This afternoon while working at school, the teacher in the room next to me came over and said there's going to be a throwing party. I grabbed my camera, coat, and ran. We went over to Agnes and Johnnie's home. They live very close to school. A large group of women had already gathered. We waited only 10 minutes or so and the party started!
A throwing party is in honor of a boy's first catch and given by the boy's mother. Only women and children can come. In this case, a young boy caught his first fox, badger, and otter. His mother had called the women of the community by using the vhf ( like a trucker cb) to ask everyone to come to her home. When I arrived, there were quite a few women already there. I knew many of them b/c of the feast yesterday. I can't name names, but I am starting to recognize faces. Agnes, her sister, and sons were on the roof.
Before the "throwing" starts, the mother says a few words in honor of her son to let us know what he has done. She said it first in Yup'it and then in English (for the kass'aq). Then, they toss kitchen plastic bags to everyone who is present. You need a bag so you can put your catch in it; that way your hands are free for more! When everyone has a bag, the throwing begins! They threw so much that it is hard to name everything. I caught a water bottle, a plastic tumbler, a razor, a scouring pad, socks, and a comb. I got hit by a travel size bottle of J&J powder. Believe me, you had to watch b/c if anyone missed you could get hit!
They threw coffee mugs, towels, plastic baggies, hangers, plastic spoons, wooden spoons, scrappers, baby towels, adult towels, pillows, a sleeping bag, laundry baskets, soap, wash cloths, dish towels, 5 gallon buckets, 1 gallon buckets, plastic bowls of various sizes, and many other items I can't remember. Now when I say they threw hangers, I mean they threw probably 24 or more hangers. For each item I listed, they threw dozens of them. Well, not the sleeping bag. There was only one of that.
Agnes had 4 large Rubbermaid tubs full. She also then threw the 4 large Rubbermaid tubs! After we were done, they threw candy for the children.
We had such a good time cheering and laughing. There were a few friendly tugs on some of the items between women. All in all it was a great time.
A throwing party is in honor of a boy's first catch and given by the boy's mother. Only women and children can come. In this case, a young boy caught his first fox, badger, and otter. His mother had called the women of the community by using the vhf ( like a trucker cb) to ask everyone to come to her home. When I arrived, there were quite a few women already there. I knew many of them b/c of the feast yesterday. I can't name names, but I am starting to recognize faces. Agnes, her sister, and sons were on the roof.
Before the "throwing" starts, the mother says a few words in honor of her son to let us know what he has done. She said it first in Yup'it and then in English (for the kass'aq). Then, they toss kitchen plastic bags to everyone who is present. You need a bag so you can put your catch in it; that way your hands are free for more! When everyone has a bag, the throwing begins! They threw so much that it is hard to name everything. I caught a water bottle, a plastic tumbler, a razor, a scouring pad, socks, and a comb. I got hit by a travel size bottle of J&J powder. Believe me, you had to watch b/c if anyone missed you could get hit!
They threw coffee mugs, towels, plastic baggies, hangers, plastic spoons, wooden spoons, scrappers, baby towels, adult towels, pillows, a sleeping bag, laundry baskets, soap, wash cloths, dish towels, 5 gallon buckets, 1 gallon buckets, plastic bowls of various sizes, and many other items I can't remember. Now when I say they threw hangers, I mean they threw probably 24 or more hangers. For each item I listed, they threw dozens of them. Well, not the sleeping bag. There was only one of that.
Agnes had 4 large Rubbermaid tubs full. She also then threw the 4 large Rubbermaid tubs! After we were done, they threw candy for the children.
We had such a good time cheering and laughing. There were a few friendly tugs on some of the items between women. All in all it was a great time.
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