July 17, Haines

Checked at the Post Office for our mail but it’s not here yet so we stopped at Fort Seward, built around 1903 or 1904. Many of the old Officer’s Quarters have been purchased by individuals and are private homes now and in good condition. Some of the other buildings could use some work however. We met Wayne Price who was carving a canoe out of a very large redwood tree the way his ancestors did. Wayne has carved many large totem poles and did a special “healing totem pole” for the hospital in Sitka that we are going to look for. All the chips from his carving are at the tree so anyone can write a name on a chip and leave it at the tree for healing, like a prayer tree. Wayne also did this one that is in front of the elementary school here in Haines. He was very nice to visit with and does excellent work. We went to the Haines Museum this afternoon which was very good. It’s divided into 2 parts, Native Indians and Goldmining/Pioneers. Later we went to a Chilkat Dancers Storytelling Theater show put on by local people. They performed native dances that told an old legend passed down through the years and wear masks to show the character they are portraying, which are usually animals. After supper we had a campfire with some of the neighbors. It’s hard to have a campfire when it isn’t dark and to know when to go to bed. It’s midnight before you know it.