Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Alaska Native Heritage Center

We were able to sleep in this morning and then took a shuttle to the Alaska Native Heritage Center this afternoon.  This center shows the lifestyles of all the indigenous tribes of Alaska.  It seems that the word Eskimo is a French Canadian word for "those that eat raw meat" because their diet is mainly whale, walrus, and seal that are eaten raw.  Good for omega 3 oils and a very healthy but an acquired taste diet.  The tour started with a walk around and through several different sites that demonstrated the types of lodges and lifestyles of the several tribes.  Then we sat inside for some demonstrations of Eskimo games and dancing.  I didn't get any pictures of the games but they were designed to show the strengths necessary for life in this harsh climate.  I did get several shots of the dancing with drums and chants in accompaniment.  It was interesting to learn that the songs were composed from both ancient as well as modern themes.  They described some were about walrus hunting and unsuccessful whale hunt but others were about World Cup soccer and "rock and roll".  Traditionally the drums would have been made from walrus stomach lining but those in use today were goat skin over Home Depot wood.

Tomorrow we board the train again for a trip down to Seward, AK.

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