Tuntutuliak, AK

Tuntutuliak is located on the Kinak River, which basically is part of the Kuskokwim River and the Kuskokwim Delta. Tunt as the locals call it is located a short boat ride away from the ocean. The town is connected by boardwalks because of its wetland tundra. Everything in the picture above that looks like roads are wooden boardwalks.

The kids in the boats waiting to go camping. If you notice none of the kids are wearing lifejackets. It is sad to see, but I guess that is why we are here. Hopefully by the end of our session we will have beaten into their heads the importance of lifejackets. Which reminds me, the water is wicked cold here! This is the coldest water I have been in since the Bering Sea in early June. I would hate to fall out of a boat here and have nothing to keep my head above water.

Salmon Berry Picking is oh so sweet. I tend to eat a lot when picking, but what can I say, this boy gets hungry when he's working so hard! Salmon Berries are the only berries that I know of that are creamy. They taste like a "Cream Saver." Kevin you would love them! Everything Eskimos eat are so fattening, which helps keep them warm in the winter. I think the berries may even be full of fat. I am definately gaining some weight from the seal oil, king salmon fat, and crisco added to akutaq. Don't you just want to send Drew a care package when you know your shipment will end up here?

What is that I am stepping on? Is it moving? Something just put its mouth over my toe!

Drew coming up from the bottom with today's lunch. We filled a bucket in about 5 minutes! When you see Drew comin round you clams best be jumpin in da boat; because I am that dangerous! Boating up river is a blast, especially when the locals never slow down! I would never try to boat through a channel that is only as wide as my boat.

The kids here are crazy. They flip off hills and use the tundra to break their falls. You wouldn't believe how soft the tundra feels. It makes for a great night's sleep.

We have split the Tunt youth into 3 seperate groups. This photo is of the kids ages 8-12.

New delicacies spring up around every corner. This week I had the opportunity to eat raw eggs straight from a wiggling fish, the real "eskimo ice cream" known here as akutaq (made of salmon berries, blackberries, and seal oil), and the gut of a fish; which was chewy and known to all as the best part of the fish. I have learned to waste nothing and eat everything! When I am done the only thing on my plate is bones and as you probably guessed all the best organs are left in the fish to be cooked for all to enjoy.

The Koyukuk River

Went up river and along the way shot a semi-automatic rifle and a shotgun for the first time. Picture above is my face after I shot the shotgun! I was pumped mixed with a little school girl nervousness! I shot all my targets! I even shot a stump across the river in an inlet. The stump is just out of view in my photo. As you can tell I am pretty stoked about my beginner's luck!

Took Arlos' boat up river. Chased four different bears along the bank in four seperate locations. One of the bears was cinammon and he was a little on the heavy side. As we skidded up alongside him he panicked and tried to climb up the bank. Because he was overweight he managed to get his head and front paws over the bank, but the rest of his body hung while his legs frantically worked to get his body up on solid land. It was a pretty comical scene to witness.

Two more days of magical Hughes and the Koyukuk and then onto Tuntutuliak!

The Proverbial Sunset

There were low clouds all around the village around 3 am, which actually gave it the feeling of night here. We took to the water to float down in the fog. As you can see in the picture above the fog was rolling in fast. By the time we were in the river the fog was all around us causing our visibility to be very limited. The water was actually warmer than the air for once. The river moves so fast it sweeps your body past the land like a roller coaster. The fog gave it a real surreal feeling!

We set out with the village ladies and youth to pick high bush cranberries. You can see the berries in the picture below. I think I may have consumed more than I picked.

Hughes, AK

Well I am currently in Hughes, which is located on the Koyukuk River. The river is crystal clear because it is fed from the mountains nearby. Hughes is in the foothills below the mountains and is absolutely beautiful. The town is very small and we are only working with 4 children. The town is so quiet you could hear a pin drop, unless all the dog teams decide to start howling at the moon. The river is really fast! In the middle the current pushes us harder than the Yukon, which was a little scary at first. I love floating!

Well, I am almost halfway through my bush journeys. I thought I could give a very short synopsis of my stay here. I feel like I have been thrown into another world. This is the first time I have experienced whales, seals, salmon, reindeer, honey buckets, potlatches, traditional Yupik dance, Athabascan fry bread, beading, weaving, the Yukon River, The Bering Sea, The Koyukuk River, float planes, bush planes, swimming daily, and the traditions of this foreign society hidden from the outside world.

A honeybucket for all of you who don't know is where I go to the bathroom daily. Yep, I do my duty into a plastic sack because there is no running water. No running water means that I wash my dishes in a bucket that I haul from the water source. You never realize how much water you use to cook and clean until you have to haul your own!

The salmon is great, especially when someone else cooks it. I butchered the first salmon I tried to fillet, and things haven't improved. The families catch salmons during the run in fish nets, fish wheels, and fish traps. Most families have fish camps, which are properties down river where they catch fish, fillet fish, smoke fish, can fish, and hang out enjoying the beautiful long summer days. The villagers are very generous and offer us lots of salmon in every village.

Potlatches are large celebrations, which usually have meaning such as a coming of age parties. I have had the chance to attend a potlatch and they are amazingly fun. Many people come from the surrounding communities and everyone gets together to eat, dance, and socialize. We even had the opportunity to watch traditional Yupik dance three different nights. The community thought that we should experience their dancing and try it ourselves, so they put on a dance for us. Dances in Yupik are danced to the beat of many different drums. These drums are beat by men, while women dance gracefully interpreting stories such as hunting, gather, and basic living situations. Males dance the same dance, but with power. Dances in Athabascan regions are usually fiddle bands. I have been out on the floor shaking my rump and making a fool of myself. Luckily males are supposed to dance rigidly, so I got that going for me!

The frybread has been amazing. I am surprised I haven't gained ten pounds, or have I? They are always fresh and right off the grill. In each sitting most people eat one or two, I eat six.

The Bering Sea was freezing, the Yukon was warmer than expected, and the Koyukuk which was supposed to be cold is incredibly warm! You will notice in all my pictures I wear long sleave shirts and pants. I must tell you it is 90 degrees here everyday. I wear the heavy clothes to cover my body from the crazy skeeters and horseflies. I have become used to it and for some reason I don't get bug bite bumps or the itches. My partners legs are scabbed and bloody from the bugs and so are the legs of every child we hang out with.

The planes are a blast. You get the chance to fly so low you can see your reflection on the lakes. It has been a great way for me to see the state. We usually make stops at one or two towns before we land. And most often these towns are not near each other. It is based on how many people they pick up in a village and if your village has a lot, you are usually the last one to be dropped off. My first village had 600 people, the 2nd had 80, and this one has about 60.

The people have been great. I learn many things from them everyday. There are so many traditions and superstitions you must learn. I often learn them by breaking them and then someone has to tell me the correct way to do something. It is much harder for Kaeli because they have many traditions based on gender. In this village for example Kaeli cannot say the word bear, or even look at a bear. Bears are too powerful for women to mention or see.

Grandma and Grandpa's house "The 4L"

These photos are of my grandparents house in Hot Springs, SD. Their house burned down this week, but fortunatley they escaped the fire. Many other places burned down and one friend of the family was killed. I just thought I would post these for the people other than my immediate family who have not heard about it. My grandparents and family would greatly appreciate your prayers during this difficult time. The picture below is the house. Picture below is the garage

Picture below is the entrance