F EBRUARY 191 6 at Igloo in the region of Nome was a hopeful time. Eskimo owners of reindeer herds and apprentice herders had come here from all northwest Alaska to attend a Reindeer Fair. This was not the first Reindeer Fair sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Education. But that year the Fair was much...
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.563.7047 http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic3-1-27.pdf |
| Summary: | F EBRUARY 191 6 at Igloo in the region of Nome was a hopeful time. Eskimo owners of reindeer herds and apprentice herders had come here from all northwest Alaska to attend a Reindeer Fair. This was not the first Reindeer Fair sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Education. But that year the Fair was much more impressive, with representatives of ten villages competing in many contests: fastest sled deer, strongest deer, best trained deer for driving, most skilful lassoer who could catch and break a bull to drive most quickly, herdsman who could butcher and dress a carcass cleanest and fastest, and sledlashing for the trail. There were other contests: composing a song about reindeer, shooting with bow and arrow and with rifle, snowshoe racing, and other sports. Sleds, harness, clothing also were judged. ’ The competitive emphasis on skill, the show-ing-off of fur clothing and other fine homemade possessions, the resource-fulness displayed in long travel by reindeer sled across strange country to reach Igloo-all fitted into the Eskimo system of individual prestige. These Reindeer Fairs are a symbol of the high point in satisfaction obtained from Eskimo ownership of reindeer. However, elements of the anticlimax were already present. In 1914, a white family had formed a company for commercial development of IForrest, 291-296 (see references p. 44). |
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