.

Students built their baidarkas in the school gymnasium.

Don Jon Tcheripanoff and Kurt Schmidt consult on Don Jon's baidarka.

Don Jon checks the shape of his ribs.

Karen lashing the stringers to the ribs.

Karen on the beach in front of school with her completed frame.

Kurt with his frame.

Christina McGlashan, Don Jon Tcheripanoff, Joe Bereskin, Kurt Schmidt and Wolfgang Brinck with a skinned up boat.