Culture Week and A Good Laugh for You

Well, it seems that my time is drawing to a close. I have 19 days left here in Alaska. We have finally started to thaw out which means LOTS of little ponds everywhere. I was walking back from the post office on Monday. One second I was fine, the next second I was up to my back pocket in water. I was in a conundrum; I couldn't go back so the only choice was forward. I picked up my other foot and stepped down. It sank up to my knee. Apparently there was water under the snow that I had been standing on just a few seconds before. So, here I am; one leg up to the knee in water and the other one up to the thigh. Oh, did I mention that I was carrying a care package from my mom and groceries from the little store by the post office???? Not sure how to proceed next and not seeing anyone close by, I floundered on. I threw my package and bag forward and crawled out of the position I was in. I was taught that you won't break through as easily if you crawl on your belly because your weight is distributed better. Well, guess what, it worked. I wiggled my way out of the hole in the slush (and the very deep water) and managed to stand up on some solid ground. I walked the rest of the way home soaking wet with water and feeling it sloshing inside my boots. Of all the days for no one to stop and offer me a ride. By the way, it was about 35 degrees.

On to Culture Week. Each year, the school holds a Culture Week where the kids learn traditional Native skills and crafts. Each teacher is assigned one to two community resource people to help them with activities. A good thing because otherwise I would be teaching them to make grits. lol. Well, my group this year made a traditional piece of Yup'ik clothing called a qaspeq. It's basically an overshirt with a hood (for keeping away mosquitoes) and a pocket (for putting berries or eggs). Luckily, this year I had two amazing community people. They were Lillian Slim and Elizabeth Smith (also know as Willy). My girls were given material, shown how to rip it into the pieces for the top--no scissors and patterns here. Then they sewed the pieces and finished with ric rac. They also worked making beaded bracelets. We had a lot of fun, and I learned a lot about making the qaspeqs AND about how to use a sewing machine. By the third day, I was an expert on both. (I hope you can hear the sarcasm in that). We made qaspeqs for the girls, for one girl's baby, and another girl's niece. It gave me an opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with the girls in my last three weeks here in the village. I really enjoyed it.
While we were taking our breaks, I broke out the box of Mary Kay samples and products that the lovely Theia Chaffin, and the wonderful Wendy Bailey sent for us to use for prom. The girls LOVED it. At the end of our time, I took a group picture. It was windy and cold, but they all came out on the steps to pose with their brand new qaspeqs. Hope you enjoy the photos.
See you in three weeks.
Debbie