Kenai Peninsula Borough AK Archives Cemetery ..... Kalifornsky Village Orthodox Church Cemetery near Kasilof, Alaska ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ak/akfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: The Kenai Totem Tracers Genealogy Society totemtracers@hotmail.com. ************************************************ KALIFORNSKY VILLAGE ORTHODOX CHURCH CEMETERY Kasilof, Alaska Kalifornsky Village Orthodox Church Cemetery is located off Kalifornsky Beach Road on the bluff above the beach near milepost seven. The closest town is Kasilof, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. The signed fenced graveyard contains 16 white Russian Orthodox crosses which are representing the people buried here. The boxed grave outside the fenced area with a white Russian Orthodox cross belongs to Peter Kalifornsky. The second fenced area, nearer the bluff, marks the remnants of the church. Read September 4, 2002 In 1983, Peter Kalifornsky provided the following information about the people buried here. 1. Qadanachen Kalifornsky (Born 1791 died about 1885) 2. Alexsay Kalifornsky (Interred about 1926 in the back right corner. Great-grandson of Qadanachen 3. Nickanorka (Interred about 1926 in the back right corner. Hunting partner of Alexsay) 4. Agrofina Sacalof Kalifornsky (Peter's mother died about 1913. Alternate spelling Agrafina.) 5. Members of the Nickanorka family 6. Members of the Simeon Unishev family 7. Members of the Nick Truman family Following Peter Kalifornsky's death he was buried in this cemetery. His is the single grave outside the fence. 8. Peter Kalifornsky Oct 12, 1911 - June 5, 1993 (Marked only with a Russian Orthodox Cross and a crib. His name was provided by Alan Boraas and the dates through library research.) ===================================================================== This information is transcribed from "Alaska's Kenai Peninsula Death Records and Cemetery Inscriptions" compiled by Kenai Totem Tracers, copyright 1983, page 30. Kalifornsky Village is located about 15 miles from Kenai on the west side of Kalifornsky Beach Road. It was established in 1821 by Qadanachen KALIFORNSKY. The old village site is being restored and in 1981 some Russian crosses were put up at the grave sites but there are no names on them. Some of the sites of the old buildings have been marked and a path built down to the beach. Peter KALIFORNSKY, a native of this area, gave the following information about his ancestor, Qadanachen, and the old village. "Qadanachen was born in the village of Shkituk, present day Kenai, in 1791. His father was chief of the village. About 1811, Qadanachen went to Ft. Ross, California, with a group of Russians. During this time he became a convert to the Russian Orthodox Church. When he returned to Shkituk, about 1821, his father had died and he was to be the new Chief. But the tribe wouldn't accept his new religion and he was asked to leave. He took his bride and a few friends and members of the family and moved down the beach a few miles to start a new village. Since his return, Qadanachen was called "Kalifornsky" (meaning "the Californian"), so the family and the village became known as Kalifornsky. Qadanachen KALIFORNSKY lived to be a very old man and was buried here about 1885. His great-grandson, Alexsay KALIFORNSKY, was the last child in the area to be born under the Russian flag. He and his hunting partner, NICKANORKA, were the last to be buried here around 1926. Also buried here are Peter KALIFORNSKY's parents, Nicoli and Agrofina SACALOF KALIFORNSKY and members of the NICKANORKA family, members of the Simeon UNISHEV and Nick TRUMAN families." The natives of Cook Inlet had no definite idea as to what happened when people died. They felt they were going to some other world and would have an afterlife. At the time of death and burial there would be no tears or weeping as that would weigh down the departed and hinder him on his journey. Several days after the burial, there would be a gathering of the family and friends and they would be allowed to express their grief. Someone would make a song about the departed and all would sing it. At some time, maybe two or three years later, the family would hold a "Potlatch" for their dead. They would send invitations several months or even a year ahead of time so there would be time to prepare for the guests. Extra fish were smoked, hunting parties would bring in bear, caribou and moose, women would gather and dry lots of berries, gull eggs were collected, cooked and preserved in Beluga whale oil. It would be a great disgrace not to have enough food for the guests. Tribes from all over the area would be invited to help honor the departed dead and the gathering would last for days. =====================================================================