Feeling the heartbeat of Alaska’s indigenous peoples

Alaska is the 49th State of the United States, having entered the Union in 1959. Besides its impressive natural beauty, amazing fauna and flora, active volcanoes and huge snowcapped mountains (Denali (original indigenous name in the Athabaskan language) or Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America at 5500 meters), it has a rich indigenous heritage, going back at least 15 thousand years and still very much alive.  I flew to Anchorage to attend a conference of North American indigenous chiefs, participated in Pow Wows and a variety of cultural events.  Indigenous food is delectable — particularly Moose and excellent fish prepared according to many recipes. There are some 200 indigenous bands or tribes in Alaska, all of them with their own languages and traditions, but they all share a symbiosis with Nature with a capital N.  Particularly endearing are the many Russian Orthodox Churches, still in operation, reminding the visitor that Alaska was once an important Russian commercial outpost, engaged mostly in fur-trading. I felt quite welcome.  Chinigik (thanks!).