Della Keats facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Della Keats
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| Putyuk | |
Della Keats in 1952
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| Born | April 15, 1907 |
| Died | March 11, 1986 |
| Nationality | Inupiaq |
Della Keats (whose Inupiaq name was Putyuk) was an Inupiaq healer and midwife. She grew up in the Kotzebue area of Alaska in the early 1900s. This region is in northwest Alaska, along the coast. It is also near the Noatak, Kobuk, and Selawik Rivers.
Della lived during a time of big changes for her people. New people came to Alaska and settled there. Missions and schools were built. Families started to live in villages more permanently after the 1930s. Della and her family kept their traditional way of life. They hunted and fished for food. But they also started using new tools and trading for goods. Della was a member of the Nautaaq (Noatak) community.
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Growing Up in Alaska
Della Keats was born on April 15, 1907. This was along the upper Noatak River in a place called Usulak. Her family lived in a sod house. It had windows made of animal skin and a door of brown bear hide.
Della started school at Point Hope when she was six. She learned English by writing on slates with a flat rock. School was from October to April. Her family stayed in the village during the school year. Her father was a handyman and also hunted. Her mother worked for the teacher. Della was one of six children.
During her childhood, Della saw many changes. People still used traditional tools and materials. But they also started using new items from trade. For example, her family lived in sod houses and log houses. They also used tents when hunting. They wore clothes made of animal skins and cotton. Her mother sewed with a machine from the school. Della continued to use it when she grew up.
Her father made a stove from kerosene cans. People used to use seal gut for sewing. Now they used twine for fishing nets. Her father hunted with a rifle. But he also taught her brother to use a bow and arrow. They made kayaks and skin boats from animals and wood. Seal oil lamps were replaced by kerosene lamps. As Della got older, she even used a boat with a motor.
Her family ate food from the land and water. They ate caribou, fish like grayling and trout, and birds like ptarmigan. They also ate marmot, muskrat, and ducks. Della even remembered having a pet eagle. They ate fresh and dried fish. Nothing was wasted.
They also traded for flour, molasses, and beans. Her mother learned to bake bread. After school ended in April, the family traveled by dog team to hunt seals. They shared their meat with others. They also hunted muskrat and ducks. In July or August, they went to Kotzebue to trade seal skins. Then they returned to the Noatak River to fish for salmon. Before school started, they made winter clothes.
Della started making mittens and special boots called mukluks by age 8. By age 11, she was making her father's mukluks. She also helped him make nets. She even used her teeth to make the soles for footwear. She began to sell and trade some of her items in Kotzebue.
Once, Della's family helped a group of surveyors. This group was exploring the Kelly River in 1925. They could not find enough food. Della's family shared their food and helped them survive.
Della's Healing Work
Della Keats became a healer and midwife. She was interested in how the body works from a young age. She learned about human anatomy and how blood moves in the body from a textbook. Some say she started healing people when she was 16. Others say it was in her mid-20s.
People in the Kotzebue area saw her as a general doctor. She helped both Inupiaq and white patients. She also gave talks about health. She had her own practice until the late 1960s. In the 1970s, she traveled more to share her knowledge.
Della Keats was known for using her hands to heal. This was a common practice among Alaska Native groups. She used massage, cold, and heat to help people. She could diagnose and treat many problems. These included stomach issues, sprains, and broken bones. She could even help turn babies before birth.
Della was special because she combined traditional Inupiaq healing with Western medicine. She used her kind personality to help people trust her. This helped her blend both types of healing successfully.
Dr. Elisabeth KublerRoss, a famous expert on grief, visited Alaska. She praised Della Keats as an example of someone who kept cultural pride and traditions alive. Della spent a lot of time teaching young people.
Della Keats' Legacy
Della Keats made many important contributions. A nursing professor, Tina DeLapp, wrote about her work.
Awards and Honors
- In 1983, Della Keats received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Alaska Anchorage. This was for her work in Health Sciences.
- In 2009, Della Keats was inducted into the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame. The award biography said she used three tools to heal: her hands, her head, and her heart. Her touch helped her find problems. She used herbs and plants for remedies. She also gave advice and encouraged patients to take part in their own healing.
- Della Keats has an entry in the National Library of Medicine. This shows how important her work was.
Maniilaq Health Center
The Maniilaq Health Center in Kotzebue started because of Della Keats. She practiced as an Inupiaq tribal doctor there. Western doctors now work with the center. They want to understand and use traditional healing practices. Tribal doctors learn their skills by working with older healers.
Della Keats Health Sciences Curriculum
Two summer programs are named after Della Keats. They honor her dedication to health for all people in Alaska.
- One program helps high school students from rural areas. It prepares them for college careers in health care.
- The other is a summer research program. Students work with a mentor for six weeks. They design and present health-related research.
Della Keats Healing Hands Award
The Della Keats Healing Hands Award is given to a tribal healer or health care provider. It is announced every November. This happens during Alaska Native Heritage Month.
- 2019: Dorcus Rock
- 2017: Ethel Lund
- 2015: Dr. Nora Nagaruk Aiyuu
- 1999: Betty Geraldine Nelson
