New York City: Mikhael Subotsky - W. Eugene Smith grant winner; Wasilla: mean dog, cute baby

This is Mikhael Subotsky, the Cape Town, South Africa, photojournalist* who won this year's $30,000 W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Grant in Humanistic Photography and he is just about to inflict significant pain upon me. Following the awards ceremony, the Fund hosted Subotsky and several others of us who had played a roll in this year's event at a fine, French restaurant where diners are greeted by a calico cat.

After dinner, a group of us were standing on the corner waiting for cabs and that is when I took this picture with my Canon Powershot G9 point and shoot pocket camera. I had wanted to bring my big, heavy, Canon 1Ds M III with me to New York, because of the quality of pictures that it produces - especially under low light such as this. Yet, given the state of my still healing shoulder, I knew that I could not handle carrying the weight of that camera around New York, so I left it home and took only the G9.

Subotsky's cab came first. Before getting into it, he shook hands with everybody on the corner. I had meant to warn him that I had broken my shoulder in June and that my whole arm and hand was still sore and delicate, but before I could, he clenched my hand in a vice-grip and vigorously pumped it up and down.

Despite the sudden pain, I managed not to howl out or scream. He then let go of my hand, and, as I struggled to maintain my composure, with his left hand he suddenly gave me a good, hearty, vigorous, friendly, cuff directly over what had been one of my major fractures.

I gritted my teeth and suppressed the scream that tried to escape me. I smiled, expressed once again my admiration for the powerful, stunning, poetic, enlightening look this 27-year old photographer has taken at this often dark life that we all share and then said good-bye as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Not far from Broadway and 84th Street, where Sue Brisk, of the Funds Board of Trustees dropped me off by cab, I spotted this homeless man pushing his cart past the trappings of a fantasy world so impossible to him. This gave me a good excuse to point my camera at a fantasy image of the kind that I never have nor ever expect to get to take - although I damn well sure could, given the lights, the model, the assistants and the time.

I damn well sure could!

I attended this year's awards ceremony because I had won a first runner-up grant in 1999 and, as a Smith fellow, had now been invited to show a sample of work I had done since. Furthermore, as my little hometown has recently become famous, infamous, and notorious, I was asked if I might show some Wasilla photos as well.

The test run went fine, but - oh my! The presentation! Technological nightmare. Instead of photos, I put on a display of gigantic pixels over tiny images, some of which hinted at possible photography. 

Fortunately, I quickly realized that the situation had gone to hell and was not likely to get better and so I joked about it and kept everybody laughing all the way to the end and afterward managed to get a bunch of positive comments anyway.

I then spent the rest of the week in New York and I walked all around, at least ten and maybe sometimes 15 miles each day. I rode the subway, again and again and again. As I walked and rode, I snapped a hodge-podge of images with my little pocket camera.

Now, I will devote my next few entries to samples of my New York grab shots.

To keep the blog relevant to Wasilla, each time I do I will also include a few of the Wasilla images that I took to New York to show. To keep the blog timely to the day, I will end each of these presentations with some pocket-camera Wasilla images from the date of the post.

Here, then, are the three images that I used to introduce Wasilla to New York:

And yes, this damn dog bit me. Later, when it came after me again, its owner assured me that the dog was all bark and no bite, a truly loving and gentle character, not an individual to fear at all.

And here are five images from today in Wasilla:

My flight arrived at convicted Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage at 1:15 this morning. Daughter Melanie picked me up and got me home by about 3:00 AM. I slept in until 10:00 AM, then, as I always do the morning after I return from a trip, I got up and took Margie to breakfast, Kalib too.

A bit later, we ate lunch at Taco Bell, which now sits in the parking lot of the new Wasilla Target, where someone took a cigarette break, and talked on her phone. After New York, where people amazed me by bundling up in warm weather - some even wrapped their faces in scarves - it felt quite cold here, even though it was actually a nice, pleasant day in the teens. Single digits, now that evening has fallen (and come morning, a few degrees below zero).

As you can see, Rupright survived the primary and is still vying to take over Sarah Palin's old job. I have no idea why. If I can meet him, I will ask him, and share his answer with you.

The other primary survivor was Metiva. Same goes for him, should I meet him.

I end this day's presentation with baby Kalib and his mother - my wonderful daughter-in-law, Lavina, photographed in our driveway, right here in Wasilla, Alaska.

*Mikhael Subotsky's webpage.

I happen upon Sarah Palin, in the grip of a condom huckster, as I walk through Times Square in New York City

I took a bus from JFK Airport that dropped me off at Times Square, where I needed to catch the subway to the place where I am staying.

To my surprise I saw Governor Sarah Palin standing on the sidewalk in front of me, her waist in the grip of a huckster.

"Obama, McCain and Palin condoms," he shouted out to all who passed by, "get your Obama, McCain and Palin condoms, right here! Obama and McCain condoms."

"Hey!" I said, "believe it or not, I am from Wasilla, Alaska."

"I just sent an order of condoms to Wasilla!" he gushed back.

"Yeah?" I responded, "I've got to take a picture of this."

"You have to buy a condom!" he said. "You have to! You can't take a picture if you don't buy a condom."

"You're in a public place," I answered. "I can see you, I can photograph you!"

I raised my pocket camera and shot. He turned Sarah to the side and ducked and hid.

Seemed somehow appropriate.

If had been armed with my SLR, I could have photographed his flight, but this pocket camera shoots one frame, then makes you wait awhile before it will shoot again.

I briefly contemplated pursuing the Sarah Palin toting condom huckster to see if I could get a better frame or two, but then I would have had to leave my rolling suitcase sitting alone on the sidewalk in Times Square.

I did not want to do that.

Car breaks down, get it fixed, walk to pick it up, baby poops - a real stinker

Monday night, the car broke down. Starter wouldn't engage. Battery would die real quick. On Tuesday, called a tow truck to take it to the shop on Fish Hook: Fish Hook Tire and Auto. No car since. Glad it didn't happen during the trip to Fairbanks.

By today, not having a car had become annoying. Kalib, however, got himself into a position to crawl. He is ready to travel.

Called shop this afternoon. Said car be done at 4:00. Three mile walk. Started walking a little after 3:00. Along the way, I saw this kid, biking up Mulchatna. Got to shop close to 4:00 PM. Shop keeper said 10 more minutes. Gave me some chocolate cake - one piece for me and another for Margie.

Forty minutes lady car was done. Went home to pick up Margie so that we could go to a kiosk and get a brew to go with the chocolate cake. Stepped into the house to find Kalib had pooped in his diaper. It was a real smeller.

Margie cleaned him up, put on a new diaper, then discovered it was all over his shirt and had to start over. We climbed into the car, headed to the kiosk - Little Miller's this time.

Here we are, driving home, eating our cake, drinking our brew, right here in Wasilla, Alaska.

Physically fit and mentally alert, Gwich'in Matriarch Hannah Solomon Celebrates her 100th birthday

 The men do an honor dance for Hannah Solomon: 

See the mural on the wall above Hannah, seen here in the center of a men's honor dance to honor her on her 100th birthday? It is more than a just beautiful painting to Hannah. It is a depiction of the life that she actually knew in her early days. The mural is why Daisy Solomon, Hannah's daughter, chose this place, the Chena River Convention, for the party. "It is the life she lived," Daisy said.

Many of us know something of the robust life that is lived even now in Alaska. The same foods that were important back then are important now, but these days the activities involved are accompanied by the roar and whine of snowmachines, of boat propellers churning their way through water, fourwheelers bouncing over rough trails, and the drone of that airplanes that make the long distances that separate us short.

Back then, it was much quieter and a journey to even a nearby place could take days.

Hannah was born in the Old Rampart on the Porcupine River, not far from the Canadian border, on October 10, 1908 into just that kind of life.

Two hours before the honor dance:

The party began with a great feast, Athabascan style - salmon, both roasted and smoked; moose, caribou, probably a beaver or two, plus salads and such. Unfortunately for me, I was still on the highway, slowed by the storm, driving from south and I did not enter the hall until the final bites of dinner were being swallowed.

I did get there in time to see a woman give Hannah a gift - a story knife. When several people gather, whoever holds the knife is the one who speaks.

Hannah Solomon on her 100th birthday - doesn't she look good!

Thinking that she needed help and being eager to give it, a great-great grandson blew out the flames on the two "0" candles. Hannah wanted to blow out the "1" candle herself. She took a deep breath...

...and Hannah blew the candle out. I wonder what she wished for? Whatever, I hope it comes true.

Hannah had two more birthday cakes. One featured a frosting picture of her when she was young. 

The other a more recent frosting picture of Hannah. Click on the cakes to see them larger.

After blowing out her candles, Hannah received a warm round of applause.

As her longtime friend and fellow Native leader, Poldine Carlo, sings an Athabascan song for her, Hannah Solomon raises her hands and, moving them up and down, dances in the traditional way, even as she remains sitting.

 Blessed not only with a strong, healthy, sound body but a clear and sharp mind, centenarian Hannah Solomon addresses her well-wishers. She expressed her joy at seeing the gathered crowd, as they represented what she had worked and fought so hard for - especially the six generations of her family. "My family have been the most important thing to me. I met my goal and my birthday would be nothing if my family wasn't here."

Numbered among those who came to honor Hannah was U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski. Murkowski praised Hannah not only for being a leader and inspiration to the Native people of Alaska, but to all Alaskans.

Many came to honor Hannah and to present her with plaques and awards, from organizations such as Tanana Chiefs Conference and Doyon Ltd (above) to State legislators Reggie Joule and Woody Salmon (far left).

Scott Fisher, Hannah's pastor from the St. Matthews Episcopal Diocese, honored her with a plaque, and then a kiss.

  

Mary Beth Solomon, daughter of Hannah's late son, Jonathon Solomon, gives her grandmother a kiss.

As his sons stand behind his mother, Peter Solomon, Hannah's youngest, tells how his mother and father raised the family on the land and taught them to love and protect it. Anywhere one walks in America, Peter said, that is Indian Country. He also put in a plug for Barack Obama, as did other speakers.

As they thank God for Hannah's good life and ask Him to bless her future, Hannah grips the hands of those who pray for her.

  Hannah Solomon with her daughter, Hannah Solomon. Hannah gave birth to 17 children and is also matriarch to 68 grandchildren, 138 great-grandchildren, 122 great-great grandchildren and 30 great-great-great grandchildren. 

When her son, Paul, named after her late husband, spoke of what a good mother she had been, Hannah radiated love. Paul had to leave early to return to the nursing home where he lives. "Someone help me up, so that I can kiss my son before he leaves," Hannah asked.

Hannah stood, and kissed the hand of her son. Behind her, dressed in red, is her daughter, Daisy, who led the effort to organize the birthday party. "My mother has been an excellent teacher," Daisy told those gathered. "She's guided all of her children and their children on how to treat each other. She's always been a very gentle woman, even when my brothers were in trouble as kids."

Soon it was time to jig. Backed up by a group of talented musicians, Bill Stevens, master of the Athabascan fiddle, made the music.

The jigging began with the men's honor dance.

Then the women honored her. There are three Hannah Solomon's in this picture, by the way. At the car left is Hannah Solomon's daughter-in-law, Hannah Solomon, wife of her late son, Jonathon, her daughter, Hannah Solomon, and of course, Hannah Solomon, the Gwich'in Matriarch herself.

100th birthday party post under construction, but am experiencing technical problems with Squarespace, the host for this blog

Folks, if any of you come back looking for Hannah's 100th birthday party before I can successfully post it, please know that I am working on it. Unfortunately, although it comes with very nice possibilities, this online Squarespace program that I am using to host this blog can also be a glitch-filled nightmare.

Tonight it is a nightmare. As I would have done any other night, I placed three of the birthday photos, along with text, in the entry that is supposed to be here. On pictures two and three, I had to repeat the final placement action two or three times, but I did succeed.

Then, on the fourth photo, no matter how many times I tried, the online program would not complete the action. It is the same final action that was necessary to place all the photos that appear elsewhere in this blog. I spent close to half-an-hour trying to place that photo alone. I closed and restarted the program - all to no avail. As there are several more photos left to place and I simply cannot keep wasting this kind of time, I had to stop. I will try again tomorrow. Maybe it will work better then.

The frustrating thing is, I keep another blog on Google's blogspot, which is 100 percent free, and I never encounter the kind of glitches that I do on this one, which I pay for. As I have begun this blog here, and the pictures display a bit larger, and the program, once I master it, and if Squarespace works these horrible glitches out of it, seems to have more potential, I want to keep it here.

But I might give up, and move it elsewhere if these kind of problems persist. 

Anyway, come back Wednesday night or Thursday and see if I have been able to finish the post.