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INTRODUCTION
Since the beginning of human existence on our world indigenous
people have lived with the seasons and demonstrated an awareness of
the necessity for balance and harmony in nature. According to
Kawagley (1995), "Attitude was thought to be as important as action,
therefore one was to be careful in thought and action so as not to
injure another's mind or offend the spirits of the animals and
surrounding environment". Fienup-Riordan (1990), Freeman & Carbyn
(1988), and Locust (1988) reported that Native myths, rituals, and
ceremonies have always been consistent with their relationship to
each other and to their environment (cited in Kawagley, 1995). And so
it is that many of the games played by Native people tell stories of
their struggle to succeed and survive in the environment in which
they live.
For thousands of years the Native elders have shared with their
families and communities a rich oral history of experiences in a
harsh environment. They taught their children that everything is
interconnected in nature. Merculieff (1990) stated that "each affects
the other, and it is this intimate knowledge of their environment
that has allowed these people to survive for hundreds of generations.
Their world is interdependent of man, animal, plants, water, and
earth - a total picture". It is seen as a circle. Games of agility,
strength, balance, endurance, and dexterity, helped Native people to
be better able to cope with their environment, whether the purpose is
for subsistence, or just passing time during the long Arctic
winters.
Harvey (1991), Yupiktak Bista (1974), and Yarber & Madison
(1986) discussed the fact that Native people have for countless
generations fished, hunted, and survived in various parts of Alaska.
Native people were able to live a subsistence life style because they
had knowledge about the environment in which they lived. They then
passed this information on to each successive generation. The Native
people could identify and name plants, insects, animals, and other
elements of their environment. They took a moral obligation to learn,
understand, pay attention, and respond. Learning was a part of
living. It occurred in the home, village, and new environments.
Learning was the responsibility of every family member. Each
individual contributed to the process of learning in one way or
another. Learning was not forced, it just happened naturally.
Qualities important to Athabaskan native people were honesty,
truthfulness, physical strength, the ability to listen and observe as
a way to understand, a willingness to learn, and helpfulness towards
others (Yarber & Madison, 1986). Kawagley (1995) stated that the
sharing of food, thought, and service, helped Yupiaq people to
develop and maintain strong family ties. Sewing, preserving foods,
cooperation, and working together are important skills Native people
also possessed. The children were provided an opportunity to learn
how to hunt, fish, build dwellings and sleds, sew clothing, and many
other skills in order to survive.
Peter John, an Athabaskan elder living in Minto, Alaska, is
referenced in his biography as stating that "he learned best how to
do things by watching other people" (Yarber & Madison, 1986). His
quote in that writing is as follows: "You got to try to make things.
If you can't do it on your own, you just have to see how the other
people are doing it. By looking and listening. It's the way we
understand". He made his snowshoes, sled, poling boat, and canoe.
Trapping was a part of his life style. Rotation of his traplines was
important so the animals were not hunted to extinction. His children
learned trapping and hunting by working with him.
The younger generation of Native people may be lacking in the
knowledge of those who lived in times past, and they may not fully
appreciate the difficulty of trying to survive, like their elders.
When viewed in terms of America's current
social-technological-environmental path, creating opportunities for
Native people to learn about their culture and history becomes
increasingly difficult. However, as a society, it is the writer's
opinion that we have an ethical and moral obligation to assist Native
people in this endeavor. One way of creating an opportunity for
contemporary Native people to learn more of their culture and history
is through support and active participation in the World
Eskimo-Indian Olympics (WEIO), Arctic Winter Games (AWG), and the
Native Youth Olympics (NYO). It is for the purpose of providing
updated and current information to Native people, educators, and
other interested parties, regarding WEIO, AWG, and NYO activities,
that this paper is being written.
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