Sunday Around Town & More on Housing

Since it was a gorgeous Sunday afternoon I decided to grab my camera and capture some more photo's of town.  It was also a good time since nearly everyone is "Up River" or "Up Mountain". Meaning, we're getting close to the last couple nice weekends before Fall and Winter arrive, its also the time of the year the second herd of Caribou are pass through our area.  Up Mountain refers to the holy/spiritual mountain South West of Arctic Village called Daschenle (pronounced "Dutch-En-Lay").  Last night walking home from the school around 10:30pm I saw several campfires flickering all over the hillside.  Up River refers to traveling via boat up the Chandalar River to hunt Moose or Caribou.  Some people fish, but mostly for dogfood.  

This is the village Community Hall.  The second largest building in town after the school.

This is the Village Council, basically a Town Hall.  Also serves as hub for all Village logistics, like maintaining fuel and electricity.  The Chief works here along with a small staff.
This is the post office.
This is the clinic.  They don't offer very high levels of care, most emergency services have to be flown to Fairbanks or Anchorage for treatment. Minor scratches and illnesses can be treated. They can call in medevac planes from Fairbanks.  Its less than a 50 minute flight.
This is the village store and youth center.  On the right is the village store, they offer several different dry goods (pasta, stuffing, chips, rice,), canned goods (soups, veggies, sauces), and frozen goods (meat, pizza, etc...).  They also have various circulating refrigerated goods like eggs, bread, and fruit.

The youth center is loosely run as a hangout spot for teenagers.  I've never actually been inside, but this is where BINGO is managed from, the main fundraiser for youth.
This is the local Episcopalian Church.  It is the only church in the village.  This is the second church building in the village and was constructed within the last 20 years.  See my previous post for pictures of the original church built in the 1920's.  
Here are several of the homes/cabins around the "downtown" area.  Notice the caribou antlers lining the roof.

These are actually my next-door neighbors.
This is what they call a "cache".  Basically a storage shed adjacent to a house full of excess junk.

-New Housing Project-

Now more on the housing project.  There is a push this summer to construct new housing in Arctic Village.  Every couple years as part of a state/federal housing commission the village receives money to contract new housing.  An outside Project Manager visits periodically from the state to track and help with constructing new housing, but it is primarily internally run.  There are several villagers with extensive carpentry and construction background that run these projects.  All the labor is hired internally which stimulates the local economy, especially for men out of high school up to 20's and 30's.  

The homes have more of a modern design, and are much more efficient for this climate.

The village council maintains a list of people authorized a new home.  Preference goes to large families and elders living in old rundown and unsafe homes.  Once homes are complete they are turned over from the housing commission to the village council who places families.  After the family lives in that home for 5 years the deed becomes theirs.  If you move out of the home before 5 years the home goes back to Village Council. 

There are many different generations of homes as you can tell from my earlier posts  and pictures of cabins. The newer houses are wood sided, while older ones are still made of log. Some people choose to build their own homes from log or other material as traditionally done.

Science Camp- First 3 Days of School

As tradition has it, the first three days of school in Arctic Village are dedicated to "Science Camp". No one really could tell me how long this has been going on, but the Elder who originated the camp died several years ago, so its been happening for a while I think.

The main proponent for camp is a couple Elders from the Village associated with "Friends of ANWR". Also involved was the Wilderness Society, Fish & Wildlife Service, several Elders and Chiefs from Venetie, and a couple other random people that I have no idea how they got here...

Arctic Village School doesn't have a transportation service, most kids walk, some get dropped off on 4-wheelers, and older kids even ride dirtbikes to school.
Mother Dixie, sleeping with puppies Daisy and "Blacky", waiting for students to come play.
Jack also came to the first day of school, but was left tied up outside.
The camp began with an activity to explain the Scientific Method. Students had to alter three items they were wearing to have a partner practice observation and identification skills.
Next we played the "Caribou Game". This was meant to teach students values of subsistence hunting and wildlife/habitat conservation. Similar to "Red Rover", students lined up facing each other. One side was Caribou, the other Habitat. Each had to decide whether they would be Water, Food, or Shelter. The Caribou then ran to pair up with a like item from Habitat. Those unable to find a like partner, died and became Habitat, those that found a partner both became Caribou to depict survival of the Herd. When the herd became to great, hunters were introduced. Caribou killed by a hunter became hunters. At the crux of the game Hunters became so great in number no Caribou were left, teaching students hunting conservation and management skills. The concept of not taking more than you can use is commonly practiced and taught in this society.

Next one of the villagers taught a class on solar power. The above panel was handmade for about $400. Its more than enough to power several electronic components in a small cabin.
We also took a tour of the Washeteria, which gets 30% of its power from Solar panels on the roof.
Students learned about watersheds. Using samples of rain water, river water, and tap water they measure dissolved oxygen along and pH.
Pete, a Chief from Venetie gave a couple classes on Reservation history. Varapu, the older girl pictured above was visiting from her village in Finland. She explained how her people herd Reindeer, and subsist off these herds, very similar to how Gwich'in people follow and hunt Caribou. It was really neat to show students on a map where they lived, then trace across the North Pole and show where Varapu lives in Finland. She also explained the similarities and differences between her environment and ours.
Next we had two guests from the Tanana Chiefs and Hunter Education to teach gun safety. Every home in the village has multiple guns. In fact most guns are seen hanging over the doorway or propped in the corner of a cabin, always loaded...
Students learn safe handling skills while exchanging a weapon between friends.

Students identify the skulls of 14 different animals from Interior Alaska.
Several of the guests packrafted into Arctic Village after 18 days crossing the Brooks Range and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Many students have never seen a packraft before.
The last day was dedicated to classes and lectures from village Elders.

Trimble teaches students how to build a fish trap from willow branches.
Shadowed by the death of a local village Elder, Science Camp was a little toned down this year. Usually students spend more time outdoors, but due to rain two of the days were held inside. I plan to incorporate several of the concepts and ideas learned during science camp throughout the school year.

Sunset, last night

We had the most AMAZING sunset last night.

We stepped out our door and stood behind our cabin to take these pictures.

This was about 10:30pm

The dominant ridge due west of Arctic Village is the Dhahedse Ridge, its the eastern flank of Paddle Mountain.

Potlatch: No Place for Vegetarians

A "potlatch" is a generic native Alaskan word used through out the state. It defines a gathering inviting all from the village, and usually all visiting the village. They are held to celebrate life & death, as well as other holidays or seasons. Arctic Village lost another Elder last week, the third this Summer. In response nearly every meal has been shared at either the Widow's house or the Brother of the deceased's house. Meals are made by several women of the village, in a potlock fashion everyone brings something.

It was a gorgeous evening in Arctic Village. The Brooks Range was illuminated with an alpenglow spotlight all evening. After dinner the Rev. Trimble and a visiting minister from Venetie grabbed acoustic guitars. They sang gospel songs for a while on the front porch. I would have stayed until conclusion, but I had already committed to the kids I would open the school gym for basketball night.

Arctic Village is turning me into a heavy carnivore. My plate here is loaded with Moose and Caribou, all killed locally, some killed yesterday.

Polar Bear in Arctic Village

There have been sightings of a polar bear in the area the past few days. People flying over the area have kept the village updated on the location of the bear and today it was sighted at the dump just outside of town! Fish and Game have been flying over all evening in a helicopter. We are not sure if they will try to capture and relocate it or if they will have to kill it. We had planned to make a dump run today...but I guess that will have to wait. Having a polar bear in Arctic Village is very unusual. We are on the South side of the Brooks Range. There are miles and miles of mountains separating us from the coast. Pretty crazy stuff! ~Gretchen

Tentative Schedule

Tomorrow is the first day of schedule. As per tradition, the first three days of school in Arctic Village School are devoted to "Science Camp". I don't know how long this camp has been running, but its dedicated to a women whom passed away a couple years ago.

The nice part of Science Camp is it gives the teachers a break at the start of the school year. The camp is run by village Elders, and several experts that have flown (and packrafted) in from various agencies throughout Alaska.

Here is my schedule for the year

830-1000 Language Arts (MS, 5-8)

1000-1105 Math (MS, 5-8)

1105-1135 Math/PE (MS, 5-8) (Math T/Th, PE M/W/F)

1135-1215 Lunch

1215-1235 Gwich ‘in Studies (taught by Grandma Lillian)

1235-125 Writing & Art (MS, 5-8)

125-230 English (HS, 9-12)

230-330 PE (HS, 9-12)

Teaching middle school math was a compromise. I was originally hired to teach social studies and language arts. I've split math duties with my principal, he's teaching high school math and social studies. I'm very excited about teaching English/Language Arts. It will also be fun running the PE program, maybe i'll put them in an extended rectangle formation first thing!

What A Friend We Have in Jesus - Our first Service at the Arctic Village Church

As we walked into church this morning the congregation was singing "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" in Gwich'in. I couldn't understand any of the words, but I knew the tune. It spoke to my heart to hear that familiar tune in their language. With many tongues, but one voice we worship the same God. They also sang "Just As I Am" in Gwich'in and "Amazing Grace" in English. The church here in Arctic Village is Episcopalian and the chapel where we meet is a cozy one room building with pews and an alter.

The Reverend Trimble Gilbert gave a sermon on the Gospel story of how the shepherd searched for the one lost sheep even though he had one hundred. Trimble told a story that his mother had told him from when the Gwich'in people were still nomadic. They would only stop in one place when they had a lot of food, then they would move on again. There was a time when the people were very hungry and food was hard to find and a baby crawled off in search of berries. The people looked for days and days; for two weeks and could not find the baby. The whole village was distraught and shared in mourning for their loss. As Arctic Village now shares in mourning the loss of one of their own who was electrocuted in a terrible accident working on the electric lines. The next month when the people traveled to a new place looking for food, the baby came crawling up, still following the berry bushes! It was a miracle that seemed impossible, but the baby was alive! The people then shared in rejoicing for the lost baby that was now found. Trimble stressed that in the village community we share in mourning and rejoicing, and it is always worth caring for the one who is lost, the one who needs our help, the one who is without. I have read the story of the lost sheep before and studied it, but never within the context of a native community that is so close-knit as this. It really gives the idea of community a whole new value. ~Gretchen

Flying Out of Arctic Village

View of the White Mountains, North of Fairbanks

On my first flight out of Arctic Village, back to Fairbanks for work, it was just the pilot, Jack and me on the plane. I got to sit co-pilot and had a great conversation with the pilot the whole way into Fairbanks. It was a beautiful sunny day and we had great views!

Another view of the White Mountains

Coming in to the Fairbanks Airport

Approaching the runway at the Fairbanks Airport

It was 93 degrees the day I landed in Fairbanks!

Jack chillin' out with the AC on at the Super8. I brought Jack into Fairbanks with me because we weren't ready to leave him with anyone else yet and Sam was also traveling this week. Thankfully I found a pet friendly room and Jack seemed to enjoy the week in Fairbanks. For a dog who does not like to travel he sure is racking up the frequent flyer miles! He actually has done really well with all the travel. As long as he has his crate he can be happy anywhere.

While in Fairbanks I got to visit some of our friends that we made through the Army, Levi, Shannon and their daughters. It is so nice to be able to stop by their place each time we come into town. I also got a chance to meet Sam's second cousin Carol's college friends Lynn and Ric who live in Fairbanks. That may seem like a pretty remote connection, but it was great to meet them and get to know more people in Fairbanks. Now I am back in AV helping Sam get ready for school to start on Monday. Stay posted for more to follow... ~Gretchen