Alaskan At Heart: Anchorage's Native Heritage Center

One thing I love to learn about is history- especially the history of native cultures. This month, I decided it was a good time to visit Anchorage's Native Heritage Center- a newer establishment that does an excellent job of teaching its guests about the various groups of Alaska Native groups. So cool! Vince and I had a great time :)

Entrance

Statue of Raven The Creator

Great overview of the different native groups within Alaska

Demo of one of the native games featured in the Native Olympics

Demo of the high kick- wow!

One of many beautiful native clothing exhibits

Gorgeous fur parkas and hats

Toddler parka

Beautiful headdresses

Native dance performances

Amazing!

...on to the village site exhibits outside :)

Athabaskan regions

Lodges and Cabins

Inside the lodges

Time to visit the Yupik and Cupik regions

Wisely, they used the earth to help guard them from the elements

Inupiaq and St. Lawrence Island Yupik regions

...and their homes

Cool door!

...and a model harpoon

Me playing hunter :p

Jawbone from a bowhead whale- from one of the native whaling groups

Great whaling story

Grey whale skeleton

Regions of the Unagax & Sugpiaq groups

Another utilitarian home to shelter people from the cold!

Information about watercraft

Beautful canoe display

Sample home

Traditional-style sleeping platform (sleeping off the floor is much warmer!)

Inside the Sugpiaq home

Beautifully detailed exhibits

Loved this bowl! In the Sugpiaq culture, newborns are given
their own special bowl that represents their personalities (this one
was a seal to represent curiosity). Very cool!

SE Alaskan groups: Eyak, Tlingit, Haida & Tsimshian

The SE Alaskan groups were the only ones that made totem
poles- because they are the only groups that had access to the
large cedar trees that grow in their region