"Uncle" Walter Austin passes

Posted by arts_reviews

Posted: May 11, 2008 - 5:37 pm

Walter Austin: Photo: Evan Steinhauser
By MIKE DUNHAM

A solitary drum covered by a beaded Tlingit blanket and accompanied by an empty chair and single drumstick sat in the middle of the Wasilla High School gymnasium during a powwow on Saturday afternoon -- a silent tribute to Walter Austin, who died in Anchorage on Friday. He was 89.

"Uncle" Walter, as he was known, was born in Juneau on Oct. 5, 1918. He worked as a fisherman and served in the Civil Defense during World War II, patroling the beaches of Southeast with a WWI era Eddystone rifle that he later used for seal hunting. He said he never missed a seal with that rifle.

When a bout of tuberculosis sent him to the hospital in Wrangell, he heard Yup'ik patients playing their drums and singing in the western Alaska language. Though he was Tlingit, he knew very little about the traditions of the tribe. However, the energy and enthusiasm of the Yup'ik drummers inspired him.
Uncle Walter: Walter Austin plays the drum on June 16, 2005 during the unveiling ceremony of Lawrance Sheakley's Bear Totem Pole near 5th Avenue and C Street downtown.

In his later years, he lived in Anchorage and participated with many Native American performing groups, from the traditional Yup'ik Miracle Drummers and Dancers to the lower-48 big drum of the Sleeping Lady Singers and the award winning new-age/Native rock band Medicine Dream.

He believed that sharing music and songs and culture would help create a more peaceful world and pointed to himself as an example. In his early days, he was known as a drinker and a brawler. The current generation, however, took strength from his calm and persistent advocacy of peace, sobriety, community and communication.

He was also famous for a quick sense of humor. I was driving him to a dance event a few years ago when he said, "I have a new fish camp."

His lungs were already in bad shape; he wheezed when he spoke. I was incredulous. "Really Uncle?" I said. "Where is it?"

"It's on the banks of the New Sagaya River," he answered. We both laughed.

Walter Austin had a serious spiritual and emotional impact on a lot of Alaskans, both Native and non-Native. It'll take a while to sort it all out. An obituary will run sometime soon. In the meanwhile, feel free to add your recollections of Uncle to this article.

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