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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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As a child I had to relearn some grammar and facial expression customs when our family moved to a white town .. very different .. My brother who is younger spoke Yupik as well as he did English. I still mess up replies to double negatives.
My experience is with the Yupik and they certainly had no issue with the term Eskimo.
As far as respect goes.. I cannot think of a group of Humans more worthy of it. I still find it mindblowing that they lived the way they did where they did before the Russians showed up. Thier ability to craft excellent arctic clothing is in some ways still far superior for that environment than anything made by TNF or Marmot.
1979 3 years after I lived there I remember this beach and the cliff banks well. The huge complex snow caves dug along those banks in the winter.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Yeah, my 'mo friends didn't care as long as you didn't call 'em late to the partay.
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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I have a buddy who is an Otoe/Pawnee attorney.
I remember when I kept saying "Native American" to him and he had to chide me. "Dude. We like to be called Indians."
So at least in his neck of the woods it was Indian. If you know the tribe of Indian it is a little different.
I wouldn't move to a north slope village. Everything is insanely expensive, and I'm not sure how much of that sweet tax money you will get being white.
Arctic Village is the coolest village I have ever been to, but it is all Indian Land..no whites of any significant number.
Talkeetna is close to a lot of climbing, but it is pretty touristy. As for Anchorage, I view it as suburban Seattle. Not like the rest of Alaska. Fairbanks is reasonably small and rowdy. It is the hub of most of interior Alaska. I wouldn't live there, but there are places a few hours away that are cool. Unalakleet is one of the better villages that I have been to. Great hunting and fishing. Typical village alcohol problems, but people are close. Whites aren't discriminated against too much.
Despite them being tied to the government titty, they certainly don't act that way, and out in the bush or in a reasonably small bush town, every day has something fun. The exception might be on the long winter nights.
That is the only reason that I haven't moved up there. I'm not sure how well I would handle the winter darkness. Cold isn't a big deal to me, just the darkness. That would suck for sure. I might be going to Barrow in a couple of months, though. Kaktovik has gotten pretty expensive to visit.
Did you guys know that the Japanese are way into conceiving children beneath the Northern Lights? I've heard that they head to Fairbanks in droves over the winter to get pregnant.
That may be a myth. I dunno.
I will check out the Barrow dump before going. Kaktovik is overrun with polar bears when they have a whale carcass. I want to fight a polar bear with a baseball bat. You know, just for bragging rights and to impress chicks.
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nick d
Trad climber
nm
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Nov 10, 2012 - 06:33am PT
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Interesting information. My knowledge of what's cool namewise was learned entirely in the Southwest, but one of my friends is an Inuit who was a doctor in the IHS. She served in a number of places in AK, including some of the Alution (sp?) Islands. Must be some hardy dudes out that way, especially having to put op with all those Russians looking at tham.
She was the one who put me onto the Eskimo name being an insult from whites, but of course I realize they aren't one synonomous group, rather hundreds of different tribes. I'm sure racist people can put the taunt into whatever word they use.
I apologize for the challenging tone I put up. But if you read my post I think you can understand why a percieved taunt gets my hackles up. Knowing that a number of the kids I grew up with were serial killers that percieved a lot of my friends to be non-humans, and could laugh and have a great time while they tortured them to death has made me non-tolerant of insult. Call that sh#t out, that's the way we'll stamp it out.
I've met quite a few people from some real far-North tribes that have moved down here. Lots of them have intermarried with the local Pueblo nations. Lots of interesting accents.
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Nov 10, 2012 - 06:39am PT
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Whatever happend to Grampa? I've hitchhiked around AK, and may have some pertinent advice.
Now he's not posting. Hopefully he's buckled up and driving north.
Hope you make it up there safely.
I also hope you're not bluffing, as I will f*#k with you mercilessly if you are.
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Nov 10, 2012 - 09:10am PT
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Alaska is cool, it just comes down to what you want. Do you want a cabin on a small lake accible by skis or floats? Do you want to be close to climbing?
In my opinion, hitting the way out there spots is the best. Screw climbing. You will be busy enough shooting your moose
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Nov 10, 2012 - 09:48am PT
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I thought this one was rather suitable here.
Australia is a very secular country as well, they have little tolerance for religious fools or Republicans.
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MarkWestman
Trad climber
Talkeetna, Alaska
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Nov 10, 2012 - 11:12am PT
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Talkeetna is close to a lot of climbing
Almost three hours driving to the nearest rock crag, the same for the nearest waterfall ice. Or, a $600 air taxi flight. If there's something I missed I would love to hear about it.
Grandpa if you love rock climbing you are entering hell.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Nov 10, 2012 - 01:59pm PT
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Oh, Mark, you belittle the inimitable enticements of the rock garden that is Hatcher Pass?
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Nov 10, 2012 - 02:10pm PT
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There's a sweet road cut on the Seward...
How're the moving preparations going?
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Nov 10, 2012 - 02:13pm PT
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Witty native name for pompous, fatuous, idiotic politicians: "Chief Walking Eagle". Walking, because he's so full of crap he can't fly.
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allapah
climber
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Nov 10, 2012 - 03:03pm PT
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Come out to Nome, we got lots of jobs, there's lots of bouldering on metamorphic choss turds within five miles of town, wilderness rockclimbing on granitic gneiss two hours snow machine or a days hike from the road, and if you like mixed... well, it's practically infinite. We need climbers, bring your helmet. Oh, and eskimos are eskimos, it's pretty much that simple....
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MarkWestman
Trad climber
Talkeetna, Alaska
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Nov 10, 2012 - 06:44pm PT
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Oh, Mark, you belittle the inimitable enticements of the rock garden that is Hatcher Pass?
Emphasis on 'Garden'.
Did I mention the best climbing temps of the year are during the rainy season?
The alpine rock is awesome of course. If the weather cooperates. But I always say the best crag in Alaska, especially for crack climbing, is a plane ticket south! :)
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