Comments on: The Great Death by John Smelcer

By: Edward Crowchild

Edward Crowchild — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:11:08 +0000

Debbie,
Here is a simple request. Do not think of John Smelcer as your enemy, instead, you became a supporter of his writing. I know the man. He’s a very kind, compassionate, loyal, and generous friend. The books you’ve slammed like The Great Death were the product of years of his fullblood grandmother and her older sister telling him the story of their lives around 1920 or so. I’ve met both these grand old ladies. John and I once went to Morrie Secondchief’s cabin to get her caribou permit so that we could shoot a caribou for her. John told the story with heartfelt love and respect. He speaks the language fluently, that’s where the Native words came from. In fact, his grandmothers were among the dozens of elders who taught him to speak Ahtna. The myths in the book were told to him by elders over decades. Why not do something rare in humanity–admit that you may have been wrong about him and tell the world that his novels are worth reading?
Do you have courage?

By: blackfeet1954

blackfeet1954 — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 01:03:22 +0000

Dear Ms. Reese
What if instead of thinking of John Smelcer as your enemy and someone to discredit, you became a supporter of his writing. I know the man. He’s a very kind, compassionate, loyal, and generous friend. The books you’ve slammed like The Great Death was the product of years of his full-blood grandmother and her older sister telling him the story of their lives around 1920 or so. I’ve met both these grand old ladies. John and I once went to Morrie Secondchief’s cabin to get her caribou permit so that we could shoot a caribou for her. John told the story with heartfelt love and respect. He speaks the language fluently, that’s where the Native words came from. In fact, his grandmothers were among the dozens of elders who taught him to speak Ahtna. The myths in the book were told to him by elders over decades.
Why not do something rare in humanity–admit that you may have been wrong about him and tell the world that his novels are worth reading? Do you have the courage to do that?

By: Larry Vienneau

Larry Vienneau — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 14:15:12 +0000

To learn more about this controversy please visit:
http://www.johnsmelcer.com/Ethnicity_UAA.html

By: Larry Vienneau

Larry Vienneau — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 21:41:09 +0000

I have to add something to this discussing. First, If you really did know your facts, you would know that John had his problem at University of Alaska Anchorage not Univ. Of Alaska Fairbanks. I taught at UAF for eleven years. I find your comments repulsive. To suggest that it is suspicious the most of John’s family is dead is outrageous. I knew his family and saw that he was genuinely loved by everyone EXCEPT is adopted father. His father is half Native and choose to live away from his native culture. John, an adopted son, can legally claim the blood lineage of his father. He chose to engage his native heritage. He hunted for his grandmother (I was there!!) He worked the fish wheel at fish camp ( I was there!!) and I saw that his uncle should have adopted John. I asked his Uncle Herb why his father hated him. herb said “Because John is more native than his dad”
What is never mentioned in the Anchorage article is Herb, the Ahtna Cooperation, and other members of his family sent the paper letters of support for John which were NEVER published. I sent a letter to both the Anchorage and Fairbanks papers. My letter was published in Fairbanks but ironically not published in Anchorage. I find that “shady” It should be noted that John was hired after his UAA resignation as Cultural Director by the Ahtna Native Cooperation. They obviously did not find his biological ethnicity objectionable, why should you?
Lastly did you have any knowledge that John’s brother committed suicide due largely to his fathers’ abusive nature? Did you know that John attempted it in 2009 due to a divorce, his fathers abandonment and because of cruel and spiteful comments like your?
You should be ashamed of yourself.

By: Larry Vienneau

Larry Vienneau — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 15:43:16 +0000

Debbie, you are wrong on so many counts. I knew everyone who you find suspicious. all embraced John as family, the only one who you seem to think matters is John’s father. Ironically he was much less involved with the family where as John was. John was hired as the Cultural Director of Ahtna Native Cooperation . If they had not problem with his biological ethnicity, why should you? Obviously they knew that the color of skin shouldn’t matter. As Herb, John’s Uncle, once told me. “John is more native than his dad” Perhaps this is why his father was so hateful. Herb loved John, he should have adopted him!!!!
UAF is University of Alaska Fairbanks, where I taught for 11 years. UAA is where John ran into problems.
“it strikes me as odd that the people who can give any credibility to what he says are dead!”
you should be ashamed of yourself

By: Debbie Reese

Debbie Reese — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:45:59 +0000

Diane,

I clicked on the link you provide above. I read the page. Smelcer says the grandmother and her sister died before the book came out. Later on, when he talks about THE TRAP, he says it is based on an actual event that happened to his uncle, Herb, who died before the book came out. Given John Smelcer’s shady claims to Native identity, it strikes me as odd that the people who can give any credibility to what he says are dead! I’m not suggesting he killed them. I don’t think that at all. Because they’re gone, we can’t verify what he says…

By: Debbie Reese

Debbie Reese — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:38:41 +0000

Way behind here…. Sue, you’re at UA Fairbanks? Isn’t that the school that hired and then dismissed Smelcer?

By: Sue

Sue — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 09:34:09 +0000

Diane,

Where are you from? I am a professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, just uncovering The Great Death. You would fine Yuuyaraq: The Way of Being Human by Harold Napoleon quite fascinating I think