Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage

The Alaska Native Heritage Center offers a wonderful opportunity to become familiar with the 6 Native Cultures of Alaska; Athabascan (Central), Yupik/Cupik, (not certain), Inupiaq (Northwestern), Aleut (South Eastern along Aleuthian Islands), Alutiiq (Northcentral) and Tlingit/Haida/Eyak/Tsimashian (along the Inside Passage).
The Center is focused on traditional village settings set around a 2-acre lake with walking trails. The above totem pole is typically seen in the Haida Culture. Even though it is difficult to read the explanations (you can enlarge by tapping on the picture), I have chosen to show the different homes for each of the different cultures along with their accompanying self description.

This particular culture certainly strikes of the old, old, old days when the men ruled (left with larger home), the women were sent to live by themselves and raise the children (right smaller home), and when it was time to eat, they would all meet in the middle house (biggest of all).

Inside the Heritage Center are programs with native peoples exhibiting their native dances (see the mother and 6-year old daughter)





And kids demonstrating some of the games they play for fun. They told us they had tried to get this particular game into the Olympics but were rejected as the Alaskans would be the only people knowledgeable and able to win. The object is to kick (his right leg) high enough to hit the ball at the end of a very high tether. Even these kids did not always hit the mark.

There are more exhibits inside also describing the various Native Cultures and their way of life. I enjoyed this Heritage Center very much. It should not be missed on any visit to Anchorage.





BBYN, Karen and Don