“Aren’t you the teacher that walks all the time,” he questioned?
I liked that. I’m the guy that is known as the walker. The
guy unafraid to get out and about, rarely affected by the weather. My walks
have helped me become recognizable in the community and at the same time, shed
17 pounds in just over 2 months. They’ve also been a means for me to clear my
mind. I usually start with an inner ear prayer and often find myself still
bouncing in and out of prayer-like thoughts by the time I reach the turnaround
midway down the runway.
The fella offered me a chance to help him run his sled dogs.
He said he figured with as much as he’s seen me around the village and being a
big strong guy, I could help him handle and exercise his dogs. I let him know I
was definitely interested and would hopefully run in to him again soon.
Last night, I actually took the long walk out past the dump
to the camp where he keeps his dogs tied up. He wasn’t out there but I poked
around and introduced myself to a couple of the sled dogs. I thought it was interesting
that the dogs that actually let me pet them, turned to the side in a submissive
stance. And once I paid attention to their body language, I realized that they
were giving up the snap side of their collars in hopes that I would unhook them
and harness them up. No such luck last night but I’ll continue to make the 2
and a half-mile walk out there a little more regularly now that I know I
potentially will have an opportunity to work some real sled dogs.
Kivalina is a fun study in cultural anthropology. At times I
feel like an embedded reporter. Sometimes – a missionary. Other times, a guest
sent here for some greater personal or spiritual understanding of a far away
people to better take in my world back home.
This morning during Day#2 of a 3 day in-service we were
treated to a visit from two Inupiaq Elders. Ma Beck and Austin came in to sit
with us and talk about their lives as life long residents of Kivalina. It was
actually really interesting to listen to them recall and share stories of their
childhood: Skin Boats towed up-river by dog teams on shore. Storing fish
up-river in willow nests to be dug up and retrieved later in the winter after
freeze up. The arrival of the first Evinrude outboard motors. Whaling trips on
Arctic ice. I could listen to elders all day long.
The story I think that hit me the hardest was Ma Beck’s
story of her grandmother always referring to this place as the “Third Berm”. The
way she explained it, where I sit now was once the third berm in. There used to
be two other islands between Russia and us. Where Kivalina sits now used to be
their graveyard and berry picking grounds. The islands where they lived are no
longer there. I can look out to the west and tell that the waves are rolling across
shallow water. The changing and far reaching wave breaks suggest that there are
things out there underwater that I can only speculate about. But how crazy is
that? This little sliver of land – 6 miles long and 300 yards across at the
widest was once known as the Third Berm.
Today was a good day. Always great to listen to elders no
matter where you are…relatives or not…I suggest more of us should take the time
to listen more and talk less with them.
Had a great scrimmage with my Mixed 6 team against a few
adults from the community this afternoon. It was fun to watch how the young
adults and “my” kids interacted. I stood at the net and ref’ed. Soaking it all
in – as the only white “guest” in the gym.
Sometimes I really like this place but …
Even Eden had Snakes.
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