Sources
In PROVIDER we touch on a lot of different topics. We wanted to make sure that anyone who's curious about any of these issues has a good starting point to look into them more seriously as well as including our sources to show we're not pulling everything out of our asses.
Most of our links are to Wikipedia pages to make sure this resource is usable for as long as possible.
Most of our links are to Wikipedia pages to make sure this resource is usable for as long as possible.
Episode 2 -- The Highway
This episode deals with the 'New Dawn for Alaska' a speculative white nationalist terrorist group that engages in attacks and eventually open warfare in Anchorage. This is inspired by the history of white nationalist terrorism in the United States, as well as interactions personally expereince by those of us writing PROVIDER since relocating from Bethel to Anchorage.
This is not some sort of statement that either Alaska or Anchorage is overrun with out and proud white nationalists, but rather that in the last few years the ones that exist have been growing bolder and bolder
This episode deals with the 'New Dawn for Alaska' a speculative white nationalist terrorist group that engages in attacks and eventually open warfare in Anchorage. This is inspired by the history of white nationalist terrorism in the United States, as well as interactions personally expereince by those of us writing PROVIDER since relocating from Bethel to Anchorage.
This is not some sort of statement that either Alaska or Anchorage is overrun with out and proud white nationalists, but rather that in the last few years the ones that exist have been growing bolder and bolder
Episode 3 -- Berry Field
Actual story retelling (Video)
This was a common story growing up in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Every telling I've seen is a little different, but the linked video is the closest I could find to what I remember being told in school.
We twisted it a bit to allow us to fit the Crane into the PROVIDER format, but we tried to be careful to point out that this was a deviation from the actual legend, we certainly don't want to overwrite the original story in any way.
Actual story retelling (Video)
This was a common story growing up in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Every telling I've seen is a little different, but the linked video is the closest I could find to what I remember being told in school.
We twisted it a bit to allow us to fit the Crane into the PROVIDER format, but we tried to be careful to point out that this was a deviation from the actual legend, we certainly don't want to overwrite the original story in any way.
Episode 4 -- Trapper's Coast
Maritime Fur Trade (Link)
Awa'uq Massacre (Link)
The maritime fur-trade is a dark time that often gets overlooked when we review the history of Indigeonous exploitation in the Americas. Unlike early Brittish fur trading in the Americas, who traded with local populations for their fur*, the Russian fur traders employed a concept called Yasak.
Yasak is essentially the expected tribute from the Siberian peoples of Northern and Eastern Russia. This concept crossed the Bering Sea with fur traders, and was used to take massive ammounts of fur and local resources from Indigenous peoples. There are many reports of communities resisting, usually ending very bloodily.
This episode is not based specifically on the Awa'uq Massacre, but rather agreggating many encounters.
*While starting less confrontationally, the Brittish traders ended up no less brutal than the Russians.
Maritime Fur Trade (Link)
Awa'uq Massacre (Link)
The maritime fur-trade is a dark time that often gets overlooked when we review the history of Indigeonous exploitation in the Americas. Unlike early Brittish fur trading in the Americas, who traded with local populations for their fur*, the Russian fur traders employed a concept called Yasak.
Yasak is essentially the expected tribute from the Siberian peoples of Northern and Eastern Russia. This concept crossed the Bering Sea with fur traders, and was used to take massive ammounts of fur and local resources from Indigenous peoples. There are many reports of communities resisting, usually ending very bloodily.
This episode is not based specifically on the Awa'uq Massacre, but rather agreggating many encounters.
*While starting less confrontationally, the Brittish traders ended up no less brutal than the Russians.
Episode 5 -- Krumb's Revolt
Peasant's Revolt (Link)
Largely insprired by the Peasant Revolts of 1381. It's clear to see parallels between the peasant revolts of the past and the once again growing economic inequality of modern times.
We also wanted to find a place to bring over the Red Knight from Kinigits, which was the first game Wyatt ever released online.
Peasant's Revolt (Link)
Largely insprired by the Peasant Revolts of 1381. It's clear to see parallels between the peasant revolts of the past and the once again growing economic inequality of modern times.
We also wanted to find a place to bring over the Red Knight from Kinigits, which was the first game Wyatt ever released online.
Episode 6 -- Mine
Red Dog Mine (Link)
Mining in Alaska is a touchy subject. It brings money into a lot of areas that don't have other substantial industries. Unfortunately, it also has heavy impacts on many ecologies and the companies are not owned by those in the effected area, instead being owned by large mining conglomerates that pull the profits from the mine out of the communities that get hurt.
Red Dog Mine (Link)
Mining in Alaska is a touchy subject. It brings money into a lot of areas that don't have other substantial industries. Unfortunately, it also has heavy impacts on many ecologies and the companies are not owned by those in the effected area, instead being owned by large mining conglomerates that pull the profits from the mine out of the communities that get hurt.
Episode 8 -- Point Hope
Project Chariot(Link, Link2)
Project Chariot was a proposal in the 1950's to utilize a series of nuclear explosions to create a deep-sea harbor outside Point Hope in North-Western Alaska. The project was put on indefinite hold, but not before the US Government imported some nuclear waste from other nuclear tests in New Mexico. The problem comes when the project was shelved, and a sizable hunk of radioactive material was left behind. Reports differ on why the waste was left. Certain official documents suggest it was an experiment to see how quickly radiation could be used to render an indiependent population reliant on outside support, while the state claims it was accidental, and that it was not part of any on-going experiments.
The State government denied leaving any radioactive material near point hope until the early 1990's, when the material was discovered and quietly removed.
Stories from people who were around in the 1950's tell that there were large bombs lowered into the dig sights were samples were taken, though the State and Federal govenrnment both deny that any such devices were buried.
Project Chariot(Link, Link2)
Project Chariot was a proposal in the 1950's to utilize a series of nuclear explosions to create a deep-sea harbor outside Point Hope in North-Western Alaska. The project was put on indefinite hold, but not before the US Government imported some nuclear waste from other nuclear tests in New Mexico. The problem comes when the project was shelved, and a sizable hunk of radioactive material was left behind. Reports differ on why the waste was left. Certain official documents suggest it was an experiment to see how quickly radiation could be used to render an indiependent population reliant on outside support, while the state claims it was accidental, and that it was not part of any on-going experiments.
The State government denied leaving any radioactive material near point hope until the early 1990's, when the material was discovered and quietly removed.
Stories from people who were around in the 1950's tell that there were large bombs lowered into the dig sights were samples were taken, though the State and Federal govenrnment both deny that any such devices were buried.
Episode 9 -- Home
Various Articles (Link, Link2, Link3 )
I grew up hearing stories from the elders in church about the eders when they were young and their stories of the influenza. They would talk about the great flu and how entire villages died out in weeks, and how everyone would do their best to care for the sick and old, even if there was truly nothing to be done for them. Keep the fires burning, bring them food and water until they were gone or better.
This was part of the basis for PROVIDER and for the spirit-class of the Provider. I thought that someone as selfless and brave as that would surely not be able to rest in the afterlife until they'd taken care of every unfulfilled spirit.
Floyd Fox (Named in honor of Floyd Moses, an elder who attended my father's church when I was young) is one such casualty. After providing all he can for his village, he finally succumbs to the influenza and becomes a Provider.
Various Articles (Link, Link2, Link3 )
I grew up hearing stories from the elders in church about the eders when they were young and their stories of the influenza. They would talk about the great flu and how entire villages died out in weeks, and how everyone would do their best to care for the sick and old, even if there was truly nothing to be done for them. Keep the fires burning, bring them food and water until they were gone or better.
This was part of the basis for PROVIDER and for the spirit-class of the Provider. I thought that someone as selfless and brave as that would surely not be able to rest in the afterlife until they'd taken care of every unfulfilled spirit.
Floyd Fox (Named in honor of Floyd Moses, an elder who attended my father's church when I was young) is one such casualty. After providing all he can for his village, he finally succumbs to the influenza and becomes a Provider.
Episode 11 -- BIA
Old BIA school schematics and cultural impact (Link)
Cpt. Richard Pratt (Link, Link2)
The BIA schools impact on the culture and customs of Western Alaska, and Alaska more broadly, is hard to quantify. The opressive structures put in place by many teachers and administrators should hardly be surprising in 2021(time of writing) when mass graves have been found under former residential schools across Canada. We had simmilar schools here in Alaska, with comparable stories of children being forbidden from speaking their own languages, practicing traditional religion, or dancing in a traditional way while in these rigid schools.
As of writing we're not aware of simmilar mass-graves in Alaska, but much like the Canadian schools, stories of kids who disappeared are not uncommon.
Old BIA school schematics and cultural impact (Link)
Cpt. Richard Pratt (Link, Link2)
The BIA schools impact on the culture and customs of Western Alaska, and Alaska more broadly, is hard to quantify. The opressive structures put in place by many teachers and administrators should hardly be surprising in 2021(time of writing) when mass graves have been found under former residential schools across Canada. We had simmilar schools here in Alaska, with comparable stories of children being forbidden from speaking their own languages, practicing traditional religion, or dancing in a traditional way while in these rigid schools.
As of writing we're not aware of simmilar mass-graves in Alaska, but much like the Canadian schools, stories of kids who disappeared are not uncommon.