Golden Eagle and a Special Feast

Skiing down Crow Mountain a few weekends ago

Hi Friends and Family! Things in Old Crow are going generally well. I had a really neat day today and so I will discuss it here.

The school year is winding down. We had our last "Hot Lunch" today, which is a lunch program put on by the Vuntut Gwitch'in Government (VGG) every Monday and Friday for the students at the school I work at. Often the meal is locally sourced food. It will be caribou soup with bannock bread. Sometimes it is salmon from the Porcupine River with rice and veggies. Community members often come to have lunch with their son/daughter/neice/nephew/grandchild.

After school I was walking my dog on the road behind my house and I saw the most gorgeous bird I have ever seen. I am pretty sure it was a golden eagle, and it was absolutely massive and very different (more brown/gold and bigger) than the bald eagles I am used to seeing on Vancouver Island and Northern BC. It appeared to be being chased by two ravens who must have been protecting a nest or some area from the golden eagle. It was a moment that truly stopped time and had me completely and fully present in the moment.



Second Mountain viewed from Crow Mountain

After the golden eagle encounter I attended a feast at Old Crow Community Hall. The occasion for the feast was the 90th birthday of one of the Elders of Old Crow. I'm not sure if I have mentioned much about feasts in Old Crow, but they have been one of the highlights of living here for me. Everyone brings their own dishes to the feast and there is always a huge array of food and dessert. Caribou has been a staple food of all the feasts I have been at and it is always so delicious. The Elders get served first at the feasts and younger people serve them so they can stay in their seats. People chat in line, get their food and sit along the walls of the community hall to eat. Fiddle players might be playing during dinner. Laughter can be heard and stories are always being told around the large round room.

Today we sang Happy Birthday to the Elder who turned 90. She is a truly remarkable woman who is still sharp and alert and who has had 17 children and raised 6 Grandchildren. It amazes me to imagine the changes to her town and the world that this woman has witnessed throughout her lifetime. It makes me wonder the changes I'll see throughout my life. After dinner she gave a speech (in Gwitch'in, that was transalated to English) expressing her thanks for everyone coming out to celebrate her birthday. She expressed sadness for seeing so many of her close friends pass away, but was mostly smiling and so thankful for what she has done and had in her life. We played a few group games (for prizes) after her speech and it was a really enjoyable feast.



Old Crow malamute sled dog pup

My day finished with a walk above tree line with a few friends in Old Crow. This malamute pup came along after we untied him from his tree partway up mountain. Some people are starting to tie their dogs up to trees partway up the mountain in case of a  flood. The Porcupine River is thought to break up in the next week or two, and whenever the river breaks there is a risk of a flood. Dogs (who are tied up) are especially at risk for dying in the case of a flood which is why people move their dogs partway up the mountain before break up.

I am really excited to see the river break up. It will be quite powerful I think, and a very exciting time for the town. Thanks for reading my blog and for all the emails, texts and skype dates. I miss you all and can't wait to see you next.

Warm Regards from Old Crow,

Haley