Goodbye, Warren Matumeak - part 3: The Service
Saturday, December 11, 2010 at 4:43PM 
To honor his service, Alaska National Guardsmen and Iraq war veterans Owen Nowpakahok and Thomas Hopson carry an American flag to Warren’s coffin.
Steven Kaleak, also a veteran of the Iraq war, joins his fellow guardsmen in salute to their fellow soldier.
The choir that Warren led for so long and so recently now sing for him. Warren was not only a song leader, but a song translator and a song writer. He translated many hymns from English into Iñupiaq and composed many originals. Several of them have become Christmas classics and will soon be heard as part of the pageants that are performed in Barrow each Christmas season.
After the invocation and a recitation of the Lord's Prayer, the choir and congregation joined together to sing, "My Jesus, I love Thee" - a favorite hymn of Warren's.
;)
Warren’s daughter, Darlene Kagak and her husband Jacob Kagak join in the congregational singing.
More members of his family, including Ernest Nageak, Nancy Akpik and husband Tommy, Robert Akpik, John Titus, Warren Kagak and Alice Akpik, his oldest daughter (far right, standing alongside her husband Robert Akpik), also sing with the congregation.
Then Warren’s grandchildren sing a special for him…
Followed by his children, their spouses and some of Warren's nephews and nieces who were so close to him and his children as to be considered his sons and daughters, their brothers and sisters...
Warren’s brothers and sisters sing for him.
His sister, Hattie, performed a duet with her husband, Frank Long, jr. The Longs live in Nuiqsut, along with several other members of Warren's extended family.
A large group of nieces and nephews honor their uncle.
Mae Ahgeak, a niece, spoke words of remembrance. When Mae was growing up, she spent so much time in the home and hunting and fishing camps with Warren, his wife Martha and their children that she became like a daughter and sister to them.
The Reverend John Chambers, who served in Barrow in the 1950’s and made Warren his choir director, conducts the services and speaks of Warren’s Christian life. Reverend Chambers is serving as an interim pastor through mid-winter.
Warren’s sister, Myrtle Akootchook, shares memories of her brother.
Son-in-law Jacob Kagak talked about some of the highlights of Warren’s past, as well as personal memories that he and Warren’s children have of him. I will sum of these up in a future post that I will build around pictures of Warren in life.
Fellow Alaska Territorial Guard veteran Wesley Aiken remembered his life-long friend.
The Presbyterian Point Barrow Choir stands behind their director for a final performance in his honor. A couple of days before his passing, Warren awoke and said, "Aarigaa, atupaluktut, aarigaaaa..." he had heard the heavenly choir.
North Slope Borough Mayor Edward Itta, speaks in honor of Warren Matumeak, and recalls how Warren helped to create Suurimmaanitchuat - a very popular Eskimo dance group.
Her talent comes naturally, but before Alisha Itta sang, she told the mourners gathered that it was Warren who taught her how to sing for the Lord. Then she sung for him – and she sang beautifully.
Marie Rexford, Betty Brower and Saaniaq and Fenton Rexford brought a song from their village of Kaktovik.
A picture of Warren posing in front of the last bowhead whale that he harpooned. Normally, after the harpooner strikes a whale, he is followed by the shoulder gunner and then is assisted by other crews firing both shoulder and darting guns until the whale is dead. This whale died the instant Warren struck it. The shoulder gun did not need to be fired.
Grandson's John Titus and Robert Akpik.
As the main part of the service draws to an end, Roy Nageak raises his hand into the air in worship.
Reader Comments (3)
I have to work tomorrow. I cannot go to church. I am lucky indeed that I was able to attend church tonight, in a little church in Point Barrow Alaska. Thank you for that. By the end of it, I felt as if I should raise my own hands in worship.
We are in the middle of a blizzard in Minnesota. I too feel like I was in church tonight in a church in Alaska. Thank you. The only thing missing was hearing the wonderful music. What a special celebration of life you have shared with us.
Thank you for documenting this remembrance of Warren's life. I was so sorry I couldn't be there for it. Even in pictures I can hear it in my mind.