In May 2005, NS students travelled to Alaska for their end-of-year trip. The first stop was Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. It was a beautiful city, at the head of a long inlet and surrounded by snow-capped mountains. About half of Alaska's population lives there.

The weather was unseasonably warm while we were there, so we spent an
afternoon biking along Cook Inlet.

Our first visit was to the First Alaskans Institute where their staff (Carrie Irwin-Brown, left and Sarah Scanlan) gave us a presentation about the different native groups in Alaska, and about their land claims settlement which was signed in 1971

We visited the Alaska Native Science Commission, where we were welcomed by the Executive Director, Patricia Cochrane (right). She gave us a presentation about the Institute, which oversees and coordinates all the research being done in Alasakan native communities, on everything from traditional foods to climate change. We were very impressed with their work, and with the hospitality they showed us.

We spent a fun evening visiting Canadian Forces personnel and their families who are stationed on the huge Elmendorf US Air Force base on the outskirts of Anchorage. Students performed songs and throat singing outside on a warm sunny evening, then spent over an hour showing them how to do Inuit games. Here, Brian Suwaksiork (left) and WIlliam Tiktaq demonstrate the arm pull.

One of the highlights of our stay in Anchorage was our hike to the
top of nearby Flat Top Mountain. It was scary at times getting up
there, but the weather was beautiful and the scenery from the top was
spectacular! We built an inukshuk as a reminder of our visit.

After Anchorage, we travelled to Barrow on the Arctic coast. The
Inupiaq culture there is still centred around the hunting of bowhead
whales. Here, Wynter Kuluktana (left), Nadia Mike-Dulmage, and Ezrah
Kasarnak sit inside the jawbones of a whale on display in the
community.

While in Barrow, we visited local schools and shared our culture with
the kids in various classes. Teaching them dances, songs and Inuit
games was always lots of fun!

We also got to see and learn their dances as well, which were
performed for us by both elders and youth.

The highlight of our time in Barrow was a chance to go out to the
flow edge while their spring whale hunt was on.

While we were there, they caught a whale and some of us helped to
pull it ashore.

We were impressed with the way they worked together to cut up the
whale - they really knew how to do it quickly!

Within about 2 hours, the whale had been cut up and taken back to the
community. Here we are with some of the crew that did all the work.
It was unforgettable to be out there with them!

NS instructor, Jeela Palluq, stands beside some of the muktaq that
was brought back to the community. It was cooked and prepared and
then shared with the whole community. They have very precise ways of
doing each step.

Charlene Tasseor (centre) and Akumalie Tikivik (right) were among
those who helped our hosts get all the meat cut up, cleaned and cooked so it could be shared with everyone in the community.

On our way home, we stopped in Anchorage long enough to perform at a
special Mother's Day cultural festival at the Alaskan Native Heritage
Centre. It was our last show on the trip.