The Eskimo Olympics

I'm sure you're aware of the history of the Olympics--how the Greeks liked to strip down and wow each other with their prowess at running, throwing and jumping while naked? I guess that's what happens when you live someplace that's warm and balmy all year long and men get together to show off.

Well here in Alaska we have our own version of the Olympics but which involves considerably more clothing.

In 1961 in Fairbanks the first World Eskimo Olympics was born as a way to preserve some of games and competitions the Native people of Alaska have played for centuries and just as the original Greek Olympics honored the skills it took to stay alive in ancient Greece the Eskimo Olympics represent the skills admired among the Native peoples.

Now besides the official World Eskimo-Indian Olympics which are held every March in Fairbanks there are also the Native Youth Olympics held every April in Anchorage and various other games events during the year. Forget the 100 meter dash and the high jump--these events tend to meld the physical prowess of the traditional Olympics with the entertainment of the Peking Acrobats. But everyone has their clothes on.

In the summertime we often have "Family Olympics" where we get together in the back yard with the kids and play our own version of the Olympics. I'm thinking that maybe this summer we need to do a Native Alaskan version and incorporate some of these new events.

The kids would have a great time trying out their Eskimo Skills.

If you happen to attend sometime here's what you can expect.

The One Arm Reach
With one elbow in your stomach and your hand on the floor balance your body parallel to the floor while reaching up to touch a ball high above you. You must touch the ball and bring your hand back down to the floor before any other part of your body touches the ground. Truly a Jackie Chan move.

The One-Foot High Kick
Stand with both feet on the ground. Jump up into the air and with one foot kick a ball that can be as high as a basketball net then land on that same foot you just kicked with.

Yea. It's tough. This is really the "premier" event at the W.E.I.O. (World Eskimo-Indian Olympics) and supposedly it came from the time when hunters would signal to others of a successful whale hunt by jumping high into the air. Yes I know cell phones would have been easier but would they have looked so cool?

The Toe Kick
Stand with your feet together and a one-inch diameter rod on the ground in front of you. Jump forward enough to kick the stick with your toes but kick it backwards as you jump forward. You have to land ahead of the point where the stick was at the beginning.

As the competition progresses the stick is moved farther and farther away so the distance you have to cover is longer and longer while still having the balance and agility to kick the stick backward with your toes as you fly by.

The Four-Man Carry
I really should enter this event because I swear I've done it before and it pretty much is what it appears to be. One guy carrying four.

You can train by getting your kids to jump on your back or legs while you walk around the house--I swear I've learned to vacuum with children wrapped around my ankles so I should be a natural at this one.

The Wrist Carry
This one is a harder on the carried rather than the carrier.

Wrap your wrist around a pole like a hook and hold on tight to your forearm while two people carry you, the object being to travel the longest distance without crying "uncle."

Be sure to remove your wrist watch first.

The Alaskan High Kick
I personally think this one of the coolest ones. Balance on one hand and your opposite foot. Hold the other foot with your free hand then with your balancing foot jump up into the air and kick a ball high above you and balance once again when you finally get back to earth.

I don't care if you're all about yoga and tae kwon do--this is hard to do. As with most of these moves this one emphasizes balance and strength which the hunters valued while searching for food on the ice packs.

The Knuckle Hop
Long before break dancing was popular Native Alaskans were playing this game mimicking the way a seal moves across the ice.

Lay on the floor with your hands flat in front of you, you weight on your toes. Lift yourself off of the floor and hop on your flat hands and toes and you've got the general idea. Not nearly as easy as the picture would indicate. And you don't want to be wearing a skirt.

The Ear Pull
This one is kind of hard to watch. You take a long cord with a loop at one end and a 16-pound weight on the other then loop the one end around your ear and have at it.

You can't rest the weight against your cheek and you have to walk as far as you can with that thing swinging from your sagging ear. Before they had nice little compact weights they used 25-pound sacks of flour and could go as far as 2,000 feet. Ugh.

Leave the earrings home.

"Drop the Bomb"
I've wondered where this game got it's name because it's obviously not of Native origins but the object is to race in four-person teams.

If you want to play the difficult part of the bomb then lie face-down on the floor with your arms outstretched side to side and your feet together. One of your team mates grabs your ankles, one your right wrist and one your left wrist. You get as stiff as you can while they raise you one foot off the floor and try to carry you as far as they can before you give out, sag and they "drop the bomb" (i.e. you).

The Blanket Toss (Nalukataq)
This is the picture you see at the top and it's probably the quintessential picture from Alaska--what most people see in their minds when they think of Alaska.

No matter, it's a fun image--better than picturing a bear devouring a biker or a moose isn't it? And as a kid growing up before trampolines were everywhere this always seemed like the most fun anyone could have and it is still very much a Native tradition that you can see at most events such as Fur Rendezvous.

Photographs courtesy of AP.

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