Large proportions!

So, this contest...remember that!? Yesterday's post. It has grown.

I nurtured it and fed it and asked around town.

And it has GROWN! GROWN! GROWN!

And by "grown" I mean exponentially! The prize list is over 20 items long and 90% of them are of the Eskimo variety. We have things like:

Seal Skin Slippers, women's size 9, men's size 7, but I'm sure we can trade if needed...



Birch Bark Baskets made by ladies from the Upper Kobuk, donated by the Borough...



A grass handweaved basket by Kathleen Westlake... (this is representative of what they look like, not the actual one...it will look very similar to this one though!)



Tundra Berry Jams made and donated by Red Seeberger...



Matted Photos by Aqvaluk Photography, and my co-conspirator Cathy.

A handmade knife by Siksu's Knives (my hubby!)...



Mukluk and



Mitten Keychains...



and a Swan Antler Carving. (I know, I know, this is an eagle, but the carving hasn't come in yet, so this is representative of what it will look like...in swan form!)



And several more, inlcuding a ROUND TRIP TICKET ON ALASKA AIRLINES...(which is only good from Kotzebue - Anchorage) Sorry folks who are outside Kotz...

And many of the prizes are being made as I type. John is busy making an ivory zipper pull and earrings, and beaders are busy beading barrettes and earrings, etc.

Cathy and I will take care of postage to and from Kotzebue to Anywhere in the United States. Due to the cost of sending something via post...its all we can handle!

So, now, there are several ways you can win:

First, visit your local Well Fargo Bank and donate, show me proof somehow and you'll be entered once for every $10 you donate...

Second, Mail me a check, payable to "Kotzebue House Fires" and email me or Cathy the amount. (finnskimo@hotmail.com for me aqvaluq@hotmail.com for Cathy)

Third, visit either Cathy or myself (in Kotzebue) at our work/home/camp(!) and give us a check or cash and we'll enter your name.

Fourth, go online and transfer from your Wells Fargo Account to ours...under the account name Rick Janitscheck, Savings Account #9790207832

Fifth, Hang out at the Post office (in Kotzebue) tomorrow and donate at the BAKE SALE. And while you're at it...buy yourself some taquaq for the weekend.

At the Post Office or by visiting us, you'll be able to write your name on the paper and put it in the bucket yourself. For the other two, you'll just have to trust us! :) Please DON'T forget to email either Cathy or I with the amount that you donate via paypal, or online, or your Wells Fargo branch. We WANT to give you these prizes!

OK, lots of donations are still coming in!

Lets keep them coming!

New Contests for New Beginnings...

One good thing about living in a village, is the astounding help you get in the wake of a tragedy.

Early Saturday morning, the residents in Kotzebue (those who were awake, or awakened by the sirens) witnessed a sight so awful, words can not describe.



A house fire ravaged four homes in the middle of town. Three of those homes were completely destroyed along with the memories within them. One home was partially burned, but will survive this with a nasty scar on one side.



Those homes belonged to a father and mother, Homer and Margaret, elders in our community, grandparents taking care of grandchildren, parents who raised children. Homer suffered a fractured leg and Margaret scrapes and bruises. Their daughters, Eva and her husband Henry also lost their home, as did their other daughter Barbara and her husband Chuck, but all escaped without harm.



The home that was damaged belonged to another elder, Dolly, who escaped unharmed with a friend who happened to be visiting.



The Russell family lost everything.

So...we need YOUR help!

Starting today, we will be hosting an online contest for locally made products.

For every $10 you donate to the family, (I'll tell you how in a bit) your name will be put into a random name generator, for a chance to win some pretty AWESOME items.

So far, we have the following: (I'll post photos tomorrow, as well as other prizes as we still have them coming in from local people)

Deluxe handmade Knife By Siksu's Knives

Eskimo Kuspuk (atikluk) made by a local sewer, custom to fit YOU!

Birch Bark Basket made by a resident of the Upper Kobuk

Mukluk Keychain handsewn

Mitten Keychain Handsewn

2 jars of homemade Aqpik Jelly (made by Red Seeberger)

2 jars of homemade Blueberry Jelly

2 jars of homemade Fireweed Jelly

A beaded Barrette with Mukluks and Flowers sewn into it

Ivory Ulu Earrings

An Ivory Zipper Pull

Three Fillets of Kenai Red Salmon (Vacuum Packed, frozen)

Three Packages Alaskan Halibut (Vacuum Packed, Frozen)

Matted Photos by Aqvaluk Photography

Handmade (Beaded) Earrings

Atikluk Apron

Gift Certificate from Margie's Materials

Grass Handweaved Basket by Kathy Westlake

Swan Antler Carving

And a multitude of other fun, and SUPER ESKIMO things!

P.S. if you want to donate something, please let me know, and I'll add it to the list.

Here are THREE ways to win:

1. A SAVINGS account has been set up at WELLS FARGO Bank under the name:

KOTZEBUE HOUSE FIRES
ACCOUNT: 9790207832

Visit your local Wells Fargo Bank and donate in increments of $10 (ten dollars) to that account. For every $10 you donate, your name will be placed in the database. Email me the confirmation of donation to: finnskimo@hotmail.com

If you want to donate electronically via wellsfargo.com, the Savings account is held under the name "Rick Janitscheck."

2. Write a check to: KOTZEBUE HOUSE FIRES, and send it to me, "C/O Maija Lukin PO BOX 1350, Kotzebue, AK 99752" and email me the amount and I'll put your name into the database.

3. Bring cash or a check over to Maija at the NANA Office, or Cathy at the Maniilaq Developmental Disabilities House. And remember, for ever $10, your name is entered once.

So, in order to get as many donations as possible and as much exposure as possible, the drawing will be held on September 25th. (My son's birthday!) Two weeks from tomorrow. So, DONATE NOW! Let's come together and help our own.



Witnessing the fire only gives you an awareness of your vulnerability on this earth. A year and ten months ago, my aunt and cousin died in a house fire. Several months ago, a Selawik family with young children lost their home to a fire. Fire's rattle my nightmares, and shake me to the bone.

What else can I do? I don't know, but what I can do is help.

Thank you for your support and help. The residents of Kotzebue really appreciate it!

God's Country

I like where I live. Why would I live here if I didn't like it?

I like being able to breathe fresh air. I like being able to let my kids run around by themselves without worry. I like picking fresh organic berries for the winter. I like taking care of meat and fish for my family to eat.

I really, really like it here.












Scratch that...I LOVE it here.

Semi-Successful Hunting

For the past week and a half or so, we've been filling my 12 year old son's head with grand plans for catching his first Musk Ox...

"Oh son it will be great!"

"You can share the meat with elders..."

"We will fork the hide and sell the Qiviut to knitters!"

So, Dean, Koy and myself made plans to fly to Deering, a village about 100 miles away located on a one road spit near some beautiful bluffs.



The musk Ox are a burden to the community members, they knock graves down and won't move for the medevac planes on the runway. The community of Deering is oh so happy to see people come from Kotzebue to tag their subsistence Musk Ox.



We arrived around 10:00 am just in time for breakfast at Ron and Roberta's house. A typical hunting breakfast of bacon, pancakes and juice. Perfect for a full day of fuel.

Taking off on the four wheeler we borrowed from Ron, we rode on the runway and up a ways past the town into the hills. The musk ox herd was grazing near the runway, but far enough to build up a sweat walking in tundra uphill. We parked the 4-wheeler and made our way slowly up near the herd.



None of them really moved or minded that we were coming. Dean and Koy had plenty of time to witness the awesomeness of the herd. The long flowing hides and large pony-tail type horns. The babies running and romping with their uncles and aunts and brothers and sisters. It was magnificent to see them in their natural habitat, content on eating lichen and checking out the crazy people coming up the hill.



We didn't want to spook them, so we took our time. Like our ancestors taught us. Respect the herd, and they will give themselves to you. Disrespect and they will not.

Normally, if musk ox are spooked they will huddle into a circle, babies and elders in the middle, protected by the mighty horns facing outward, ready to fight. They never really even moved as we slowly made our way uphill.

Dean and Koy decided that since neither one of them had shot a musk ox before, that Dean would shoot first and see if the usual place he shoots caribou and moose would work on such an animal.



They were so calm that when Dean took his ONE shot, the animal slowly fell to the ground and layed down, dead. The other animals barely looked at him.

So, Koy and Dean got ready to get the second one. The Ox was in his sight and he was Koy's for the taking.



Which is when we heard the drone of a single-prop engine buzzing above us and the herd. They jumped out of the scheduled mail plane and placed their packs at the end of the runway. They caught theirs, and we caught ours. But, we were still disappointed in the fact that we had planned this, and planned that. We paid for gas and plane tickets, food and drinks.



It was then that my son, who was so excited to come to Deering. Excited to provide meat for his family, and qiviut to Honey, the knitter we knew in the valley, and a hide to keep warm under asked...

"So, does this mean I won't be getting one?"

So, now I'm torn. I want to like the hunters who come here to get their caribou, and moose, and musk ox. But when something like this happens, and it hits close to home (and it happens A LOT) where we pay $7-$10 a gallon for gas to catch our meat, and a gallon of water costs more than a case of soda, what do I do?



I'll tell you what I did. I told those beepin, beeps that they would take my son hunting with me and/or Dean so he could catch his musk ox and I could film it (cause I'm like that) or else. Or else what? I don't know yet, but deny me of meat, qiviut and hide, and I'll figure something out.

They agreed to bring Koy and I back on another weekend. But I doubt that'll happen. Once we told them what we were planning, they apologized, but I'm still disappointed. They were completely in compliance with all of our Alaska Laws so there's really nothing we can do, except complain. But...like we paid for gear, so did they. They paid for plane tickets, and food, and gear. And if only they had checked us out before shooting before us, we'd all have our quota, and NO ONE WOULD BE COMPLAINING! (including me) Such is life though. I'll take what we can get.

Tonight, we're having musk ox spaghetti. And Dean has taken his cousin and our friend out for a few days to search for the Western Arctic Caribou Herd for some caribou. Eskimo Beef!



Please, be courteous and respectful if you visit my country. I do that when I visit yours.

A little belated...but HAPPY nonetheless!

Sorry I've been on the fritz lately! Many, many excuses, but none too interesting!



Friday was the start of a wonderful birthday weekend. I love birthday weekends. I especially love birthday weekends that end on Labor Day after FOUR days of fun!

Our idea of fun might not be your idea of fun, cause we's a huntin' family! We are also a mighty large party throwing family. And by party, I mean cases and cases of beer, and waaaaay too many bush pilot's in one house.

Dean turned 37 Friday. (THIRTY SEVEN!) He spent the day making an ivory knife for one of his friends. (Such a nice guy I know!) After work, I rushed (like usual) around like a madman, trying to clean up and cook at the same time.

Dean cooked up some of his famous BBQ sauce and smoked some pork ribs on the deck. I swear Friday was the LAST nice Day Kotzebue will see, cause I seriously had to scrape my window's of frost this morning.



We had a great time with great friends. Lots of pilot talk I didn't understand, nor care to. I mean, all I know is that if you pull up, you go UP, push down, you go down, that's all I NEED to know, right?! Lots of knife talk and commissions. Lots of hunting talk. Exactly what my husband wanted.

So...its a little late, but...HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my husband. The most persistent man I've ever met...

Since it was his birthday, I figured I'd list some things that remind me of my wonderful, persistent Husband...


Tulips and pirouettes...


Black and Yellow Labs...


Ducks and Geese...


Beluga whales...


Caribou...


Shooting birds out of the sky withOUT a shotgun....


Sarah Palin...(he was excited to meet her, so everytime I see her, I say, "Hey...remember when you were excited to see her, then found out she hangs at the house when she's in town for things?" Hey...don't judge me cause of my friends!)


Homemade Knives...


Sheefish...


Double-bitted axes...


Bloody shirts...


Jerry Jugs...


Softball...


and boats...

Not pictured include, Xtra Tuffs, Suspenders, Baseball caps, guns, airplanes, and nut cups of the Large variety!

Happy Birthday Dean...I KNOW you had a great time!

Now...go get me a caribou!

AK state Fair...

I know, Alaska is the biggest state, but since we have probably the lowest population, most things just don't happen here.


We don't mind about the population thing, it just makes it that much better...

We don't have a "Cherry Fair" or the "Peirogi Fair" or the "BBQ cook-off." We have the Alaska State Fair. Where cabbages are the size of large dog houses and zucchini bigger than watermelon.

Thank you Midnight Sun!

Koy, Kaisa, Danielle, Tarren and I went to the fair on Monday. Every fair-goer MUST partake in many State Fair traditions...

Such as...



Taking photos with your friends...



Watching the Pig races...



Shooting at targets...


He ALMOST had it...pretty good shot.



Taking old-time Photos...



Riding on Fast Rides...



Riding on the Ferris Wheel...

(Just a side note, I did not, nor will I EVER get on these rides...I was happily content watching from the safety of the GROUND! Call me a chicken...go ahead. I'll buck-buck-buck with the best of them.)



Getting your hair done...



Driving the mini-trucks...



Taking photo's with reptiles...





and learning to spin Qiviut (Musk Ox wool. Yes, it WAS the AK State Fair after all!)

Some of the other things not mentioned, included eating Buffalo Burgers and Halibut Quesadillas, participating in the National Guard Obstacle Course, buying way too much crap, and spending about three hundred dollars.

But, it's only once a year, so...what am I complainig about?!