We stayed in Palmer at the Libray until the afternoon, finishing up finances and blogging on the Internet. The library had a very fast internet connection so it made uploading the photos faster. We then drove toward Anchorage to find a place to stay. We stopped at a river underpass/boat launch ramp and stayed the night there with another RV and several cars. The only trouble was the bridge traffic overhead was very noisy all night. I somehow managed to sleep, though!
Wednesday morning we left our free bridge-river site and found a campground at Eagle River State Park, about 12 miles north of Anchorage. All the Alaska state campgrounds are dry camping at the rate of $10.-$15.00. After settling in early, we headed for the Alaska Native Hertitage Center. This reminded us of the Polynesian Cultural Center on Hawaii - same premise - preserve culture and give young people a place to work while advancing their education.
There are many groups of natives in Alaska. Here is a log house of the Athabascan people. They use this in winter but used mobile shelters in summer while hunting & fishing. They made the lumber by using tools made from beavers teeth and a lot of labor.
This shows some of their mobile shelters.
These signs explained where the various people lived and the type of people they were.
The Yup'ik and Cup'ik People were on the upper coast of Alaska.
This shows the entrance to the Women's underground house of the Yup'ik & Cup'ik People. The women worked here cooking, sewing and other activities.
This is Jim entering the traditional door of the Unupiaq men's house. They had a large conventional door for the park visitors, but Jim wanted to experience the authentic entrance.
Here is Jim by the front door of the Unupiaq men's house. Inside they had seal intestine (translucent) or other animal's membrane in an opening on the roof for light. They could remove it when they had a fire in the center.
This was outside the Unupiaq Men's House and is apparently a whale's rib bones. They hunted in the seas.
This is Lynda by a whale's backbone & skull.
This sign tells about the Aluet & Alutiiq peoples of the Alaska's Aleutian Chain. They are probably the more commonly known peoples.
Here is Jim by one of the Aluet & Alutiiq people's kayaks. They made them with seal skins.
These peoples used stem baths for health reasons. After getting very hot, they would run outside and sit in the snow or bathe in the sea. They would pour sea water over rocks made hot by the fire for the steam inside their long houses.
This is Iyak, Tlingit, Haida, & Tsimsian People's House & Carving Shed. They treasured their art and chose one person in the group as the artist and gave him the time to do all the carving and painting. I believe this is their long house.
This is the inside of one of the Iyak, Tlingit, Haida, & Tsimsian People's Long House. They would do the steaming in the center. These were very well built of cedar. The structure was made with huge logs. The siding could be moved open to allow more ventilation.
This sign explains the Iyak, Tlingit, Haida, & Tsimsian People. They lived along the Alaskan "Panhandle". Obviously they used the sea for much of their food.
These are young people of the Yup'ik and Cup'ik tribe showing some of their dances & costumes. In some of the dances they use head decorations and things in their hands.
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Notice the drums they use, as they sing a sort of chant and drum a rhythm.
The young man here does a much more percusive movement, which he claims is more masculine than the girls and their movements. They are there, he said, to look pretty! :-)
These young men are dancing a seal hunting dance. They stomp their feet and make hunting movements.
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This is the end of the dance where they look like seals.
These wild daiseys were growing on the hillside right outside the Heritage Center. Aren't they beautiful in their simplicity!
That night we managed to attend a session at the Anchorage LDS Temple. It is a small temple and one needs to call to make an appointment. It still was very beautiful inside.
There are many groups of natives in Alaska. Here is a log house of the Athabascan people. They use this in winter but used mobile shelters in summer while hunting & fishing. They made the lumber by using tools made from beavers teeth and a lot of labor.
This shows some of their mobile shelters.
These signs explained where the various people lived and the type of people they were.
The Yup'ik and Cup'ik People were on the upper coast of Alaska.
This shows the entrance to the Women's underground house of the Yup'ik & Cup'ik People. The women worked here cooking, sewing and other activities.
This is Jim entering the traditional door of the Unupiaq men's house. They had a large conventional door for the park visitors, but Jim wanted to experience the authentic entrance.
Here is Jim by the front door of the Unupiaq men's house. Inside they had seal intestine (translucent) or other animal's membrane in an opening on the roof for light. They could remove it when they had a fire in the center.
This was outside the Unupiaq Men's House and is apparently a whale's rib bones. They hunted in the seas.
This is Lynda by a whale's backbone & skull.
This sign tells about the Aluet & Alutiiq peoples of the Alaska's Aleutian Chain. They are probably the more commonly known peoples.
Here is Jim by one of the Aluet & Alutiiq people's kayaks. They made them with seal skins.
These peoples used stem baths for health reasons. After getting very hot, they would run outside and sit in the snow or bathe in the sea. They would pour sea water over rocks made hot by the fire for the steam inside their long houses.
This is Iyak, Tlingit, Haida, & Tsimsian People's House & Carving Shed. They treasured their art and chose one person in the group as the artist and gave him the time to do all the carving and painting. I believe this is their long house.
This is the inside of one of the Iyak, Tlingit, Haida, & Tsimsian People's Long House. They would do the steaming in the center. These were very well built of cedar. The structure was made with huge logs. The siding could be moved open to allow more ventilation.
This sign explains the Iyak, Tlingit, Haida, & Tsimsian People. They lived along the Alaskan "Panhandle". Obviously they used the sea for much of their food.
These are young people of the Yup'ik and Cup'ik tribe showing some of their dances & costumes. In some of the dances they use head decorations and things in their hands..JPG)
Notice the drums they use, as they sing a sort of chant and drum a rhythm.
The young man here does a much more percusive movement, which he claims is more masculine than the girls and their movements. They are there, he said, to look pretty! :-)
These young men are dancing a seal hunting dance. They stomp their feet and make hunting movements..JPG)
This is the end of the dance where they look like seals.
That night we managed to attend a session at the Anchorage LDS Temple. It is a small temple and one needs to call to make an appointment. It still was very beautiful inside.
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