WEIO 2018 INSIDE • Schedule of World Eskimo-Indian Olympics events • WEIO veteran Phillip Blanchett is ready for more wins • The Miss WEIO pageant
• Special events honor elders, Poldine Carlo • Meet the artist behind this year’s WEIO logo • An explanation of the games and what you can expect
2
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Saturday, July 14, 2018
WEIO 2018
2018 WEIO schedule of events • 1 p.m. — Native regalia contest (hide, cloth, fur), Pioneer Room • 1 p.m.—Ear pull, finals • 2-5 p.m. — arts and crafts Fish cutting demonstration, outside Carlson Center (dependent on availability)
Wednesday, July 18 Daytime events: free admission • 10 a.m. — Athlete registration • 11 a.m. — Scissor broad jump, finals • noon — Four man carry, preliminaries, finals this evening • 1 p.m. — Kneel jump, finals • 2 p.m. — One hand reach, preliminaries, finals this evening • 2-5 p.m. — Arts and crafts • 3:30 p.m. — Race of the torch, finals Evening: adults 13-59 are $15; elders 60 and older, military and youth, 6-12 are $10 • 6 p.m. — Opening ceremony March of dance contestants, athletes, Miss WEIO queen and participants Alaska Native Veterans posting colors National anthem Alaska Flag Song Invocation Recognition of veterans Traditional chief granting permission to host games on Athabascan Lands Proclamations and recognition of Native elders Welcome address, WEIO Board Chairwoman, Gina Kalloch Recognition of dignitaries in attendance and their support of WEIO Lighting of seal oil lamp, recognition of lamp tenders Race of the torch, kneel jump and scissor broad jump, demonstrations and medals ceremony Dance performance Blanket toss — women’s preliminaries, women’s finals are Friday evening • 6-10 p.m. — Arts and crafts • 7:30 p.m. — Miss WEIO cultural pageant, with introduction and talent show, Pioneer Room Dance performance One hand reach, finals and medals ceremony Fish cutting contest, finals and medals ceremony (dependent on availability) Dance performance Four man carry, finals and medals ceremony
Thursday, July 19 Daytime events: free admission • 9:30 a.m. — Athlete registration • 10 a.m. — Eskimo stick pull, finals • noon — Alaskan high kick, preliminaries, finals this evening • 1 p.m. — Native baby regalia contest (skin,
Evening: Adults 13-59 are $15; elders 60 and older, military and youth, 6-12 are $10 • 6 p.m. —Dance performance Native regalia contest, parade, awards and photos Indian stick pull and ear pull, demonstrations and medals ceremony Two foot high kick, finals and medals ceremony Blanket toss — women’s, finals and medals ceremony Miss WEIO Cultural Pageant, coronation of 2018 Miss WEIO and her court, main stage Seal skinning contest, finals and medals ceremony (depending on seal availability) Dance performance Drop the bomb, finals and medals ceremony • 6-10 p.m. — Arts and crafts cloth and fur), Pioneer Room • 1:30 p.m. — Greased pole walk, finals outdoors, weather permitting • 2-5 p.m. — Arts and crafts Evening: Adults 13-59 are $15; elders 60 and older, military and youth, 6-12 are $10 • 6 p.m. — Native baby regalia contest, parade, awards and photos Dance performance Eskimo stick pull, demonstrations and medals ceremony Alaskan high kick, finals and medals ceremony Dance performance Blanket toss — men’s preliminaries, men’s finals are Saturday evening • 7:30 p.m., Miss WEIO cultural pageant with impromptu speeches, pioneer room Dance performance Muktuk eating contest, finals and medals ceremony (dependent on availability)
Friday, July 20 Daytime events: free admission • 9:30 a.m. — athlete registration • 10 a.m. — Indian stick pull, finals • 11 a.m. — Drop the bomb, qualifier, competition later tonight • noon — Two foot high kick, preliminaries, finals this evening
Saturday, July 21 Daytime events: free admission • 9:30 a.m. —Athlete registration • 10 a.m. — Swing kick, finals • 11 a.m. — One foot high kick (traditional style) preliminaries, finals this evening • 1 p.m. — Head pull, finals • 2-5 p.m. —Arts and crafts • 2:30 p.m. — Ear weight qualifier, competition later tonight • 3 p.m. — WEIO general membership meeting with membership comments and board elections, Pioneer Room Evening: Adults 13-59 are $15; elders 60 and older, military and youth, 6-12 are $10 • 6 p.m. — Athletes and dancers parade Swing kick and head pull, demonstrations and medals ceremony Dance performance One foot high kick, (traditional style) finals and medals ceremony Blanket toss — men’s, finals and medals ceremony Ear weight, finals and medals ceremony Eskimo dance group command performance with winning Eskimo group Knuckle hop, finals and medals ceremony Closing of games • 6-10 p.m. — Arts and crafts
Cover photo: Competitors tackle the greased pole walking during the 2017 World Eskimo-Indian Olympics in Fairbanks. ERIC ENGMAN/NEWS-MINER FILE PHOTO
3
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Saturday, July 14, 2018
WEIO 2018
WEIO veteran Phillip Blanchett ready for more By Brad Joyal BJOYAL@NEWSMINER.COM
“I still try to stay true to the way I was introduced to the games when I was younger,� said Phillip Blanchett, an Anchorage resident who has been competing at the World Eskimo Indian Olympics for decades. “The coaches always encouraged us to try as many games as we could.� Some games have sparked Blanchett’s interest more than others, though he’s always made an effort to try them all over the years. “There are so many different types of events,� Blanchett, 43, said. “You may have a preconceived notion of what you can do until you actually put yourself out there in competition in front of other people.� Still, even if he has expanded his horizons to keep traditions alive through competition, Blanchett always
has had a favorite game. His love for the one-hand reach goes back some time. When he was introduced to the games as a child, the one-hand reach — which requires athletes to balance on one hand with their elbow tucked under their lower abdominal area while reaching for a suspended target in midair with their other hand — reminded Blanchett of another phenomenon he was passionate about. “It was very familiar to a handstand,� he said. “At the time, I was really into breakdancing and that was one of the few moves I could do. When I saw a guy do the one-hand reach, I was hooked forever.� Blanchett estimates he first attended WEIO when he was a 15-year-old teenager living in Wasilla. He returned the next year with some friends and cousins, and has continued to be a familiar face in Fairbanks during the games
each summer. Throughout his career as an athlete, Blanchett has received guidance from his elders. Among them was “Big� Bob Aiken, who was often referred to as ‘The World’s Largest Eskimo’ for the way he displayed his strength at the games. Aiken died in 2015 when he was 62, but his spirit lives on with Blanchett. “He’s somebody that I think about when I go to the games,� he said. “I’m happy that we’re there to carry on his mentorship and teaching.� Another impactful competitor Blanchett holds in high regard is Brian Randazzo, a record holder in the twofoot high kick. “I feel like that’s something that definitely keeps me excited about the games,� Blanchett said, referencing Randazzo’s success. “The people I was inspired by were able to achieve so much.�
Although Blanchett said he isn’t sure if he’ll be able to do all of the events, he’s eager to return to Fairbanks and compete. “I definitely feel like I’m one of the only old-timers out there,� he says with a laugh. His one-hand reach may not be as electric as it was when he was busting breakdancing moves as a teenager, but the Anchorage resident’s passion for the games hasn’t wavered since he piled into a car with his cousins and friends and drove up to Fairbanks years ago. “It’s inspiring to be a part of something that’s living heritage, that’s continuing,� Blanchett said. “Pretty soon, me and my friends will be the elders. That will be cool, passing on the tradition to the youngsters.� Contact News-Miner sports writer Brad Joyal at 459-7530. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMSportsGuy.
Turtle Club
The
s
.%*1#)+0
! !
)-' /#$ &'0 .$01&/ #+)$21 2,$. /#4-0
)OOF .TEL 9'+1 Competitors
!
"
FOX STORE
10 F64532146
800.727.2141 / www.nac.aero /
F40532178
Ahghkbg` >e]^kl makhn`a Lmkhg` <hfi^mbmbhg
) Br 2 +3& ew +%( / er y
www.alaskanturtle.com 457-3883
"
CLUB
4
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Saturday, July 14, 2018
WEIO 2018
From drum to logo, WEIO adopts Kairaiuakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s art By Danny Martin DMARTIN@NEWSMINER.COM
Aassanaaq Kairaiuakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s polar bear went from art on a drum to the permanent logo for the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics. The 49-year-old Yupik Eskimo artist, who grew up in Chefornak and lives in Anchorage, painted the polar bear on a drum for last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s WEIO at the Carlson Center. The drum was about 22 inches in diameter and had a surface of ceconite, a synthetic material. Kairaiuak, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also known as Ossie, said the artwork wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t completely done when Gina Kalloch, chairwoman of the WEIO Board of Governors, saw it during the 2017 celebration of traditional Alaska Native culture, art and games. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gina was like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I like that. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll talk to the board and see if we can make it the permanent logo,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Kairaiuak said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wow, that would be so cool.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?
*RRG OXFN WR DOO :(,2 SDUWLFLSDQWV DQG ZHOFRPH WR )DLUEDQNV
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes, I wing it. Sometimes I just go by feeling. Sometimes I surprise myself,â&#x20AC;? Kairaiuak said. The new WEIO logo, he said, came from the idea of the Arctic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The polar bear is one of the fixtures in the Arctic as a master hunter, as a master cloaker, or you name it, for seal hunting,â&#x20AC;? Kairaiuak said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Within that design, I also wanted to combine the spirit factor.â&#x20AC;? The new logo is white for the polar bear and snow with blue distributed along the bearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body to signify the elements of water and ice. There are two red hoops, an inner one which represents the physical world and an outer one which represents the spiritual world. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Especially up north, above the Arctic Circle,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Kairaiuak said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pretty much, our indigenous societies were born and nurtured by having an active, open-ended relationship by our environment. This is an attempt to demon-
strate that relationship by using the polar bear.â&#x20AC;? The hoops also are symbols of passing on knowledge from Native elders from one generation to the next. Kairaiuak said the neon light green feathers of the logo represent â&#x20AC;&#x153;the elements and the world around us that have continued to teach us, form us and shape us.â&#x20AC;?
Warbelowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Air Ventures Proud sponsor of the WORLD ESKIMO-INDIAN OLYMPICS Scheduled Ser vice â&#x20AC;˘ Tours â&#x20AC;˘ Charters www.Warbelows.com â&#x20AC;˘ (907) 474-0518
LOGO Âť 5
WITH SERVICE TO: BEAVER CENTRAL CIRCLE MANLEY MINTO RAMPART STEVENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S VILLAGE F64532015
amili ' $! ! !# $## â&#x20AC;˘ ! â&#x20AC;˘ ! & ! ""
# !# ! "#
F64532142
www.doyon.com
The new logo, which replaces WEIOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longtime logo of a polar bear, features a polar bear amid many symbols of Native culture, including hoops with physical and spiritual meanings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To us, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another thing where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going back to the traditional because weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a Yupik artist and a Yupik aesthetic for a Native organization rather than this guy (former logo), who was adopted when we were up at the university (UAF),â&#x20AC;? Kalloch said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted something that said Native tradition in the artwork itself, in our logo itself.â&#x20AC;? Kairaiuak creates custom art for a living. One of his works was purchased by a customer in Europe. Among his other creations are the logos for Rural Student Services at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Native Student Services at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The new logo for WEIO took him about 30 minutes to create.
! ! % ! "
! F75531544
5
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Saturday, July 14, 2018
WEIO 2018
Miss WEIO plays vital role in community KCAPPS@NEWSMINER.COM
The young woman who is named Miss WEIO 2018 symbolizes the camaraderie of the Native people and honors traditions of strength, agility and endurance. Applications are now being accepted for that role, which will be awarded at the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. The deadline to apply was July 11. Contestants sometimes represent their regional corporations, but sometimes contestants have also represented their family or their village, according to Carmen Sears, pageant coordinator. Over the past several years, there have been as many as nine contestants, but generally seven or eight vie for the title. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We never know until the
deadline, when all the applications are turned in,â&#x20AC;? Sears said. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always a pleasure to meet the candidates, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing when they come in, just to see how much energy they have and how much of go-getters they are,â&#x20AC;? Sears said. Miss WEIO receives a college scholarship worth about $3,500 and represents WEIO throughout the year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The young woman who earns the privilege of wearing the Miss WEIO crown is expected to carry on with pride and honor the heartbeat of WEIO,â&#x20AC;? according to the pageant requirements. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The crown represents the hard work she has demonstrated in order to represent the ageold traditions and spirit of the WEIO.â&#x20AC;?
Miss WEIO is expected to participate in personal appearances throughout the year. Candidates must be between the ages of 18 and 24 and must be at least 1/16 Alaska Native, Native American, U.S. Pacific Islander, Canadian First Nations, Indigenous Greenlandic or Indigenous Siberian. To apply, one must be a high school graduate no more than six months after the date of the competition or have successfully completed G.E.D. testing for high school equivalency, or successfully completed academic requirements for entry into a four-year college/ university degree program. Candidates must sign a contract stating they have never been pregnant or an adopted PAGEANT Âť 6
Continued from 4 He added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;These (WEIO) games are a good example of the necessity to have the skills, strength and resiliency to be able to tolerate pain or to excel in a sport that requires an extra sets of skills.â&#x20AC;? An example he said was the scissor broad jump, a WEIO event which mimics jumping among floating ice on a sea or river. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The environment we came from was very unforgiving. It was a tough but healthy lifestyle,â&#x20AC;? he said. The logo includes appendages, or little figures at the top and bottom. One of the appendages is comprised of a black face covered by
a parka. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I chose that symbol for my own signature design. I chose it symbolize our elders,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are the big reason we are here today.â&#x20AC;? Also at the top are two brown umiaks, or canoes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It symbolizes that you do what you have to do to get to a certain place in life,â&#x20AC;? he said. Kairaiuak has competed in past WEIOs in the Race of the Torch and the toe kick. He also is a songwriter and a member of Pamyua, a tribal funk group. Six years ago, he formed an Anchorage-based Yupik dance group, Acilquq, which is Yupik for plant root or foundation. Contact News-Miner sports editor Danny Martin at 4597586. Follow him on Twitter: @newsminersports.
WEIO
F17532014
By Kris Capps
LOGO
6
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Saturday, July 14, 2018
WEIO 2018
WEIO honoring elders, Poldine Carlo with special events during 2018 games
PAGEANT Continued from 5 parent, must have good moral character, and have no criminal convictions. They must be in good health and agree that they do not use or consume any illegal substances or controlled substances and do not abuse alcohol, prescriptive drugs or other dangerous substances. Miss WEIO makes many personal appearances including television and radio broadcasts, interviews, photo and video sessions and others relating to the competition. The runner-up must remain available to take over if for any reason Miss WEIO is unable to fulfill her duties.
By Danny Martin DMARTIN@NEWSMINER.COM
Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a simple reason for Alaska Native elders being honored at the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics July 18-21 at the Carlson Center. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re our knowledge bearers, our advice givers and they give us direction. They gives us counsel and they correct us when weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re wrong,â&#x20AC;? Gina Kalloch, chairwoman of the WEIO Board of Governors, said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how we would exist â&#x20AC;Ś knowledge is passed down in our culture, and just about any culture, from elders
Contact Community News Editor Kris Capps at 459-7546.
to younger people. I think it was motivated by â&#x20AC;Ś it seemed like we were losing them more and more, and we wanted to make sure that they know how special they are to us and to our organization.â&#x20AC;? The tribute to the elders is a joint effort of the WEIO Board of Governors and Fairbanks-based Denakkanaaga, Inc. Denakkanaaga is nonprofit organization which serves as the voice of Native elders in the Doyon and Tanana Chiefs Conference regions of the Interior. One of the tributes is a special presentation for Poldine Carlo. The tribute is scheduled
during opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. July 18. Carloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family is helping to coordinate it. Carlo, who died at 97 on May 9 in Fairbanks, founded Denakkanaaga and was a co-founder of the Fairbanks Native Association. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People like Poldine were founders and had been involved in WEIO since the beginning,â&#x20AC;? Kalloch said. Kalloch said that other scheduled ways of honoring elders during WEIO are: â&#x20AC;˘ Elders leading the procession of dancers and athletes into the Carlson Center during the opening ceremonies. â&#x20AC;˘ A photo display of elders
over the years. â&#x20AC;˘ Elders who are members of an Interior dance group performing the first dance on opening night of WEIO. â&#x20AC;˘ An elder serving as the master of ceremonies for a part of each evening session of WEIO. â&#x20AC;˘ An elders corner in the Carlson Center. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kind of a place for people to sit if they just want to talk to elders about life back in the day, things like that,â&#x20AC;? Kalloch said of the elders corner. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a kind of a quiet corner of the crowd.â&#x20AC;? Contact News-MIner sports editor Danny Martin at 459-7586.
|
452-2501
Free Continental Breakfast Extended Stay Guest Suites Business Center & Free Wi-Fi Spectacular Santa Suite Walking Distance to Popular Area Attractions & Restaurants New Fitness Center Alaskan Owned
F75531720
X
F64532143
P EGER RD.
F24532152
D AVIS
M ITCHELL EXP.
A IRPORT RD.
T he Peger B usiness Center ( 3RD BLDG ON THE RT. AFTER MITCHELL)
F64532030
479-7122
20% OFF
www.hotelnorthpole.com â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘
7
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Saturday, July 14, 2018
WEIO 2018
WEIO: A guide to what the games encompass Staff Report SPORTS@NEWSMINER.COM
Here are descriptions of many of the events at this year’s World Eskimo-Indian Olympics. More information about the events is available at www. weio.org.
Bench Reach
The test of strength involves an athlete kneeling on a padded bench with their knees at the edge of the bench. A volunteer sits on the back of the athlete’s lower legs. From the position, the athlete leans forward to set an object, usually a small wooden stick, on the floor as far away as possible and tries to return to the original kneeling position. An athlete’s reaching distance is measured from the bench to the object on the floor. The event must be done without any part of the body touching the floor, and the object can’t be pushed or tossed. Each athlete gets three attempts.
Blanket Toss
The event, also known as the Nalukataq, was designed for villages to have fun after a successful whaling season. Blankets are made from old whaling skin boats. The blankets have holes on the edges so that the rope can be looped through all the way around and used for handle grips. A participant gets in the middle of the blanket and stands still while being tossed. The participant has to land on his or her feet without falling. Some participants run in the air or execute flips while being tossed. Judges rate the participants on balance, height, style in the air, all-around form and grace.
Drop the Bomb
The event tests an athlete’s strength and it’s derived from mimicking the form of an airplane. An athlete lies chest down on the floor and extends his or her arms out while keeping the legs together. The athlete is carried by three spot-
ters around the arena floor as far as possible while maintaining the rigid position. The athlete drops the bomb when he or she can no longer hold the position.
Ear Pull
The tug-of-war of ears is one of the highlights of WEIO. It’s based on a withstanding pain, a trait sometimes needed to survive in the harsh realities of the North. The best two-of-three competition has athletes sitting on the floor facing each other with a sinew loop around each other’s ears — right ear to right ear, left ear to left ear. The athletes must pull their heads straight back without twisting or jerking, and pull the sinew from the other’s ear.
Ear Weight
It’s based on enduring the pain of frostbite, and the event involves a weight attached to a twine loop. The competitor places the weight around his or her ear and lifts it straight up. He or she walks as far as possible around the arena floor. The distance is measured from the starting line to where the athlete drops the weight. An athlete also gets up to three warnings by an official to correct his or her form during the journey around the floor.
Fish Cutting
The contest derives from the cutting and drying of fish to preserve it for the seasons to come. A contestant must remove the head and fillet the fish while keeping the tail attached. The contestant must then remove the backbone and notch for drying. Participants are judged on speed and neatness.
Four-Man Carry
It’s based on a hunter having to carry his game meat packed and for long distances. It also applies to hauling ice or wood.
The object of the event is for the competitor to travel as far as he or she can around the arena floor while carrying four volunteers.
during long winter months to maintain and test a person’s agility.
Kneel Jump
(technical in odd years) The athlete approaches the ball by taking off on both feet, jumping up and kicking the ball with one foot. He or she lands on the same foot used to kick the target. Each participant gets three kicks at each height and has three minutes to execute a kick.
The event is based on the speed and agility that a person needs when hunting on the ice, or moving from an ice floe during spring break-up. The kneel jump begins with the athlete sitting on the floor with his or her knees behind the starting line, with the soles of his or her feet up. The athlete then thrusts his or her body up and forward to a standing position. The objective is to go for distance and maintain balance.
Knuckle Hop (or Seal Hop) The test of strength and tolerance to pain involves a competitor seeing how far he or she can go while in a push-up position on the floor. The event was originally played on the floor of a traditional community center or hut, or outside on the ground.
Greased Pole Walk
The event tests the balance that a person may need for crossing creeks or maneuvering on a wet and slippery log. Entrants are barefoot as they start from one end and try to walk to the other end of a horizontal greased log. Spotters are placed on each side of the log to ensure the safety of participants.
Alaskan High Kick
The athlete sits on the floor with one hand holding the opposite foot. The other hand and foot are on the floor to establish balance. The athlete lift himself or herself from position and swings the legs to kick a suspended object, such as a sealskin ball. An athlete gets three attempts for each height and has a three-minute time limit to execute the kick. The game was originally played
One Foot High Kick
Two Foot (technical) High Kick
After taking off, the athlete jumps up and kicks the ball with both feet parallel. He or she then lands on both feet simultaneously while maintaining balance. Each participants gets three kicks at each height and has a three-minute time limit per kick. Traditionally, the two foot high kick was used in whaling villages as a form of communication. When a whale or other game had been taken, a messenger would run back toward the village. When the messenger was within sight of the village, he would jump up and kick both feet into the air. It was a signal to villagers that a whale or other game had been caught and to prepare themselves to help the hunters.
Muktuk Eating
The fun event involves participants trying to eat pieces of muktuk (skin and blubber of a whale) the fastest. Each participant must provide his or her own knife.
One-Hand Reach
The game of balance and strength was traditionally played during winter months to help people maintain physical fitness. The athlete balances on one hand with his or her elbow tucked under the lower abdominal area. GAMES » 8
8
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Saturday, July 14, 2018
WEIO 2018
The other hand is used to steady the athlete’s balance while he or she reaches for a suspended target, such as a ball. After touching the target, the athlete returns to the starting position to demonstrate balance to officials. Athletes get three attempts and have three minutes to do each. After each successful attempt, the suspended object is raised from one to four inches.
Seal Skinning
The event is derived from skinning seals. The skins are used to make clothing; the blubber is rendered into oil and the meat can be cooked, dried or fermented. Contestants provide their ulus or knives, and they are judged for speed and neatness during the contest. The contestant first cuts around
Eskimo Stick Pull
The game of strength is based on bringing up a seal from a hole in the ice. Two athletes sit and face each other, with the soles of their feet pressed together and their knees slightly bent. A stick is placed between them above the toes. A coin toss determines the position of the contestants’ hands on the stick — one gets to grip the inside of the stick and the other gets the outside grip. The object is to pull the opponent over or pull the stick away from the opponent.
Indian Stick Pull
The best-of-three event mimics
grabbing a fish by the tail to pull it out of water, or to gather it from a fish wheel and toss it ashore. Opponents sit facing each other and grab a greased, small stick with a hand-shaking motion. They try to wrest the stick from each other, and jerking and twisting are allowed.
Kyle Worl of Juneau competes in the Alaskan High Kick preliminaries during the 2017 World Eskimo-Indian Olympics at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. The game was originally played during long winter months to maintain and test a person’s agility.
Toe Kick
The game duplicates the agility, balance and quick feet that a person needs for negotiating rotten ice during break-up. The athlete stands at the starting line with toes to the line, and he or she then jumps forward to a tap or kick a small stick backwards. The feet must land parallel ahead of the stick’s measured mark. Each athlete gets three attempts at a given distance, and after each successful kick, the stick is moved 4 inches farther away from the starting line.
ERIC ENGMAN/ NEWS-MINER FILE PHOTO
9LVLW <RXU )DLUEDQNV 1RUWK 6WDU %RURXJK
3XEOLF /LEUDULHV 1RHO :LHQ /LEUDU\ - 459-1020 &RZOHV 6WUHHW )DLUEDQNV OLEUDU\#IQVEOLEUDU\ XV 0RQ - :HG $0 - 30 7KX - )UL $0 - 30 6DW $0 - 30
1RUWK 3ROH %UDQFK - 488-6101 13+6 %RXOHYDUG 1RUWK 3ROH QRUWKSROH#IQVEOLEUDU\ XV 7XH :HG - )UL 6DW
$0 - 30 $0 - 30 $0 - 30 F17532077
Continued from 7
the flippers and removes them or leaves them attached to the carcass. He or she then cuts around the head and leaves it on the carcass. The contestant then removes the skin as neatly as possible.
GOOD LUCK AT WEIO! Come visit us during a break in your competition Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Prime Rib • Halibut • Burgers Sandwiches • Salads • Cookies • Muffins Pies • Cakes • Cinnamon Rolls Summer Hours: M-Sat 6:30am-8:00pm | Sun 8am-3pm Off Danby & Johansen | Behind Kendall Auto | 907.479.8319
F17532013
GAMES