ZECO TRAVEL TALK

A world-renowned colorectal surgeon and an Aleut living across the Bering Sea in the Commander Islands – these men have never met and yet they share a common interest. Any guesses?

When Russia first opened the Kamchatka area to visitors in the last decade of the 20th century, Zegrahm Expeditions was among the very first to explore the Russian Far East. Imagine what the natural wonders of Alaska were like before the U.S purchase of the territory and you can imagine what lies in store for the visitor to Kamchatka: terrific numbers of Steller’s sea eagles, brown bear, walrus, Steller’s sea lions, otters, northern fur seals, and a plethora of avian and botanical species. The geology is equally amazing. The Kuril-Kamchatka island-arc includes some 68 active volcanoes in its 2,000-km length, of which 29 are on the Kamchatka Peninsula.

The Commander Islands, Komandorskiye Ostrova, are geologically part of the volcanic chain of islands that make up the Aleutians. The village of Nikolskoye was founded on Bering Island in 1826 by sealers and whalers of the Russian-American Company. In the 19th century, Russians and Americans shanghaied Aleut families from the Near, Delarof, and Andreanof Islands as laborers. A small number, about 300 families or so, of their descendants still inhabit Bering Island, living a kind of subsistence lifestyle in perhaps the most remote outpost of Siberia.

Over our many visits to Nikolskoye, Zegrahm Expeditions travelers have had the wonderful opportunity to engage with the Aleut in cultural exchanges. Any language barriers are broken down with smiles, handshakes, hugs, and gestures. We are often treated to energetic song-and-dance performances, which include performers from the youngest school children to some of the village elders. Four older women and an older man who plays a very old accordion – this is your clue – lead the performers.

Over the years we have made donations of all sorts to Nikolskoye: school and medical supplies, world atlases, food, and other items needed. A couple of years ago we bought $5,000 worth of sports equipment, educational DVDs and videos, and an enormous wide-screen TV, DVD, and video-player thanks to the generosity of one of our clients. Imagine the challenge of bringing and balancing a huge TV ashore dry through the surf in one of our Zodiacs. The villagers were thrilled beyond words.

Having witnessed this exchange on a recent trip, a friend of mine had a brilliant scheme. When she returned home she contacted a colleague of hers, Dr. Gordon Klatt, founder of the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Dr. Klatt also happens to be an accordion player. My friend asked if he would donate the beautiful accordion that he played as a young teenager with the Chimaleski Brothers Polka Band in Minnesota (pictured in the photo). He did, and it now belongs to the music teacher in Nikolskoye.

I always get such a satisfied feeling watching clients have experiences that they don’t seem to get at home when they’re busy with daily life. Travel allows time to be creative while meeting people less fortunate than us but no less proud and talented.

I can’t play the accordion but I love playing the intermediary.