Old People, an Old House, and God's House

This morning we began our day be visiting the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Here the five major native groups of Alaska demonstrate their songs, dance, art, games, and heritage. We began by watching some dancers:



Then we went outside to see the five representative houses or "village sites" of the different tribes. This is Emily and Kate sitting in the doorway of the Eyak potlatch house.

Clark and Emily with totem pole:

Emily and Clark tried on snow goggles at another village site. These would keep the men from going snow blind while hunting.

Clark took this picture of the rest of us under whale bones at the Inupiaq village site:

Later, after lunch we went inside and the kids found a place to try on kusbuks:

On the way home from the center I drove my kids around the neighborhood where I grew up. This is the house that I grew up in from the ages of 0-13. Back then it was painted dark green. The house is pretty much the same but the yard is completely different. The owners have taken down the buoy swing and the tree house and removed the huge vegetable and flower gardens that my mom would tend. They have also removed all the raspberry bushes. The greenhouse where my mom would grow tomatoes and cucumbers is still there though.

Tonight my parents took us over to the Temple grounds for Family Home Evening. I still remember when I first heard that a temple was going to be built in Anchorage. I'm not sure I had ever thought it would happen. My parents give so much time and effort and love in service there.