Opinion: Funeral blends Alaska Native traditional and modern

Monday, September 26, 2011  

"A while back, I visited Fairbanks, my home town. The morning I left for the Golden Heart City, I was leafing through the Daily News when I saw an obituary for a 43-year-old Fairbanks construction worker. I didn't know him but recognized his name. I know his father and decided I should pay my respects by attending the funeral.

The family has deep roots in both Fairbanks and Bush Alaska. I knew the crowd of mourners would be large and include many Alaska Natives.

So it was. St. Matthew's Church in downtown Fairbanks was overflowing. Some of the mourners were elderly Natives with ties to the dead man's mother, but there were young people and children too.

St. Matthew's has been part of my life since childhood: I was confirmed there. So I know its history, especially its history as a missionary church. On any given Sunday, Native worshipers will be in the pews, and on occasion, a Native minister or deacon will conduct the service."

Get the Story:
Michael Carey: Power tools, country tunes and do-rags highlight funeral (The Anchorage Daily News 9/24)