Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Uivik, December 2007 Heading for Christmas
My! December sure showed up fast. The students in the schools are now getting ready for Christmas and the Christmas songs are now being practiced. Do any of the other schools still have Christmas skits? I heard stories from some elders of the first Christmas skit we had here in Chefornak. One of the teachers had a recording of the chipmunks songs and had three boys mimic the songs on stage. The poor elders in the village were so impressed with the boys because they thought they were really singing. The one I remember best was of myself and my classmates playing Raggdy Ann (because I was Raggdy Ann and had to use a mop head for hair) and act like a wabbly rag doll. Some skits use to be really funny. They were held in the old BIA school where everyone from the village crowded together in one room with a stage in the front and when the skits were over a live Santa would burst in hollering HO!HO! HO! and past out candy and small presents. I use to believe in that Santa at that young age. Now itseems Christmas is to materalized and stressful for alot of people. I think they should concentrate on the reason for the season. What do you think?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Agreed! Christmas is my favorite holiday because my family is all together. (I also love the stories...)
We have a tradition of gathering all the village's presents and people in the school on the 24th and after the potluck feast is over the kids get together to sing songs so that Santa comes in to pass the presents. For myself when I can't afford presents my and my youngster kin make cookies for our extended family. The school usually has a christmas program before where they either sing or perform for the community. Our more spiritual celebration of Christmas is actually on January 7th through 14th (older Julian Calendar Christmas) for the community, who are mostly Russian Orthodox. This is what we call "Slavic" - I don't know how we got this name. We follow a Star into each home and proclaim "Christ is Born!" through songs usually sung in Slavonic, Yup'ik and English. Each song translates basically that Christ is born, Glorify Him, Christ is on Earth, go to meet him - Rejoice and be glad! In this we are like the wise men who go to seek Christ and like the Angels who announce to others that Christ is Born! Over the years each house has wanted to provide food for the people and give gifts, but this is optional and secondary to the celebration of Christ's birth. This is my favorite holiday also.
margaret, our school does a program (k-12) for the community, they are mostly songs. I too remember when skits were performed for the village in the bia days. Those were more exciting, I think.
Our church does a eve program too. Children recite bible verses, sing songs. I enjoy those.
I also agree w/ you that it is getting more materialized and most of all stressful. I wish it was more simple and relaxing.
Post a Comment