On trip to Alaska, Seattle Seahawks legends find an appreciation of Indigenous culture

A trio of former Seattle Seahawks sat in a large group outside at the Alaska Native Heritage Center on a sunny evening this week as a young athlete demonstrated a two-foot high kick, a traditional movement that tests both strength and balance.

Steve Largent, a former Seahawks receiver who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995, was clearly impressed by the feat. The 67-year-old took a walk up to take a look at the ball suspended in the air, sized it up and gave it a running start before deciding to abort the attempt.

Largent is on an annual trip that former Seahawks make to the Last Frontier as part of a community-based outreach coordinated with the Mat-Su Sea Hawkers, the team’s official local booster club.

Largent, ex-quarterback Jim Zorn and former middle linebacker Orlando Huff took in a number of cultural exhibitions, including Indigenous songs and dances, on Thursday evening at the Alaska Native Heritage Center.

The Hall of Fame wideout has visited Alaska nearly two dozen times and says he has “really come to love and appreciate the people here as well as everything else about Alaska.” He said he especially enjoyed the musical performances.

“I was really impressed with all of the Native American sounds and dancing,” Largent said.

During the rest of their time in the state, the trio will visit the Alaska Native Medical Center and the Ronald McDonald House, and return to the Heritage Center to meet with more members of the Alaska Native community. They’ll also help send off Special Olympics athletes to nationals, go fishing and sightsee.

“I’ve been coming to Alaska since I was a Seahawk in my young days,” said Zorn, who added that he visits Alaska once or twice a year. “To come to this heritage center and watch the commitment and dedication of the people who performed and created here is pretty amazing.”

Largent said his former quarterback asked him to join him on this year’s trip. He happily accepted the invitation and flew up from Oklahoma, which is where he’s from and where he currently lives.

“I’ve always appreciated the Native American culture and people, and the love that they have for other people,” Largent said.

Huff, who last played in the NFL in 2006, is the youngest of the bunch at 43 years old and is enjoying his third visit to the state. He said he’s always eager to participate whenever the Seahawks contact him about taking part in one of their many outreach endeavors.

“They’re big on philanthropy, and every year they do a wide range of charity events to give back, to raise awareness and to spread the message of what the Seahawks do other than just play football,” Huff said.

He said the Seahawks and vice president of community outreach Mike Flood constantly reach out to former players around and outside of Seattle to ask for their assistance in events like the trip to Alaska.

“It takes a heart to give back, and I’m one of those people that like to give back, meet people, and I see the happiness on the faces of the kids and Seahawks fans,” Huff said.

He believes that Indigenous culture is what makes Alaska, and without it “there would be no Alaska.” He was intrigued by not only the songs performed at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, but also the cultural significance behind them.

“Hearing the stories, songs and what they mean is very important to learn to understand how things were back in the day, what they used to get by,” Huff said.

In the past, contingents of Seahawks have visited Kotzebue and Kodiak, and they’re now making more of an effort to get out to some of the more remote communities in rural Alaska.

“It’s just really great to see effort by a national organization not only coming to Alaska, but they’re making a point to meet and visit with Indigenous people of this state — which is really important and cool,” said Emily Edenshaw, president and CEO of the Alaska Native Heritage Center.