Journal Entry
I came into this experience not really knowing what to expect. All the pictures I had seen of Utqiagvik (Barrow) have been cloudy, gloomy, and grimy. Although the clouds and mud are everywhere, gloomy is far from the truth. I had some down time to do the tourist thing in town Friday and I am hooked. The culture is so alive here. You can feel it in the air. And the Inupiat (in YOU pea ack) people have not only survived this harsh climate, but have thrived in it. What the weather lacks in warmth, the people more than make up for it. You do not feel like an outsider here, but a part of the community. I learned that the Inupiat have 12 core values they live by. This is how a people can live in the Arctic and make a life worth living.
- Avoidance of conflict
- Compassion
- Cooperation
- Family and kinship
- Sharing
- Respect for nature
- Humility
- Humor
- Hunting traditions
- Knowledge of the language
- Love and respect for our elders and one another
- Spirituality
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