Category: Events

High school graduation is a big deal here in Tulita – the town goes all out. They decorate the gym (this year’s theme was “Hollywood”), have a big ceremony, and a catered dinner. There were 7 graduates this year (which is a lot), and it was great to see how proud the students and the whole community were of this accomplishment.

When I bought a fiddle before moving up North, I had no idea how popular fiddling was up here. It’s a big thing. About twice a year, fiddle instructors come through town for a few days to teach the kids (this is about as often as dentists come through town). Yesterday, I noticed on the community facebook group that they were doing fiddle lessons for adults, so Maciek and I scurried over to the school. It’s a good thing too, because I’ve apparently been doing approximately everything wrong (“Okay, that’s good, except for your shoulders, right elbow, right wrist, and all your fingers”). I went back today and got grouped in with the kids’ lessons (and yes, the kids were all better at fiddling than me). After two lessons, Maciek and I have improved greatly and can play a version of Amazing Grace that sounds like we are only gently strangling some cats. Maciek’s gotten into it too, and fortunately it turns out that the school has a fiddle loan program. And by “program”, I mean you can just take home a fiddle and promise to return it eventually.