Native Youth Olympics

In the spirit of their ancestors, youth from across Alaska will assemble to demonstrate their skills in traditional Native games at the Native Youth Olympics. This may be the most incredible exhibition of athletics I have ever witnessed. Events are based on games and life skills of past generations of Alaska Natives played as a way to test their hunting and survival skills, and to increase strength, endurance, agility, and the balance of mind and body. If anyone ever has the chance to watch these games, I highly recommend you do so.


•The Eskimo Stick Pull: a game of strength. The two athletes sitting on the floor facing each other with feet touching. The stick is held over both athletes’ toes. One athlete holds the stick in the center with his hands together while the other athlete's hands are on either side of his opponent's. Each athlete uses a steady pull straight back trying to pull the opponent directly to him or the stick away from the opponent. No twisting, jerking or re-gripping the stick is allowed. This game is based on the skill of grabbing and holding onto a fish. Successful hunters must be able to pull a seal out of the water. This is no easy task while maintaining balance on snow and ice. Hand, back and leg strength are essential.

Indian Stick Pull: This game is a test of grip. The equipment for this game is a stick tapered at both ends. The stick is about a foot long and one and one-half inches in diameter in the middle. Grease is applied to the stick and the competitors then grab the stick and attempt to pull it away from each other. They must pull straight back without jerking or twisting. Best two out of three is the winner of the match, each round using a different hand. This primarily Indian game was used to strengthen the hands for grabbing fish out of the fish wheel.

•The Wrist Carry: a test of survival. The contestant hooks a wrist around the middle of the stick and grips the forearm with the other hand while being carried. This event has origins based on hunters being able to carry their game back to the village. Hunters had to develop endurance and strength in order to carry the game over a long distance.

•The One-Hand Reach: balancing on one hand, the contestant reaches up with the other hand to touch the ball. A game to test a person's control over their body. If a hunter was to become lost on water, for example, they must know the skills to control their body in order not to panic and tip their kayak.

•Two-foot high kick: consists of the athlete jumping off of both feet simultaneously, kicking a ball with one or both feet while both feet or heels are parallel and touching, and landing on both feet simultaneously while maintaining balance. Hopping on both feet is okay while maintaining balance. Falling or landing on one foot will nullify the jump. The height of the suspended ball will begin at 46 inches for girls and 50 inches for boys. Three attempts at each height will be given to each athlete. The ball will be raised at two inch increments. When there are three athletes left the ball will be raised in one inch increments. The winner is the athlete who touches the ball at the highest elevation. This game came from the excitement the hunters exhibited after the hunt. It developed into a game to see how high the hunters could jump.

•The Kneel Jump: kneeling on the floor with feet and toes flat, the contestant leaps forward, and must land on both feet without faltering. The hunters must develop the skill of quick movement to be successful in jumping from one ice floe to another. This game also develops leg muscles necessary to lift heavy game and carry it back to the village.

•The Alaskan High Kick: the contestant balances on one foot and the opposing hand while reaching across the torso to hold the other foot. He thrusts the balancing foot upward to kick the ball. A test of both the mind and body working together to maintain control.

(Note to reader: I utilized a variety of resources to compile thorough explanations for this blog posting. I took the photographs at our recent district, state-qualifying competition.)

The Real People

Without any doubts in my mind, I have found the Inupiat (Inupiaq) culture to be the most interesting Native group studied thus far. It blows my mind that for 4,500 years people have inhabited the severe environment along the Arctic Coast and the North Slope of Alaska. (Yet, the Inupiat are only one of many distinct “Eskimo” groups living in the North American Arctic.) Inupiat literally means “real people.” The populations’ determination to exist, despite such inhospitable conditions, completely justifies such a supreme title. Furthermore, it is amazingly profound that their livelihood has been maintained primarily in reliance to large marine mammal hunting. The list of marine mammals hunted includes but is not limited to, walrus, bowhead whale, bearded seal, spotted seal, ringed seal, ribbon seal, belukha, tomcod, sculpin, water fowl, and polar bear (they are not considered terrestrial because the majority of their life is spent hunting on the sea-ice; much like the Inupiat people).

I find it baffling to even consider venturing out into the Arctic Ocean in a walrus skinboat (umupiat); to set-up camp on the treterous moving sea-ice; where we would remain until one of crews in the local fleet of four to nine boats managed to kill a bowhead whale, which would feed the entire village for the winter. This feat is even more amazing when considering it may continue, day upon day, week upon week, for some two months!

Bear in mind that the monstrosity (in addition to anything else killed) had to be rowed back to the camp where it would be slaughtered. (This rowing must persevere without any thought to personal discomforts because once the whale’s momentum was lost it took great effort to get it moving again.) After chopping-off the head as an offering of respect to the behest and benevolence of all animals, a butchering will continue (perhaps well into the night) until nothing is left but the red-stain of the gory reminder where the carcass had been.

Being a woman, I would have had an entirely different role in the efforts. (For the sake of comparative analysis, I will pretend that I am not thin, pale, pasty, and weak; and would have been able to handle the physical and emotional demands of such an incredible culture.) Females are traditionally responsible for the processing of the food and the raw materials derived from the hunted game. It would have been my responsibility to keep the crew (whose men’s house I am associated with) fed and clothed. In addition to the other wives and mothers of the skinboat crew members, I would have been scraping, cutting to size, and sewing together the thick hides of female walrus, using special stitches that only go halfway through the hide. If done correctly, the double, overlapping seams will be completely waterproof. When finished, the men will help stretch the finished cover over the boat frame and lash it to the gunwales.

(The Inupiat culture has many rituals that accompany their hunting cultural traditions; which are too numerous and detailed to also discuss, but are as equally, uniquely fascinating.)

I would also like to mention the seemingly taboo custom of sharing wives and extended families in Inupiat Native culture. Such illicit behavior makes perfect sense when taking into account the skinboat captain’s need to have a mainstay of skillful and loyal males to rely upon. In this case, sons, brothers, and brothers’ sons are the most likely candidates for forming foundations of traditional skinboat crews. Customary marriages and post-marriage homes reflect the crucial necessity to have related males in the community. For me, traditional Inupiat culture personifies the universe’s nature of infinite persistence in existence and thoroughly reinforces the limitless capabilities of mankind.

(Author's Note: The traditional Inupiat (Inupiaq) whale hunt is still practiced today. To see it done with the conviences of modern technology: click here )

The Seal

An immeasurable amount of sincere appreciation and admiration goes to my Curriculum Coach. No matter how much she disagrees with me about the merit, her relentless support efforts are a colossal contribution to my success in the classroom and adjustment to bush life. She has become both a trusted colleague and a beloved friend.

The most difficult part of this year for me was the lack of support. The only other teacher on site is the elementary school teacher, and she is also new to Alaska and first-year teacher. All of our other support staff is itinerant (travels from place to place), and is only here for a short visit once every couple of months (if that, and weather permitting). Admittedly, I have an awesome district, and anyone I ask for help is (usually) more than willing to give it, but I have to know what questions to ask, and who the best person would be to answer those questions… Consistently, that person has been Ms. Katy Jurney-Davey. In addition to being my curriculum support, she also spent last year in Pedro Bay as the Elementary School Teacher at Dena’ina School, so she also has first-hand knowledge of my students and the village.

We met at the Teacher In-Service back in August. I had the pleasure of being assigned to room with the sassy Northern California Native. (I later learned that there is hostility from Northern Californians towards Southern Californians because “they are stealing all our water.”) We clicked instantly; finding that we shared the common experience of having been on the rowing team, and bonding over shared stories of similar happenings.  From there, we learned that we are also the products of a similar home-life.  Both of our mothers are hippies, and both of our fathers are super Conservative; my father being in finance, and her father a colonel. (The cliché’s and stereotypes associated with these descriptions are entirely appropriate, and purposely not being elaborated upon in detail, so no one is offended.) 

I am constantly amused and fascinated with Ms. Jurney-Davey’s level of awesomeness.  I adore how the spunky red-head contradicts everything I was taught to be considered appropriate, when “maintaining a professional appearance.” She prefers to teach in flip-flops (even when there is snow on the ground), does not make attempts to conceal her tattoos, and has yet to remove her tongue piercing; yet, she maintains an extremely high level of professionalism at all times when at the work place. For example, she is constantly reminding me that she cannot tell me certain things because information shared between her and administrators about me is confidential…. 

 

I hit an exceptionally rough period in January/February. Recognizing that I was in danger of drowning in my own negativities, she changed around her schedule, and came to Dena’ina School to help us out on both personal and professional levels. She gave me the constructive criticism I so desperately needed, and then we revamped my implementation of the curriculum. She even taught a couple of my classes, so I could see her interpretation of the curriculum, which is a luxury I cannot normally indulge in.

Katy decided she needed to return, seven days later, to ensure I had a handle on things because she felt she threw too much information at me to immediately digest. I had dumped my heart and soul into IMMEDIATELY implementing everything in between her visits. By the time she returned, I was hanging on mentally, physically, and emotionally only by a thread…After another failed attempt at support from administration, I ended-up having my first and only breakdown that week….My breakdown came complete with crying in the supply closet.

Ms. Jurney-Davey decided it was time for a pep talk, Katy style.  I was told I need to stop being so sensitive “because you are in the wrong profession if you think you are going to make everyone happy all the time.” She continued, “I am going to tell you what I told my six-year-old niece: "You need to be the seal. You need to have thick skin, and let all the bullshit roll off you like water. You are here for the kids; ONLY worry about the kids.” Ever since, I have received nothing but “tough love.”   

Since the seal metaphor, I have been more confident in my abilities and my purpose. It has been eight months since I first arrived here, and it has only been recently that I feel like I know what is going on.  

Spread Thin

I have not been journaling as much I would like to be recently. I am spread very thin these days, so when I manage any sort of freedom from my obligations, I spend my time being as worthless as possible. To be honest, the only reason I am writing this right now is because there is currently a snow storm in Pedro Bay, and I am unable to go play outside. (I realize I could go, but I would rather lie on my couch in sweats than exert the time and energy in bundling-up appropriately to adequately face the weather.)

The elementary teacher (Jess) and I have elected to take a distance anthropology course this semester from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. In order to get your permanent Alaska teaching certificate, the state requires you to take an Alaska Geography and a Native Cultures of Alaska course within three years of your first teaching placement here. We are currently taking Native Cultures of Alaska as a year-long paper-based course. I love it; I find it absolutely fascinating, and I honestly and thoroughly enjoy doing the work necessary to complete the assignments. Alaska is a different planet compared to what we are use to in the Lower 48. (I sometimes supplement my journal posts with papers I have written for the course. I hope you are reading them, and you find the information as absolutely fascinating as I do. I also hope to enlighten people about the rich cultural diversity in Alaska. Not all Alaska Natives are Eskimos, nor do they live in igloos. Actually, "Eskimo" is considered a derogatory term.)

I spend much of the time on evenings and weekends working on this course. I have also been preparing for the Middle School Math Praxis II Test, which I have elected to take next month. If I pass, I this will certify me in both Pennsylvania and Alaska to teach Middle School Math…