Adventure to Alaska: Potlatch

Friday, Saturday and Sunday was Potlatch also known as Yurartet or Yuraq. Dancers from Nunam Iqua flew in to participate in our dancing. It is a special because it is a way to introduce women into society. They have their first dance, which is actually two dances. One Friday night and the other the following night. After they complete those two they may participate in any dance that is done. Some women have their dances when they are very young, like my friend’s daughter, she was five. Others like the matriarch of the Rivers family waited until she was in her 60s. For your first dance you must bring LOTS of presents to give to the elders and members of the community. Presents can be food products such as: top ramen, agutak, pure water, fry bread, gardening tools such as: knifes, hatchets, shovels, clothing such as socks or house hold needs such as: bowls, towels or shoes. And that is just to name a few!!! While friends and family pass out your presents you the dancer must stand on a tarp that has an animal skin on it. She must wait there until everyone is done then she may start her first dance. I asked the significance of the tarp and skin but no one could tell me. She must then dance by herself for three or four times through the song. Then other men and women may join her. Women would stand behind her and the men would kneel in front of them. They must wear a cuspuk, fur boots (can’t remember their name) and a headdress (if it is their dance). To dance with women get dancing fans decorated in white fur and men get fans with feathers. Each song is done 5-9 times. Depending on how long the drummers want to drum and sing for. There were anywhere from 4-8 drummers/singers, all men. They played on what looked like oversize tennis rackets. Round hoops with a plastic material pulled tight over them and a tweed to hit it with. It was very exciting to watch the first dances and how the songs would start soft with the motions being relaxed and then get very intense/loud with the motions getting bigger more exciting. Many of the women were asking if my first dance would be next year. I don’t know. Maybe!