News Release

World Eskimo-Indian Olympics Showcase Indigenous Cultures and Traditions in Anchorage this Summer

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – May 30, 2007 – Anchorage, Alaska will host its largest celebration of indigenous cultures and traditions when several hundred Native peoples from Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and Canada gather to compete in traditional Native athletic events during the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics (WEIO) July 18 – 21, 2007, at the Sullivan Arena.

Derived from ancestral survival techniques, these unique Olympic games showcase centuries-old skills indigenous people needed to survive in circumpolar areas of the world where one had to prepare to be tested at any moment and to fail could easily mean the difference between life and death. Living off what nature provided, people hunted, fished, and gathered plants for food, clothing, and medicinal purposes. In all of these instances they had to be strong and agile, and able to endure past normal limits of strength and pain.

The 4-day event honors this rich heritage with competitions in more than 15 categories testing strength and agility, including demonstrations of unusual skills like ear-pulling, knuckle hop, greased pole walk, and blanket toss. Other events highlight traditional skills such as seal-skinning, fish-cutting and Eskimo and Indian dance. A muktuk (whale skin and blubber) eating contest rounds out the event’s food exhibitions.

Following are descriptions of three of the many WEIO events that test competitors’ strength and agility and their cultural significance:

Blanket Toss -- Several walrus skins are used for this event. The skin has holes on the edges so that rope can be looped through all the way around and used for handle grips. One person stands in the middle of the skin while being tossed – sometimes as high as 3o feet – landing on his/her feet without falling down. The blanket toss is one means people used for spotting game over the horizon. It also is done in whaling communities in the spring for the simple exhilaration it provides to celebrate a successful whaling season. Whales have been hunted for subsistence throughout the northern Bering Sea for centuries.

Eskimo Stick Pull -- In this event, which showcases the strength needed when bringing a seal in from the hole in the ice, two athletes face each other sitting on the ground with their feet pressed together and knees bent. A stick one-inch in diameter is placed between them where their feet meet. Each athlete grabs the stick, position their hands so that one person's hands are on the inside, and the other's hands are on the outside. Using the legs, arms, back, and a sure grip, the contestants then attempt to pull the stick away from their opponent. The winner is that person who is either able to pull the opponent over, or who can pull the stick out of the opponent's hands, on two out of three attempts.

One-foot High Kick -- Considered one of the premier events of WEIO, the high kick requires the athlete to jump off the floor using both feet, kick a suspended object with one foot, and land on the floor using that same foot demonstrating balance to the floor officials. Distances the height of a basketball net are not uncommon. Traditionally, when a messenger from a hunting or whaling crew is within visual distance of villagers, he will kick high into the air thereby giving a message that a whale has been shot or the caribou are running near.

“For hundreds of years, Native peoples of the circumpolar areas of the world have gathered in small villages to participate in games of strength, endurance, balance and agility,” said Perry Ahsogeak, WEIO Board of Governors chair. “In the past, the goal was to teach survival skills to Native people living in harsh environments. Now it’s also about preserving cultures rich with history, stories and spirituality.”

Anchorage hosts the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics for the first time in the event’s 46-year history. The first Olympics was held in Fairbanks in 1961, drawing contestants and dance teams from Barrow, Unalakleet, Tanana, Noovik, and Nome, Alaska.

“The City of Anchorage and all the other organizations that have stepped forward to support the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics in Anchorage are excited about hosting the 2007 games in Alaska’s largest Native village,” said Mark Begich, Anchorage Mayor. “We are excited to work with the Anchorage Native community to embrace WEIO as a family event that preserves cultural games, languages, and tradition.”

WEIO events happen at the Sullivan Arena, Anchorage’s largest sports arena. Events during the day are free, while evening events are $10 for general admission; $8 for Elders and children ages 5-18, and free for children 4 years and younger. For more information or a schedule of events, visit www.anchorage.net/WEIO.

The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau’s mission is to attract and serve visitors to the Municipality of Anchorage. ACVB’s marketing functions are funded by one-third of the bed tax collected by the lodging association. One-third goes to the Municipality’s general fund and one-third goes to the Anchorage Civic and Convention construction project. ACVB receives no state or federal funds. For more information, explore www.Anchorage.net.

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Media Contacts:

Turi Fesler
PR Assistant
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
pr@anchorage.net
(907) 257-2346 direct
(907) 222-3752 fax

Nance Larsen, APR
Vice President, Communications & Marketing Programs
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
pr@anchorage.net
(907) 276-4118