Scenes from a 1930s Fourth of July Celebration in Nome, Alaska, feature a donut eating contest followed by the more traditional high kick competition. The high kick is a traditional Alaska Native sport requiring great coordination, strength and concentration, as participants kick at a ball or target positioned above their heads. To be successful, the kicker must contact the target with both feet and then land in an upright position. There is also a single or one-foot version of the game, not shown here. Both high kick events are performed by men and women in current competitions such as the Alaska Native Youth Olympics (Color/Silent/16mm film).
This is a clip from AAF-2239 of the Seppala Hanks Collection held by the Alaska Film Archives, a unit of the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives Department in the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The Alaska Film Archives appreciates your support. Your donation in any amount will help us continue important preservation work. Please visit the “About” section of our KZfaq channel to learn how you can help today. Thank you! For more information please contact the Alaska Film Archives.