HUMAN

Name: Darlene Jemewouk Katchtag

Age: 62

Residence: Unalakleet, Alaska

Occupation: Grandma

Years involved with the Iditarod: 39

Iditarod Roles: Former Volunteer

Current Location: Unalakleet, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 13, 2022

Temperature: 68F Indoors/ 6F Outdoors

What, who or how and when did you first get involved with the Iditarod?

I got involved in Iditarod in 1983 with my cousin, Sally Secuse . We were the first lady checkers, and it was fun. We would put up a sign in early February for people to host a musher in their home. That was so exciting. We’d all cook meals and look forward for a month.

What is your Why? Why are you here TODAY and involved with the Iditarod?

We have our restaurant, when we get the Iditarod bikers and Iditarod walkers, we house I am involved with Iditarod because it is so fun to watch the dog teams. We grew up with dog teams in the village before there were snow machines, when men would haul wood and go fishing, and they would travel village to village with dog teams. People had half-wolf dogs. My husband had dogs. We’re just involved. Just love the Iditarod. He’s run the local dog races. 

Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences.

 [One of my most memorable] Iditarod experiences was when Mitch Seavey was running the Iditarod and maybe going to win. His son, Dallas, walked into the Elim checkpoint real excited that he caught a fox. He was just really young and snow machining behind his dad, and now he’s a front runner in the Iditarod, and it’s still so exciting.

What in life do you know for sure?

I know that for sure in life that we’re going to have turmoils. There’s going to be still dog races and Iditarod every year, as far as we know, and I’m so grateful for it.