The year was January 1975
When I trapped with Andrew Tizya.
I was just a young man
And Andrew was my teacher.
We mushed our dog teams
And we walked with snowshoes.
L’il Andy showed me how to trap
And how to skin animals.
We set snares for rabbits
And he cooked rabbit stew.
Andrew took me to bush school
An’ our classroom was outdoors.
Andrew told me lots of stories
And he showed me survival skills.
He always spoke in Gwichin
He even talk to his dogs in Gwichin.
Andy showed me how to train dogs
And he helped me train my leader.
We call him little Andy
‘Cause he was always handy.
I graduated from Andrew’s Bush College
Where he shared lots of his knowledge.
Andrew Tizya was my professor
An’ the trapline was his university.
by Allan Benjamin “CHIH AHAA” from Old Crow
When I was a kid this Elder gave me a Gwich’in name”CHIH AHAA”.
Translated it means”walking ahead”
