On Monday my aunt was skinning a beaver that was caught by her son-in-law in the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta region recently. The beaver weighs about 15-20 pounds. Since this beaver was small, it took about an hour and a half to take the skin apart. While cutting the skin apart from the meat, you must cut the skin carefully so there's no holes left on the skin. Unlike an oily seal skin, it is not necessary to soak the beaver skin before you hang and dry it. The beaver skin is generally dried and then tanned. There are several uses for beaver fur including a hat, a malaggaiyaq, slippers and a parka. Depending on the person's experience, it could take a few hours to skin a beaver. Most people in my home town area choose to save the beaver fur. In this picture, the beaver fur is a little darker. In the fall, the color of the beaver changes and it has a reddish color. Some people choose to cook the meat. I don't know any families that eat beaver's meat in Kongiganak.
On Monday my aunt was skinning a beaver that was caught by her son-in-law in the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta region recently. The beaver weighs about 15-20 pounds. Since this beaver was small, it took about an hour and a half to take the skin apart. While cutting the skin apart from the meat, you must cut the skin carefully so there's no holes left on the skin. Unlike an oily seal skin, it is not necessary to soak the beaver skin before you hang and dry it. The beaver skin is generally dried and then tanned. There are several uses for beaver fur including a hat, a malaggaiyaq, slippers and a parka. Depending on the person's experience, it could take a few hours to skin a beaver. Most people in my home town area choose to save the beaver fur. In this picture, the beaver fur is a little darker. In the fall, the color of the beaver changes and it has a reddish color. Some people choose to cook the meat. I don't know any families that eat beaver's meat in Kongiganak.
3 comments:
I am glad to see you posting on your blog, such a different life you are living from me, amazing to hear about! Thanks : )
My husband is Yupik and Athabascan and he has told me about eating beaver meat before. He doesn't really care for it, but knows people who can't seem to get enough!
Thank you for sharing your stories! I hope you make more posts this year than in the last few years. I really enjoy reading. :)
I met someone from your village at a training and I was searching for information on it. I was very excited to find this blog since it has shown me so many interesting things about the village and your life. Thank you!
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