Eskimo Games

One of the great things about the Inupiat is their friendliness, humor and genuine love of having fun. They have a great way of making outsiders feel welcome at community events, even if the welcome usually only goes as far as the public events. Even without our pale white skin and fast-talking ways, the tight-knit community would know we were outsiders because everyone here is family.

I don’t fault them for their limited openness after countless outsiders coming to the arctic for a few months or even a few years to study, photograph and otherwise exploit the culture, the land and the rare riches of this indigenous people. Maybe they know they have limits to their invitations, so they make sure to give ample and genuine welcome and congeniality when the time is appropriate. The Eskimo Games the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day are one of those times, and the community welcomed our participation with open arms...and a few outstretched middle fingers, but I'll explain that later. We had a lot of fun being there.

The kids’ games were in the mornings and included such classics as running races and crab-crawl races along with traditional Eskimo games like the one and two-footed high kick. They organized the events, both for kids and adults, by age, but by the time it got to Luke’s age group (one-year-olds), each day’s event had morphed into running races. Didn’t bother Luke, and since the crab-crawl became the regular crawl for ages three and four, and the regular crawl races became some crawl, some run, some just sit there for the two-year-olds, the just get across the line races were perfect for Luke and his one-year-old pals.

The adult games were in the evenings, with different events each night. So as not to get too personal, the adult age brackets were in five-year increments. Unfortunately, with all the excitement during that week, we only made it to one night’s games—the arm pull and the middle finger pull. Both of these games, like many Eskimo pasttimes, can be played in limited space like that afforded in a cozy igloo when it's 31 below like it is today.

I hate that we missed the high kick night, because it’s an amazing event where participants stand, jump and kick a ball hanging from a string and then land again in the same spot. “So?” you say, well with the one-footed high kick (where you land on the same foot as you kick the ball) competitors get upwards of 8 feet, and sometimes much higher. Pretty amazing for a people not known for their height. Not that I would’ve had a chance in that event since what little flexibility I may have had before has been missing for some time. I’m just lucky my boots slide on and off.

Pictures (and now videos too!) explain it better than words, so enjoy.



Everyone enjoyed the first night of Eskimo dances, but only Luke and Lisa braved the floor. Go Lisa!


Luke loves the drums...


and the stomping.


This little man wanted to take his drum and go home.


The next day was the running races. On your marks...


It took the one-year-old bracket a while to catch on that first day.


See what we mean. Mayhem. Some kids got it, but Luke was still a bit awestruck.


The next day he listened more closely to his coach...


But his buddy James had the speed to win.


Yes, we're those proud parents who share everything. Check out the video of the second race...

Luke was in it for third until James bolted back toward the starting line. Luke promptly followed. James decided to split toward the stands, but the determined Luke charged on all the way to the finish line, uh, I mean, starting line. It was a good effort by all, and way fun.


The evening games were for us, and Layla thought the "middle finger pull" was going to be easy. A few seconds into this match with Doreen, I believe the line was, "I could do this forever."


Then Doreen busted the Eskimo experience on her.


Layla did get third in the finger pull after loosing a close match to our friend Aurah from Juneau who was visiting with her fiance, Mike, another of our close friends from Juneau.


I managed to actually get second place in my age bracket. Can you guess who got first?






The locals are never too old to have some fun. They even brought out the chairs for the septagenarians.


The finger pull was hard, but the arm pull was real hard.


Or friend, Mike, bested me in the arm pull...


...but met his match a few rounds later.


He still placed second and got $10, a bruised hand and a real sore arm for his efforts. Not bad for getting off the plane just minutes before the competition. Cash money to the winners: $15 for first, $10 for second, and $5 for third.

All in all, each of the four of our crew, Mike, Aurah, Layla and I all brought home some cash that night. Watching the 18-25 and 25-30 brackets made me realize how it sometimes pays to be old. Those kids were strong. Winners or not, we had a lot of fun, and even had some fans in the crowd. As we left, a couple people mentioned how they enjoyed watching us compete. I'm not sure I would've risked my ability to walk by competing in the high kicks, but I did want to watch. But believe it or not, we were just too busy and too tired from a full day that day to make it. Guess I'll have to wait until next year.