The "Twins," Sally and Sara, are delightful girls. Their eyes sparkle, their voices radiate friendliness and their constant chatter overlaps and completes each others sentences. Their uncle, Uncle Frank, on the other hand is as dower and uncommunicative as anyone I have ever met. I immediately found out that if you wanted to talk to him you did so through one of the Twins. He claims not to speak English and given his ever present scowl I am not sure he would if he could.
Apparently the Twins parents were killed in a bear attack while the Twins were still infants and as is true in many Native American families the mother's uncle took charge of the girls and has raised them like his own. Regardless of his demeanor he must have done a good job because the Twins seem well adjusted, well read, well versed in the practical arts, and just all around good girls given the fact that they had spent the last 14 years in near isolation conditions.
There is no electricity in the cabins. The girls occupy one cabin and Uncle Frank has his own smaller version. The Internet was out of the question so I spent a little bit longer than normal in discussing with the girls how we ought to proceed with their education. Uncle Frank seemed to ignore us and continued working on some sort of animal hide. We, the Twins and I, agreed that I would come by each Tuesday and Thursday and spend three to four hours going over the previous lessons and assigning the next.
I asked Uncle Frank, through the Twins, if he had any questions and he just stared at me, turned and walked away. The Twins giggled and then hugged me goodby which I thought a little out of character for a student teacher relationship specifically and an Athabaskan in general to a non relative or tribal member. They were so natural about their physicality that no awkwardness was felt among the three of us.
It took me about an hour and a half to get back to our cabin. Bev had done wonders with organizing the place and our little house in the woods really looked like something Laura Ingles would have been proud of. We ate dinner consisting of beans and franks and she reminded me that Halloween was tomorrow and that for me not to plan any trips out to see students.
I looked at her rather puzzled and she said that Mr. Sam came by with a load of old Civil Defense hard candy in a great big tin and informed her that Halloween is a special time in this part of the world and that the trick or treaters start early and do not stay out past dark. We should expect visitors all day long he said. He was afraid that the school officials had not informed us of the local custom and he wanted us to get off on the right foot with the "neighbors."
He said there was much interest in us and that we would surely have people from miles around come by to get candy and visit. He said to offer the kids candy and the grown ups tea.
As he left he told her that there would be no visitors after night fall and that if anyone came to our door tomorrow after the sun went down not to answer the wrap at the door. He said that the little people would be roaming around and it was just not a good idea.
Neither of us have any idea what he is talking about.
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