Near the end of every school year, we have "Culture Days" at our school, where students work on projects from their Native Alaskan (Yupik) culture. This year I was excited to do "beading" again.
For two days, my room was filled with girls, beads, needles, and thread.
They used plates to hold the beads.
We jammed out to pop music.
Some made bracelets.
Some stitched patterns with tiny seed beads.
I made necklaces that would match my kuspuks.
I sent a student around to take pictures of the other rooms. Here they were making lap balls, by sewing together pieces of yellow and brown leather. Then added stuffing to fill the shape of the ball.
A completed lap ball
Crocheting/knitting
Nathaniel was in charge of "black fish traps." A lot like a crab trap, they used wire netting to create two baskets, so the black fish would swim inside and become trapped.
black fish trap
Nathaniel walked his group out to the beaver pond and had the kids set their traps in the water. He had already caught one black fish in his trap. I went with him the next day to check the trap again.
Two black fish so far. He brought them back in a bucket.
The larger black fish was about as long as my hand.
The trap in the water, held on by string.
the beaver dam
The Kuspuk making room, loud and busy with sewing machines.
Boys carved "naqaqs," spear throwers.
Back in my beading room... I made a few necklaces...
sisters beading together
tying bracelets
Wearing a day's worth of work.
These girls helped the elementary kids make "fry bread" which I though tasted similar to funnel cake.
The dough had to rise for an hour, and then holes had to be hand punched before frying.
We ended culture days with an Eskimo Dance, performed by the elementary classes.
Zoey and a few classroom aides led the kids with the dances.
Passing out agutaq at the Eskimo Dance. Also called "eskimo ice cream," it is a mixture of crisco, berries, sugar, and fish. The elementary classes made this during the day.
These ladies continued sewing kuspuks after school.
A finished kuspuk.
A week earlier, my classes joined the kindergarten class for a Mother's Day activity.
This is to certify that Mary is one terrific MOM because she cooks for me. Thanks MOM.
Love, Jentezen
Our last evening event was this week, the 8th Grade Promotion Dinner, to celebrate 8th graders being "promoted" to high school next year.
This little one provided the entertainment with her dance moves.
Matching kuspuks
20 eighth grade students x 4 family members each = 100 guests to serve
After setting up, serving was the easy part.
She wanted gloves so she could help too.
Helping her daddy-o make more punch.
We were a pretty efficient team serving up pie and ice cream.
Time to serve desserts.
The 8th grade class, some of the brightest students and best personalities in the school.
With the weather being so nice, Nathaniel got a chance to walk his P.E. classes down to the old airport.
Wow, there's such a difference in class size between the seniors and the 8th grade. Do you think that's because of people dropping out, or do some of the kids go out to go to high school?
ReplyDeleteA few go to a boarding high school in Sitka, half of the 8th grade class applied this year.
DeleteSo, that may cut down the class size next year. Also, some drop out, some move away, and some graduate early/late which thins down the class sizes in the high school grades. Also, our population is growing, so this year was the first year we've had two first grade and two kindergarten classes.