Blanket toss: Pulling together in more ways than one

PREFACE: This is the first of six articles that I wrote as a guest columnist for the Anchorage Daily News "Voices from the Community" series, it was printed Wednesday, October 16, 1991 (http://www.adn.com/). The pictures weren't included in the article.

"The Naalukatuk or blanket toss distinctively reflects the values and character of an Inupiaq (Eskimo) culture that has survived living in a hostile environment. Look hard enough you just might see a micro-scaled perspective of the Inupiaq society.

At first glance the blanket toss appears jubilant, carefree and exhilarating -- harmony in action. And so it is -- a simple event unfolding a story of symmetry and human struggle.

By taking part in the blanket toss, I've gained tremendous insight and admiration for the wisdom behind this simple Inupiat activity. Rumor has it it was designed to spot mammals out on the open sea. But I've been assured by my elders that it was done for the sheer challenge and fun of it.

When seen for the first time it looks similar to the trampoline. But don't be mistaken. The blanket is made from rigid, unforgivably tough walrus hide, not polyester or canvas. On a trampoline you can control the direction of your jump, but on a blanket you have no control. The trampoline has a soft landing; on the blanket you land with a light thud and the little slack the pullers allow when catching you. Jumping on a trampoline you can bend your knees and jump, but on a blanket this is sternly not recommended.

To have a successful blanket toss requires a blanket 12-15 feet in diameter with looped rope handles affixed to the edges, an avid jumper, and good experienced pullers. When you have all these elements it's not uncommon to see the jumper soaring well above 30, sometimes 40 feet.

Pretend for a moment you're the jumper and you're standing in the center of the blanket. The pullers, with outstretched arms, holding on, surround you. With eyes of sparkling anticipation, the pullers smile at you, knowing it's your first time. With courage you get on the blanket and now you use complete trust that these same people, with whom you hardly even know, will catch you if stray off course.

The motion of the blanket's rhythm is unstable and disorienting, like trying to stand up in some small row boat. Meanwhile an announcer gives out instructions. "Listen, everyone, if we have even one out-of-sync puller, this will not only throw our whole rhythm off but it could throw our jumper off course. We want to our jumper to land in the center of the blanket at all times! I will count 'One, two, three, GO.' We pull like anything on GO. READY? ONE! TWO! THREE! GO!!''

The thrust has a gravitational effect, pulling on your cheeks, and you're catapulted up into the air like some rag doll. Kicking and swinging your arms wildly, you vainly attempt to to stabilize your vertical position. You are twenty fee in the air, however, and your body plummets back to earth horizontally.

For a brief, still moment, you're free. Every one's eyes are upon you. You can only imagine how distorted a grimace you must have as you look down. Surprise, bewilderment, and delight flood your emotions. Then, thud, you land sideways on your bum. The pullers cheer your safe return. Standing up, you check all body parts. With everything in working order, you give the nod to try it again. Only this time your goal is to land on your feet.

Step back for moment and revisit the elements that embody the blanket toss: the pullers, the blanket, the jumper, and the audience.

The pullers represent the 'community' -- any community in the world. It can be your family, neighborhood, village, church delegation, corporation, or city council. It's important that each puller know his [her] role: for within it rests a certain harmony. United they collaborate and cooperate, pulling resources together for their common welfare, creating an environment of support, trust and safety. Any successful whaling crew is a good example.

The blanket can represent the medium through which communities interact. It's the laws or ground rules which naturally exist or have been man-made: cultural and traditional family customs, church doctrines, U.S. Constitution, state charters, articles of incorporation and by-laws, as well as the natural laws which govern the four seasons of the year. Through any one of these media we all find a handle we can hold and work with; it gives us sustenance.

The jumper can, or is, each one of us, it can also be any collective goal or vision of a community. We each struggle at first to maintain our own balance, to be accountable for our own actions and careful not to hurt ourselves or others in the process. Trusting the process the community has collectively chosen allows us to be vulnerable and gives us permission to grow. As jumpers we have no control how high we go or in which direction -- that's determined by the puller's effort.

The audience is as much a part of the blanket toss as the pullers or jumpers. With their oohhs, ahhs, and gasps, they represent that part of the community which recognizes our growth, encourages us, counsels us when we ask (and sometimes when we don't), and gives us hope to continue. They're our elder statesman, such as Native elders, previous corporate presidents, board members, assemblymen/women - - combination of persons who have at one time or another held any influential role in the progression of our community and way of life. Previous pullers they were, we're in their debt.

So the next time you witness a blanket toss, may your understanding be greater for those who conceived it. May it also serve as an example that any people gathered in unity, cooperation, safety, and trust can achieve greater heights if they pull together. After all, the Inupiaq are still here and that is no secret, except what's reflected in their actions."




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