Holly Miowak Guise, Iñupiaq, is assistant professor of history at the University of Mexico and author of “Alaska Native Resilience: Voices From World War II.” (Photo by Haiden Renae (Navajo/Diné) directed by Cara Romero (Chemehuevi))
Outside Holger Jorgensen’s wood-paneled house near Fairbanks, Alaska, it was at least 20 degrees below zero, but inside was warm in both temperature and conversation. Jorgy, as he was known, sat in his recliner in his living room across from Holly Miowak Guise, a young Iñupiaq doctoral student at Yale University who was gathering oral histories with Alaska Natives about the 1940s.
Guise sat with her recording equipment on the nearby couch as they talked a long time about his experiences as an Iñupiat person who served in the Alaskan Territorial Guard as sergeant and pilot during World War II . Before Guise left, Jorgy introduced the young researcher to his best friend, another World War II Athabascan veteran and fellow retired pilot, Al Wright. The next day, Wright sat with her for hours while Jorgy snoozed on the couch behind them.