In a Great Land

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2020 issue of Zymurgy Magazine

By Efrain Villa

By Efrain Villa

John Netardus is self-isolating.

He has not been outdoors in several days, at least not in the way Alaskans in his community near the Chena River are used to being outdoors. Sure, he goes outside to get his mail, but for the most part, John is hunkering down in his home and avoiding some of his favorite activities, which include hiking, fishing, camping, foraging, and hunting with friends and family. Essentially, he is sacrificing the pastimes that initially lured him out of Central Texas and into this challenging, yet strikingly beautiful, landscape. John knows that staying home is the sensible thing to do at the moment, since venturing far without an essential need to do so could be hazardous, even reckless.

The first headlines mentioning COVID-19 are still weeks away, and terms like “contact tracing,” “personal protective equipment,” and “flattening the curve” are not yet common parts of the American lexicon. At this time, the biggest peril John faces, should he be foolhardy enough to step outside, is frostbite from baring skin to the air longer than a few minutes.

However, for him and many Alaskans, communing with nature is not just a recreational activity; it is a way of life. Resorting to looking at his surroundings through the barrier of a glass windowpane instead of directly experiencing the setting through touch, smell, and sound feels unsatisfying…