Next Week is Sea Week.

  Next week is Sea Week when students and faculty head out, camp on the tundra, search for greens, berries, go fishing, etc so they can supplement the processed foods.

I won't be going out with them this year because we have two new teachers who are remaining behind to be with the 9th graders and high schoolers who are not going camping.

Instead, I will be escorting that group out on daily trips with the middle school grades.  What that means, is that one day they will fish, another they'll find berries and greens for use in Agutuk (Eskimo Ice Cream), another they will learn the history of near by areas. 

The idea behind these trips are for students to remember their culture.  In fact, a few people got together so students can receive half a credit for completing this week and one in the spring.  One of the things they will be required to complete is a map with the old names for places and the places themselves.

At least two to three elders will be going.  The male elders will assist the students with the mapping project and will teach the boys in the older ways while the females will cook and teach the girls the ways for women.  In the old days, mothers would watch the girls to see who could perform their duties well because they were looking for a good wife for their sons.  If a girl could do everything a woman was supposed to do, she was considered a good mate.  Yes, marriages were arranged back then.

There is a prevalent saying that someday the world will return to the old days and those who know the old ways are more likely to survive.  It is also said should planes quit flying for periods of time as they did in 9/11, people need to know the old ways so they can feed their family until planes fly again.

I will take pictures everyday, post them, and share the activities of the day.  I hope to get pictures of the local equivalent of a fishing rod so you can see how different it is.  It usually has a three pronged hook they make themselves.  The hook is attached to string tied to a piece of wood.  Someone said salmon are running right now so we might catch a few.

Just giving you a preview of next week but to wet your appetite, I'm sharing a photo or two from last year.

Food Tent.

Freshly dug clams.

Star fish found at low tide.