September 24th, 2011 Memorial Pot Latch

The long awaited Pot Latch was this weekend, and boy was it amazing! I’m sorry to tell you that Jason missed it because he is currently in Fairbanks for a science workshop. Despite my not being able to figure out the camera, I was able to take a few videos and pictures on my phone for you all to see. Unfortunately I'm having difficulty uploading the videos. . . but will have Jason try to help me when he is home from Fairbanks. And I’ll do my best at describing the day.

For those of you who don’t know, a Pot Latch is much different than a Pot Luck. At a Pot Latch the host is responsible for feeding everyone invited and provides gifts for them as well. In this case, David Boxley Sr. and Jr. wanted to host a Pot Latch in Metlakatla to honor their Mother/Grandmother who passed away about one year ago. This is not a common occurrence and people were flown in from all over to be a part of this special occasion. In addition, the entire village of Metlakatla was invited.

Both of the Boxley’s, father and son, are amazing native artists that show their work in the Seattle and Portland areas. David Jr. has been working on a totem pole for the past year as a memorial to his Grandmother, which was raised on this very special day in the front yard of their family home. (This is the totem pole in my earlier blog.) Both of the Boxley’s have also been working for the past year to make thank you gifts for people who played a large part in their Mother/Grandmother’s life and for people who helped to honor her by putting this memorial together or just attending.

We began at 9:00am for the moving of the grave stone in the cemetery. It was almost eerie how stormy it had been all week long and then, we all woke up to a sunny morning. In fact, when we arrived at the cemetery there was a rainbow over the water in the distance. Although we did get a few showers, it was truly a beautiful day.

At the cemetery the Boxley’s said a few words and songs were sang. Then we all drove to the boat dock/long house area where the totem pole has been. There was an unveiling and of course more singing, then the men carried the totem pole down the road to the Boxley’s house where it was raised up in their front yard.

At noon we all met in the town hall, Ivars Chowder House from Seattle had come to feed everyone lunch. There were opening ceremonies & a welcome. Then the Ketchikan Intertribal Drummers preformed. More ceremonies & presentations, which included a portrait unveiling of LaVern Evelyn (Bolton) Welcome – who we were all there to celebrate for. Then the dance group Suu Gayna preformed. Memorial payments were given, which were amazing pieces of artwork by the Boxley’s. I wish I could have gotten some better pictures of that – sorry. Fourth Generations dance group preformed. More people were recognized as being leaders in the community. A dance group called Git Gyilhawlii preformed. Then we all ate a delicious salmon dinner together in the town hall.

There are four tribes that make up the Tsimshian People; the wolves, the ravens, the killer whales, and the eagles. The Boxely’s are from the eagle tribe and so anyone that came to the Pot Latch who was an eagle had to help host the event. This was really an interesting part of the Pot Latch. I forgot to mention that when we arrived at the town hall we had to sign in and state what tribe we were from, if any. Everyone, even guests (like me) were given a button to wear to show what tribe you belonged to (or didn’t belong to).

So at dinner, the Eagles all served everyone else before serving themselves. They set up tables for us, poured us juice, and brought out our meals. We had a delicious appetizer of seaweed, smoked salmon, and fried bread with maple syrup. Then salmon, rice, coleslaw and fruit cups for dinner. It was impressive.

After dinner there were more ceremonies. One really neat thing that was done was a special dance where the Eagles put money into a decorate piece of art. I have a video of this – I hope that Jason will be able to help me post it. The money was counted up and then the Eagles distributed the money ($1/each) to everyone else in the town hall who was not an Eagle. Even the children were walking around looking at people’s buttons to see if they were an Eagle – if not, they you got a dollar! Just another example of how generous the people are here.

The evening was full of entertainment. The Killer Whale dance group, from Metlakatla preformed. Many of our students are in this group and it was a real treat to see them dance with their families. Another group from Anchorage, called the Lgg preformed. This was actually the second time I saw them perform because they came to the school Friday afternoon and preformed for our students. And finally David Boxley Sr.’s dance group, Git Hoan, preformed. This was especially entertaining because of the art work that the Boxley’s integrated into their dances. Many of the masks and other items used were created by them.

As midnight approached (yes, midnight) the Eagles were all called up for one last duty. They handed out reusable grocery bags filled with goodies to each person that attended the memorial. Each bag was a little different. I went home with a poster by David Boxley Jr., some canned salmon, another canned fish item that I have yet to determine what it is, various pieces of fruit, stationary, marigold seeds, and some garbage bags to carry around with me to pick up trash in memory of LaVerne Evelyn (Bolton) Welcome.

This was one memorable day for sure. The music and dancing were beautiful. The generosity of the Boxley’s was overwhelming. I can’t help but think about how hard they have worked for the past year to honor their Mother/Grandmother. And how they must feel now that they have been able to do that – and to give thanks to all of the people that meant something to her during her life, as well as the people who may not have even ever known her – but wanted to be a part of remembering her and bringing this community together for a day of celebration. What a neat thing to do. I felt honored to be a part of it.

What's different in Met?

Our life in Metlakatla is very different than it was when we lived in Portland, Oregon. It seemed important to document some of these differences after reflecting on our first month here on the island.

For starters, there are no street signs. If you google map Annette Island, you will see street names, but don’t expect to see them when you get here. Directions sound something like, “Go out the road and take a left at the blue house and about three houses down turn right.” There are no addresses here.

We thought this was funny after watching the show Northern Exposure. Both of us had never seen the show, yet many people after hearing that we were moving to Alaska would state, “Oh, it will be like Northern Exposure!” And then laugh at us a little. We didn’t get it. So on our to-do list while we were here was to watch the show. Luckily the Band Teacher owns the entire series and graciously let us barrow the first 3 seasons. It’s a cute early 90’s comedy about a doctor from New York who winds up working in a small town of Alaska. We are enjoying it. It’s funny when they make fun of the small town they live in, however, we find ourselves jealous of the things like street signs and the pool hall – none of which you will find in Met!

One great thing is that Amazon will ship to Alaska. This is great. We were definitely worried before we moved here if we would be able to do any online shopping. Well we can, and it is wonderful! And we are even eligible for FREE super saver shipping through Amazon. Awesome! The funny thing is, that no one has addresses here. Everyone on the island has a P.O. Box. There are no mailboxes or addresses on houses. This is fine with me, but apparently UPS doesn’t like it too much. So we’ve been told that you have to trick UPS by making up an address and putting your P.O. Box number after a made up address. We didn’t know this at first and ordered a closet organizer online. Everything seemed to be working fine until I got an email saying it was lost in the mail. Turns out it was just sitting in the Met Post Office waiting to be picked up. . . but I guess you could consider anything or anyone that ends up here lost!

Another difference in our lives is the scenery and wildlife. We don’t have bears or moose on the island, which is what I expected when we made up our minds to move to Alaska. However I have to admit I was a little relieved to find that out. We live on the ocean, with an amazing view of water and mountains all around us. On a daily basis we see fish jumping out of the water, seals swimming, fisherman passing by, seagulls picking their dinner off the beach, eagles, and on occasion; whales and cruise ships too. This isn’t your normal Portland scenery and I have to say that it is one of my favorite parts about moving here.

Then there are the daily routines. We don’t have a commute to work. We live down the street about 3 blocks from the school. Most days we walk to work (it takes about 5 minutes – if that), but we are so glad that we brought the car for those really rainy mornings. Every once in a while we reflect on how much time some people spend sitting in their car, commuting to work. Yuk. We don’t have a car payment, we only own one car, which we still haven’t had to fill the gas tank up since moving here over a month ago! When we do finally need gas, no worries, there is one – one pump gas station out near the ferry terminal. Gas is a little more expensive, I think it’s $4.20/gallon. But when you only fill up once a month or less. . . you really stop worrying about gas prices.

Food is also a little different here. There is a restaurant on the island – The Tuck ‘Em Inn. The one time we really wanted to go there they were closed, so we still have not been. We ended up at the mini mart, which has concession stand type food (burgers, corn dogs, nachos, etc.). It was tasty, but we are trying not to make a habit out of eating there. After all, we have a sea full of fish right outside our window. We eat a lot of fish now. Which we love and I am having fun learning new recipes from the ladies of the island. So fish, rice (because we brought two 50lb bags of it with us), and some sort of canned vegetable most nights. We can get fresh veggies at the market, but they close at 6 and if you don’t buy them by Tuesday or Wednesday they are usually picked over by then. We are REALLY glad we brought a ton of canned food from Costco. That was a smart thing to do, because groceries are a little more spendy here. But when you only buy milk and produce for the week, it’s not bad. The one thing I can’t get over is tortilla chips. The cheapest bag on the island is $5. . . and if you want Tostitos you can expect to pay more like $7-8 a bag. So I’ll be stocking up on those our next trip to Ketchikan.

I make my own bread now too. This has been fun and delicious. Bread is not too spendy, but Jason’s Mom gave us her old bread machine before we moved and it’s just kinda fun. Plus, I have the time to do it! We spend a lot more time cooking meals and go through a lot of dishes on a daily basis. But we eat well. And by well I mean we eat a lot AND it’s fairly healthy. REALLY healthy if you compare it to Burger King or McDonalds – which is nonexistent in our lives now. The same goes for Starbucks or Black Rock Coffee. You can get a coffee treat at the mini mart. But at $4.50 a pop – we just make a pot at home.

Traveling off the island is interesting too. You can take the ferry, which runs twice a day. Except it doesn’t run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So if you plan on traveling then, you may want to consider taking a float plane. They run much more often, weather permitting. We can see them land at the dock from our living room window. We still have not had the pleasure of taking a float plane, but I’m sure we will eventually. It is interesting taking this into consideration when you are making travel arrangements. You can’t just get a ride to the airport. And if you are like me and want to avoid the float plane, you have to consider the day you choose to travel.

The other great thing about the island is the radio station. It’s run by the students of Metlakatla High School. There are a couple other stations that we pick up from Ketchikan. . . But these kids are just too good. It has got to be the best mix of music I’ve ever listened to. One minute your listening to some great oldies. . . the next it sounds like a Saturday night dance club mix. . . throw in an interview with a local native artist. . . and then some sort of modern song. I’m constantly groovin’ to the mix.

Life is different here in Met. People stop and have conversations with you. Actual conversations. Chicken is more of a deliciously than fish. We’ve only lived here a month and when we walk out of the house, we WILL see someone we know. We work with people that live in 5 of the houses on our street alone. You can get your errands done in 30 minutes or less because everything is right here. The result, I’ve started reading for fun again, going to game nights with other teachers, Jason plays pickle ball and goes fishing on a regular basis. We’ve slowed down a lot. It’s such a nice change of pace, especially after working so hard for our Masters Degrees. We miss home and all of you, don’t get me wrong. But this is one amazing adventure and it seems that every day we are reminded of it. Just had to share.

Out the Road & More. . .

The pipe with our drinking water in it, head down to Metlakatla.
Jason.

We made it to the top!

Joe & Rachel looking down at Metlakatla.

Rachel and I on our hike.

A beautiful beach stop.

Exploring on the beach with our new teacher friends.

A huge log.

Veiw from the new road.

A van full of teachers. . .

Headed "Out the Road."

The Mayor and his Wife on the left, with the new crew & family too!

Jason & I with Metlakatla in the background.

The Long House, next to the boat dock where we went fishing.

Our catch for the night. . . I'm not excited to be holding them.

The boat dock.

It’s a gift to be able to do what you love, and earn a living in the process. “Finding the right work is like discovering your own soul in the world” ~ Thomas Moore. There aren’t words for how grateful we are for this experience and opportunity to do what we love. We feel so incredibly lucky to have landed jobs that we love in such a magnificent place. This quote really sums it up. We are constantly reminded by the islands beauty how lucky we are right now ~ it feeds your soul.

Annette Island really is a magical place. Not only are the people unique with their culture and generous spirits, but the surroundings are just spectacular. We have been having a great time exploring.

Last weekend was sunny and we took full advantage of it. Starting with Friday after school we went on another fishing trip with our friends Rob, Jen, and Beth. Following fishing was brown butter spaghetti at our house and games. Saturday we were invited to go “out the road” with the mayor and superintendent. This turned out to be quite the treat.

There is a new road that will eventually lead out of town to a new ferry terminal, which will make Ketchikan a much shorter trip than it is now. The road is still under construction and closed to people. However, the mayor invited new teachers to join him in a tour so we took the school’s 15 passenger van and loaded up! It was a perfect day for a drive and we stopped at many different viewpoints, beach rest stops and waterfalls. It was fun to spend time with our co-workers and see more of the island that many people have never seen before!

Saturday night we were invited to a dinner at Darcee & Frank’s. Darcee teaches at the elementary and Frank works at the weather station on the island. They made some AMAZING halibut. If I remember correctly it was baked, with a general seasoning (lawrey’s?), 1 cup of sour cream and 1 cup mayo mixed together on top with cheddar cheese sprinkled all over. Delicious!!!

Then Sunday we hiked up to the lake where we get our drinking water. It was fun, but a difficult hike. It was more beautiful than I could possibly describe. . .see the pictures.

Then Monday was back to work. I administered the ASVAB at the high school for the first time. And by administered, I mean that I picked up the recruiters from the float plane at 7:45 am and brought them to the school to give the test. It went really well.

As soon as the ASVAB was done I was off to Anchorage for my District Test Coordinator Training. I didn’t realize what a trip I was in for! There are no direct flights from Ketchikan to Anchorage. This was news to me. So. . . . I took my 1 ½ hour ferry ride to Ketchikan then there is a 5 minute ferry taxi to the airport, got on my flight – which luckily was an actual 747 jet – and stopped in Sitka & Juneau & finally Anchorage. It was a long day. But it was also my first trip to Anchorage!
While I was there I met up with our friend Alisa who is working at the VA hospital and Jason’s aunt & uncle Chris & Rod and their family. It was nice to see civilization, starbucks, & familiar faces for a few days.

While I was in Anchorage Jason was busy working at home. This week he trained to become a volley ball referee and started playing pickle ball. What is pickle ball you might ask? Well, the best way I can describe it, is to compare it to racket ball I think. You may need to google it. This weekend is going to be jam packed full of volley ball for Jason while I get settled back into the swing of things.

I spent 2 days in Anchorage, and while I enjoyed exploring a new place and drinking nonfat white chocolate peppermint mochas – I realized that there is just something special about our new home. It’s a little more beautiful than anywhere else. I see all the cars and busy streets and coffee shops in Ketchikan & Anchorage and I missed the streets of Metlakatla, with no street signs and people smiling & waving at you every time you pass them. It’s a different life for sure, but there is something very cool about it – it speaks to your soul. Which believe it or not, we enjoy even more than our mochas.

The first week of school

Well we survived the first week of school! And what a great week it was! I was busy at the high school getting all 84 student schedules perfect and seniors on the track to graduation. Jason is teaching two courses; integrated science and biology. He has two classes of each, with the biggest class being 17 students. He spends the rest of his time designing a new class to be offered next year, called island science. He is also helping the school work towards accreditation. This week I am going to be working some time into my schedule to visit the elementary and middle school as well as meeting with each of the seniors to talk about after graduation plans.

We have been really impressed with the students here. They are all very sweet kids. We are looking forward to working with them and helping them learn and grow.

It was nice to get the first week complete and have a 3 day Labor Day weekend to celebrate with. Saturday we stayed home because it was really stormy out, which was a bit of a disappointment because every day last week was sunny! We woke up Sunday to a beautiful morning and called our friend Beth, who is a high school language arts teacher from Bend, Oregon to go on a hike. I’ll attach some pictures from the hike we did. We drove down the road just about 5 minutes outside of town to Sand Dollar Beach. It was a short hike, but still really fun to see more of the island that we hadn’t seen before.

After the hike Beth, Joe & Rachel came over to our house. Joe and Jason went fishing while the girls stayed home and made homemade rocky road ice cream. The guys came home and we enjoyed our ice cream and then all went to Mr. & Mrs. Avey’s house (our superintendant) for a Labor Day dinner for all of the new teachers. It was nice to spend time with everyone.

Today we had a dry morning so Jason and I went out for a run to the ferry terminal. It was so nice to have an extra day off. It was a great first week of school but we are exhausted! We are looking forward to this next week at school and planning a trip to Ketchikan soon to get some shopping done at Wal-Mart. Hope everyone else back home is having as good of a start to the school year as we are!