The grandson of the Iditarod
Ray Redington Jr, based in Willow, a third-generation musher from Alaska's most famous mushing dynasty, is the iconic image of a native Alaskan.
Ray, a grandson of Joe Redington Sr., the 'Father of the Iditarod', talks about his heritage and shares his views of Alaskan life.
- How long have you lived in Alaska and why are you still here?
- I was born and raised in Alaska. I was born in 1975. My grandfather, Joe Redington Sr., came from Oklahoma, he drove by and homesteaded. And my mom is from Unalakleet, Alaska. It is on the coast of the Bering sea. I am a musher, I race dogs. I've done 16 Iditarod races so far. I ran my first Iditarod in 2001. Why I am still here? I don't think there is any better place.
- I was born and raised in Alaska. I was born in 1975. My grandfather, Joe Redington Sr., came from Oklahoma, he drove by and homesteaded. And my mom is from Unalakleet, Alaska. It is on the coast of the Bering sea. I am a musher, I race dogs. I've done 16 Iditarod races so far. I ran my first Iditarod in 2001. Why I am still here? I don't think there is any better place.
- Alaska is…
- Home. Place where I can ride my dogs. It is good here do hunting and fishing and I grew up doing that. So I am also a hunter. I like to hunt moose, sheep, caribou, bear.
- Home. Place where I can ride my dogs. It is good here do hunting and fishing and I grew up doing that. So I am also a hunter. I like to hunt moose, sheep, caribou, bear.
- What is the spirit of Alaska in terms of values people live?
- I guess, racing dogs, being out in the wilderness… You know, it is the people that really make it. I mean, here we are up here in Eurika. Everybody's friendly, everybody's doing outdoor..
- I guess, racing dogs, being out in the wilderness… You know, it is the people that really make it. I mean, here we are up here in Eurika. Everybody's friendly, everybody's doing outdoor..
I like living here in Alaska. Be able to race my dogs. Be able to harvest off the land. I like to hunt. I am Alaskan Native, Eskimo, I've got to hunting. I've got to go on a skin-boat. I've got to harvest to Polar bear and caribou.
- Since time immemorial the Native peoples of Alaska have lived here. Then the Russians came. Then Alaska became a part of the United States. In the end, who has the most claim?
- Alaska was purchased. So it belongs to the United States.
- Alaska was purchased. So it belongs to the United States.
- The First Peoples of Alaska, including Inupiaq, Tlingit, Athabaskans, Yupik, Alutiiq and others, how large is their role in modern Alaska today?
- I think, the tradition is strong. The Native villages are growing today. Though some of them have gotten little bit smaller. There are Native villages in Alaska that most of the people don't know they exist.
- I think, the tradition is strong. The Native villages are growing today. Though some of them have gotten little bit smaller. There are Native villages in Alaska that most of the people don't know they exist.
- Alaska and the 'Lower 48': do people do things differently there?
- I don't really know. I've been out of Alaska only a few times. It seems like there are much more people and they are more in a hurry in the 'Lower 48'.
- I don't really know. I've been out of Alaska only a few times. It seems like there are much more people and they are more in a hurry in the 'Lower 48'.
- Do reality TV shows genuinely portray Alaska or they distort it?
- I think some things are cut, in a way. I always liked the 'Deadliest Catch'. The commercial fishing in Alaska was a tough business to be in. They would have openers to go harvest and then there were days when you were able to harvest. And today… you know, I know a little bit about it because I've done a lot of commercial fishing. Now they put the fishermen on a quota so now the boats don't have to rush out there in a hurry. They changed the system now. So back to the 'Deadliest Catch', now they changed the rules and made it a lot easier for commercial fishermen. Which is good. But, in general, I don't like to watch too many of them, I am not a real big fan of the TV reality shows. I think they add a little extra…
- I think some things are cut, in a way. I always liked the 'Deadliest Catch'. The commercial fishing in Alaska was a tough business to be in. They would have openers to go harvest and then there were days when you were able to harvest. And today… you know, I know a little bit about it because I've done a lot of commercial fishing. Now they put the fishermen on a quota so now the boats don't have to rush out there in a hurry. They changed the system now. So back to the 'Deadliest Catch', now they changed the rules and made it a lot easier for commercial fishermen. Which is good. But, in general, I don't like to watch too many of them, I am not a real big fan of the TV reality shows. I think they add a little extra…
- Where, in your opinion, is the most beautiful place in Alaska? Why did you pick that place and why is it so special to you?
- It all a lot depends on your seasons. Some of your places you would go to in the wintertime and would think: wow! It could be a place like Unalakleet. We're racing dogs there in the wintertime, so there are some rolling hills, you know, it is a little windy. And you come back there in summertime and you have huge blueberry hills there, just as far as you can see. And rolling hills and things of that nature: you are really stand back and can't believe what it is in summer versus the winter. So this place is kind of special to me, my mum is from there.
- It all a lot depends on your seasons. Some of your places you would go to in the wintertime and would think: wow! It could be a place like Unalakleet. We're racing dogs there in the wintertime, so there are some rolling hills, you know, it is a little windy. And you come back there in summertime and you have huge blueberry hills there, just as far as you can see. And rolling hills and things of that nature: you are really stand back and can't believe what it is in summer versus the winter. So this place is kind of special to me, my mum is from there.
I enjoy watching dog racing they've got in Russia. I think in this way Russia is a lot like Alaska. I'd like to go there one day and run a dog race. They have one of the longest sled dog races in Kamchatka, it is called 'Beringia' and I would like to be a part of it someday.
- What are you favorite Alaskan foods? Do you have a special recipe?
- I like salmon. I eat a lot of moose. I love blueberries, those little Alaska blueberries for pancakes, you know, they are really good. We got good halibut. We got shrimp. We got caribou. And sheep. It is good. Just about anything from here that is natural.
- I like salmon. I eat a lot of moose. I love blueberries, those little Alaska blueberries for pancakes, you know, they are really good. We got good halibut. We got shrimp. We got caribou. And sheep. It is good. Just about anything from here that is natural.
- What do you know about the Russian America or Russian heritage in Alaska?
- In some of the villages we have Russian graveyards. We have the Russian church, too.
- In some of the villages we have Russian graveyards. We have the Russian church, too.
- This year is the 150th anniversary of Alaska purchase by the United States: are you aware of this event?
- Yes, I am aware.
- Yes, I am aware.
- How do you feel towards Russia as a country?
- Good. Russia is a big country, I think I can see in a lot of ways back in that day why they would sell Alaska. There is a great big ocean that separates us. And Alaska is attached right to Canada and goes right on over to the United States. Back in that day they called it 'Seward's Folly' and I think at the time it was a big purchase. And there wasn't much here, no big cities, just villages. As to the Russian America, how many Russians were here when we did purchase it? About 800. So when Alaska was bought it was really opened up by Americans, the gold miners spread here out so far. It was unbelievable.
- Good. Russia is a big country, I think I can see in a lot of ways back in that day why they would sell Alaska. There is a great big ocean that separates us. And Alaska is attached right to Canada and goes right on over to the United States. Back in that day they called it 'Seward's Folly' and I think at the time it was a big purchase. And there wasn't much here, no big cities, just villages. As to the Russian America, how many Russians were here when we did purchase it? About 800. So when Alaska was bought it was really opened up by Americans, the gold miners spread here out so far. It was unbelievable.
- America and Russia: are we enemies? Or are we not?
- I enjoy watching dog racing they've got in Russia. I think in this way Russia is a lot like Alaska, like natural resources. I also think they've got much larger moose in Russia. They've also got some salmon there. It is just interesting to look at it. I was kind of interested to go there. I'd like to go there one day and run a dog race. They have one of the longest sled dog races in Kamchatka, it is called 'Beringia' and I would like to be a part of it someday.
- I enjoy watching dog racing they've got in Russia. I think in this way Russia is a lot like Alaska, like natural resources. I also think they've got much larger moose in Russia. They've also got some salmon there. It is just interesting to look at it. I was kind of interested to go there. I'd like to go there one day and run a dog race. They have one of the longest sled dog races in Kamchatka, it is called 'Beringia' and I would like to be a part of it someday.
- If you had an opportunity to meet and talk to an ordinary Russian, what would you say?
- I think I would be asking questions myself. Just to see their lifestyle. It is always interesting to see a village throughout Alaska just to see how different people live. This year I had an opportunity to go to Sweden. It was my first big trip. It was really interesting to see how big dog mushing is there. You can read about it and see some pictures but when you're actually there you can get a feel for it. Back to the Youtube, I've got to look at Putin, watching him do some pipe-fishing. It was fun to see somebody of his status being out fishing like regular people do. When you get that high up, I guess, normal is golf.
- I think I would be asking questions myself. Just to see their lifestyle. It is always interesting to see a village throughout Alaska just to see how different people live. This year I had an opportunity to go to Sweden. It was my first big trip. It was really interesting to see how big dog mushing is there. You can read about it and see some pictures but when you're actually there you can get a feel for it. Back to the Youtube, I've got to look at Putin, watching him do some pipe-fishing. It was fun to see somebody of his status being out fishing like regular people do. When you get that high up, I guess, normal is golf.
- What is your version of the American dream?
- I think we've all got a little bit of a different version of that. I like living here in Alaska. Be able to race my dogs. Be able to harvest off the land. We have grocery stores here, too, but I like to hunt. I am Alaskan Native, Eskimo, I've got to hunting. I've got to go on a skin-boat. We went whaling on Point Hope. I've got to harvest to Polar bear and caribou when I was there with some really good friends of mine.
- I think we've all got a little bit of a different version of that. I like living here in Alaska. Be able to race my dogs. Be able to harvest off the land. We have grocery stores here, too, but I like to hunt. I am Alaskan Native, Eskimo, I've got to hunting. I've got to go on a skin-boat. We went whaling on Point Hope. I've got to harvest to Polar bear and caribou when I was there with some really good friends of mine.
The Iditarod is over a thousand miles sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome.
- What a great single Alaskan person of past or present would you like to talk to?
- I like dog racing. It is a true passion. Since my grandfather passed away, Joe Redington Sr, who is known as the 'Father of the Iditarod', I guess I would talk to him. He started the Iditarod sled dog race in 1973, it is over a thousand miles dog race from Anchorage to Nome. He always wanted to prove what sled dogs could do. You know, they pioneered Alaska. In the 1970s the snow-machines started to come around more. So he didn't want the sled dogs to go away. He ran the Iditarod 19 times. He ran his first Iditarod when he was 56 and at his last Iditarod he was 80.
- I like dog racing. It is a true passion. Since my grandfather passed away, Joe Redington Sr, who is known as the 'Father of the Iditarod', I guess I would talk to him. He started the Iditarod sled dog race in 1973, it is over a thousand miles dog race from Anchorage to Nome. He always wanted to prove what sled dogs could do. You know, they pioneered Alaska. In the 1970s the snow-machines started to come around more. So he didn't want the sled dogs to go away. He ran the Iditarod 19 times. He ran his first Iditarod when he was 56 and at his last Iditarod he was 80.
- What will Alaska be like in 2034, 17 years from now?
- I guess, it depends on our economy. I don't think it would change dramatically. Maybe a new gas line coming in. I can't really predict that far. This is the 'Last Frontier' for America. It still is, in many ways…
- I guess, it depends on our economy. I don't think it would change dramatically. Maybe a new gas line coming in. I can't really predict that far. This is the 'Last Frontier' for America. It still is, in many ways…
