Teenage athletes filled a gym in Anchorage, Alaska, last week. They cheered and stomped while lining up to compete in the Native Youth Olympics. The statewide competition honors the skills and techniques these young folks’ ancestors used to survive.
Youth compete in events such as:
- Two-foot high kick. An athlete jumps, kicks a ball while keeping both feet even, and lands on both feet.
- Indian stick pull. A player tries to pull a greased stick from an opponent’s hand. This is like holding on to a slippery fish.
- Scissors broad jump. The jump requires power and balance. It includes four specific leaps. They mimic hopping across floating ice chunks in frozen river or ocean.
- Seal hop. Athletes get into a push-up or plank position. They shuffle across the floor on their knuckles. That’s the stealthy crawl their ancestors used during hunts to sneak up on unsuspecting seals.
- Wrist carry. Two teammates run while carrying a dowel. A third person hangs from the dowel by his or her wrist. The goal is to see who can hang on to the stick the longest without falling or touching the ground.
For generations, Alaska Natives played these games to develop hunting skills. Now people play to preserve their heritage and share their culture, says Nicole Johnson. She is the head official for the event. She also competes in similar competitions for adults. For 29 years, she held the world record in the two-foot high kick. Her record kick was six-and-a-half-feet high.
Awaluk Nichols has competed in the Native Youth Olympics for most of her childhood. The events help her learn about her Inupiaq heritage.
Awaluk lives in Nome, Alaska. She says her family still participates in some Native traditions, like hunting and living off the land like their ancestors. But competing in the youth games makes her “feel really connected” with the relatives who came before her.
“Just knowing that I’m part of what used to be—it makes me happy,” she says.
