“ We don’t need to huff and puff, let’s get it done. It’s not that tough!
Cheer Bear, Care Bears
Eskimo to the World
Many moons ago, I hiked 26 miles across the tundra in Tana, Norway with the Sami peoples following their traditional reindeer herding trails.
There were about 20 of us total on that Scandinavian adventure. At the reindeer herding site, we stayed in lavvu’s (see in photo). They are temporary dwelling used by the Sami people of northern Scandinavia.
A lavvu has a design similar to a Native American tipi but is less vertical and more stable in high winds. It enables the indigenous cultures of the treeless plains of northern Scandinavia and the high Arctic of Eurasia to follow their reindeer herds. It is still used as a temporary shelter by the Sami, and increasingly by other people for camping.
Saami peoples are also known as Laplanders which is considered archaic and pejorative. Saami are the Arctic indigenous peoples inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia, but also in the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost and the Nordic countries’ only officially indigenous people.
(More later…)
What does it mean to be a Feminist?
My hairstylist, K.J., requested a group of young women to answer a broad question, ‘What does it mean to be a feminist?’ Below is my response which was published in her book for her senior project at UAA:
In Annette Jaimes’s article, “American Indian Women: At the Center of Indigenous Resistance in North America.” She argues that Native women activists, except those who are “assimilated,” do not consider themselves feminists. Feminism, according to Jaimes, is an imperial project that assumes the givenness of U.S. colonial stranglehold on indigenous nations.
In Alaska, in 1971, Congress did away with Native sovereignty with the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) which created thirteen large regional corporations, 200 smaller ones, 44 million acres of their choice land and large amounts of continual money in exchange for Aboriginal rights.
Forty years later, there are still arguments about tribal sovereignty and ANCSA, however one thing is for certain, as T.T.P. (Inupiaq) said in a recent magazine interview, “We are making our mark.” Alaska Native regional corporations, non-profit associations and tribal organizations, are being run by Alaska Native women.
Growing up in the city in the 80’s, it was not cool to be “Native.” At school, I was called derogatory names, people threw things at me and if I could pass as another ethnicity, I would welcome it. A couple years ago, my sister wrote on her hand, “N.P.” and I asked her what that meant and she said, “Native Pride.”
Feminism or not, assimilated or not, there is a Native movement and empowerment of women. Not all chiefs are men.
Totally Picky and Pretentious
I know, I know, you don’t like brown. Or purple. And that font over there is too small to read. You forgot a period after that comment. Rework that sentence. Move that paragraph over here. Your ‘m’s’ are inconsistent when you write. The PowerPoint photographs are pixelated and forgot to title that slide.
And don’t even get me started on squares, they’re almost as bad as having to walk around with a rock in your shoe. You don’t wear black and navy blue together. Or mix a brown belt with black shoes. His shirt is totally wrinkled and by the way, he wore that on Tuesday.
They could’ve gone lighter on the salt in this dish. That person didn’t use their turn signal, jerk! She misspelled a word in her text message. She used the wrong eye shadow for her complexion, she’s more of a winter with make up. I see she missed a spot cleaning the bathroom.
Okay, okay… I admit, I see your faults and ignore my own glaring ones. I’ll practice looking at myself and be the change I wish to see in the world.
FIRST!!!
First sentences.
First steps.
First kisses.
First kayak adventure. On a warm summer evening, Racy invited me to dinner at ANRR’s. After a delicious dinner sitting on Adirondack chairs on the shore of Campbell Lake, I took my very first kayak adventure. Here is a photo to prove it.
Resolutions NOT to Make Resolutions
I’m not normally a resolution maker, but I think as I age I can see the wisdom in such an exercise. Know what else I’ve learned with age? Life is too short to:
a) wait until you’re alone to pull your underwear out of your butt,
b) obey the sign that says, NO RIGHT TURN ON RED and
c) listen to anyone who suggests that watching two hours of botfly infestation videos on YouTube is a waste of time.
First, I want to cook more. Oh gawd, my roommate’s husband is going to read that and start calling every day to make sure I haven’t burned down the house. Not going to happen! He’s immediately going to buy me a fire extinguisher.
Next, I’d like to read more books. I could tell you the specific number of books I have in mind for the year, but then you would know how little I’m reading now, and that may be the one thing in my life I’m too embarrassed to share. It’s just… all those episodes of “America’s Next Top Model” and “Real Housewives… of Atlanta, Beverly Hills and Miami” aren’t going to watch themselves, and next thing you know the free time that I would have used to read a book is gone!
And finally (yes, there are only three things on this list, otherwise I’d be too overwhelmed), and this one is going to sound weird, but I want to quit smoking. I’ve been smoking since I was 16 and I won’t dare tell you how old I am now. I am noticing health issues that someone my age should not have and my vanity is getting the best of me, I’ve noticed fine lines around my mouth. P.S.P warned me about Botox so my options of eliminating fine lines are zero unless I got a face lift.
Spill it. What are you aiming for this year (three months later in March, on Native time)?
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Thank you!
Recently, students from Winterberry School stopped by the gallery to see our former and current exhibitions. See C.S. and I talking about Rose Albert’s (Athabascan) painting. She was the first Alaska Native woman to run the world-renowned race.
'Making Plans to Reduce Suicide'
Pick up a copy of the First Alaskans Magazine, I wrote a 2,500 word column about suicide education and prevention. It is not published online, here is a link to the magazine where you may order a copy.
'Creating Culturally Relevant Cancer Education'
In my spare time, I’m writing columns for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Alaska Native Arts Foundation. This one is about ‘Culturally Relevant Cancer Education.’
