Native Olympic Games

It's May and that means it is Native Olympic Games!  It also means the London US Olympics start July 27. I love watching these athletes compete because they are so skilled and focused.  The Native groups represented were the Athabaskans, Inupiat,Yupik, Aleuts, Tlingits, Eyaks and Haidas. For thousands of years and many generations, survival for the Alaska Native people depended not only on individual strength, skill and knowledge, but also on the ability to work together.  The Native Olympic Games (NYO) carry on the spirit of these cultures by encouraging young people to strive for their personal best while helping and supporting teammates and other teams.  These games are no different than the US Olympics because the NYO  games help develop healthy lifestyles, positive self-esteem, leadership and team work, sportsmanship and providing a better understanding between different cultures and communities.Most of the NYO games are developed from the elders passing on their knowledge to the youth, games to teach balance, cooperation, strength, agility, concentration, endurance and speed, all of which are qualities necessary to survival in their culture - hunting, whaling, fishing, etc.  I hope you will appreciate the skills demonstrated by these young athletes.  The NYO is for high school students and the WEIO (World Eskimo-Indian Olympics) is for adult competition which will take place in July, in Fairbanks,Alaska.

NYO games and skills:

This is the stick (dowel) for the Toe Kick competition.  Usually the greatest athletes use a pencil to perfect this skill.  The Toe Kick is an important survival skill for hunters on the water.  If the male is out fishing and his boat floats away, this skill (toe kick) helps him run and jump into the boat fast.  The athlete starts in with two feet and jumps with feet together over a stick, tapping it with the toes before landing on both feet. The athlete must be in total control of his/her body on the landing.  I was amazed some athletes jumped in bare feet, some in croc shoes, and a variety of sneakers.

This is the dowel that was used for the games.  It is 1/2 inch in diameter.

 

At the start line, all the athletes have their own routine to prepare for the jump.  Some prayed, some swung their arms so many times I was exhausted watching them, and then you get the athlete that just walked up to the start line and did their jump.  Amazing!

Toes tap the stick as they continue forward to a controlled two foot landing.  The stick should go roll backwards if the jump is done correctly. 

I want you to notice the judges for this event.  Have you ever see 5 judges lay on the floor to judge any event?  I haven't but these judges made it look easy.  Did I mention these games were three full days (9 am - 9 pm) where laying on a hard wood floor is required?  One judge is looking for the controlled landing, one for the start, and three watching to see if BOTH feet touch the stick at the same time.

The stick is going backward and he continues forward motion to a controlled landing.

This female athlete jumps in crocs.  I can't walk in them and here she is jumping in them.

Last year's gold medal winner in the Toe Kick competition.

This is Michael from a small village (Selawick) with a population about 700.  He is a sophomore and look at the concentration.  I don't know if I have ever said most Natives do not show emotion.  They don't nod their heads in agreement with you, they don't shake their head in disagreement, they don't do any winner celebration other than a smile.  BTW, if a Native agrees they show it by raising their eyebrows and no other facial or head movement. If they disagree there is a slight frown of the eyebrows.  When I started teaching up here I was amazed the students didn't nod their heads in agreement or disagreement.  Now when I ask a question to the class I ask, "Who agrees...blah blah blah" and while I am asking I am raising my eyebrows.  They are returning the eyebrow movement.

Michael had his personal best jump at 89 inches!  That means he jumped 7 feet 4 inches and tapped a stick on his jump!

Here is another Michael from Unalakleet and he was the Gold medal winner.  Michael broke the State record as he jumped a personal best at 93 inches!  That is just a smidgen under 8 feet!  Try just jumping forward with two feet and see how far you can jump.  Then try to kick a pencil backwards on your jump.  Remember the 8 feet is just where the stick located.  He actually jumped farther since the landing was several feet forward - which is not measured. 

I had to have a photo moment with Michael.  I sat with his coach during most of the Toe Kick competition and felt like I knew him.

These are two of my students who participated in the Native Youth Olympic Games for elementary students.  They were watching every competition so they could start practicing for their future games!!

This is one of my favorite Native friends.  He is everywhere in Alaska and most well-known because he is part of the Pamuya band.

These are the individual school banners displayed around the arena.  Notice the skills that are present on the banners.

This is a seal ball.  A very important symbol of the Games and Alaska.  It is a 7 inch diameter ball that is used for several games.  It is hand-sewn and made of seal skins and leather.

This young athlete is preparing for the One-Foot High Kick.  From a standing or running start, the athlete jumps with both feet, kick the suspended ball with one foot, then lands on the same kicking foot - with control (not losing their balance).  The game originated from hunting parties in the very North tribes.  If the hunt was successful the hunter would signal the village people to come help, by jumping as high as possible kicking one foot.

This young athlete was doing his preparation.  He would walk up to the seal ball and place his hands in a diamond shape with the seal ball in the diamond so he knew where to focus.  This ball was set much higher than his arm reach and I couldn't believe he just dropped his arms and jumped so high and kicked the seal ball.

And he landed the jump with control.  See where he is focusing, see how straight his body is in alignment.  Both of these demonstrate a great kick and athlete.

The State record was once again set in today's game at the height of 115 inches which was 9.50 feet high.  Think about standing there, jumping and kicking a ball 9 feet in the air (at least 3 feet or more above your head) and then land gracefully on the same foot.  These athletes take off and land almost with no noise.  The coaches explained to me that this is something they learn at a very early age - jump and land softly!!!!

I apologize but the photos are out of order here.  The top athletes for the One-Foot kick are a bit later in the blog.

I couldn't pass up a photo of this athlete's name. It is a combination of Native and Russian and she is part of the Awalangin tribe from Unalaska (out on the Aleutian Islands).

The One-Hand Reach requires such core strength as I stood in amazement and oohed and ahhed so much.

This young athlete shows the necessary skills - extraordinary balance, strength and focus as they balance on one hand or knuckles and reach with the free hand all while not having their legs or other body parts touch the ground.  This game was necessary to build strength, balance and endurance during hunting.  This skill is practiced all year round at home since it doesn't require a lot of room.

The correct form is to see a straight line from planted hand to fingertips of reaching hand.  This picture says it all.

Again, notice the judged on the floor.

This athlete walks up the seal ball to see the height he is reaching for this game.  It is just above his head. 

He has perfect form that demonstrates his strength and balance.

The State record is 70 inches.  That is 5 Feet!!!

This is a really well-known teacher across Alaska.  She has been teaching in her native village for over 35 years, she does commercials for Alaska Teacher Educational Association and she is a coach at the NYO games.  Can you believe she is over 70 years old??? I guess eating Native foods has its benefits.

Indian Stick Pull is a competition between two athletes where their feet can not move and there can be no body contact during the pull. The stick is greased and each athlete tries to pull the stick out of their opponent's hand.  The stick can not be raised any higher than the tallest opponent's shoulder with NO body contact or foot movement.  This skill is to get a fisherman ready to haul slimy fish into the boat with very little movement in the kayak or canoe.  Mariam from Valdez was the winner of the female competition.  The pull is so quick you have to really watch to make sure you don't miss it.  The males is a bit longer because their strategy is to hold on and wait until you think the opponent has lost concentration.

The Two-Foot High Kick tests the athletes core strength and jumping skills.  The athlete takes off on both feet simultaneously, kicks the ball, and then lands on both feet with control.  This skill is from a signal to the village if the hunt was unsuccessful.  Watch the height of the ball compared to one of the judges and the boys facial expressions. 

This athlete was over 6 feet and he was successful in jumping until the last 4 athletes.

The seal ball is above the judges head and the athletes feet is above his hips!

Look at the concentration and athleticism.

What flexibility!! it was standing room only for this crowd favorite jump.

Perfect form.  Your heels have to stay together and the toes can be together or separated.

The State record was broken again today.  I put my camera down when it got to the last 4 athletes because I was in total amazement.  The record today was 114 inches!!! That is 9.50 Feet HIGH!

Now try that one to test your skills!!

This is the Blanket (made from seal, otter, walrus hide) that is used for the World Olympics.  It was so beautiful.  The Blanket Toss is the most widely recognized event in the Northern Games.  A large group of people hold the edge of the blanket and stretch it out waist high.  The pullers pull in a synchronized rhythm that sounds like a heart beat.  Pretty amazing.  If some pullers stop pulling the beating sound goes away and the "team effort" is not successful.  On the third pull the athlete can be tossed up to 20 feet in the air and they are expected to keep control of their body and land standing.  The blanket toss originated with the Inuit hunters because someone who was tossed into the air could spot caribou, whales or other animals in the distance.  Elders speak of times when the blanket toss marked the end of a whale season and the captains were the first tossed in the air and would throw gifts such as baleen (whale teeth) or tobaccos to the villagers.

This is David and he has won the Olympic Games many times.  He is so giving of his knowledge and time to the athletes and children of Alaska.  He demonstrates his athlete skills as the first person to be tossed on the the Blanket.

He does flip after flip and lands so gracefully.  Points are not scored for flips or turn but points are scored for height and a controlled landing.

The top athletes all volunteered to be tossed to show their skills.

This is the NYO coach of the Anchorage team.  When she was tossed she sang a Native song.

All the seniors were invited to the floor for a group picture.  I was impressed that more than half of them were going to college.  Way to go seniors!

One-Foot top athletes demonstrate why they beat the State Record in this event.

This is a technique that several of the males use to train for this kick competitions.  Another member of the team is carried on their back as they run up to the hanging seal ball and try to jump straight up (no kick).  You and I might wear a weighted belt but they use another team mate and never have to purchase a training belt!!

The final game was the Seal Hop.  This is the most difficult and demanding game and skill of all the NYO skills. The athlete must remain on their palms or knuckles and toes and hop as far as possible.  The rump no be above their shoulders and they can not stop and restart.  Where they stop the distance is measured at their wrist.  This game originated from the hunter imitating the movement of a seal during the hunt.  This is a true test of endurance and strength!

On your mark, get set go -  Hop!!!

Good skill demonstrated by one of the female athletes.  She went about 60 feet in distance.  The state record for females is 151 feet.  That is going there and back on a basketball court!!! Ouch my hands hurt.

This young man won the seal hop and what awesome form.  His jump was about one inch off the ground as he went 170 feet.  That is over there and back on a basketball court and then a bit more!!

The other games completed during the NYO games was the Knee Jump (Consists of an athlete kneeling behind a line, sitting on his heels. The athlete then leap forward from a kneeling position, landing on both feet simultaneously and remain in that position without moving his feet or using his hands to maintain balance).  This skill was used by hunters to develop quick movement as they jumped from ice floe to ice floe and to lift the heavy animal off the ice onto his shoulders back to the village. The state record for the Knee Jump is 67 inches.  Try that one!

The wrist carry requires a student to sit on the floor and hook their wrist over a 48 inch long pole that is carried by the team mates.  They must walk one foot step per second and the athlete that holds on the longest is the winner.  The State record is over 600 feet for both boys and girls.

Alaskan High Kick and the Eskimo Stick Pull were also part of the NYO games.  I was not there for these events.

Attending the NYO games and talking to the coaches, athletes and parents was so informative I have another appreciation for their cultures.  It was my pleasure to witness this event.

I volunteered for the Project K'il (Native Boys) Super Hero Sport Day.  It was held at Bagich Middle School.  The main hallway has glass arc hangings at different levels to represent the sunrise and sunsets of Alaska.

They are so beautiful when the sun shines on them.

The MS mascot is the Raven.  The Ravens are covered with Native proverbs and cultural believes.

This is Bella. She is very Native and was so delightful to watch.  She explored the entire school grounds with enthusiasm and joy.  I asked her parents if I could take a picture of this cutie pie.  They explained they just adopted her and she is still learning the life of Anchorage vs the village.  Don't you just want to squeeze those chubby cheeks.  Bella like muktuk (whale blubber) and milk.  She was fascinated with my camera and giggled when she saw her own face on the screen.

This is Callan Chythlook-Sifsof of Girdwood, Alaska.  She is the Number 2 female snowboarder for the US Olympic team.  She won a Bronze medal in the last winter Olympics.  Callan was very motivating with her speech to the young Athletes at Super Hero Day.

This is the local Orthodox Russian School.  The blue domes can be seen for many miles.

A going away party was held for Vanessa and myself.  Vanessa is moving to Michigan right after school.  We have done so many adventures together we both will miss Alaska a lot. Beth made us both sashes with our favorite phrase.  Mine read:  Life is Good. And it sure is!!!

Spring is in the air in Alaska as well as down in the lower 48.  One of our frequent stops is at Tipps Bar and one of my regular friends had his motorcycle today. I asked permission to take my photo to show you how ready I am to ride.

The love of my life is about to arrive in Alaska for my last great adventure.  David will be arriving directly from London where he is visiting his cousin, Barb, and attending a legal conference.  David has made my adventure the most wonderful memories through his never ending support.  I am so lucky to have such a wonderful life mate, husband, best friend, father of our children, and awesome golfer!  His game has really improved over the years I have been up in Alaska.  I wonder if his game will drop a bit when his wife has other plans for him rather than golfing 7 days a week! I have enjoyed my weekly, or almost weekly blogs,  full of information and photos.  I know many of you liked the photos and some of you learned along with me as I asked all my questions.  Now it is time to close out the blog as well as my adventure comes to a close.  I hope you have enjoyed!

I have learned a lot in my three years.  I have learned the necessity of patience, the importance of time, value of cooperation and team work, the worth of doing your best, the significance of decisions, the usefulness of listening skills, the merit of observing, the magnitude of kindness, the joyfulness of laughter and the benefit of exploring new paths.   So as I close my three years of working, learning, adventuring (not sure it is a word but sounds good), I close with my most favorite Native words:

Listen with your heart and mind,

Gather knowledge and wisdom,

Always learn and maintain a balance, and 

Provide time to see how your life is going.

Know who you are because you are a reflection of your family.

Life each day with a smile.

I appreciate all of you and your friendship in my life.  I look to the future as David and I start a new book as we begin so many new adventures together. 

Until we meet again.....

Sheryl the Nanuq of the North

"Piuraa"
Good bye in Yupik

When you say good bye you will soon be approached with Hello.