At the Dena'ina Center during the Alaska Federation of Natives annual convention, it's hard to miss the fishy, smoky smell wafting through the lower levels of the convention hall.
That's thanks to the dozen or so people lined up outside, selling all kinds of smoked, pickled and canned salmon and other fish. With AFN visitors flocking to the vendors, buying up vacuum-sealed packages of dried fish and other items, it's a popular and highly visible component of the convention.
But those vendors represent just a small part of the traditional food scene that goes on at the state's largest gathering of Alaska Natives.
Herring eggs from Sitka, berries from Bethel and bowhead whale from Barrow are some of the foods quietly being shared among family and friends outside of the walls of the convention center.
Paul A. Paul of the village of Kongiganak in Southwest Alaska is attending the convention as a delegate from his village corporation. When he arrived in Anchorage earlier this week, he brought caribou meat and herring soaked in oil to give to his daughter who lives in Anchorage.
"Whenever I come to Anchorage, I have to bring traditional food," he said. "If I don't, I feel like I'm doing an injustice."
In the past he's brought everything from walrus and seal to the berries his wife collects in the summer, all in an effort to fill up his daughter's freezer. He said it's important for him to make sure she has the food that Native people crave.
"She doesn't expect it, but I feel obligated to bring something to her," he said.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game Subsistence Program Manager Jim Fall said sharing subsistence food is legal in almost all cases. Even bartering is permissible. But he said when it comes to selling, things start to get complicated. Some subsistence-caught food can be sold, but it often depends on the type of animal, where it was caught and what kind of jurisdiction it falls under.
"Once cash enters the picture it does get murky," he said.
Cory Brandal, a commercial fisherman from Kodiak who fishes out of Chignik Lagoon, said sharing food with family and friends is something that happens all year round, but with more people coming from the villages at AFN it "does happen more."
In Chignik Lagoon, Brandal said he has access to most of the traditional foods he needs, but sometimes he'll trade with friends in Anchorage for things like whale and caribou. Often he'll be sure to bring extra fish for elders.
Lorraine Caldwell lives in Anchorage, but sells akutaq, a berry-filled treat sometimes called "Eskimo ice cream," and commercially caught salmon strips outside of the Dena'ina Center. She said it gives her a chance to interact with all kinds of people looking for food, and people often will come and try to barter. This year people from Barrow, flush with whale meat this season, have stopped by the most.
"It's all part of the culture of sharing," Caldwell said.
Mildred Peter-Allen of Arctic Village gets that. She said she's brought a whole range of foods to share with relatives in Anchorage while attending the conference. Caribou, whitefish, silver salmon and grayling all made the trip. She plans to have a big Native foods dinner Thursday night.
"Maybe I'll make some of these Southern recipes," she said, pointing to a handful of gourmet recipe cards she'd collected from a table set up by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.
Peter-Allen said she's looking forward to not eating at another costly restaurant. Plus, she's excited to share the experience with family and friends.
"They're so happy (to have the food)," she said. "And happy to see us."