Yesterday, I left work at a decent time, 1700. I went to chow and it was steaks! In general, you get fed a little better when there are distinguished visitors around. It was a little odd because on previous exercises the DVs come to the workplace to see what you are doing. In this instance they meant with hospital administration and attended special activities put on just for them. I happened to find out about one such event and received an invitation from a local nurse. The professional Eskimo dancers, The Northern Lights, put on a performance and the National park service museum. I walked over with one of my guys. I saw several nurses that I recognized from the hospital. This time, they were dressed in traditional garb. They have the boots, the muk luks. The DVs arrived and we all sat down to watch the performance.
The leader started by telling a story. Story telling is an important way of passing down traditions. He told about a time when he was a child in the 1960s. His grandmother had made a beautiful dress. One morning, she called him and his sister outside the tent and told them to sit quietly. She was standing barefoot in the snow. In her hand was a double barrel shotgun from JC Penney catalog. A flock of geese were flying overhead. She gave a call and several of the geese seperated from the flock and landed not far from them. She loaded the gun and had a couple shells in her hand. She shot the sentry goose and the others flew. The shot two more as they took off. The last goose flew overhead and behind her. She looked at the children, pointed the gun behind her, and fired killing the goose. Then she promptly directed the children to start plucking.
After storytelling they did several native dances while the men played drums. It was beautiful and fascinating. I took several pictures with my good camera so you won't be seeing pictures until I get home. Afterwards, we got to tour the visitors center. One of the workers in the clinic was there with her daughter. She could tell I was interested in learning more. She physically took me by the arm and lead me to different exhibits and explained what things were and how they used them. It was incredible to hear first hand and realize that all this was still going on.
When the event ended, she offered me a ride home and I gladly accepted. I'm getting better at walking with 50 pounds of clothing but like the break. She pointed out things and took the long way to show me more of the town. I had been in the room about 5 minutes when she called. She had dropped off her daughter and offered to give me more of a tour. I was downstairs in a minute. We drove to every corner of the town with her as my tour guide. Kotzebue has about 3000 people in it. We drive by the bay and I remark that I have never been someplace where a large body of water is frozen. She parks and takes me out on the ice. There are large branches stuck in the ice to mark where someone has been ice fishing. Not a good place to walk. She then took me to cemetary hill for a view of the town. By now it was 2300 and the sun had finally set. We walked to the top since the snow was too deep to drive. It was definitely colder than when we had started. She was in a light jacket and I was bundled head to toe. An odd contrast. I asked her how cold it was. She guessed it was 2 degrees. This is the coldest I have ever been. Since the winter gets to -50 degrees or more, it was a little cold to her.
This morning I have been to a local store, Rotman's. There I found t-shirts and an eskimo dress for Lydia. We walked to the NPS center but it is only open Monday through Friday. We walk to the grocery store and find a couple more souvenirs. We stop by the post office and pick up a flat rate box. There is a bake sale going on and buy some stuff. I run into several patients along the way. I've tried to catch the snow machine races but I have been given three different start times. As I sit here typing, I've been told they are starting now. That figures. I have stopped in the Bayside inn. The food is a touch expensive but right for this area. They have free wifi so I think it is a great deal.
I run into a couple of guys who went to see the lights. The weather was bad and it was overcast so they could barely see anything. I didn't miss much. My friend and tour guide told me about the lights when we were driving around last night. Once when she was a young girl, she was standing outside with her mother. The lights appeared above them. They were so close she could hear them. The popped and crackled like ice. At times they chimed. It was a once in a lifetime event for her. I can only imagine.
I'm off to the races.
The leader started by telling a story. Story telling is an important way of passing down traditions. He told about a time when he was a child in the 1960s. His grandmother had made a beautiful dress. One morning, she called him and his sister outside the tent and told them to sit quietly. She was standing barefoot in the snow. In her hand was a double barrel shotgun from JC Penney catalog. A flock of geese were flying overhead. She gave a call and several of the geese seperated from the flock and landed not far from them. She loaded the gun and had a couple shells in her hand. She shot the sentry goose and the others flew. The shot two more as they took off. The last goose flew overhead and behind her. She looked at the children, pointed the gun behind her, and fired killing the goose. Then she promptly directed the children to start plucking.
After storytelling they did several native dances while the men played drums. It was beautiful and fascinating. I took several pictures with my good camera so you won't be seeing pictures until I get home. Afterwards, we got to tour the visitors center. One of the workers in the clinic was there with her daughter. She could tell I was interested in learning more. She physically took me by the arm and lead me to different exhibits and explained what things were and how they used them. It was incredible to hear first hand and realize that all this was still going on.
When the event ended, she offered me a ride home and I gladly accepted. I'm getting better at walking with 50 pounds of clothing but like the break. She pointed out things and took the long way to show me more of the town. I had been in the room about 5 minutes when she called. She had dropped off her daughter and offered to give me more of a tour. I was downstairs in a minute. We drove to every corner of the town with her as my tour guide. Kotzebue has about 3000 people in it. We drive by the bay and I remark that I have never been someplace where a large body of water is frozen. She parks and takes me out on the ice. There are large branches stuck in the ice to mark where someone has been ice fishing. Not a good place to walk. She then took me to cemetary hill for a view of the town. By now it was 2300 and the sun had finally set. We walked to the top since the snow was too deep to drive. It was definitely colder than when we had started. She was in a light jacket and I was bundled head to toe. An odd contrast. I asked her how cold it was. She guessed it was 2 degrees. This is the coldest I have ever been. Since the winter gets to -50 degrees or more, it was a little cold to her.
This morning I have been to a local store, Rotman's. There I found t-shirts and an eskimo dress for Lydia. We walked to the NPS center but it is only open Monday through Friday. We walk to the grocery store and find a couple more souvenirs. We stop by the post office and pick up a flat rate box. There is a bake sale going on and buy some stuff. I run into several patients along the way. I've tried to catch the snow machine races but I have been given three different start times. As I sit here typing, I've been told they are starting now. That figures. I have stopped in the Bayside inn. The food is a touch expensive but right for this area. They have free wifi so I think it is a great deal.
I run into a couple of guys who went to see the lights. The weather was bad and it was overcast so they could barely see anything. I didn't miss much. My friend and tour guide told me about the lights when we were driving around last night. Once when she was a young girl, she was standing outside with her mother. The lights appeared above them. They were so close she could hear them. The popped and crackled like ice. At times they chimed. It was a once in a lifetime event for her. I can only imagine.
I'm off to the races.
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