Barrow, Alaska, January 5, 2009~

Dear Word-Book~

Aama Minik Qu'urilaaq here.  Sorry if I don't write in here anymore; too much to do.  Family.  Schoolwork.  Sewing.  Hunting.  Not much time for fun, laughter, relaxing.

I'm now fourteen winters old.  No longer a little girl; am soon to be young lady, soon to be of marrying age.  Childhood will soon be put behind me.

It makes me sad because when I was a little girl, nothing worried me.  Now I have all these worries:  family, other children teasing me at school (still go to the same school), calling me retarded, other hurtful names.  I can't help if I'm not smart; I try my best!

Teacher says I have learning disability.  Called dyslexia (I checked spelling).  It means I see numbers, letters backwards or in wrong places, makes it hard to read.  No wonder I have so much trouble.  My writing isn't much better; it look worse than a chicken!  (I've never seen a chicken except in picture-books.  They're ugly!)

I'm now in stupid-child's class.  Classes there supposed to be easier, but it still hard.  They call it special-needs; I call it stupid-child's class.  Kids there have trouble reading, behaving (some act worse than two angry polar bears!), even walking, seeing, talking.  Some of the kids are in wheeled chairs, and some use canes, dogs to get around, as their eyes don't work. 

Most of the kids are Native like me; there are some Dog Children there, but I don't talk to them; they cause me too much pain.  All Dog Children are to be avoided at all costs, or we may become like them.  Not good!

My family is fine.  Mother, Father, my brothers Qisuk, Sorqaq, Sammik, and Ululik, sisters Maki and Mikisaq.  Sammik and Ululik are now three, walking, talking, into everything!!  Maki is still very shy; she won't talk to anybody!  Mikisaq is still the giggling little girl she's always been.  Qisuk and Sorqaq now join Father on hunting trips; they are both very brave, strong, smart, just like Father.  They are gone much of the time, hoping to get food to us.

Weather here cold, bitter cold, snowy, brutal.  It's our world, and I'm used to it.  If it is dangerously cold (temps in the negative twenties or thirties, with howling winds of up to 100 miles an hour), we stay in, hope that Father, Qisik, and Sorqaq have found safe shelter, so they don't freeze to death.  It is always a welcome sight when we see them coming to our house, especially if they have food with them.

When they have food, we celebrate, and sometimes whole village celebrates, with dancing, drumming, singing, stories.  It is always a fun time when there's enough food for everyone here.

Well, I am going to go; Mother needs me to help my little sister Maki with her boots; she always has the worst time with getting them on!  I don't know when I will write in here again, but I will try to do better.  I promise!

May the Great Spirit watch over you and protect you!

~Amma Minik Qu'urilaaq, aged 14 winters.  :)