Our Ancestors, Our Fire: a welcome potlatch for conference attendees

Updated: October 16, 2018 Published: October 16, 2018

Rodney McCord, originally from the village of Tyonek, cooked moose soup and fried salmon Sunday evening in an effort to "revitalize potlatch is this region. It's important to keep our traditions alive," McCord said.

The potlatch was held before The First Alaskans Institute Elders and Youth Conference which began on Monday at the Dena'ina Center and runs through Wednesday with the theme "Na Ganiyaatgm, Na Lagm" (Our Ancestors, Our Fire).

The annual Alaska Federation of Native Convention is Thursday through Saturday.

Moose soup is carried into the Moseley Sports Center on Sunday during a Southcentral-style welcome potlatch. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Lucian Maillelle, 1, eats a piece of moose meat while seated next to his cousin Delinda Maillelle, 3, during the welcome potlatch. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Rodney McCord offers bones with moose meat to people gathered for a potlatch at the Moseley Sports Center. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Following the feast, Steven Holley of Tyonek, center, drums and sings a traditional Dena’ina song with the Ida’ina K’eljeshna Friendship Dancers during the welcome potlatch. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Bill Roth

Bill Roth is a staff photojournalist at the Anchorage Daily News.