Chugach Regional Resources Commission has been hosting an annual Subsistence Memorial Gathering near the anniversary of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. This day-long celebration is not meant to remember or relive that tragic day and the years of devastation that ensued but to honor our resilience and adaptation in the wake of that terrible tragedy that was forced upon the People of the Chugach. As such, each year the Board of Directors and CRRC staff chose a topic to focus on which helps recount traditional knowledge, build relationships, and heal from the Spill that has continued to impact our lives.
After an all-day learning and sharing circle, there is a traditional feast. The Subsistence Memorial Gathering provides a safe place to connect the communities where traditional foods are cooked and shared. For our communities, traditional foods are a gift. These Gathering assists in preserving and celebrating culture through food and teaches young people in food production and preparation, and to connect them to other community’s food. This provides a unique opportunity for different regions to share food and traditional knowledge. At the CRRC Memorial Gathering, all food resources are brought together, shared, and traded between villages. This scenario is true of other terrestrial and marine food resources as well. CRRC utilizes this unique gathering to heighten awareness of changing food resources.
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Traditional foods shared often include: |
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Following the traditional foods feast is a candlelight vigil and dance into the night.
| The Nanwalek Seal Dancers and English Bay Band |
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