In 1978, musician Max Lestenkof, Sr. (Unangax̂-Aleut, Pribilof Islands) wrote the lyrics and music for the song he titled “Slaves of the Harvest.” Max wrote the song as the commercial fur harvest of northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) on the Pribilof Islands was crashing to an end and the United States Government would no longer be operating a commercial harvest of northern fur seals.
At the time animal rights activists were negatively spotlighting the United States Government managed commercial harvest including the Pribilof Islands Unangan involvement in it. The activities paid a visit in demonstration against the commercial harvest of fur seals. The United States Government did not defend the Unangan against the activists.
“Slaves of the Harvest”: musically portrays the story of the enslavement of the Unangan-Aleuts as the labor force in the industrialized take of a natural resource and to the United States Government, which profited in the billions of dollars from the furs.
This was recorded in the home of Phillip and Anna Lestenkof on St. Paul Island in 1993. Phillip Lestenkof added the sounds of fur seals to add to the ambiance of the story.
Performed by
Max Lestenkof, Sr. (lead vocals, guitar), Mac Mandregan, Sr. (vocals, guitar), Phillip Lestenkof (drums) and Neon Krukoff, Sr. (bass guitar)