Carnival Round Two

Last weekend was one that I had been looking forward to for weeks. A nearby village, Kokhanok, was having their winter carnival and I decided to use that as an excuse to go visit some friends. I knew our school had a day off on Monday so I decided to take Friday off and make a four day weekend out of it; Sam and my friend Cailtin did the same. I was excited to spend a weekend in Kokhanok as I had yet to visit the village and because two of my friends, Kelsey and Kylie, live out here. The last time I’d seen either of them was in the beginning of January, so I was eager to visit with them and have some much needed girl time.

From easter egg hunts to "coffee can” races, Kokhanok lived up to its title of having the best carnival. There were plenty of unique activities to keep us busy and I had a great time getting to take part in them. They even set off fireworks and had a big bonfire down by the lake despite the cold temperatures and strong winds. As an outsider, I feel like there are many times in which my involvement in village activities is not always welcome. However, we were all welcomed into the festivities this weekend which is a reassuring and comforting feeling. Carnival is a time when everyone is just happy and seemingly carefree and it’s fun to watch as the community comes together.

Not only does Kokhanok’s community take part in carnival, but people from Newhalen/Iliamna, Nondalton, and Igiugig flew in for the weekend as well. I think having these events to look forward to breaks up the long and dark winters for the locals. Also, everyone knows someone or is related to someone, so they always know they have family to stay with if they travel between villages. It was great to see some familiar faces from the other villages and to feel more connected to the people who I’m starting to see more and more often. By attending these events, I hope to show that I’m invested in the communities and their traditions. 

While it was a long weekend, it was a great time. I was glad to be able to visit with my friends and take part in another carnival. I was scheduled to travel to King Salmon on Monday, but I almost got weathered in because it had started snowing on Sunday and went into Monday morning. Flights out here travel based on wind and visibility and with all the snow coming down, the visibility hadn’t been so great. However, by the afternoon the snow had stopped and the visibility was just fine so we were able to fly. I wouldn’t have minded getting weathered in Kokhanok, but I was also excited to get to King Salmon. The longer I stay in Alaska, the more villages I have been able to visit, and I am happy to be able to cross Kokhanok off of the list of places to visit!