Guest Author - Kimi Ross

As athletes around the world gear up for competition in the next Olympic games, another kind of competition takes place in Fairbanks, Alaska: the annual World Eskimo-Indian Olympics. Like the original Greek Olympic games, the Eskimo-Indian Olympics celebrate the achievements of the human body, particularly those skills traditionally needed to survive in a harsh climate – agility, balance, ability to withstand pain, and brute strength. Hunting on ice floes, hauling seal or caribou for long distances and withstanding extremely cold temperatures (and wind) require both physical and mental toughness. The games test these skills.

The four-day event also includes Native dancing, a baby contest, competition in fish cutting and seal cutting and a muktuk eating contest. Native artists can be found selling traditional arts and crafts products. While the daytime events are free, the evening sessions require payment of an admission fee.

Many participants in the Olympics got their start in their event through Native Youth Olympics. Approximately 70 schools around the state participate; the competition is open to all students in grades seven thru twelve, regardless of ethnicity. Many schools in the Bush incorporate Native games into cultural days (or even physical education), even if they do not send a team to NYO in Anchorage each year. In Noatak, the village has several days of “Eskimo Games” over the annual Christmas break, in which they incorporate not only many of the traditional Native games, as described below, but modern events as well, such as snow machine races and three-legged races. As in the ancient past, it is a time for the village to gather together in friendly competition between individuals of all ages. In the upper Kobuk Valley villages, a similar celebration is held around the 4th of July, with target shooting and a “Toughest Man/Woman” contest which requires the individual to carry two 5-gallon buckets filled with water around a circular course, the object being to be the individual who makes the most laps.

A brief description of some of the official WEIO events follows.

One-foot High Kick: This is an amazing event to watch. The athlete is required to jump off the floor with both feet, kick a suspended ball with one foot and then land on the floor using that same foot. Balance, flexibility, coordination and strength are required. The current record is 8’10” for men and 7’ for women. The event is based on a signal system once used hunting parties or whaling crews; when coming within visual distance of a village, the messenger would kick into the air, signifying approaching caribou or that a whale had been shot.

One-hand Reach: This is another game which demonstrates an athlete’s balance, strength and coordination. While balancing on the hands, with at least one elbow tucked under the abdomen and the body parallel to the floor, the individual reaches for a suspended object with one hand. The athlete must touch the object (at increasing heights) and return the hand to the starting position before any other part of his or her body touches the floor. The current record is 5’5” for men and 4’11” for women.

Knuckle Hop or Seal Hop: The participant in this event holds his or her body as if preparing to do a push-up – except that instead placing the hands palm down, the individual places his weight on his knuckles. In this position, then, the athlete must hop forward, keeping the body straight and rigid, so that only the toes and knuckles touch the floor. The objective is to go as far as possible. The current record is 160’2” for men and 159’4” for women. (Both of these records were set at an NYO). This event requires determination, strength, and endurance of pain, as the effects often linger for weeks after the event. As its name implies, this movement was used by hunters while stalking seals on the ice.

Four Man Carry: In this event, the athlete stands upright while four men cling to his or her shoulders and arms and to simulate dead weight. Brute strength is required for this event, just as it is for packing wood, ice, or game over long distances. The current record for distance carried – 187 feet.