My "hometown"

So, I have a question....is your hometown the place you were born, raised, or spent the most time at? Or is it the place you consider yourself calm and free?



The place you have no worries, and no enemies? How about the place that makes you the most comfortable?

I was technically born and raised in Kotzebue. I've spent the majority of my life here. I went to high school here, and when I left, I came back to Kotzebue. I still choose to live here with my family.


This used to be someone's house...its now our cold storage.

But, the place that I consider my hometown is Sisualik. Its a spit of land about 10 miles north of Kotzebue. If you're going up the coast toward Kivalina, you'll hit Sisualik first!



I spent every summer ripping myself to threads because I wanted to be in two places at once. Chickaloon and Sisualik. I am truly an exact half of each of my parents pasts.



Because we lived in Kotzebue, with my mom's family for my lifetime, though, I can do everything they taught me. I can skin sew, kavraq, cut fish, mend nets, crochet, kayak, build things, run dogs, pluck ducks, hunt, skin a caribou, etc. Because of my life at Sisualik, and my life with my Aana Katak, its not so much of a talent, as its our way of life.



I do have four freezers. Two for "eskimo" food, and two for "other food." Right now, our Eskimo freezers are full of, Fish, Seal, Ptarmigan, Ducks, Geese, Fish Eggs, Fish Bellies, Seal Oil, Caribou (we're almost out of Caribou!) Rabbit, Beluga, Black Maktak, clams, crab, etc.



My other freezers? Chicken Nuggets, Mini Corn Dogs, Eggo Waffles, Pizza's, A case of bread, three gallons of milk, sausage, edemame and vegetables. I love me some mini corn dogs!



When I grew up at Sisualik, it was (and still is) perfectly fine for a six year old to pick up a 410 shotgun and walk a mile toward the lagoon, to shoot at ducks. Its perfectly normal for a ten year old to grab a rifle if there are caribou outside the camp. All of us grew up with full knowledge of guns. We fear and respect them. We clean them after being outside near salt water, etc. My children all have guns. The twin's didn't grow up with us, so they are limited in their gun handling to pellet and BB guns. (Kaisa is too, she's so flighty)



Spending time at camp is just the way it is. Sisualik is the original area where people from all over this region met to trade, dance and sing. All feuds were put on hold for the trading time, and as many as 4,000 people were here at once, including Russian eskimo's from Chukotka. My grandparents remember being children and trading Russian goods with them. A few years ago, the Chukotka Eskimo's came again by boat and were met with open arms and welcome faces when they landed on the beach. I was a lot younger, but remember it, and remember they gave us all pins!



Anyway, its Friday, and I'm brining my daughter to Palmer to attend a Bible Camp next week. What I really would like to do, is go to Camp though.



Imagine life. No cell phones, no cordless phone, no TV, no cars, no exhaust, no fridge/freezer, you're essentially forced to spend time with your family, and forced to cook a real meal. You're forced to do fun (FREE) things with your kids. You eat what you catch, or pick, and every day the kids swim in the ocean, and everyone is greeted with a Sauna (say it right... s-OW-nuh) at the end of the day.



And the end of the day is whenever you feel like it... Its good for your soul.

...not only Eskimo Bingo, but Eskimo DANCING too.

So, Tuesday Kotzebue had a "special guest" arrive to sign into law a bill that states that in a region with less than 10,000 people, a borough government may oversee the VPSO program.

A VPSO is a Village Public Officer for those of you NOT from a village in Alaska. In a region the size of the state of Indiana, we have only 6 State Troopers, all stationed in Kotzebue, and one wildlife trooper who flies and patrols all day. (...among other things, he happens to be my partner-in-crime's hubby. )


Leader of the Kivalina Qinugan Dancers who is also a whaling captain! The bracelet was a gift from Siikauraq Whiting, the Borough Mayor...it is made of Baleen and Ivory.

So, the troopers, obviously with a land mass this large, need some help in the villages...so they employ the VPSO's. Now, in theory, it seems like a great idea, but when you're 25 years old and in the village, the same village you, your parents and your grandparents grew up in, being a security officer is a little tough.


"Ohh, is it real?" "Oh Yes, its real Jade and Ivory...and VERY heavy!"

Your house get's egged, and your dog's get shot sometimes. Its a dirty job, but someone's got to do it. I believe Kodiak Native Association was overseeing the program, but its hard to have employees 800 miles away...


Miss Arctic Circle, Allison Wasuli and Mrs. Alaska, Sarah Palin

So, on to our guest. None other than the hottest governor in the country, Sarah Palin came to visit. She arrived in high fashion, on the hottest day of the year sitting in the back seat of a Trooper vehicle. You know the back seat, where the convicts sit. It was mildly funny.


Signing the bill into law with VPSO's from our region standing "guard" in the background.

Don't get me wrong, I actually LOVE Sarah Palin (as a PERSON) and that is the end of my opinion about her. I love that she hunts, and she loves Eskimo Bingo, and she thinks wrong is wrong.


Mingling with the littlest people.

I love her daughter Bristol, and her daughter Piper (same plane as me!). I haven't met Track, or Willow, so I can't say much about them. And her husband...let me just say, he looks THAT good in person too. He's generally just a great guy.


She loves to Eskimo Dance too...

Anyway, since she is still the Governor, she came to Kotz to sign the bill into law so our Borough could take over the VPSO program.


"So, I played basketball in high school too..."

The best part of the entire three second bill signing?

My aunt Siikauraq (who happens to be the Borough Mayor), told her, that she was good at basketball too and would LOVE to take her (Sarah) one on one in the gym if she was interested!


"So, you wanna play one on one?!"

And, She said, "Let's go!"

Gotta love small towns!

Pretty good day for mom and dad...

I'll break it down for y'all how GREAT of a day it was for momma and daddy!


All three knives entered into the competition.

Dean:
1st place Tools, Arts & Crafts - $100
2nd place Tools, Arts & Crafts - $75
3rd place Tools, Arts & Crafts - $50
TOTAL: $225

Yep...a clean sweep. Actually he tied for 3rd, but they both received money, and that's all that counts anyway, right!?


First place knife - dyed birch, clear acrylic, moose antler and an anodized steel blade with sheath.

Maija:
1st place Cloth Summer Parky, Men - $100
2nd place Cloth Winter Parky, Kids - $75
3rd place Cloth Winter Parky, Kids - $50
3rd place Cloth Summer Parky, Women - $50
TOTAL: $275

I entered a total of EIGHT Cloth Summer and Winter Parkies that I either made or bought and I'd say $275 was pretty good.



Also, I made some Shiifish Chowder with Sourdough Bread and sold that for $5 a bowl and made a killing. I think the lady next to me ate FOUR BOWLS! But, it was THAT good!



Tomorrow is the Traditional Foods Competition, and the Fur Fashion Event. I don't think we'll enter that, because our good mukluks are all hanging at Emily's in Palmer. But, for one day's worth of events, I'd say five hundred bucks was good.


For more information! I'm pimping my husband out...

And I totally didn't notice that I worked from 8 am until 10 pm because of all this money burning a hole in my pocket!

Until tomorrow!

A pretty good day...

for the kiddos.

July 3rd held our first annual Kotzebue's Got Talent and Big Bad Burger Cookoff, and the 4th of July was filled with too many competitions to name. And every single one had a cash prize.

The kids made out like bandits. And I swear its not cause no one entered but them, but they, like most kids, entered EVERY SINGLE CONTEST available in their age group!

I was always told by my parents that if I wanted to waste money at the 4th of July festivities, I'd have to earn my money. I'm the reigning bike race champ 10 years IN A ROW! Back then, we won a new bike. Now, they give out money.



We told the kids the same thing. If you want to buy JUNK, then win yourself some MONEY!

I'll do a little breakdown:


Koy - age 12:
1st place, water balloon toss - 16 and under, boys: $30
2nd place, foot races - 11-13 boys: $20
3rd place, bike races - 13 and under, boys: $10
TOTAL: $60


Maddie - age 10
1st place tie, Community Talent Show - $25
2nd place, bike races - 13 and under, girls: $20
TOTAL: $45


Max - age 10
2nd place, Animal Calling Contest - $70
1st place, lip sync, group - $30
TOTAL: $100 (yes, seriously)


Kaisa - age 6
1st place tie, Community Talent Show - $25
2nd place, foot races, 6-7 yr old girls - $20
TOTAL: $45

Clara - age 7
1st place, Community Talent Show - $25

GRAND TOTAL for the KIDS: $275



Now...let me tell you, that I have NEVER, EVER wished I had my little camera (the one that takes movies) more in my entire LIFE than I did when we were watching Max and Ben Lip Sync Jump 5's, "I got the music in me."


Here's Dean and Trish, little embarrassed? I thought it was GREAT!

IT. WAS. AWESOME. I mean, just awesome. They met up about five minutes before to agree that they would do a duet to some song Max hadn't even heard of. Ben is THE performer of the year, I'd say.

The girls lip sync-ed (lip sank?) "All the Single Ladies" and had a great routine, but Saima wouldn't let Clara Dawn help them, for God knows why, so they were a little messed up in the beginning and ended up improvising and just dancing around the stage with each other. There's always next year for them though.



Like I said, in all, it was a GREAT day. Our Float we worked hard on won first place in the Individual Category, so we were happy about that. Although...we've never lost the Individual Category. Oh, I think we also won, "Most Traditional" too.



The Northwest Arctic Trade Fair "Qatnut" is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, and we have hundreds of people arriving today and tomorrow morning for two days of Eskimo Dancing, Eskimo Games, Food contests, Fur and Cloth Fashion events, and a Community Potluck.

Dean and I are entering the Traditional Foods Competition, with Sourdough Bowls and Seafood Chowder, and Smoked Chum Salmon caught right outside. And he's entering a couple of his knives in the Arts and Crafts Competition.

So...hopefully we'll get some extra cash too to spend on cool things like a new sewing machine!

Tired...

Even too tired to talk in full sentences.

Here's how MY day off went:

6:30 am - wake up. Brush hair, you know, since I got that stupid haircut that isn't such a "wash and go" type of deal. Curl stupid hair. Put clothes on.

Summer clothes, because today Kotzebue hit a record high of 81 degrees. And some of you may be saying, "Oh 81, that's NOTHING..." but try having NO air conditioning, and it being consistently 81 degrees for TWENTY FOUR HOURS. That's right, its midnight and its STILL hot as hell out.

7:30 am - go to work. Yep, that's right, I had to GO TO WORK. But Cathy had called and she was very sick, so I had to come up with not one, but TWO photographers for the Baby Contest I was running, and the Miss Teen, Miss Arctic Circle pageant that she was going to shoot at Nine am.


Yep, my sister's running for the PEOPLE of Sisualik! Yeah!

At work - print out baby contest applications, numbers, and judge score sheets. Set up bags, and charge my camera battery.

9:00 am - photo shoot for Miss Arctic Miss Teen Arctic Circle Pageant. We had 8 contestants this year and OUR beauty pageants consist of wearing an atikluk and parka, IN THE 81 DEGREE weather. Seriously. That's how we roll.



10:00 am - pick up mom, and go to her "office" so I could frost a stupid cake. I know, I know, cakes can't be stupid, but cake PANS can. Seriously, it was the most Ghetto cake I'd ever done, but ONLY because we had to improvise due to the ROUND cake pans. It turned out nicer that I had thought it would! (and yes, the wedding was TODAY) Oh, and it was a six tier WEDDING cake, with light blue squiggles on it. I am awesome.

11:00 am - I coordinated the Lovie Harris (in memory of my aunt) Baby Beauty Contest and it's judging portion was TODAY. The babies were lucky to be inside with their fur parkies on. This year, I believe we had 17 contestants.

12:30 am - Baby Beauty Contest PHOTO SHOOT. Yeah. Another one. Seriously.


Chuck. :)

But the babies were all so cute, that I didn't mind one bit!

1:30 pm - back to work finishing that squiggly line wedding cake.

(Sorry no photos, I got the photo's from this morning, and that was it...my computer doesn't like me anymore)

4:30 pm - RUSH home, to make sure Kaisa, Clara and Maddie are ready for the BIG Talent Show at Five. Kaisa and Clara sang the National Anthem (and ROCKED IT) and Maddie sang the Hoedown Throwdown (and YE HAWed it!) for the First Annual Kotzebue's Got Talent show.

5:00 pm - send kids and Grandma to Talent Show, and rush to the wedding. By the way, Elsa was IN the wedding, so she was even MORE busy than I was.

5:35 pm - cuss at the bridesmaid who was late. Oh, under my breath, and it wasn't her fault, but still, I better not miss my kid's singing.

6:05 pm - RUSH to the Talent Show only to find out that the live band we booked (haha, like we have LIVE band's in Kotz. I guess we do now!) was playing until 7:00 pm.

7:00 pm - watch my girls, all THREE of them ROCK their voices in front of about 300 people. They won by the way. Maddie, and Kaisa and Clara tied for first. And not cause they were the only non-pageant talent-ers, but cause they're AWESOME!

9:00 pm - go to the wedding reception to eat...cause I forgot to today. Scarf down a turkey leg and some potato salad while Lola and David are throwing bouquets and garters.

10:00 pm - burp up some food, and forget Kaisa at the reception. Don't worry, my aunt called and said she ended up at her house, and she'd drop her off later. :)

10:30 - realize we had NOTHING for the "People of Sisualik" float and rush to the Borough garage to check on the float.


This skin is still drying. The one on our float looks like this...but is dry!

Yup, the trailer is still sitting their. But, my aunt Siikauraq (Maddie's named after her) and her husband came over when I arrived. In just an hour and a half, we were able to put together a float that consisted of the following: An Ugruk hanging rack with a stretched skin on it, a 55 gallon drum wood stove, an old tin wash basin, some duck decoys, two old wooden barrels, some old heavy metal cooking utensils, a clothes line with clothes on it, a harpoon with boueys, and some old floats used for fishing. Also, we ended up with two nice buckets full of candy. If that's not Sisualik, I don't know what is!

Midnight - go home. See that everyone's in bed and get on the computer. You know, cause I love you guys and want you to see how busy I am! hehe. Actually, I was surprised myself what I accomplished today...so pat me on the back, I rock!

Anyway...tomorrow is another LONG day. Happy and SAFE 4th of July to everyone.

What to do when you're bored in Chickaloon...

1. Blow Bubbles.







2. Get Water.




That's it for now!

Madness.

You know, I've heard here and there, that in Kotzebue, there's "nothing to do..." and some people are, "bored..."



I find that hard to believe. Especially THIS week. This week we are getting ready for the Qatnut Trade Fair. The Trade Fair was previously known as the Sisualik Trade Fair. And if you know me, my family is from Sisualik. So, obviously, we're very involved.



More so this year, because NANA is coordinating it. Not only that, but we're also semi-coordinating the 3rd of July Celebration...and the 4th of July Celebration...uh...and a wedding on Friday. So, yeah. Nothing to do, my butt.



The 3rd of July events include a Kotzebue's Got Talent Show, a Big Bad Burger Contest, a Horseshoe Tournament and Bean Bag Tournament. Then we have the annual 4th of July festivities, which run from 9:30 am until around midnight.



Elsa is so strung thin with things to do, that she's made herself a list of things to do ALL week this week. It is so awesomely detailed that she's even told herself when to shave her underarms!



She is in the Miss Arctic Circle Competition, AND is a bridesmaid in the Friday wedding. Oh, AND she is helping with the 3rd and 4th of July events. Oh yeah, and we're all having carnival booths at the 4th of July event.



So, yeah...NOTHING to do? Come see me. I'll find something for you to do.