Da Ku Cultural Center

June 15th

We left our 4 fun-filled and beautiful days in Haines, which was a delightful surprise to me. I imagined it to be just a transition ferry stop to other destinations, and not A PLACE to explore and enjoy. The Haines Hwy. is just as surprisingly stunning back-tracking to Haines Junction, with those immaculate and majestic glaciated mountains, and this jaunt we got to see our first grizzly of the trip! Mark said we probably will never get this close again to one of these masters.

A younger adult couple got out of their car, and with their backs to the bear, had their friend take their photo, arms around eachother. The griz started to crouch, and Mark heard him huff. On another trip to these parts, he honked his horn when a man got too close and invasive to a grizzly, to scare the saner mammal away, before harm was done. Today, the people got back into their vehicles sooner than later. Up the road, we also saw the largest black bear yet, also grazing on the side of the road. Yesterday, the theme was eagles, and today, bear.

It's been fun running into several retiree couples from West Virginia, Arizona, California, traveling this route to the same and different Alaskan destinations, who have graced the same campgrounds or gorgeous turn-out overnight sites, or visited on picnic tables by rivers and lakes, watching Mark surrender his fish to the eagle. Today, it was the very personable AZ people with their yellow kayaks, who we met in the Chilkoot campground, saw them at our day area on Mud Bay, and then today, at a turn-out on the Haines Hwy.

In Haines Junction, we had a wonderful time at the Da Ku Cultural Center, where the Champagne-Aishihik-Tutchone people have created an airy, well-designed, three year-old housing of cultural and a Kluane (Klu-a-nee) National Park and Reserve presentation. Mark and I were impressed with the young man curator, a member of this First Nation tribe, who taught us many aspects of his and the elders' generations. His generation is the first to collect artifacts, crafts and arts from the preceding ones, who did not have the means to store these familiars, and when cremated, were accompanied by the material beloveds, much as the Egyptians practiced, for their afterlives. This was an exciting and unknown concept to both Mark and me, which would include most of these other NW peoples, possibly. Don't know about the Tlingits; although he said there has been much inter-marriage with this tribe, with whom much trading was done. With familial ties developing, the curator shared that the two tribes would limit the bartering only with clan members.

The Champagne-Aishihiks (A-jac) have two clans of Raven and Wolfe, and their artwork is distinctively different from the Tlingits', with more curves, and less geometric angles and balance. Mark bought a lovely local Tutchone artist's painting of a mother and baby raven encircling one another, and feathers were depicted, which he said the Tlingit do not do. The background reminds Mark of a dream catcher, with an sunset-hued background. The clans are determined matriarchically. After the Al-Can was developed, this local First ation group went from small community living, to moving to larger settlements, e.g. Whitehorse, and larger towns, as well as individual plots (Klukshu, the village before Haines Junction, has developed into the latter, the curator announced), instead of communal village lifestyles.

It was reassuring and touching to hear the enthusiastic Tutchone teacher, share that many of his generation are now reviving and/or continuing their cultural values, arts and crafts, and some have contemporized creations, e.g. beading a Yankee team theme, vs. a flower (missionaries would teach tribal members to bead floral designs, and these specific blossoms have been passed down to this generation; thus flowers on men's jackets as an example). The even younger woman accompanying him, confirmed that her grandmother taught her to bead a specific flower, that she continues to carry through.

We were described gaffs that were and continue to be used for fishing. The teacher continues to now use a curved hook gaff to catch salmon, and the elders gather with their coolers for him to fill first, and he may take home two fish out of thirty caught. He has no resentment, since he will expect the younger ones to honor and respect him when he gains the golden age. A really sincere, tender, delightful person he was.

Satiated with knowledge and concentration fatigue, we left the center, thanking the curator profusely, and sought tea-time and wifi at The Village Bakery. Ono warm cinnamon rolls and apple streudel, coffee, and catching up with online news and community. My heart leapt when I saw facebook pics of Lucy and Larkin, and Lucy again with a couple friends. Also enjoyed photos of Mark's daughter Michelle and her Fab Four girlfriends from childhood, celebrating pal Erica's 40th, this past week-end in Washington; and shots of Eric, his son and fun, adorable partner Angela, at their friends' Sonoma wedding and travel sojourns.

Driving north, Mark shared another idyllic, water, mountain site with me, on the Kluane Lake, which is 154 square miles big. After initially parking, we walked down the gravel road further, and discovered an even more choice and private spot, where a large-bouldered and smaller rocked beach graced us, right there. Mark casted a few minutes to decompress from his goodhearted driving, while I sat taking in the tranquility and stillness of this lake and hills, with mountains in the background.

We enjoyed a non-pasta stir fry, which, instead, consisted of chicken sausage with bell peppers, mashed potatoes (Mark's special one-step packet), green beans and peaches. Yummy!!! Mark then emailed kiddos and others, via his ham outfit, took a stroll and sat outside, while I typed this entry. God, this view is so lovely, when I gaze to my left window. Clouds are elongated grey-white, with powder blue sky interspersed, and still dusky-light at 8:30 p.m. Mark's working on his myriad of loving photos.