Goodbye, Warren Matumeak - part 4: final military honors; Psalm 23: I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever

As the service draws to an end, Barrow veterans, including many who have fought in foreign wars, took turns in paying Warren Matumeak their respect. Wesley Aiken, who served with him, salutes his life-long friend and closest cousin.

James Kapu Ahsoak and Thomas Hopson during the folding of the flag.

As Hopson takes the folded flag, Nowpakahok salutes.

David Leavitt presents the flags of the State of Alaska and the Alaska Territitorial Guard  to Warren’s daughter Darlene Kagak.

Wesley Aiken presents the American flag to Warren’s eldest daughter, Alice Akpik.

His fellow veterans give Warren Matumeak a final salute. To see a larger version of this image, click on the picture. "View as slide show" will display larger versions of all pictures.

Warren’s grandsons Warren Kagak and Tommie Akpik lead the way as Warren's pallbearers carry him from the church…

…and then to his grave.

Family members gather around as Warren Matumeak is lowered into the permafrost. Afterward, when they gather at his home to eat, they will express great confidence that he has gone to a better place and that in time, short by eternal standards, they will join him there.

The Reverend John Chambers conducts the graveside service.

The grave is filled in.

Warren loved Psalm 23 and had recited it a few times during the final weeks of his life, so the family asked Mark Ahsoak if he would create a plaque of Psalm 23 for the cross that would mark Warren’s grave. He did. Darlene examines the plaque and is pleased by it.

Robert Akpik places a wreath on the cross that now marks his aapa’s grave.

Family members gather behind him.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table...

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Goodbye, Warren Matumeak - part 3: The Service

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. 

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Goodbye, Warren Matumeak - part 2: The visitation at Utqiagvik Presbyterian Church

Most often, funerals for people who have reached a position of prominence* in Barrow are held in one of the school gymnasiums in order to accommodate a number of mourners too large for the chapel. Warren Matumeak was such a man, but before his death he made it known that his funeral was to be held inside the Utqiagvik Presbyterian Church, where he had attended services and been a faithful member for all of his life.

He was a trustee and Elder of the church and served as a choir director since the early 1950’s. He was a man devoted to his Iñupiat culture – the language, the hunting, fishing, whaling, traditional song and dance and to his family.

He also made it clear that he had no higher devotion than that he gave his God and this was the place where that relationship took hold. This would be the place where his final service would be held.

The visitation began at noon, but I was unable to make it over until about 12:40. I followed these two into the chapel to find that it was already full.

*I would note that before the funeral, I was contacted by a few friends of Warren's who would not be able to attend and they let me know they were looking forward to attending vicariously through this blog.

So, for all those who would have been here if they could, I am making this an extra large series of pictures, beyond what may be of interest to many readers outside the scope of Warren's family and friendship. I will put three posts up this afternoon, one almost immediately following the other, and will then follow up tomorrow with another post or two to finish off with the singspiration, and a small glimpse at Warren's life.

These are the living sisters and brothers that Warren left behind, plus a couple of cousins and a niece. Through his father, mother and step-mother, Warren had a total of 13 brothers and sisters.

As slides from his life were projected onto a screen behind his coffin, grandchildren of Warren gathered around to share some final moments with their beloved Aapa.

The chapel was filled with gospel music, played in the heart and soul-felt way that the Iñupiat perform it. Among the musicians were Bradford Nageak, Fred Elavgak and...

Clifford Okpeaha...

Frank Long, Jr....

...Tom Opie...

...Leona Okakok...

...and Adeline Hopson.

Soon, the casket will be closed. The service will begin.

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In the interlude: Santa drops in on his next-door neighbors, sees some "folks dressed up like Eskimos" gets a high five and leaves a bit of good cheer behind

In the evening after the gathering at Warren Matumeak's house and the night before his funeral, I heard that Santa Claus had hopped over to Barrow from his nearby home at the North Pole. I dropped by the North Slope Borough building, where the Mayor's and Law offices were holding their office Christmas party for staff members and their families.

Other offices and departments would hold their own parties at the times and locations of their choosing.

I entered to the sight of excited children charging in ahead of their parents as classic Christmas Carols played on the sound system - the standards, such as "Silent Night," "Jingle Bells" and "The Christmas Song."

In one of those odd coincidences that Mel Torme could never have pictured in all of his imaginings, I took this picture of little Leila Sundai just as he sang these words:

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Jack Frost nipping at your nose

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir

And folks dressed up like Eskimos...

I'm not making this up. That's just how it happened.

When you sang, did you even begin to envision such beauty, Mel Torme?

The parka was sewn by Leila's grandmother, her Aaka Nora Snowball.

As they waited for Santa to arrive, children posed in front of the tree.

Everyone waited in nervous anticipation, not quite certain what was about to happen. Then, suddenly, we heard the clatter of tuttu hooves, alighting atop the roof. Next, a big, fat man man stood at the top of the stairs laughing so hard that his belly shook like a bowl full of jelly.

To be quite frank, this scared the heck out of me. I was about to throw my camera away and to run screaming into the cold of the Arctic night when I saw little baby Kylen, held in the arms of Jordan Ahgeak, boldly gliding up the stairs toward Santa.

She drew back her little hand as if maybe she was going to slap him...

She didn't slap him. She gave him a high five! After I had witnessed such bravery met only with good will, my own courage returned. I did not throw my camera away. I did not flee screaming into the Arctic night, I stuck around to take pictures and eat cake.

Soon, little ones were filing by to get their gifts. Leila Sundai got hers.

As did little Ka'eo - whose blood is a beautiful mix of Iñupiat, Hawaiian and Asian.

As his proud grandfather, North Slope Borough Mayor Edward Itta cheered him on, little Noah Itta accepted Santa's gift. 

Kapono Texeira, brother to Ka'eo, received a Buzz Lightyear action figure.

Sisters Melissa and Madison posed by the tree.

Lily Brower and Leila spent some time enjoying the new friends that Santa had brought to them.

Goodbye, Warren Matumeak - part 1: A gathering at his house

I am a couple of days behind, but I will pick up where I left off and try to catch up by the weekend. As friends and readers know, I had come to Barrow for the funeral of Warren Matumeak, a good man. He was buried yesterday following a funeral that, despite the bitter pain of loss, was truly beautiful and sweet. How could it have been otherwise, given the beautiful and productive life that Warren lived?

Despite the fact that the sun has not risen since November 18 and will not rise again until January 22, by Monday noon, shortly after I arrived in Barrow, the southern sky was aglow with that soft combination of dusk and twilight that exists only in the polar latitudes.

I set out to walk to the Matumeak home, and soon came upon Max Ahgeak's umiak frame, where it awaits the spring. Beyond it were two graveyards, a small, family, one on this side of the middle lagoon and the large community cemetery, where Warren would be buried, on the other.

I stopped to take this picture. It did not dawn on me until later that the brightly lit spot across the lagoon, just over the middle of the crosses to left, was where family and friends were just now finishing up the hard task of digging Warren's grave in the Barrow permafrost.

I was hungry when I arrived, but was quickly offered hot soup, frozen whale meat, maktak, and hot dogs. I partook of it all and it was all good. Sitting across from me was Josie Kaleak and her daughter, Michelle.

Ora Elavgak and her son, Asa, soon sat down with us.

Darlene Kagak, one of Warren's daughters, sat down at the table to look through recent pictures of her father on her iPhone in the hope that they could find a good one for the bulletin. She was joined by her sister, Alice, her husband Jacob and Warren's granddaughter-in-law, Nancy Akpik with baby Carly.

Soon, the friends and family who had just completed digging the grave began to arrive. They had been working in - 20 F. weather with a strong wind blowing. They were hungry and ready to warm up. Darlene received a hug from her nephew, Sakeagak.

And another hug from her nephew, John Titus.

As those who had been digging the grave sat down to eat, Darleen hugged her brother, Peter Matumeak. 

Knowing that her father could use a hot cup of tea, Warren's greatgrandaughter, Carly, brought a hot thermos to dad Tommy Akpik.

However hard it may be,many things must be done before a loved one can be buried. Alice showed two poems that the family planned to put in the bulletin for Warren's funeral. One was a poem dedicated to Warren, the grandfather - "Aapa" - the other to Warren, the Dad.

The house was filled with gospel music, brought into it through a recording of the Native Musicale, a celebration of Gospel music that takes place in Anchorage every year in late February-early March. I do not know what year the recording was from, but many of older the performers featured in it have passed on themselves and some of the children singers are now adults, so it was awhile back.

As people visited, I noticed a beautiful cloud beyond the window, backlit by the dusk/twilight.

I stepped onto Warren's porch to take a picture of that cloud. Many people have the idea that once the sun goes down for the season, it is pitch dark here all the time.

As you can see, that is not true. Sometimes, a full moon will appear and the northern lights will glimmer, glow and dance in the sky.

I have not yet seen the lights this season, but have heard reports of them.

Warren's youngest daughter, Annie Luafulu, cradles her baby, Theresa Luafulu.

Darlene found a picture of her father for the bulletin cover, and another of her father and late mother, Martha.

Jacob thanked all those who had dug the grave, and those who had helped in many other ways.

Having had almost no sleep the night before, and very little for the previous painful weeks, I was extremely tired. Jacob invited me to come next door to his and Darlene's house and to nap on the couch. I did, and dozed into and out of a sleep that I felt that I wanted to stay in forever.

Not long after I awoke, Jacob's daughter, Nancy Grant, who lives with her husband in Oregon, came in. She and her dad exchanged hugs as they spoke of their love for Warren Matumeak, and for each other.

This story will continue, but it will take me some significant time to get the next part together. To give myself that time, I will keep this post into Thursday afternoon and will then put up a happy, quick and easy one covering a visit Santa Claus made to Barrow the other night. 

Then I will return and do my best to pay Warren the respect that he deserves.

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