Some recent AK photo's (Kenai, Palmer: conditions, museum, spring)

[Barkingowl]

Are those whales or salmon?

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by Barkingowl

Are those whales or salmon?

They are Keet, orcas. Interesting side fact for those who aren't aware, orcas (aka killer whales) are not really whales at all but large porpoises. True whales are planktonivores that feed using baleen. Thus, what are sometimes referred to as "toothed whales"- that is whales that have teeth and eat larger fish- are actually porpoises.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

They are Keet, orcas. Interesting side fact for those who aren't aware, orcas (aka killer whales) are not really whales at all but large porpoises. True whales are planktonivores that feed using baleen. Thus, what are sometimes referred to as "toothed whales"- that is whales that have teeth and eat larger fish- are actually porpoises.

I like the way they are depicted.

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by Barkingowl

I like the way they are depicted.

Thanks-

I'm going to play around with it a little and see if I can find a way to make it less obviously photoshopped...

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

I'm not sure if I like this or not, but what the hell. Enjoy.

I LOVE it! That's just fabulous.

Hmm... Xa'at, do you know anybody named Taug?

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by Floyd_Davidson

I LOVE it! That's just fabulous.

Hmm... Xa'at, do you know anybody named Taug?

The name isn't familiar, but I know a lot of people by face that I couldn't tell you the name of. Is he (she?) a UAS student?

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

The name isn't familiar, but I know a lot of people by face that I couldn't tell you the name of. Is he (she?) a UAS student?

One of my grandchildren is a Taug. Most of them are either significantly older than you or significantly younger, so I'm not surprised if you don't know them. Thought I'd ask though, cause it's a small world... :-)

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by Barkingowl

I like the way they are depicted.

There is a simply wonderful story, "Keet Shagoon", that the Tlingit people tell about how keet were created, and why they never attack humans.

I don't know if it is still available, but the Naa Kahidi Theater made a 28 minute long video of it in 1988. It was sponsored by the Sealaska Corporation among others. The video is not technically great, but the story and the performance are fabulous.

"Keet Shagoon tells the story of Naatsilanei, who carves a killer whale to seek revenge against his bothers-in-law who left him to die on a rock at sea. A company of four Tlingit performers costumed in traditional, pre-European regalia enact the story. Keet Shagoon combines the aboriginal traditions of oral literature, dance, and song. The video was shot in peformance in thhe fall of 1988."

The contact information on the cover might still be good,

One Sealaska Plaza, Suite 201, Juneau, AK 99801
907-463-4844

Not related to killer whales, but worth mentioning are two other videos that Naa Kahidi produced, which round out my favorite three. The Tlingit story "The Box of Daylight" and a Yup'ik story
"Carayak".

These are very well done examples of Alaska Native traditional stories, and watching them is extremely educational.

[Xa'at]

I wanted to see the Naa Kahidi dancers so badly when I was in Sitka but they didn't have a show that weekend.
I really love the story about how we should always thank our game animals before we kill them. I've heard a couple of different versions corresponding with different groups, but generally it goes like this:
A man goes out in his boat, hunting for salmon/walrus/etc etc. He brings with him plenty of food to eat for the trip, and sure enough he hasn't been out there long when he manages to find a humongous salmon/walrus/ etc etc. While he is hunting it down, he munches away on his food, instead of sharing it with the salmon/walrus etc etc. Furthermore, when he finally catches it, he says not a word but just kills it and hauls it back to his village. They have a feast to celebrate his catch and everyone is happy, but next year the salmon/walrus etc etc don't return and all of the people in the village starve. The lesson is of course that we must pay our respects to that which sustains us.
I think it's a lesson that your average joe American could really stand to learn, don't you agree?

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

I wanted to see the Naa Kahidi dancers so badly when I was in Sitka but they didn't have a show that weekend.

I haven't seen any of their work since the mid-1990's. My daughter toured with Naa Kahidi for two years when they were performing "Fires on the Water" under the direction of Dave Hunsaker.

Originally Posted by Xa'at

I really love the story about how we should always thank our game animals before we kill them. I've heard a couple of different versions corresponding with different groups, but generally it goes like this:
A man goes out in his boat, hunting for salmon/walrus/etc etc. He brings with him plenty of food to eat for the trip, and sure enough he hasn't been out there long when he manages to find a humongous salmon/walrus/ etc etc. While he is hunting it down, he munches away on his food, instead of sharing it with the salmon/walrus etc etc. Furthermore, when he finally catches it, he says not a word but just kills it and hauls it back to his village. They have a feast to celebrate his catch and everyone is happy, but next year the salmon/walrus etc etc don't return and all of the people in the village starve. The lesson is of course that we must pay our respects to that which sustains us.
I think it's a lesson that your average joe American could really stand to learn, don't you agree?

I absolutely agree!