Allan Benjamin

BEST COACH  DIDOO WAS THE BEST COACH ‘CAUSE SHE HAD THE WINNING APPROACH. SHE SHOWED ME HOW TO RUN ON SNOWSHOES AN’ SHE NEVER TAUGHT

SOMETIMES I’M DUMB  SOMETIMES MY MIND IS BLANK LIKE AN EMPTY GAS TANK. SOMETIMES I CAN’T THINK AN’ MY MEMORY IS ON THE BRINK. SOMETIMES

MY NEW WORDS INSTEAD OF CARIBOU MEETING YOU CAN SAY CARIBOU MEATING. INSTEAD OF EDIBLE YOU CAN SAY EATABLE THEY SPELL SEAGULL BUT I SPELL

COLD RUSH IN THE SUMMER THE MOSQUITOS WILL BITE IN THE WINTER THE FROST WILL BITE. WHEN YOU GO TO THE OUTHOUSE YOU WEAR YOUR

TOUGHEST GWICHIN SHE WAS AS TOUGH AS ROCKS MY GREAT GRANDMA MARGARET BLACKFOX. SHE WAS THE TOUGHEST GWICHIN ‘CAUSE ANY RACE SHE CAN WIN. DIDOO

BILL SMITH HIS NAME IS BILL SMITH, AND TABITH HE STAY WITH. SHE WAS HIS GWITCH’IN WIFE, AND THEY LIKE THE BUSH LIFE. BILL WAS

THROUGH THE EYES OF AN ELDER  I SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF AN ELDER NOT THROUGH THE HELMET OF A WELDER. IF YOU SEE THROUGH

SEWING  MY AUNTIE MAKES EXTRA BUCKS WHEN SHE SEWS MUKLUKS. WHEN SHE SEWS BEAVER MITTS AUNTIE NEVER CALLS IT QUITS. SHE MAKES TEA IN DIPPERS

THE GREAT OUTDOORS  ANIMALS ON ALL FOURS, LIVE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS. ANIMALS GIVE BIRTH, ON THEIR MOTHER EARTH. THIS IS THEIR HOME, WHERE THEY

CRYING  I CONSIDER MYSELF A STRONG GUY, BUT I ALWAYS SEEM TO CRY. I DON’T EVEN HAVE TO TRY, ‘CAUSE I KNOW HOW TO CRY.

I ALWAYS SIT AND THINK AND I WRITE IT IN INK I ALWAYS THINK LOTS AN’ I WRITE DOWN MY THOTS MY IDEAS GET BIGGER

Allan Benjamin is a cartoonist from Old Crow, Yukon.

WINTER IS GONE WHEN I SEE A SWAN I KNOW WINTER IS GONE. WHEN I HEAR A ROBIN SING I KNOW ITS FINALLY SPRING. WE

HOT SPELL YOU DON’T THINK ABOUT YOUR WINTER CLOTHES AN’ YOU WON’T FREEZE YOUR NOSE. YOU WON’T FREEZE YOUR SEAT AN’ YOU WON’T FREEZE YOUR

I come from Old Crow, where the Porcupine River flow. A small isolated log cabin town, where you’ll hear my fiddle sound. I am from

She was born in Old Crow, under a colourful rainbow, where the caribou roam, this is where she calls home. There the snow is so

When you look into our elders’ eyes, you can tell that they are wise. When you hold their hand, it’s obvious they lived off the

Walk a mile in her shoes? Well, I have some bad news. Her shoes are small size, which is not made for guys. Her high

Long ago they never use padlocks, and doors we never locks. Nobody would take your stuff, because stealing was unheard of. The way people live,

AUTOBIOGRAPHY I DON’T LIKE TO WRITE ABOUT MYSELF ‘CAUSE SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE AN ELF. I WAS BORN UP IN OLD CROW WHERE THE PORCUPINE

His name was Chief Peter Moses, he was my Grandpa I supposes. Clara Frost was my Grandmother, and Peter was her older brother. This story

The Jackson Brothers had a boat, but I guess it wasn’t made to float. The brothers had a freight barge, and the pilot should’ve been

George Attla is an Alaskan, and his tribe is Athabaskan. Since he was a young boy, dog racing was his joy. George comes from a

HOPE DON’T EVER SAY NOPE ‘CAUSE THERE’S ALWAYS HOPE. EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE SOAP YOU’LL ALWAYS HAVE HOPE. IF YOU DON’T HAVE BUG DOPE

THE BIG RACE  I SNOWSHOE RACED AT FT McPHERSON AND I’M A FIT AND HEALTHY PERSON. THEY TOOK THE LEAD ‘CAUSE THEY HAD THE SPEED.

BEST COACH  DIDOO WAS THE BEST COACH ‘CAUSE SHE HAD THE WINNING APPROACH. SHE SHOWED ME HOW TO RUN ON SNOWSHOES AN’ SHE NEVER TAUGHT

The Patrol In December of 1910, a patrol of four policemen, with four-dog team, a routine patrol it seems. They would not return, everyone would

FEEDING TIME  MY POODLE ATE NOODLES. THAT SPIDER ATE APPLE CIDER. MY DOGS ATE FROGS. THOSE APES ATE GRAPES. MY GOATS ATE OATS. THAT OTTER

The Bishop who ate his mukluks, was almost out of lucks. Bishop Stringer and his guide, set out across the Rat River Divide. From Fort

UNCLE’S ENGLISH IF YOU HEAR UNCLE SPEAK HIS ENGLISH IS VERY WEAK HE DON’T LIKE TO TALK RIGHT AN’ THAT’S THE WAY HE WRITE. WHEN

My friend, David, is a good mechanic, and he likes to eat dry meat and bannock. On Old Crow Mountain he has a tent, so

Raven, raven on my roof, how you make it rattle. You’d think your claws were little hoofs as back and forth you prattle. All winter

My Mom is from Old Crow, and she is a pro. She was ski champion in 1963, it was natural for her to ski. Father

CULTURE SHOCK  MOSES HAD A CULTURE SHOCK HE HAD ‘CAUSE KICKER MADE HIM GAWK. CLARA HAD A CULTURE SHOCK WHEN SHE HEARD ROCK. AMPOS HAD A

Joe and Annie Henry were married over 80 years, which means for each other they really cares. A record which made it in the world

LOST TRIBE There’s a story told about a lost tribe, let’s sit down and let Grandpa describe. He told us of the place they were

We used to play at the sawmill, sliding on the sawdust hill. When their work was done, it was our turn to have fun. When

DARE DEVIL  YOU WANTED US TO FALL SO YOU SOLD US ALCOHOL. YOU KNEW WE’D FALL BEHIND SO YOU POURED US THAT WINE. YOU MADE

We all know our birth date, but when will we go to St. Peter’s gate? So I often think and wonder, when I’ll be six

Freddy Carmichael When he was a small boy, he had a plane for a toy. When he was a young lad, a big dream he

NAMES PEOPLE HAVE ALL KINDS OF NAMES JUST LIKE MY FRIEND JAMES. SOME NAMES ARE FANCY JUST LIKE MY FRIEND NANCY. MY SON’S NAME IS

MEL (BUSH PILOT)  THIS STORY I WOULD LIKE TO TELL ABOUT OUR FRIEND MEL. HE HAD SMART BRAINS ‘CAUSE HE FLEW BUSH PLANES. MEL WAS

HOT SPELL YOU DON’T THINK ABOUT YOUR WINTER CLOTHES AN’ YOU WON’T FREEZE YOUR NOSE. YOU WON’T FREEZE YOUR SEAT AND YOU WON’T FREEZE YOUR

SO MUCH TO DO YOU WON’T GET BORED IF YOU LEARN A GUITAR CHORD. YOU CAN SNOWSHOE OR YOU CAN CANOE. YOU CAN BIKE OR

FOOD CHAIN I THINK WE’RE AT THE TOP ALTHOUGH WE DON’T HOP. THEN THERE’S THE GRIZZLY BEAR AN’ THEY DON’T HAVE NO FEAR. NEXT THERE’S

COLD RUSH IN THE SUMMER THE MOSQUITOS WILL BITE IN THE WINTER THE FROST WILL BITE. WHEN YOU GO TO THE OUTHOUSE YOU WEAR YOUR

HOPE  DON’T EVER SAY NOPE ‘CAUSE THERE’S ALWAYS HOPE. EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE SOAP YOU’LL ALWAYS HAVE HOPE. IF YOU DON’T HAVE BUG DOPE

TOUGHEST GWICHIN SHE WAS AS TOUGH AS ROCKS MY GREATGRANDMA MARGARET BLACKFOX. SHE WAS THE TOUGHEST GWICHIN ‘CAUSE ANY RACE SHE CAN WIN. DIDOO DOESN’T

Wouldn’t It Be Great if WE GREW A NEW SET OF TEETH. WE COULD SEE IN THE DARK. WE COULD SEE AROUND CORNERS. ANIMALS COULD

Self Esteem  If you have low self esteem,  it will be hard to dream.  So don’t think of yourself,  like a little elf.  Don’t keep

Muskrat and Beaver Story This story is from a long time ago when Muskrat an’ Beaver met at Old Crow. Beaver was swimming up the

Police  Their job is to keep the peace,  that’s why we have police.  They put their lives on the line,  to protect yours and mine. 

OLD FASHIONED Maybe it’s just  his passion, but Uncle is just  old fashioned. I can’t say  Uncle is wrong, but in this age he  doesn’t

Eskimos  Eskimo people are tough,  they live on the Earth above.  Where trees don’t grow,  their home is the land of snow.  Eskimos use ulus, 

PROP A boat is not like a car, ’cause I can hit a sandbar. When the water starts to drop, I can seriously damage my

Health is Wealth Put a stop, to drinkin’ pop. If you drink Coke, you will be broke. Put a halt, to food with salt. Don’t

“Lottery Ticket” When I went to buy a lottery ticket, the friendly lady said, “Pick it!” With no luck, I lost one buck. When I

“One Buck (No Luck)” When I went to buy a lottery ticket, the friendly lady said, “Pick it!” With no luck, I lost one buck.

I know it is just idle talk, but I wish I can turn back the clock. If the years I can rewind, my time will

OUR LADIES Their title they always defend, and they always beat us men. Tug of War is a contest, to see who’s the best. The

His name is Gerald Nukon From Old Crow Yukon. He always says “Hi!” An’ he’s a pretty cool guy. Gerald is such a great lad

Mischief We all did it one time or another, but we never told our mother. We never even bother, to tell our father. For the

GOING GREEN You’ll know what I mean, when I say he’s going green. Uncle’s house was brown, when he left town. But when he came