Rural Alaska blog: The Village : Photos: Sewing the seal-skin boat

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The Village is a Daily News blog about life and politics in rural Alaska. Its main author is ADN reporter Kyle Hopkins. Come here for breaking news on village issues, plus interviews, videos and photos. But that's just part of the story. We want to feature your pictures, videos and stories, too. Think of The Village as your bulletin board. E-mail us anything you’d like to share with the rest of Alaska -- your letters to the editor, the photos of your latest hunt or video of your latest potlatch. (We love video.)

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Kyle Hopkins

I was born in Sitka, have lived in Kake, Skagway and Fairbanks and joined the ADN in 2005 after writing for the Anchorage Press and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. I started blogging for the paper in 2006 with The Trail, our blog about the governor's race. Then came the Alaska Politics blog. Now I'm covering government and rural affairs and live in Anchorage with my wife, Rebecca. (Update: Our daughter Alice was born May 31. Thanks everyone for the suggestions.) E-mail me at khopkins@adn.com and find me on Twitter at twitter.com/ADNVillage.

khopkins@adn.com

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Photos: Sewing the seal-skin boat

Posted by thevillage

Anchorage Daily News

Posted: February 21, 2010 - 1:10 pm

From Mary Sage in Barrow:

Here are some pictures from today (Saturday). Ladies are sewing an umiaq - spring whaling skin boat - from bearded seal skins for the Savgak Whaling Crew. They used 6 skins for this boat.

Learning: Cora Brower watches as Lucy Arey demonstrates a stitch at the Inupiat Heritage Center in Barrow. (Photo by Alice Kangas.) Learning: Cora Brower watches as Lucy Arey demonstrates a stitch at the Inupiat Heritage Center in Barrow. (Photo by Alice Kangas.)

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Seamstress tools: Seamstress Matilda Adams displays her various covers for her fingers that she uses while sewing the bearded seal skins together. (Photo by Alice Kangas.) Seamstress tools: Seamstress Matilda Adams displays her various covers for her fingers that she uses while sewing the bearded seal skins together. (Photo by Alice Kangas.)

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Skin sewing: L-r: Aqak Elavgak, Priscilla Sage, Matilda Adams, Nancy Leavitt, Isabell Elavgak, Doreen Ahgeak, Emma Neakok, Lucy Arey, Cora Brower, Mary Ahkiviana and Roberta Leavitt. (Photo by Mary Sage.) Skin sewing: L-r: Aqak Elavgak, Priscilla Sage, Matilda Adams, Nancy Leavitt, Isabell Elavgak, Doreen Ahgeak, Emma Neakok, Lucy Arey, Cora Brower, Mary Ahkiviana and Roberta Leavitt. (Photo by Mary Sage.)

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Doreen Ahgeak sewing two bearded seal skins together using a waterproof stitch. (Photo by Alice Kangas)

More photos after the jump!

Bearded seal flippers: An Inupiaq delicacy - fermented bearded seal skin flippers. (Photo by Alice Kangas) Bearded seal flippers: An Inupiaq delicacy - fermented bearded seal skin flippers. (Photo by Alice Kangas)

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The Captain: Savgak Crew whaling captain Clifford Savgak Okpeaha stands next to his umiaq frame. This frame will be covered by the bearded seal skins sewn together and used for spring whaling. (Photo by Mary Sage.) The Captain: Savgak Crew whaling captain Clifford Savgak Okpeaha stands next to his umiaq frame. This frame will be covered by the bearded seal skins sewn together and used for spring whaling. (Photo by Mary Sage.)