Field Trip on the Yukon

October 11th, Tuesday, 5:00 AM.  I rolled over in my dark room. My eyes winced shut as my laptop came to life, loading wunderground.com to check the weather for that day. As stated on the extensive field trip proposal, our class field trip to go out boating was planned for either Tuesday or Wednesday. With a slight panic, my eyes raced over the weather forecast. Tomorrow is supposed to be freezing, have 15-20 mph winds, and rain? I thought. Tuesday had practically no wind, no rain, and some clouds. During this time of year, seal hunting was best right before freeze up, but the cold temperatures would just lead to a quickly freezing river too dangerous for the students. With Wednesday's possible weather conditions, the phrase It's now or never motivated me.


Knowing that it was entirely possible that we might have to cancel the trip completely if we couldn't pull all the parts together, I started sending out texts and calls, packing warm clothes, and getting things ready just in case. If one student didn't have a permission slip, or proper clothes, I'd have to cancel it. If the boat drivers couldn't drive, we wouldn't go.

Instantly, we ran into some issues. One of my main boat drivers was going to be hunting in Black River that day. My amazing parent chaperone had committed to babysitting. Some parents didn't answer their phones. I was prepared to tell the students that we most likely couldn't go, meanwhile I was finding substitutes and alternatives from my back-up lists. I calmly went to a scheduled meeting for my post-evaluation with our Assistant Instructional Leader. The lunch ladies were graciously packing us a lunch to take if we got to go.

While students arrived at school my hand found a stack of permission slips piling up. After a few ups and downs of good news or disappointments, things started falling into place. Before I knew it, I was telling students we wouldn't be leaving unless each student had two hats and warm gear from the two totes I had packed that morning.

3 boats x (25 gal. of gas @ 6.55/gal) = $491.25 (approximate)

Nunam Iqua w/ Kuzelveq Mountain in the background

The students used sticks to push them off the sandbar

Students took the lead in the front of the boat

Bummer checked his net and repositioned it

Some of the girls observe

Thank you to our amazing boat drivers!

Not a much better treat than hot coffee and a sticky bun

A nontraditional lunch setting is good for the soul

The boys practice spear-throwing on the tundra

A couple of the boys found a barbell to test their strength.

The students got to collect drift wood to start this fire.

After a relaxing lunch break, we were ready to get back out.

 Throughout the day, the students got to see 4 moose-- a bull, a cow, and two calves. We were able to see a few different birds, a weasel, pike fish, maklak, and be with the wildlife in their own habitat.

As the day went along, other boats joined us

After a few hits with a spear, they use the cavaq (harpoon)

Jadon hit this Maklak (bearded seal) with his spear

My students got to be a part of at least a couple successful chases

On our way back towards Alakanuk, we saw a boat towing a whale. I asked Bummer if it was possible for us to see it since I had never seen one before. Two men from Mountain Village had caught the Beluga and were willing to let the students see it. It took all of the boat drivers, students, and men to tug it ashore.

The students point out scratches on the whales body.

We all thought the whale was smiling.

Bummer helps cut some small pieces of whale fin for people to try.

At one point there were 14 boats working as a team to catch one maklak.

They throw the head and some intestines in the water so the spirit lives on.

The four maklaks in a row allowed students to see the traditional way of cutting the seal.

We were blessed with perfect weather.

So overall, the trip was a success. At the start of the day, I wasn't quite sure if the students would get to go. And then when we could, some students were reluctant to go. But with a little encouragement we were headed towards the boats. Throughout the day I got to watch each student express themselves in a new way. The most rewarding part of this trip was to watch the change in some of the students who are more typically quiet and reserved. I'll never forget seeing some of the brightest smiles for the first time and hearing beautiful laughter ring out over the roar of the boat engines.

We got to see and experience much more than I had ever hoped for with the community's best hunters. To be under the open sky and gliding along the glassy water was a new experience to some of the students. Some got to throw a spear for the first time or feel the warm skin of a large maklak. My students got to ask questions about rain clouds in the distance and eat around a fire. Suddenly the worlds of their Yup'ik ancestors mixed with things they had read or learned about in school collided.