Water, "Witchcraft" and Western Ways

Water

Today was a school day.....and a Saturday. Water complications on Thursday resulted in school being cancelled after first period, and a make-up day today. Lack of water also caused a late start last Friday. There are several factors that have contributed to water problems thus far including clogged pipes, leaks and poor welds, but the most common issue has been the individual in charge of the water being unreliable. I don't know for sure if the cause of this unreliability is kass'aq hatred, laziness, lack of sobriety, or a combination of these, but I can speculate that when the temperature lowers, not having water flowing through the pipes regularly will cause some serious problems. Last year, the school and teacher housing were without water for 6 weeks, but life carried on with honey buckets and bottled water being flown in. This year we are not allowed to have school if there is no water, so some school employees are a bit anxious thinking about how a lengthly school closure in the winter might impact our contract days and summer.  

"Witchcraft"

Our Superintendent was in the village this week visiting classrooms and meeting with community members. At a school board meeting,  Tuluksak Native Council (TNC) members voiced their concerns about the amount of alcohol and crime that has been present in the village in recent weeks. They said "it has never been this bad." The State Troopers were here twice this week taking people to jail, unfortunately including a former student. It is my belief that there is only so much that policing can do against systemic problems. 

Attendance was also discussed at this meeting. This week was better for attendance in the high school than last week, but it was still very low. Adults in the village really want there to be a school basketball team, but they will not wake up in time to send their kids to school so that they are eligible to play on the team. Last year there was not enough eligible students to have a basketball team.  People in the village decided the teachers were to blame for this, not the parents who weren't sending their kids to school. Teachers are bracing for a similar response this year. 

This "blame game" is a real problem for school/community relations. Another concern discussed at the meeting was brought up by the local Pastor. He stated that teachers at the school were condoning students playing with Ouija boards and the game "Charlie Charlie" (using pencils to talk to ghosts). This is obviously false, but it is a rumor that is circulating through the village and is problematic because many people here believe that these games are very real and very satanic. The belief in these games is serious enough that the Pastor claimed they were to blame for a series of suicides that has occurred recently in coastal villages. 

Western Ways

Recently, I have found myself having to actively work at being understanding of some of the attitudes and practices I encounter in the village. I cannot understand what it is to be Yup'ik or to have grown up in the village, so I am trying to withhold judgement when I experience things I find unpleasant. There are many people here who are kind and welcoming. There are others who hate all white people and make that known. One employee at the post office will not even acknowledge me or get my packages if I am the only one there. She said she was  "tired of being interrupted" (by kass'aqs.) 

The TNC has put a $20 bounty on all stray dogs. I knew that this happens in the village, but knowing is different than hearing. My co-worker witnessed a brutal shooting of a dog right in front of the school. I was told that even dogs with collars that are tied outside houses are not safe during this time, so I no longer put Birkie outside. I understand that population control is necessary. What bothers me is that these dogs are not wild native animals. They were originally brought here by people, and irresponsible ownership allowed their numbers to grow. Some people in the village keep them as pets, but others throw rocks at them and shoot them for fun. I try to remind myself that is it my Western values that taught me to see dogs as pets, but at times I can't help but feel that this treatment of animals in unethical. 

Good Stuff 

As bummed as I was to have Saturday school, I really enjoyed spending time with the 10 students who showed up today. We spent the day watching documentaries, coloring decorations for the "Anit-Bullying Door Contest," making paper airplanes and eating snacks :) The days like today spent with students make all the challenges and chaos manageable. 

All classrooms in the school had to decorate their doors with a Halloween theme showing a "safe school" because October is Anti-Bullying month.

I am proud to say that a student came up with the "Stop a (skele) Ton of Bullying" pun. Still a work in progress, but I really like our door. 

Next week are parent-teacher conferences and a Halloween carnival at school. I am mostly looking forward to both.