{"id":2624,"date":"2023-04-11T10:54:14","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T14:54:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/?p=2624"},"modified":"2024-01-12T17:22:16","modified_gmt":"2024-01-12T22:22:16","slug":"offbeat-travel-alaskas-spirit-houses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/offbeat-travel-alaskas-spirit-houses\/","title":{"rendered":"Offbeat Travel: Alaska’s Spirit Houses in Anchorage"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Alaska is big. Really really big. But one of the most interesting sites to check out in the Great North is actually a series of very small houses. Tiny houses, in fact.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Along the northern shores of Anchorage, you’ll find a small cemetery with some of the most unusual grave markers you’re ever likely to see. The Alaska “spirit houses” in the Eklunta cemetery represent a burial tradition that blends Russian Orthodox and native Alaskan traditions. These colorful miniature houses are constructed over the burial sites of departed loved ones from the neighboring town.<\/div>\n
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Why are they there?<\/h1>\n
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Locals believe that the spirit houses provide shelter for the deceased, assisting them on their journey into the afterlife. The spirit houses are decorated with various colorful designs, reflecting the creativity of the people who built them, and the spirits of those buried below. This unique blending of cultures and artistic elements makes them a fascinating reflection of the culture and history of Alaska.<\/p>\n

The spirit houses have been a part of the Tlingit and Haida Native American tribes’ traditions for centuries. The small wooden structures, often shaped like miniature houses or totem poles, are believed to serve as homes for the spirits that inhabit the natural world. According to Tlingit and Haida beliefs, these spirits can bring both good and bad fortune to humans, so it is important that friends and family members show the spirits respect and make offerings to them to maintain a harmonious relationship with nature.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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What makes these spirit houses particularly interesting is the intricate designs and carvings that adorn them. Each house is unique, and the designs often depict animals and other natural elements that are important in Tlingit and Haida culture, such as the raven, eagle, bear, and salmon. The carvings are often highly detailed and include both traditional and modern motifs. Today, Native American tribes in Southeast Alaska still create these Alaska Spirit Houses, which are popular among tourists who are drawn to their beauty and cultural significance.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Alaska is big. Really really big. But one of the most interesting sites to check out in the Great North is actually a series of very small houses. Tiny houses, in fact. Along the northern shores of Anchorage, you’ll find a small cemetery with some of the most unusual grave markers you’re ever likely to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":2626,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64,103],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2624","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-art-and-culture","8":"category-offbeat-travel"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2624"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2624\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4889,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2624\/revisions\/4889"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2624"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}