The North Coast times-eagle., October 01, 1990, Page 3, Image 3

THE NORTH COAST TIMES EAGLE, OCTOBER 1990
PAGE 3
F R O M A P H O T O G R A P H BY R E X ZIA K
THE OLD WARRIOR DIES
I w a s a s k e d by m y f a m ily to s a y a few w o rd s
a b o u t K e w p ie . It is d if f ic u lt to do th is b e c a u s e
it is d iff ic u lt to b e lie v e th a t he is d e a d . I t n e v e r
o c c u r r e d to m e th a t K ew p ie w ould d ie . He h ad
b e e n h e r e a l l m y life an d I n a t u r a l l y b e lie v e d
th a t he w ould be h e r e fo r the r e s t o f m y lif e .
A s th e y e a r s w e n t by s o m e m e n got o ld , s lo w e d
d o w n, s to o p e d o v e r , a n d sh o w e d th e i r a g e . B ut
K ew p ie s e e m e d to a g e m u c h s lo w e r . A t th e ag e
o f 7 3 he w as s t i l l s tr o n g a s a b u ll, w is e a s a n
ow l a n d c le v e r a s a fo x .
I a m h a p p y to s e e th a t so m a n y f r ie n d s c o u ld
be h e r e . H o w e v e r, I n a t u r a l l y th in k a b o u t a l l of
K e w p ie 's f r ie n d s w ho c o u ld n o t a tte n d . In th e
h ills a b la c k b e a r s t r i p s h u c k l e b e r r i e s f r o m a
b u s h a n d m o u r n s K e w p ie 's d e a th . O v e r th e
C o lu m b ia R iv e r a n e a g le te a c h e s i t s y o u n g how
to f is h a n d m o u r n s K e w p ie 's d e a th . T h e g e e s e
th a t w ill r e t u r n h e r e f r o m th e n o r th a n d s e e k
r e fu g e in th e K n ap p a S lo u g h m o u rn K e w p ie 's
d e a th . T h e y know th e y h a v e lo s t th e i r v e r y b e s t
f r ie n d . T h e y r e a l i z e th a t no one e ls e w ill d e fe n d
th e m . K ew p ie sp o k e f o r th e a n im a ls . He w as
th e v o ic e of th e v o i c e l e s s . T he a n im a ls a r e
c r y in g b e c a u s e th e y k n o w — T h e y know if a
lo g g e r is k ille d the b o s s j u s t h i r e s a n o th e r lo g ­
g e r . W hen a la w y e r d r o p s d e a d yo u j u s t fin d
a n o th e r la w y e r . W hen a s e n a to r b r e a t h e s h is
l a s t yo u j u s t e l e c t a n o th e r to ta k e h is p la c e .
B u t th e a n im a ls know th a t no one h e r e o r a n y ­
w h e re e l s e w ill fo llo w K e w p ie. A fte r a l l , how
m a n y h e r e w o uld r i s k t h e i r liv e s f o r th e lif e of
a b e a r ? How m a n y of u s w o uld d a r e c o n f is c a te
th e g u n s f r o m p o a c h e r s ? T he w as o n ly one
K e w p ie , an d th e r e w ill be no m o r e .
K ew p ie w as a n a t u r a l i s t , a lo g g e r, a lo v e r , a
p o e t. He w as a h i s t o r i a n , an a r c h a e o lo g is t, an
a n th r o p o lo g is t a n d a s t o r y t e l l e r . He c o u ld do
a n y of th e s e e q u a lly a s w e ll a s the o t h e r . B ut
m o s tly K ew pie w as a w a r r i o r . A w a r r i o r in o u r
s o c ie ty is c o n fu s in g . W hen we h e a r o f a w a r r i o r
w e n a t u r a l l y th in k of a s o l d i e r . B u t a s o l d i e r is
n o t a w a r r i o r . A s o l d i e r is s e n t in to b a ttle ,
w h e r e a s a w a r r i o r s e e k s b a ttle . K ew pie w as a
w a r r i o r . P e r h a p s one of the l a s t . He w as c o n ­
s t a n t l y in a fig h t. He s e e m e d to th r iv e on c o n ­
f l i c t . He fo u g h t w ith big tim b e r c o m p a n ie s . He
fo u g h t w ith h is n e ig h b o r s . He fo u g h t w ith p o a c h ­
e r s , t r e s p a s s i n g t e e n a g e r s an d i n d u s t r i a l i s t s .
He e v e n fo u g h t w ith h is ow n f a m ily . He c o n s ta n tly
s o u g h t w a r . We do n o t u n d e r s ta n d t h i s . We c a n ­
n o t u n d e r s ta n d t h i s . W a r r io r s do n o t liv e in th is
w o r ld w ith o u r id e a ls an d v a lu e s .
B u t K ew pie sh o w e d us w h at a f ig h te r c a n d o .
K ew pie sh o w e d us th e p o w e r of p u b lic o p in io n .
K ew p ie sh o w e d us w h a t a n in d iv id u a l c a n d o . In
K e w p ie 's n a m e , p le a s e k e e p up the fig h t. S p eak
u p a b o u t i n j u s t i c e s . S p e a k o u t w hen you s e e
s o m e w ro n g . D efen d n a tu r e a n d o u r e n v ir o n ­
m e n t. T h a t is w h at K ew pie w ould h a v e w a n te d
u s to do.
We w ill a ll r e m e m b e r th in g s a b o u t K ew p ie.
It is u n lik e ly we w ill f o r g e t th e m . W h e th e r it
w a s h is d e e p v o ic e , h is p o e tic w o rd s , h is th ic k
p o w e rfu l h a n d s o r h is a n im a te d s t o r i e s , K ew pie
w ill liv e o n .
— R E X ZIA K
R e x Z ia k is B ob Z i a k 's n e p h ew . He g av e th is
e u lo g y to h is u n c le a t K e w p ie 's f u n e r a l, A u g u st
2 2 . He liv e s in N a s e lle , W ash in g to n , and is a
p h o to g r a p h e r c u r r e n t l y on a s s ig n m e n t in C a lif ­
o r n ia .
"I f e e l I have a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y w h ile I 'm on th is e a r t h to p r e s e r v e s o m e b e a u ty
a n d p a s s it on to the n e x t g e n e r a tio n . B e c a u s e if I do n o t p a s s s o m e th in g on,
th e s e c h ild r e n an d th e c h i l d r e n 's c h ild r e n w ill h a v e a b a r r e n w o r l d ."
— BO B Z IA K , 1 9 1 7 -1 9 9 0
BY HOWARD BRUNER
B ob " K e w p ie " Z ia k is g o n e . D ie d A u g u st 16.
T h e m a n w ho w o u ld te a c h us th e v a lu e of o th e r
c r e a t u r e s ' liv e s h a s l e f t u s . I a m f ille d w ith
r e m e m b r a n c e s a n d th o u g h ts of th is e x t r a o r d i ­
n a r y m a n of th e w o o d s.
B ob Z ia k w as a m a n 's m a n , a tw o - f is te d
b a r r e l - c h e s t e d w a r r i o r w ho c o n ta in e d e le m e n ts
s o a n o m a lo u s he d i s a r m e d h is o p p o n e n ts th ro u g h
s h e e r a m a z e m e n t. H is a r s e n a l c o n ta in e d g u n s ,
f i s t s , h e a v y m a c h in e r y a n d p o e tr y . A v is io n a r y
in C a n 't B u s t 'E m s an d H ic k o ry , K ew p ie h a d
r e a c h e d a s ta g e o f d e v e lo p m e n t f a r b e y o n d the
n o r m f o r th is w o o d sy r e s o u r c e d e p e n d e n t a r e a .
H e h a d g o n e to th e w e ll a n d fo u n d th a t h is life
w a s in e x tr ic a b ly w ound up w ith th e liv e s of the
c r e a t u r e s an d la n d a r o u n d h im . P e r h a p s he h ad
c a u g h t a g lim p s e of th e p la c e we r e a l l y a r e in
th e s c h e m e of th in g s . He h a d m a d e th e u ltim a te
ju m p of f a ith in h is d e n ia l of f r e e a g e n c y w ith ­
o u t c o n s e q u e n c e s . He a c c e p te d th e r e s p o n s i b i l ­
ity w e g o d -lik e h u m a n s h a v e f o r a l l o th e r f o r m s
o f lif e .
T h is h a r d liv in g , ro u g h an d tu m b le lo g g e r
w a s a ls o a g e n tle a n d n u r tu r in g f o r c e in the
h u n d re d s o f th o u s a n d s of liv e s he to u c h e d . By
s e ttin g up an d m a in ta in in g a s a n c tu a r y fo r
g a m e b ir d s in th is w o r l d - c l a s s m e c c a f o r fow l
h u n t e r s , h e h a d m o r e o f a n e f f e c t on th e f o r tu n e s
o f d w in d lin g a v ia n p o p u la tio n s th a n w ill e v e r be
a c c o u n ta b le . L ong b e fo re th e c o u n te r s and
o g le r s pu t new v a lu e on th e n a t u r a l w o n d e r of
a g o o s e "V ", K ew p ie h a d a d o p te d h is f e a th e r e d
b r o t h e r s a n d s i s t e r s . W hen the c a l l w as m ad e
to c u t th e n e s t t r e e s o f th e e a g le s , he w as the
m a n w ho pu t h is body b e tw e e n f u r t h e r life an d the
u ltim a te d e s o la tio n of a n e a g l e l e s s s a n c tu a r y .
T h e b e a r o f th e s e w oods h a d one v o ic e s p e a k in g
f o r th e m : K ew pie r e f u s e d to le t the h ig h - te c h ,
d o g -e n h a n c e d s la u g h t e r go u n c h a lle n g e d and
s to o d h is g ro u n d a g a in s t a ll c o m e r s . H is w as
a b r a v e r y an d c o m m itm e n t th e lik e s of w h ich
we w ill p ro b a b ly n e v e r s e e a g a in .
I a lw a y s h a d a t h r i l l of a n tic ip a tio n w hen m y
t r a v e l s to o k m e to h is m a g n if ic e n t s a n c tu a r y .
F o r I w a s s u r e to s e e u p w a rd s o f th i r t y s p e c ie s
o f b ir d s f r o m p a s s e r i n e s ( s o n g b ir d s ) to r a p t o r s .
D e p en d in g on th e s e a s o n an d w e a th e r a c a s t of
h u n d r e d s w a s a lw a y s to be e n jo y e d . A nd i f one
w a s lu c k y th e m a n on th e t r a c t o r , s e e in g a d i s ­
c ip le f r o m h is w h ite f a r m h o u s e on the h ill
w o u ld c o m e dow n to do th a t w h ich h a s a lm o s t
g o n e th e th e w ay of e x tin c tio n ; he w o u ld c o m e
dow n to p a s s th e tim e of d a y . I c a n r e c a l l m a n y
tim e s w h en I fo u n d m y s e lf t r a n s p o r t e d o u t of
th e d a ily s t r e s s / p e r f o r m a n c e c y c le , h a v in g a
c o n v e r s a tio n th a t w as the u ltim a te in e n t e r t a i n ­
m e n t an d r e la x a ti o n . F o r K ew p ie h ad th a t a u r a
o f one w ho w as a t p e a c e w ith h im s e lf , an d th o u g h
m o r e o fte n th a n n o t o u r s u b je c t w as c e n t e r e d
on th o s e w ho w e re l e s s in c lin e d to s e e th e
p a r a d is e f a c to r in life on th is e a r t h , he h a d the
g e n tle c o n fid e n c e of one who s e e s p a s t a l l o u r
e a r th ly f o i b l e s .
K ew pie is g o n e . He is w ild a n d f r e e . N e v e r
a g a in w ill I s e e the t r a c t o r w ith th e dog in
s c o o p a n d th e jo v ia l " m a y o r " of B ro w n s m e a d
d r iv in g . T h a t is n o t w h e re I w ill fin d K e w p ie .
I w ill fin d h im in a s c u d - t o r n a u tu m n sk y f ille d
w ith th e u r g e n t c r i e s of h is b r o t h e r s an d s i s t e r s .
I w ill fin d h im in th e w in d e d t r e e s of a s p r in g
g la d e , b o r n on th e c a t h a r t i c e d g e of w ild n e s s .
He w ill a lw a y s be a n i n t r e g a l p a r t of th a t w h ich
he lo v e d an d h e lp e d . T h a t w h ich h a s now ta k e n
h is s p i r i t .
H o w a rd B r u n e r liv e s in A s t o r i a . L ik e K ew pie
Z ia k he h a s fo u g h t lo n g a n d c o u r a g e o u s ly to
p r e s e r v e w ild life a n d th e n a t u r a l e n v ir o n m e n t.
I w is h to ad d a few w o rd s o f m y o w n . I k n ew
w ho K ew p ie Z ia k w as lo n g b e f o r e I m e t h im ,
a n d fo r th e p a s t fiv e y e a r s I s a w h im o n ce o r
tw ic e a w e ek , u s u a lly in a c o ffe e p la c e w h e re he
ta lk e d to e v e r y b o d y an d g e n ia lly r e p a r t e e d w ith
th e h e lp (he o fte n b ro u g h t f lo w e r s fo r th e w a it­
r e s s e s ) . He t r e a t e d e v e r y o n e th e s a m e , f r ie n d
a n d fo e , s t r a n g e r a n d k i n — s t r a i g h t in th e ey e
a n d n e v e r m in c in g h is w o rd s o r p a s s io n , th o u g h
he te m p e r e d h is p ro f u n d ity w ith fe llo w s h ip and
h u m o r.
He w a s a r a r e a n d s in g u la r m a n . He w as
in s p ir in g ly e lo q u e n t w ith a good h u m o re d l i l t
to h is b a s s o v o ic e . He c o u ld be s c a th in g o r a s
o r a t o r i c a l a s a R o m a n s e n a t o r . He w as a m a n
of th e w oods w ho w as le g e n d a r y fo r h is c o u ra g e
a n d p r o te c tio n o f w ild lif e . He th o u g h t in t e r m s
o f c e n t u r i e s , e x p r e s s e d th ro u g h th e c y c le s of
h is b e lo v e d f o r e s t . I s h o u ld lik e to th in k th a t
h is le g a c y w ill be a s l a s t in g .
S o m e th in g h e s a id to S tu d s T e r k e l , q u o te d in
" A m e r ic a n D r e a m s L o s t an d F o u n d " (1 980)
m ig h t j u s t be h is ow n m e ta p h o r : " B e f o r e I d ie ,
I 'd lik e to h e a r th e h o w l o f t i m b e r w o lv e s th a t
u s e d to e x i s t h e r e in o u r w o o d s."
H is how l is g r e a t l y m i s s e d .
— M IC H A E L P A U L M cC U SK E R