Travel to the Alaska Native Heritage Center
Posted in Art, Historic, Museums, Scenery, Travel | By Guest Author | Tags: Alaska, Art, Historic, Scenery, Travel
By Guest Author Peggy Bradshaw
The Native Heritage Center, located outside of Anchorage, Alaska, introduces you to native traditions and customs of both the past and the present. We stopped there on our way from Whittier to Anchorage.
Alaskan Native Art Statue at entrance of the Heritage Center - photo by George Bradshaw
The Welcome House displays items of native culture and also has workshops and demonstrations, plus lectures and stories by members of the different clans. There is also a gift shop with authentic wares from the different cultures that are truly beautiful.
Outside we explored the village sites of the different clans and listened to clan members describe ancient traditions and tell stories of the present. The indigenous peoples of Alaska include the Athabascan, Aleut, Alutiiq, Tlingit, Haida, Inupiaq, Yupik, Eyak, Cupik and Tsinshian tribes, and we learned in which areas of Alaska they lived and how they lived. Because of the extreme cold in the winter in most areas, their dwellings were well insulated by being built half underground or by covering the house with soil and tundra.
Athabaskan clan native describes dwelling - Photo by George Bradshaw
The most interesting thing we learned was that all dwellings had to have an escape route in case a bear got into the interior. The entrances were small to hinder the bears from getting in.
Traditional Alaskan house insulated by sod and soil - Photo by George Bradshaw
We learned of the tools, watercraft, and drums that were used and how they were made, and saw the displays of art that were everywhere. There was an abundance of totem poles depicting the different clans and workshops where they were carving additional ones.
A small whale skeleton is on display and also huge whale ribs that formed an archway. When the hunters captured and killed a whale or sea lion, every part of the animal was used to make life better for them. Not only was it used to feed, but also to clothe the inhabitants and to make utensils. We saw whole seals whose hides were used for totes and storage.
The houses were simple but functional and were used for living and for ceremonies. The furniture was attached to the walls permanently and lined the walls, leaving the center area open for pit fires and cooking. The beds resembled bunk beds and had boughs and furs lining the bottoms for comfort and warmth. Caches (houses on stilts) were built to keep food safe from wild animals and dogs.
A visit to the Alaskan Native Heritage Center is a must-see when you are in the Anchorage area. We learned the basics of all the cultures in one place. We spent an afternoon there in order to see it all, but was well worth the time.