| In Fairbanks, the Native Alaska community is all around us. The "locals" are Athabascans, but there are a fair number of Native Alaskans from the Eskimo regions (turquoise and yellow on the map) that live here as well. This weekend we hosted Natives from throughout Alaska, Canada and Greenland to participate in the WEIO, long-established games highlighting balance, agility, endurance and survival skills. Just a few of the events are shown below. |  |
Ear Pull: Two contestants sit facing each other and loop sinew around their ears, tight ear to right ear, or left to left. A "tug-of-war" ensues, as they lean backward until the string comes loose or someone gives up. It is a test of the contestant's ability to endure pain.
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High Kick (One- and Two-Foot): One of the premier events at WEIO. The high kick is a means of communicating to the village that hunting or whaling crews needed assistance after a successful hunt.
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| Knuckle Hop: A game that tests strength and tolerance of pain, the object is to see how far a competitor can go in a push-up position, with elbows bent and knuckles down. The only parts of the body touching the floor are knuckles and toes. From the position, the participant hops forward as far as possible keeping the back straight and elbows bent. |  |
| Four Man Carry: After a successful hunt, the seal, moose, caribou or other game may have to be packed for long distances. In this event, the athlete must lift and carry four people with average weight of 150 pounds. The athlete who carries the four men the farthest wins. |  |
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