I guess I can check the "Native American" box now...

I have officially been accepted by the Yu'pik people.

This little lady came pouncing into by room this morning at 8:00 saying "Oh Give Me A HUG!"

We hugged. Gloriously.

I introduced myself, "I'm Brandon, the new 5th and 6th grade teacher."

"Oh I know, I'm Ayapran, the school's named after me. You are now one of us. Your new name is Apaqutaq. Welcome"

Now I have no idea what it takes to become "one of them" but I would have to say it was quite an honor to be given that distinction, especially from such a revered elder that they named a school after her.

I asked her how I got the name.

"A man died last year that was a very traditional hunter and fisher and loved to dance the traditional eskimo dances."

Apparently when she heard about me she made an instant connection between myself and the original Apaqutaq. A little bit later we had a staff meeting (all 8 of us). I knew I would have to introduce myself as the Yu'pik I now am so in order to memorize it I thought of an aqueduct... an then introduced myself as aqueduct. Oops. Well at least it lightened the mood. I then found out I was related to everyone in the room either through blood or tradition. Once someone is given the name of one who has died they become family with everyone in the deceased person's family. Plus everyone that has been named into the family is also your family.

So it looks like any hook ups in Bethel would be a little creepy.

So that was all within the first hour of my day. At noon we had a traditional potluck. I brought goolash.

I ate:
-Salmon eggs on seaweed
-Salmon Ice Cream (should have only taken a spoonful, not a bowl full)
-Blueberry Ice Cream. The blueberries were picked on the tundra up here, those were combined with mashed potatoes, cream, milk, and sour cream.
-I then got a bowl with a bed of rice and one piece of meat left. I grabbed the chunk of meat. It looked like a neck of something. It was a curved cylinder shape... I'm hoping it wasn't something it could have been. What I don't know can't hurt me.
-And lastly, seal oil. Apparently it's like their soy sauce. They put it on everything. I put it on the goolash. Tasty!
Anyways. That's all I've had all day. Nothing has settled and I could yack any minute. I'm a tad worried about tomorrow. Hopefully it will be ok.

Pray for me. The big day is tomorrow.