The opposite of a
cheechako, a
sourdough is an old hand, an experienced person, or someone who has been in the area a while. The term comes from the
Klondike Gold Rush of the
1850s when would-be
miners rushed up to
Alaska/the
Yukon convinced they could
strike it rich. Preparing for months spent on their
claims, they had to have everything they were going to need, including
sourdough starter if they wanted any
bread products. (One school site also notes that "A Sourdough is an old time Alaskan who people say has
soured on Alaska with no
dough to get out," but most of the sites I saw seemed to consider "sourdough" a badge of
pride.)
Exactly what makes you a sourdough is defined differently in different places; surviving a winter seems to be the minimum required.
- "If you're there to see the river freeze over and still around when it thaws in the spring then you've made the grade." --http://www.all-abroad.com/stories/yukon.htm
- "The old time definition of a Sourdough was: one who had peed in the Yukon, slept with a squaw, and killed a bear. In these more politically correct times, the definition is: one who has spent at least a year in Alaska." --http://www.lifeinak.com/glossary.htm
Other sources:
http://www.yukonwinter.com/activities.html
http://www.explorefairbanks.com/fairbank/fairbanks.nsf/
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