I took this picture right out of my own bedroom window! Here you can see some hunters who have killed a caribou, and are now scarping all edible meat off of the ribs. If you look hard enough, you can even see the ribs! Most of the time hunters cut up their kills right where they fall. In doing so, blood stays where the animal died, thus preventing bears from following the scent back into the village. These hunters took a risk by bringing their catch back into town, but with winter fast approaching, it was probably a safe bet that most bears had already gone into hibernation. To the right of the picture you can see a dog house, which housed the dog of the math teacher who lived across the hall from me. In Alaksa the dogs are used to the cold, so being outside is not difficult for them. It shows another part of the culture, which to the Alaskans is not cruel at all. It's tough to respect that, but I feel it is important to respect the beliefs of the people who live there. After all, who am I to say differently? The house in the background belongs to the village's only VPO, or, Village Police Officer. Since everyone knows who that person is, it's a rough job-- one that doesn't win a lot of supporters! In any case, the caribou hunting that you see here represents just one more aspect of Alaska life out in the bush. If it was a native who killed this caribou, and this was his first caribou kill, then it must be given away to the poor or to an elder. Remember... Eskimos are very traditional. The women cook and take care of the house, and the fresh kills. It is only the males who go out to hunt and fish.