We went to the Olympics!!!

What great fortune for us to be able to attend the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics! Far from the spectacle of pomp, parade, and glittering spandex that will soon be taking place in Beijing, these Olympics were casual, warm and inviting, with the  joyful, enthusiastic air of a high school track meet.

The night we attended was the final night, and it began with contestants in native dance, which is an important part of the native culture:

Even though I had no idea of the words they sang in their native languages, we could follow along with the story of the dance-stories of whales spotted, seals hunted, kayaks paddled, and spears thrown, nets mended, eagles soaring and lovers embracing.  All this and more brought to life with pounding drums, stomping feet, and the beautifully coordinated and highly stylized motions of the traditional dances.

Then it was on to the athletic competitions.

The WEIO events are quite different from the events in the more well-known Olympics. They all have to do with characteristics needed for survival in a harsh environment: strength, agility, and ability to endure pain. They often mimic skills used in hunting or other traditional activities and include such events as the knuckle hop, stick pull, ear pull, and 4 man carry. Here is a link with good descriptions of the events.

One of our favorites is the One Foot High Kick, where the contestant must leap from the floor and with one foot, kick a suspended ball of seal fur, then land on the same foot, without falling.

These guys are amazing! We saw them achieving kicks up to 104 inches high.

A highlight of the evening is the Blanket Toss, where a blanket of seal skins is used to toss men up to thirty feet or more into the air, where they perform stunts and land standing on their feet on the blanket.

This young man achieved amazing heights!

This guy did some awesome flips!

And then came an event that had us all squirming in our seats-the Ear Weight. In this event  sixteen pounds of lead weight is suspended from twine. The contestant must lift the weight with only his ear and carry the weight as far as he can. As you can guess, it is a test of extreme pain tolerance!

Here was this year’s champ:

As you can see, these Olympics are not restricted to the elite, and there are no fancy uniforms or highly trained athletes here. Only extremely courageous young men and women who are willing to put themselves to the test for a chance at victory and honoring their native heritage. Check out this little guy giving the ear weights a shot!

In between events we strolled through the vendors and displays of native crafts which were absolutely beautiful–carvings in whale bone, baleen and ivory, beautiful bead-work and native costumes of fur and hide. All gorgeous and all way out of our price range!

What great way to spend an evening and what a lucky family we are to be able to experience such a culturally rich event!I can’t wait until next year!