A quick photo tour of Eklutna Cemetary

Since I was already wet from taking photos of flowers in the rain, I decided that I might as well go play tourist in the rain, too. My destination? Eklutna, down toward Eagle River and just off Glenn Highway.
Selection of color is symbolic, the red and white indicating members of the Alex Family. Mike Alex was a former chief and is buried here.


Mike Alex's grave

Deterioration is allowed, even encouraged, so you'll see Spirit Houses in various stages.
Walking back into the cemetary area, just past the gravesite for Mike Alex
Amazing! This one is new since I was last there, some time ago, and looks like it must be the result of a doll house kit?
Perhaps more amazing, this is the Spirit House beside the house above.
Unsure whose grave this moose/bear marks, but from the red coloring will assume it is part of the Alex Family plot.

Recent rains have made growth really spurt up, threatening to hide some of the older spirit houses in nature.
Anyone out there surprised that I spent some serious time taking photos of the flowers growing there, too. Well, at least when I wasn't trying to make sure the mosquitoes didn't carry me off for a snack.

Personal items and memories are scattered throughout the cemetary, making it real to those who might forget these are real people buried here, that this isn't just some tourist trap.


Symbolic designs are used, too, this one indicating someone who was a seaman.

Old

New

Finally, I meandered on around to the Native PowWow being held near the cemetary. It was raining and muddy, not to mention the mosquitoes were reminding everyone that when you're out in the woods they rule, but still enjoyed making a quick circuit.
Probably a good thing I only took lunch money or I might have come home with this or one very much like it.
Parking was adjacent to the railroad tracks. Since it isn't often I get to stand around in the middle of two tracks, you know good and well that I couldn't resist snapping a photo from that position.