Diomede

There's no real reason to post these pictures other than that I want to share them. I guess my trip to Diomede was just about five months ago now.This is a shot out the plane window of the tiny community, perched on a steep rock face on a small island just about a mile and a half from the International Date Line and less than three miles from Big Diomede Island, which is Russian territory.

As you can see from the map, it's pretty far from Nome. There isn't a runway on the land so access is by weekly helicopter during the non-ice months and by plane on an ice runway during the winter months. The runway is actually quite smooth, I must say.

Like many, many other people, I was weathered into Diomede for a bit longer than I anticipated. Though one could probably explore the entirety of the entertainment opportunities in Diomede in less than half an hour, I was pleased to be invited to a night of drumming and dancing. Every time I feel like I'm close to "getting it" with the dancing, I'm positive they go and switch it all on me. Drumming was a bit easier but not nearly as easy it looks.

Mayor and elder Pat Omiak Sr. showed me how he carves ivory. He's drilling a piece right now with his mouth drill. A few weeks after returning from this trip, I was working down at the museum and came across a picture of a man using an identical tool. The picture was from 1909, I think.


Good memories...
I'd like to return.