"Potlatch" Eskimo Dance

This week all the excitement was centered around Potlatch.  Potlatch is an Eskimo Dance, but it's more like a festival and each village has one each year.  This is a time for food, dancing, giving gifts, and first dances.

Dancers wearing kuspuks (formal shirt), headbands, belts, necklaces, maklak boots, and dance fans.




Twin sisters get ready for their "first dance."


Before a person's "first dance" they traditionally hand out gifts.  Gifts include: shovels, brooms, towels, soap, cups, plates, gloves, socks, soda and candy.  The larger, nicer gifts go to the elders and the candy gets passed out to the kids.





We got candy, does that mean we are kids?

Hey teachers!

 

The TC (Tribal Council) building was packed with almost every person from our village, and some from Emo and Nunam.  Every time someone opened the door steam rolled out.

Video of a dance:

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It's the little things in life.  Our family takes care of us!

Just playing with some babies.

This week was Jana's birthday.  I decided to make her gift: sugar scrub. 

1. Clean out a used candle jar.

2. Start layering brown sugar and white sugar.

3. Add olive oil until it fills to the top.  Add in a couple tsp of vanilla and a tsp of honey. (or add coconut oil, or any oil for scent)

4. Stir a little to let the oil spread.

5. Scrub on hands.  Give as a gift!

The guys went on a morning moose hunt.  ...none this week.

Moose Head

This week, temperatures dropped back below zero.

  

Our friends got a moose early Sunday morning, so we helped them cut it up.

Moose in a sled.

 

Nathaniel separating the meat from the bone.

After rinsing off the hair and trimming off the fat, we cut the meat into pieces to put into the fancy automatic grinder.

Mr. Moose-head just hanging out outside.

We were lucky to have a few sunny days.  The sun was especially bright reflecting off the snow (called the "albedo effect").

The snow plow tractor clearing the streets.

Packed snow, the perfect riding surface for snow machines.

Panoramic view of our road.

Our teacher housing unit.  The snow drifts really pile high between the houses.

Sled tracks.

One boardwalk, leading up to the school on the right.  The large tan building on the left is the community sauna/laundry mat.

(Left) Porch steps in August.  

(Right) Our porch steps in February.  We walk right up and only take one step!

Happy Valentine's Day!

     In the classroom, this week my 7th graders teamed up with Jana's 5th/6th graders to finish our unit on dragons.  The students are making a Chinese dragon costume.  When it is complete we will have a mini parade to the other elementary classrooms to teach them about Chinese New Year.

 

Last but not least, I discovered an AMAZING soft pretzel recipe too good to not share.  It took some time (about 1.5 hours), but the results are worth it!  Click here to see the recipe.

I made them twice this week.  First, by following the recipe exactly.  The second time I made some modifications (with the help of reading the reviews).  

The second batch was much better, so follow this tutorial for better results:

Ingredients: 
4 tsp active dry yeast    3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour    1 Tbsp vegetable oil        kosher salt, for topping
1 tsp white sugar            1/2 c. white sugar                 1/4 c. baking soda     melted butter, for topping
1 1/4 c. warm water      1 1/2 tsp salt                           2 c. hot water

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve 4 tsp active dry yeast and 1 tsp sugar in 1 1/4 c. warm water.  Mix with fork.  Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, mix together 3 1/2 c. flour, 1/2 c. sugar, and 1 1/2 tsp salt.

3. Make a well in the center.

4. Add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil and the yeast mixture.

5. Mix and form into a dough.  If the mixture is too dry, add a little water.  If the mixture is too sticky, add a little flour.

6. Knead the dough until smooth, 6 or 7 minutes.

7. Lightly coat the dough with vegetable oil.  Turn to coat all over.
Cover with plastic wrap (or a towel) and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

8. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  In a large bowl, dissolve 1/4 c. baking soda in 2 c. hot water.  When risen, pinch fist sized pieces off and roll onto a floured surface.  Shape into a foot long rope.          

9. Twist into a pretzel shape, or leave straight for a pretzel stick.

10. Dip each pretzel in the baking soda solution.  Place on a greased baking sheet.

11. Sprinkle kosher salt on pretzels.

12. Bake at 450 for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.  While they are still hot, brush with melted butter.