July 7, 2010

Yesterday we visited Anchorage and spent time at the Alaska Native Heritage Center which is designed to celebrate the eleven distinct cultures within this huge state. They have films, carvers carving four totem poles which will be installed in the Clan House in August, dancers, and exhibits of native arts and crafts including making mukluks, jewelry and an art museum. Along the path they had cotton trees. Many New Mexicans complain about the cottonwoods along the Bosque, they are nothing compared to this:

John particularly liked this saying outside the Community House in the Inupiaq & St. Lawrence Island Yupik Nation.

Some dancing

Fascinating facts to me:

• Most of the living space in the far north is subterranean with long “s” shaped entrances to the structures so that the adult bears would not enter. However, the cubs will take the time, due to their curiosity, to wonder down the “s” entrance. If they enter, they are clubbed to death because if they are released, the mother picks up the scent and will ignore them.

• When an animal is killed, they use everything because of the belief that they have captured the soul of something. For example, they make rain boots out of the skin of the salmon fish and the intestines of a seal were used as the panes of this window which was acquired for the permanent exhibit. The title is “Six Panel Gut Window” and it is made from: seal intestine, antique window frame, paint, waxed embroidery floss, permanent ink. Beautiful!

We also saw examples of intestines being used for raincoats and to cover roof holes, like a skylight. The lining of the liver is used for making drums!
John then took me to the seaport airport at the Ted Stevens International Airport. Remember him, he was the Alaska senator who was charged with using funds to remodel his home and then found innocent? We stood on the shore and watched planes land and take off.

Today we followed the Knik River on the Old Glenn Highway and found this moose. She was without a calf, just eating away in this slough.

We are leaving here tomorrow and will go down into Moose Pass hopefully finding a camping spot in the Alaska National Forest, so there will be no internet. On Friday we are cruising the Kenai Fjords for 8 hours-I’m looking forward to some photo opts with wildlife and the glaciers and John is looking forward to the salmon and prime rib dinner.

We’ll be posting again when we reach Soldotna on Monday.