A Joyful Practice

Big Gold 2 (the “missing” Wednesday post) August 18, 2023

Peace, blessings, and hydration to all!

This is a “missing” post for Wednesday, August 16^th (with reference to some August 17^th events). You can request an audio recording of either practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

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“16. Hence whatever is obtainable by anyone at any time, is often missed and lost sight of by either his ignorance or negligence of it; as the precious gem in the parable, which was proffered and lay palpable in full view.”

— quoted from (Book 6) “CHAPTER LXXXVIII. The Tale of the crystal Gem. (Argument:—The slipping of a precious stone in ignorance, and picking of a glossy glass in view of it.)” in The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki (translated by Vihari-Lala Mitra)

Generation after generation, there are certain things which seem to capture the imaginations of people all over the world. Yet, as much as we obsess about the thing, we still somehow miss the point. Take gold, for instance. People are so fascinated by gold that, generation after generation, we’ve created great adventure stories – as well as cautionary tales – around gold and the concept of gold.

Gold is a precious metal that is naturally occurring. It is a free element that can be found in rocks, water, and random deposits. It can also be formed. In fact, for thousands and thousands of years, people from all over the world have not only gone “digging” for gold, they have also sought the secret to alchemy: the Philosopher’s Stone, the catalyst that could turn anything into gold and (maybe) offer eternal life.

Some people believe the “stone” is an actual piece of rock or a dry red powder. Others believe it to be a magical liquid (perhaps made from a the red powder). Some Hindu and Buddhist texts (and therefore some Yoga texts) refer to a wish-fulfilling jewel, called “Cintāmaṇi” or “Shyāmantaka Mani,” which can convey wisdom, transform ailments into knowledge, prevent natural disasters, and produce gold on daily basis. Some texts describe a pearl; some describe a ruby. On the flip side, in some cases it is very clearly a sacred word – or the sacred text itself – that makes someone golden.

“2709: Sivayanama is Alchemic
In slighting terms they speak of our Lord;
With thoughts centering on the Light
And hearts melting in love
Let them chant His name;
With the alchemic pill of Sivaya Nama
He will turn thy body gold.”

— quoted from “Tantra Nine – 6 SUKSHMA (INARTICULATE) PANCHAKSHARA” in Tirumantiram: English Translation of the Tamil Spiritual Classic by Saint Tirumular (complete English translation by Dr. B. Natarajan)

Metaphorically, when we think of something as being “golden,” we think of it as good, great. Something (or someone) who is golden has value. Because of the value we place upon it, gold is worth our time… and worth it’s own weight. By the same token, describing someone or something as golden means we consider them worth our time. We consider them valuable. On a certain level, we all want to be golden and we all want the people around us to be golden. But, sometimes, we find we are dealing with fool’s gold.

Fool’s gold looks like gold and may even feel a little like gold. But, it’s not gold. Instead, it is to gold what the rope in the woods is to the snake: an illusion that tricks the brain and activates an emotional response in the body. If we are looking for gold, and we see something in the distance that could be gold, we get excited; the adrenaline starts pumping; we can barely wait to celebrate. Even though fool’s gold is not  actually gold, the excitement is real. That very real excitement simply ends up mixed with disappointment. Just as this can literally happen, it can also metaphorically happen. We can get excited about something or someone; we can think they are the real deal – GOLD! Then, we end up looking like the fool; because they were never honest, they were never true. They were never skookum.

“skookum [Chinook, Chinuk Wawa], adjective 

1. Good, excellent, impressive, best.

2. Big, strong, durable, tough, reliable, trustworthy.

3. Powerful, brave.

4. Really good, right on.”

— definitions from Wiktionary, Wikipedia, and other sources 

On the afternoon of August 16, 1896, a family of prospectors found gold in Canada’s Yukon Territory. Skookum Jim Mason, his sister Kate Carmack, their nephew Dawson Charlie, and Kate’s husband George Washington Carmack found a couple of gold nuggets in Rabbit Creek (now called Bonanza Creek), a tributary of the Klondike River. The site had been suggested to the family by Robert Henderson, a prospector who had moved on after finding nothing for several days. While there are some discrepancies about who spotted the first dime-sized nugget, most historians agree that Skookum Jim made the discovery. If not him, then maybe his sister or his nephew. One thing seems clear: George Carmack did not find the nuggets. However, Claim #37903 (the discovery claim) was staked in the name of George Washington Carmack.

Skookum Jim, Kate, and Dawson Charlie were all Indigenous. Given the name Keish (a Tagish word that means “wolf”), Skookum Jim was also known as James Mason. He and his sister Shaaw Tláa, who became known as Kate, were Tagish First Nation members. Their nephew, K̲áa Goox̱, who was known as Dawson Charlie (and also as Tagish Charlie) was Tagish and Tlingit. As excited as they were about their discovery, the family was also concerned that an Indigenous claim might be challenged by Canadian officials and/or other prospectors. So, on August 17^th, the discovery claim and a second claim in the same area were staked in the name of the only white member of the family: George Washington Carmack. Being the first to stake a claim in the area entitled Carmack to two (additional) “free” claims. The extra claims were staked in the names of Skookum Jim and Dawson Charlie. These four claims kicked off the Klondike Gold Rush.

“GOLD! GOLD! GOLD! GOLD!
—
Sixty-Eight Rich Men on the Steamer Portland.
—
STACKS OF YELLOW METAL!
—
Some Have $5,000, Many Have More, and a Few Bring Out $100,000 Each.
—
THE STEAMER CARRIES $7000,000.
—
Special Tug Chartered by the Post-Intelligencer to Get the News.”

— quoted from the “extra” published on July 17, 1897, by the Seattle Post Intelligencer – Klondike Edition

Word spread relatively quickly once the discovery claim was filed. Within a few days, prospectors in the area staked the major claims. Within a year, newspapers made it sound as if it was easy to strike it rich. The headlines made it seem as if all someone had to do was “head west” and they could scoop up gold the way you could pick wild flowers. Over a hundred thousand stampeders were struck by “Klondike Fever.” While many of those who found gold ended up selling their claims to mining companies – and while the area yielded approximately $250 million by the time large-scale mining ended in 1966 – most stampeders never find a single nugget. Some people never even made it to the river. However, all found that the process of getting to a place where there might be gold was just as challenging – if not more challenging – than actually finding gold.

People could get to the Klondike via an all-water route, which was known as the “rich man’s route” because it was so expensive. Some people decided they could hike all the way into the territory – and while some of those hikers arrived, they did so almost two years after the initial rush. Most stampeders used the “poor man’s route” to reach the Yukon River. This hybrid approach required sailing up the Inside Passage to Skagway or nearby Dyea, and then using the White Pass or Chilkoot Trails (respectively) to hike over the Coast Range mountains.

Both coastal towns exploded as people geared up for their hike – and people needed a lot of gear. The Canadian government required stampeders to carry a year’s worth of food and equipment before they ever crossed the border. In addition to the cost of food, clothes, prospecting equipment, and transportation, goods purchased in the United States were subject to a duty. Of course, most stampeders didn’t know what they needed. Intrepid entrepreneurs would eventually create and sell “Yukon outfits” – kits containing all the necessities. In 1897, The Northern Pacific Railroad Company published the Chicago Record’s Book for Gold Seekers. However, some people still ended up with more than they needed. Others found themselves without something critical. But, before they reached that point of discovery, they had to get their “ton of goods” across the mountains.

“In the Skagway News, December 31, 1897 Annie Hall Strong wrote advice to women who ‘have made up their minds to go to the Klondike.’ Ms. Strong weighed in on the required ton of supplies and wrote ‘what should be taken & what should be left behind – from a woman’s perspective.’”

“Among her ‘Advice to Women’, Ms. Strong recommended 3 canvas bags: 1 for bedding, 1 for clothing, and 1 for shoes and boots. From her actual first-hand experience, Ms. Strong says: Evaporated eggs are a failure and everyone who took saccharin as a substitute for sugar were loud in their condemnation of it. Take plenty of sugar. One craves it, and 200 pounds per outfit is not too much. Corn meal, sugar, tea and coffee should be packed in tins. Take plenty of tea. Baking powder and candles are apt to be the first articles to disappear. A few extra pounds would come in very handy. She also recommended lemonade tablets; they are preferable to lime juice and citric acid, being easier to carry, having no weight or bulk.”

— quoted from the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park’s “Annie Hall Strong” profile (at U. S. National Park Service site)  

Getting to a place where there might be gold was an arduous task. The hike was narrow, steep, and dangerous. In addition to the risky terrain and brutally cold climate, stampeders sometimes had conflicts with each other that led to injury or death. Prior to tramways being built (starting towards the end of 1897), people had to carry everything on their backs and/or use pack mules or horses. Since it was impossible for one person (or animal) to carry everything they needed in one trip, people leap frogged – carrying a load a few feet, setting it down, and then going down for the next load. The leap frog method required people to decide if they could carry a lot of weight for a few trips or less weight for more trips. The heavier loads cut down on the number of times stampeders had to cross the same path, but they resulted in slower travel times.

While the geographical distance they traveled was only 33 – 35 miles (~53 – 59kms), people spent approximately 3 months and hiked hundreds of miles because of the leap frog method. Some people gave up, left their belongings by the side of the trail, and turned back. Some died. Approximately 3,000 pack animals also died. If they got across the mountains, they still had almost 600 miles (~965.6kms) of lake to cross in order to reach Dawson City and the areas where people believed there was gold. Then, they had to find an area that wasn’t already staked. Despite the challenges, 20,000 – 30,000 stampeders headed to the Yukon Territory within the first year… searching for gold.

“It was in the Klondike that I found myself. There nobody talks. Everybody thinks. You get your true perspective. I got mine.”

— quoted from the essay “Eight Factors of Literary Success,” as published  in No mentor but myself: Jack London on Writing & Writers by Jack London (Second Edition, Revised and Expanded, Edited by Dale L. Walker and Jeanne Campbell Reesman)

One of those people was a 21-year old man by the name of Jack London. On July 25, 1897, he and his brother-in-law, James Shepard, left San Francisco on board the SS Umatilla. They headed to Juneau and planned to take the “poor man’s route” across the Chilkoot Trail. James got sick early on and had to return to Oakland, California. Jack continued with some veteran stampeders and made it to Dawson City, where he staked Claim #54 in December of 1897. He survived the winter; but just barely. He developed scurvy, spent some time in the hospital in Dawson, and then headed back to the California.

Jack London arrived home to find that his father had passed and that he had responsibilities. But, like so many others, he had no fortune in gold. The only things he had to show for his adventures in the Yukon were swollen gums, loose teeth, a little frostbite, a lot of exhaustion, a pocket full of gold dust, and a head full of stories. Unlike so many others, however, he also came back with a renewed calling: to be a writer. Like an alchemist, he turned the stories of his adventures gold, writing books like The Son of the Wolf (published 1900) and The Call of the Wild (published 1903).

“21. The fool thought this brittle thing to be the real gem now lying before him, as the ignorant sot believes the sparkling sands to be the dusts of the purest gold.

22. Such is the case with the deluded mind, that it mistakes the eight for six and a foe for a friend; it sees the serpent in the rope and views the desert land as the watery expanse, it drinks the poison for the nectar and spies another moon in the sky in the reflexion [sic] of the true one.

23. He took up that sham trumpery for a real gem, and thought it as the philosopher’s stone that would confer on him whatever he desired; with this belief he gave up in charity all he had, as they were no more of any use to him.

24. He thought his country to be devoid of all that was delightsome to him and its people as debasing to his society; he thought his lost house was of no use to him, and his relatives and friends to be averse to his happiness.

25. Thus thinking in his mind, he determined to remove himself to a distant country and enjoy his rest there; and then taking his false gem with him, he went out and entered an uninhabited forest.”

— quoted from (Book 6) “CHAPTER LXXXVIII. The Tale of the crystal Gem. (Argument:—The slipping of a precious stone in ignorance, and picking of a glossy glass in view of it.)” in The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki (translated by Vihari-Lala Mitra)

We can look at Jack London as one of the fortunate few. Similarly, we can see Skookum Jim Mason, Dawson Charlie, and Kate and George Washington Carmack as people who got lucky. After all, they survived the Yukon and collected about $1 million dollars from their original claims. (That would be well over $36 million in 2023.) Skookum Jim and Dawson Charlie also staked smaller claims in Kluane region in 1903. They were all wealthy beyond their dreams. However, their new-found wealth came with challenges… and heartbreak.

Kate/Shaaw Tláa and George Carmack had both been married before and had experienced their share of heartbreak. Kate’s first husband was a Tlingit man who, along with their infant daughter, died during an influenza epidemic. George had been married to one of Kate and Skookum Jim’s sisters, who also died. The family encouraged the widow and widower to marry and, in 1893, about seven years into their union, the had a daughter. Three years later, they struck gold; but, very little changed for the couple during the two additional years they spent in the back country. In 1898, they decided to leave the Yukon Territory and move to Seattle, Washington. They had plans for more great adventures – like buying a boat and sailing to France. Unfortunately, the marriage fell apart within a year and George Carmack abandoned Kate and their daughter.

As George Washington Carmack made plans to remarry, Kate/Shaaw Tláa attempted to file for divorce – only to find there was no official record of her 13-year marriage to George Carmack. She returned to Yukon Territory with no claim to their resources and no official claim to the gold. Carmack eventually tricked their teenage daughter into returning to Seattle, by promising that she could obtain her mother’s share of the gold. But, not only did Kate/Shaaw Tláa never receive any money, she also never saw her daughter again. She would have been completely destitute were it not for her skills in needlepoint, a government pension, and her brother.

“skookum [Chinook, Chinuk Wawa], noun

1. Monster; similar to Sasquatch.

2. A person who has a purpose and is on solid ground, in good health and spirits.”

— definitions from Wiktionary, Wikipedia, and other sources

True to his nickname Keish/Skookum Jim was generous to a fault. He built a large home for himself and, when she was abandoned, he built a cabin for his sister. When his nephew K̲áa Goox̱/Dawson Charlie passed away (in 1912), Skookum Jim reportedly hosted the largest potlatch (gift-giving feast) their community had ever experienced. He also randomly gave money to anyone and everyone. His marriage suffered and fell apart, leaving him with custody of his daughter Saayna.aat/Daisy. Somewhere along the way, he developed a drinking problem – a really expensive drinking problem, since he would buy drinks for everyone around him.

Keish/Skookum Jim was one of the early miners who sold his claims to a prospecting company. He received $65,000 (which would be over $2 million in 2023). Since he was truly “skookum,” he recognized he had a problem and set aside some of his money to create a trust in his daughter’s name. The Daisy Mason Trust was meant to cover his daughter’s education. He also created a will, establishing legacies for Kate/Shaaw Tláa, his nephew Koołseen/Patsy Henderson (who was originally with the family in the Yukon, but apparently not when they found the gold), and two other relatives. Tragically, the trust and will were not executed as intended after his death in 1916. When his daughter Saayna.aat/Daisy passed (in 1938), the interest from the Daisy Mason Trust was directed “to help obtain a better standard of health and education for Indian People in the Yukon.”

One of the initiatives that came from the Daisy Mason Trust was the creation and construction of the Skookum Jim Memorial Hall, built in Whitehorse 1962). Now operating as The Skookum Jim Friendship Centre, it is the oldest Native organization in the Yukon and the birthplace of The Yukon Native Brotherhood, Yukon Association of Non-Status Indians, Yukon Native Youth, Yukon Native Women, Yukon Native Court Workers, and Yukon Indian Women’s Association. It’s programs include the Skookum Jim Oral History Program, Yukon A.I.D.S. Programming, Native Court Worker Trainee Program, Hawshagoonca-coo Cultural Program, and the Yukon Alcohol Community Action Program. The Centre also facilitated the creation of programs like the Yukon Association of Non-Status Indians (YANSI), Crossroads Halfway House, Yukon Alcohol and Drug Services, and Skookies Educational and Recreation Counseling Haven Program (SEARCH).

While so many others have been forgotten – or only live on in history books and movies – Keish/Skookum Jim Masons’s legacy is still alive… golden… skookum.

“I’ve been fooled before
But now I know
I’ve made the mistake in the past
But now I know the difference
From gold and brass

Not the kind of gold you wear
But the kind that can feel my care
You look like gold”

— quoted from the song “Gold to Me” by Ben Harper

Wednesday’s playlist is available on on YouTube and Spotify.  [Look for “08162022 Big Gold”]

### “All the gold in the sunset all the diamonds on the sea / It’s all we need to set ourselves free” ~ Bob Schneider ###