Some Haines residents organized a short notice musical lunch hour on the lawn at the corner of 3rd and Main. The intent was to foster community connections, and it revealed the untapped potential of a little used parcel of land. We spent an extended lunch break at the event.
There is an unassuming piece of borough land in downtown Haines. It only has a few small trees, a couple benches, and some grass. And gorgeous views of the mountains. Local officials have talked about selling it, hoping to spur investment in the downtown area. Some residents want to see it turned into a town square. Most days it just sits there, getting rained on, ignored by passers by, save a few dogs.
This Monday was different.
Denker: “A couple weeks ago we kind of talked, wouldn’t it be neat if, low key, we put something together?”
Resident Mike Denker is part of a group calling itself the Town Squares.
Denker: “The whole idea of a town square, public space where people get together, and it’s kind of a launching point for the rest of the community. You drive around these small towns down south and you see these public area where things kind of happen, they pop, they spark. Little areas where people can put up signs, and visitors can talk to locals, and it’s about people getting together.”
On short notice, three acts agreed to bring life to the event. Extended Play sang of love, and land.
Joanne Boisvert brought her grandchildren to the play in the sun.
Natalie Benassi owns a small restaurant across the street; she says the event has brought many customers.
Benassi: “It’s been great, we’ve got a lot of people walking by, and coming in and checking out our menu, and listening to the music is probably the best part, so far.”
Nearby, just past the brewery, a food truck serves lunch to a long line of customers.
On stage, Lee Zion sings and plays the ukulele.
To put on a last minute show, Ted Hart gathered his immediate family. As the Deishu Dancers, they shared some ‘Lingit trail songs.
Hart: “Yes I really wanted to highlight these trail songs of ours to highlight this place, our way of life, and the way we’ve navigated this place for many thousands of years.”
These songs came from farther native communities, in the Yukon and British Columbia.
Hart: “Trail songs, they are acquired through trade. We were very skilled traders, and we would travel up into the interior with strictly trade items, no personal items, we’d make camp along the way, gather food, and when trade would go really well, sometimes we’d receive songs in trade.”
Hart comes on stage, his two young children are with him.
Hart: “This first song is called the ptarmigan song. And it’s about a ptarmigan hunt. Being able to harvest some ptarmigans, for some very hungry trail hikers, that’s a very important thing.”
The children dance the part of the ptarmigans, they fall down when a louder drum stroke simulates a gunshot.
Sitting in the grass, the crowd seems to enjoy a foretaste of the Southeast State Fair festivities planned for this weekend.
