I' ve Got the Booyah Blues

Yep, I 've got the booyah blues. The Grande Golden Days parade was last weekend which for us is a major highlight of the summer. But the parade this year lacked an important factor that clouded the event. Left me a bit lonely. For six years the Mills family have witnessed the parade, always sitting in the same location, across from St. Matthews. Why St. Matthews? Because of the three B's: BOOYAH, bakesale and bathrooms. The first year Hannah was little. We had never experienced the parade before since when we were childless we were always doing fieldwork in the summer and couldn't partake in Fairbanks summer cultural events.

One summer I invited Lynne and little Caleb (she might have been pregnant with Caleb I can't remember) to the parade. Lynne fully appreciated the the entire scene. I have difficulty describing why we love the parade. It is the same thing every year: endless fire trucks, the old cars, bagpipes, giant rubber ducky, politicians, church floats, old tractors and Fairbanks-Morse generators, boys scouts, 4-H, girl scouts, and golden retriever rescue. The procession is long, lasting two hours. Seems if you are not watching the parade, you are in the parade. We certainly recognized several acquaintances marching along.

(Here are Lynne and Ev watching the festivities. Lynne has come every year to watch the parade sitting in the same location and eating booyah).

The event is more complex then just the parade; let us not forget the booyah. Booyah is a fundraising event for St. Matthews. The congregation donates food and volunteers chop the ingredients for hours. The night before the parade the booyah chefs get the big pot of stew cooking over a huge propane burner in the front yard of the church. The booyah is monitored all night long by a group of men who obviously have a high standing in the congregation. Before the parade I head over to the Booyah tent, hand over my donation and get my steaming cup of stew and pilot bread (a large round cracker for those reading in the lower-48). Back at our seats. My husband always raises his cup of stew and bellows BOO-YAAAAAAAAAAH! Lynne and myself always raise our cups and respond BOO-YAAAAAAH! This is tradition.

The years have passed and more and more families sit at the same location. Now, part of my tradition is getting there early to stake out our seating area.

Here we are at 9am. Hannah is writing our names on the sidewalk to reserve space. The Haas family's Grandma Jo and Grandpa John are on the scene to help stake a claim. I wonder who that lady is across the street and speculate at what time did she arrive? It is 9am and the parade will not pass by until 10:30. This is one of the few activities that Robin is eager to help load the car up and get going. Usually, on the way to any activity he complains (in a harmless way) of "Why do we have to leave so early?" The answer is "two children one of whom walks very slowly and stops to pick up rocks." Oops, I am digressing.

Here comes the parade with the fire trucks leading the way. Six other families sit with us to watch. Two of the families had three generations present.

Ev sits next to her buddy. They collected and ate too much candy. The parade was long, over two hours with 105 entries. The weather forecast was for rain but it held off and the sun actually came out between the clouds. We ate the booyah and watched the parade. The third part of the tradition is that I always say the same things. Always...

1. What if there is a fire? All the fire trucks are here in the parade.

2. Bagpipes are my favorite.

3. Kids, when the American flag passes by, stand up and take your hat off.

4. Next year we are going to dress up in Golden Day outfits (This never actually happens)

5. BOOYAH!!!!

My husband, family and friends put up with me saying the same thing every year, they are very kind.

So why is the parade so special? I mean, when viewed individually the little activities that make up this day are ordinary. In review, the Golden Days Parade involves:

1. Specific paraphernalia: the correct seating location, the specific folding chairs, the candy bags.

2. Getting there early to sit in the same location every year.

3. Eating the same booyah.

4. Saying the same phrases.

5. Being with the same people.

All together it makes up a special ritual. A very important RITUAL. And dare I say it....perhaps the parade can compare to tailgating at a Buffalo Bills game? Not the same, but maybe in the same league?

If the Golden Days parade is so special then why in the world do I have the Booyah Blues? The answer is that my dear husband was in the field and missed the parade. The disappointment was palatable to me. Lynne mentioned how it just wasn't the same..... no one to yell BOO-YAAAH!! , too, as you raise your cup. Love you Robin!

(St. Matthews)