Alaska Film Archives

[Carving totem]
[Carving totem]
The filmmaker's original labeling scheme has AAF-20051 numbered as Bacon 11-05 and titled “Carving Totem for Japan World's Fair.” Reed Bovee interviewed filmmaker Bill Bacon in 2010, and the following information about the group of films that includes this film is based on Bovee's notes from that interview: “Chilkat dancers, carving on the largest totem pole - The Japanese were having a World’s Fair and they wanted to have the largest totem pole so they went to Haines to have it carved; it was huge - Inuit Circumpolar Conference meeting in Nuke, Greenland in 1980, beluga hunting in Kotzebue - In the evening when the hunters bring in the whales they cut them up and hang them to dry - Nome inside shots of Omiak - When he went to Egg Island, big Omiak Eskimos climbed up the cliffs and got the bird eggs, puffin and seagull eggs - They get up there and drop the eggs down to a guy that catches them, and then he gives them to a guy in a boat where he has a basket with grass in it and they fill up the baskets - Bill got up the hill and it was so slippery from bird droppings that he kept slipping so he could not get down - They had to go around and climb up to the top and drop a rope down to him and pull him up - Says it was really embarrassing.” Notes on the film box are as follows: “Barrow Nulakatuk, ICC Meeting Inuvik NWT Canada 1960, ICC meeting Nuuk Greenland July 1, 1980, Eskimos going to ECC Island out from Nome 1950, Kotzebue beluga hunters return at night 1950” and “Reel 5: Carving totem, Chilkat dancers, carving on largest totem pole outside, Eskimo dance at Nulakatuk, blanket toss, beluga kill.”
[Kermode bears]
[Kermode bears]
The filmmaker's original labeling scheme has film AAF-20352 numbered as Bacon 87-01 and titled “Kermodei Bear.” Reed Bovee interviewed filmmaker Bill Bacon in 2010, and the following information about this film is based on Bovee's notes from that interview: “Kermode bears are all white at the San Juan Islands off of Canada - This is the only place in the world where you can find these bears - It’s a white black bear - Bill spent days looking for them and finally a guy said what are you looking for - Bill told him the Kermode Bear - The guy said, ‘Oh go to the dump they are there every night,’ and sure enough that’s where he found them - Great story - Reel 1 contains very rare footage - Valuable - There is only one other guy who has film of these bears.” Notes on the film box are as follows: “Kermode Bear – black bear mother with cubs/cave” and “Reel 1: Original, ECN, Kermode bear.”
[Kermode bears in cave]
[Kermode bears in cave]
The filmmaker's original labeling scheme has film AAF-20353 numbered as Bacon 87-02 and titled “Black Bear Mother w/Cubs Playing Outside, Inside Cave.” Reed Bovee interviewed filmmaker Bill Bacon in 2010, and the following information about this film is based on Bovee's notes from that interview: “Kermode bears are all white at the San Juan Islands off of Canada - This is the only place in the world where you can find these bears - It’s a white black bear - Bill spent days looking for them and finally a guy said what are you looking for - Bill told him the Kermode Bear - The guy said, ‘Oh go to the dump they are there every night,’ and sure enough that’s where he found them - Great story - Reel 1 contains very rare footage - Valuable - There is only one other guy who has film of these bears.” Notes on the film box are as follows: “Kermode Bear – black bear mother with cubs/cave” and “Reel 2: Black bear mother with cubs outside cave – playing – inside cave.”
[Ketchikan, carver Nathan Jackson]
[Ketchikan, carver Nathan Jackson]
The filmmaker's original labeling scheme has AAF-20071 numbered as Bacon 14-06 and titled “Ketchikan Totem Museum, Nathan Jackson, Pulp Mill.” Reed Bovee interviewed filmmaker Bill Bacon in 2010, and the following information about the group of films that includes this film is based on Bovee's notes from that interview: “Museum of all the old totem poles they could save before they deteriorated - The Rock Oyster Totem is a famous totem pole that shows a guy with his hand caught in the jaws of a giant oyster - Street scenes of Dolly’s at Creek Street - She was a prostitute that lived on Creek Street and there used to be a saying that this is where the men and the salmon come up river to spawn.” Notes on the film box are as follows: “Ketchikan Totem Museum, Nathan Jackson’s carving, trees, rainforest, pulp mill, totem poles, rock oyster totem” and “Reel 6: ECN, marked Original, Ketchikan Totem Museum, Nathan Jackson carving at home, street scenes, tour ships – split level sidewalk, Nathan’s home for dinner, steps, trees, rainforest, pulp mill.”
[Ketchikan, Nathan Jackson]
[Ketchikan, Nathan Jackson]
The filmmaker's original labeling scheme has AAF-20062 numbered as Bacon 13-01 and titled “Ketchikan, Totem Poles, Bight, Saxman, Museum, Nathan Jackson Family, Dave Jensen.” Reed Bovee interviewed filmmaker Bill Bacon in 2010, and the following information about the group of films that includes this film is based on Bovee's notes from that interview: “Bight Saxman Museum and Nathan Jackson family - He is one of the greatest Tlingit artists - He is a carver - Film of him carving on a totem.” Notes on the film box are as follows: “Ketchikan, totem poles, Saxman, Nathan Jackson family - Wrangell, petroglyphs, Chief Shake’s house, town shots” and “Reel 1: Work Print, Outs, Ketchikan 1986, totem poles, Bight Saxman Museum, Nathan Jackson family, Dave Jensen.”
[Ketchikan waterfront]
[Ketchikan waterfront]
The filmmaker's original labeling scheme has AAF-20070 numbered as Bacon 14-05 and titled “Ketchikan Waterfront, Ferry, Polly's, Pulp Mill.” Reed Bovee interviewed filmmaker Bill Bacon in 2010, and the following information about the group of films that includes this film is based on Bovee's notes from that interview: “Museum of all the old totem poles they could save before they deteriorated - The Rock Oyster Totem is a famous totem pole that shows a guy with his hand caught in the jaws of a giant oyster - Street scenes of Dolly’s at Creek Street - She was a prostitute that lived on Creek Street and there used to be a saying that this is where the men and the salmon come up river to spawn.” Notes on the film box are as follows: “Ketchikan Totem Museum, Nathan Jackson’s carving, trees, rainforest, pulp mill, totem poles, rock oyster totem” and “Reel 5: ECN, marked Original, Ketchikan waterfront from water, ferry dock and docking, street scenes, Polly’s, Creek Street, Totem Bight, Saxman Nathan Jackson, pulp mill, David Jensen.”
[Killer whales, Johnstone Strait]
[Killer whales, Johnstone Strait]
The filmmaker's original labeling scheme has AAF-20066 numbered as Bacon 14-01 and titled “Killer Whale, Johnson Straits.” Reed Bovee interviewed filmmaker Bill Bacon in 2010, and the following information about the group of films that includes this film is based on Bovee's notes from that interview: “Museum of all the old totem poles they could save before they deteriorated - The Rock Oyster Totem is a famous totem pole that shows a guy with his hand caught in the jaws of a giant oyster - Street scenes of Dolly’s at Creek Street - She was a prostitute that lived on Creek Street and there used to be a saying that this is where the men and the salmon come up river to spawn.” Notes on the film box are as follows: “Ketchikan Totem Museum, Nathan Jackson’s carving, trees, rainforest, pulp mill, totem poles, rock oyster totem” and “Reel 1: ECN, Killer whale, Johnson Straights.”
[Klawock]
[Klawock]
The filmmaker's original labeling scheme has film AAF-20064 numbered as Bacon 13-03 and titled “Klawock.” Reed Bovee interviewed filmmaker Bill Bacon in 2010, and the following information about the group of films that includes this film is based on Bovee's notes from that interview: “Bight Saxman Museum and Nathan Jackson family - He is one of the greatest Tlingit artists - He is a carver - Film of him carving on a totem.” Notes on the film box are as follows: “Ketchikan, totem poles, Saxman, Nathan Jackson family - Wrangell, petroglyphs, Chief Shake’s house, town shots” and “Reel 3: Work Print, Klawock.”
[Saxman totem poles and carvers]
[Saxman totem poles and carvers]
The filmmaker's original labeling scheme has AAF-20068 numbered as Bacon 14-03 and titled “Saxman Totem Poles, Rock Oyster, Nathan Jackson, Dave Jensen Carving.” Reed Bovee interviewed filmmaker Bill Bacon in 2010, and the following information about the group of films that includes this film is based on Bovee's notes from that interview: “Museum of all the old totem poles they could save before they deteriorated - The Rock Oyster Totem is a famous totem pole that shows a guy with his hand caught in the jaws of a giant oyster - Street scenes of Dolly’s at Creek Street - She was a prostitute that lived on Creek Street and there used to be a saying that this is where the men and the salmon come up river to spawn.” Notes on the film box are as follows: “Ketchikan Totem Museum, Nathan Jackson’s carving, trees, rainforest, pulp mill, totem poles, rock oyster totem” and “Reel 3: ECN, marked Original, Saxman totem poles, rock oyster, Nathan Jackson, Dave Jensen carving.”
[Totems, dancing, Prince of Wales Island, fish program]
[Totems, dancing, Prince of Wales Island, fish program]
The filmmaker's original labeling scheme has AAF-20065 numbered as Bacon 13-04 and titled “Totems, Dancing, Prince of Wales Island, Fish Program.” Reed Bovee interviewed filmmaker Bill Bacon in 2010, and the following information about the group of films that includes this film is based on Bovee's notes from that interview: “Bight Saxman Museum and Nathan Jackson family - He is one of the greatest Tlingit artists - He is a carver - Film of him carving on a totem.” Notes on the film box are as follows: “Ketchikan, totem poles, Saxman, Nathan Jackson family - Wrangell, petroglyphs, Chief Shake’s house, town shots” and “Reel 4: ECN, Klawock, Prince of Wales Island, totems, Indian kids dancing, and fish program.”
[Wrangell scenes]
[Wrangell scenes]
The filmmaker's original labeling scheme has AAF-20063 numbered as Bacon 13-02 and titled “Wrangell, Petroglyphs, Lumber Mill, Chief Shakes House.” Reed Bovee interviewed filmmaker Bill Bacon in 2010, and the following information about the group of films that includes this film is based on Bovee's notes from that interview: “Bight Saxman Museum and Nathan Jackson family - He is one of the greatest Tlingit artists - He is a carver - Film of him carving on a totem.” Notes on the film box are as follows: “Ketchikan, totem poles, Saxman, Nathan Jackson family - Wrangell, petroglyphs, Chief Shake’s house, town shots” and “Reel 2: Original, ECN, Wrangell, overall shots of town, petroglyphs, Cha Johnson, street scene in rain, lumber mill, and Chief Shake’s house.”