E. W. HAWKES THE DANCE FESTIVALS OF THE ALASKAN ESKIMO 3! 



THE ANNUAL FEAST, AILlGI 



The Annual Feast to the Dead is a temporary arrangement, 

 whereby the shades of those recently departed are sustained 

 until the advent of the Great Feast to the Dead. The essence 

 of the offerings of food and drink are supposed to satisfy the 

 wants of the dead until they can be properly honored in the 

 Great Festival. In the latter event the relative discharges all 

 his social obligations to the dead, and the ghost is furnished with 

 such an abundance that it can never want in the world below. 



The makers of the feast (naskut) are the nearest relatives 

 of those who have died during the past year, together with those 

 villagers who have not yet given the greater festival The day 

 before the festival the male mourners go to the village burial 

 ground and plant a newly made stake before the grave of their 

 relative. The stake is surmounted by a wooden model of a 

 spear, if the deceased be a man; or a wooden dish, if it be a 

 woman. The totem mark of the deceased is carved upon it. 

 In the north simple models of kayak paddles suffice. The sticks 

 are a notification to the spirits in the land of the dead that the 

 time for the festival is at hand. Accordingly they journey to 

 the grave boxes, where they wait, ready to enter the kasgi at 

 the song of invocation. To light their way from the other world 

 lamps are brought into the kasgi and set before their accustomed 

 places. When the invitation song arises they leave their graves 

 and take their places in the fireplace (Kenethluk), where they 

 enjoy the songs and dances, and receive the offerings of their 

 relatives. 



