Wednesday July 21, to Anchorage briefly: This morning, we motored down the busy Parks Highway, south a couple of hundred miles to Anchorage. Dozens of tour buses ply the road, many with the insignia of cruise ships. I guess they’re part of a package deal for folks cruising the coast - a quick land detour up the highway to Denali.
Traffic really slowed in Wasilla and we meandered into the northern burbs of Anchorage, late afternoon. There is a Native Heritage Center here that is splendid. It’s hosted by Alaskans from many tribes and areas of the state. They have outdoor reconstructions of traditional houses, which we visited with our young guides. Inside each, we met up with a host in traditional garb, ready to tell us all about their homes and ways of life. It was a great way to learn, just like having a conversation with someone. In the Aleutians, native people kept warm in their earthen homes with body heat and seal oil lamps. Along the coasts, hunters in kayaks kept dry with waterproof anoraks made of seal intestines. The seams were sewn as French seams, with a little grass put inside. When wet, the grass swelled and sealed the seams. Inside the center’s main building were native artists working with wood, beads, antler and fibers. Fei and Jenny sat down to make bead bracelets, which included a large tooth. I asked from what animal they came and the answer was water buffalo. Hmm… no reindeer or moose for visiting kids. Too precious.
No photos today...
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