The eagles soared majestically across the skies of Hoonah and Juneau, Alaska. It was finally time for us to get off the boat and explore the “last frontier” cities. After being at sea for a few days, we were ready and looking forward to it!
While in Hoonah, we had to arrive in tenders as the port is too small for the cruise ship, so we took the small lifeboats and alighted onto shore.
We decided to attend a Native Tlingit storytelling presentation in a longhouse type theatre. We learned so much about the tribe through their stories, songs and dances. The first thing they did was a welcome song and dance to see who was in the audience. People are either eagles or ravens and this “clan” title is passed down by the mother. Eagles can only marry ravens, and ravens can only marry eagles – one cannot marry within their own clan. As we were given our eagle/raven status, the group sang and had us dance.
The group then shared creation stories which focused on “Raven”, the trickster, but also one of the smartest animals in the animal kingdom. Through Raven, the Natives received the stars, moon, the sun and most importantly – water!
By the end of the presentation, our girls were up there and dancing to the beat of the drum while dressed in the Native costumes. It was pretty special as it was just about National Aboriginal’s Day and the group was preparing to go to Fairbanks, Alaska to present their program. We wish them well with this endeavor!
After the show, we wandered into town and just marvelled at the gorgeous views of the water, mountains and trees. By this point in time, it was close to 7:00pm, but the skies were still bright with sunshine! After getting used to early sunsets throughout the rest of our travels, this was something really cool.
We shopped around the small town and finally settled at the local restaurant/general store and bought the kids “Caribou Tracks” milkshakes. We sat at a table and just chatted the rest of our time away with the locals who had also gathered there. There was a local Native who brought in photos of bears and eagles he had spotted just the day before – they were fabulous! And we also met a captain (Captain Russell) of a small fishing vessel; we were captivated by his stories…so much so, that we were determined to meet him while in Alaska and be part of his adventures….stay tuned for Mikhaila’s post in the next few days!
Hoonah was a natural small town with some very friendly people and we really enjoyed learning about the Native culture, meeting the locals and learning about their lives. It also helped us to prepare for our time in Juneau!
Juneau was similar to Hoonah, but much larger in both area and population. The cruise ships were able to dock and we were able to walk off the ship right into the downtown part of the city.
Our first stop was the Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls about 30 minutes away from the city. The glacier was bright blue and the sunlight made everything sparkle. It reminded me a lot of our own trip to the Glaciers found on the Icefields Parkway in Alberta back in 2011.
After making our way back to the city, we walked around the town and saw some interesting places.
The Red Dog saloon is the oldest Alaskan pub in Juneau and transports its patrons back to the days of Wild West of the Gold Rush.
Another interesting place we found was the Russian Orthodox Church. When the Russians were in Alaska back in the 1800’s, they built Orthodox churches while the Catholic missionaries built their own churches. Both faiths tried to convert the Natives to Christianity. However, the Catholic missionaries would not allow the Natives to have services in their heritage language, while the Russians did. As a result, today there are a number of Natives who are of Orthodox faith.
We also visited the Soboleff Centre, a new Native heritage building that also shares and supports the Tlingit culture. The carvings and artwork are amazing!
One fun idea we saw in Juneau was the public “Bucket List” of “Things to Do Before I die”. People all stopped to read what others had said, and added their own ideas as well. It made for some great reading…and what we noticed was how many wrote about travel…:)
We really enjoyed exploring these two Alaskan cities and seeing how both the Natives and the locals all live close to the land. One can see how they appreciate the beauty and nature that surrounds them and their lifestyle. Visiting the “Land of the Midnight Sun” was relaxing and fun…and no, we didn’t see Sarah Palin…and we couldn’t see Russia either:)
P.S. We know the poem by Robert Service was written about Dawson City, Yukon – but we couldn’t help but recite it as we walked through the streets. We imagine that Yukon would be similar…but there’s only one way to find out:)
Comments
4 responses to “Cities of the Midnight Sun”
Thank you for this lovely commentary and pictorial walk through these lovely places. I was fortunate to have been to these places and have many fond memories that you have rekindled. It is a very interesting place and I still cherish my quilt jacket.
Hi Herta,
Both cities were quite lovely and we really enjoyed having extended daylight hours!
Cheers,
Kat:)
Great Blog! I really enjoyed the beautiful scenery as well as the great commentary. I found the information about the Russian Orthodox Church very interesting! Always enjoyed the poem, “The Cremation of Sam McGee.” Love, Mom
HI Mom,
Alaska is a really neat place and not as cold as everyone thinks. We were quite surprised by how warm it was!
Cheers,
Kat:)