High School Graduation and Joe's Museum

Today began with a lovely late morning and sleeping in, and then a rather interesting evening. On our way to the Barrow High School Graduation, our driver Lilo thought it would be funny to flip the van into neutral and pretend the van had broken down on the barren road between the college and the Browerville side of Barrow. We have a good relationship with Lilo (a professional rugby player from Togo) and everyone had a good laugh when we realized that he was just playing around with us.

The graduation ceremony was nice, and in many respects similar to those back home. One difference is that they show a slideshow including baby pictures, favorite quotes and senior pictures of all of the students. They also have a “rose ceremony” where students bring roses to family, friends and teachers they want to recognize—a 20 minute break in the program. Graduates in return get leis of flowers, money and candy to wear around their necks. The whole event began and ended with a drumming and singing performance from the Barrow Dancers—a local native Inupiat group as graduates walked through the baleen arches.

We also had the experience of visiting “Joe’s Museum.” For those of you who have never been to Joe’s Museum, it’s really a must-see in Barrow…as long as you don’t go alone. Joe Schultz is the son of Fran, who is the famous woman engineer, Johnny Carson guest, and owner of Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant—the Northern most Mexican restaurant in the world. Joe is really unique…the kind who may be a shoe-in for playing the lead role in the next serial killer movie. After his shift at Pepe’s, he led us (13 or so total) across the street and up his rickety back staircase to his Museum/house. We were warned to stay back while he put his “dog” (half pit bull, half wolf) away so it didn’t kill us. Apparently, the current record of peoples’ run-ins with his dog has been 2-0, the dog. We waited till he said it was put away since we weren’t ready to find out. He has converted his small living room, kitchen and other room into a giant collection of dead animals, artifacts, native artwork, and pictures. It contains mounts of a polar bear, black bear, brown bear, billy goat, lynx, moose, wolf, deer, caribou rear-end, and at least 40 weasels. He proceeded to tell us some interesting stories about his life: water-carrying, near-death experiences, fights with the authorities, and upcoming tooth/jaw surgeries so by the time we heard the dog…named “My dog”… pawing at the closed bedroom door, we were ready to bolt out of there. Overall, it was an interesting experience that really leaves you wondering whether the guy is playing with a full deck, what was behind the closed doors, and if all the museum-goers have been able to escape at the end of the tour.

One week left!

--Rachel