When someone passes away here in Kalskag, relatives and friends go to the family of the person to show their respect. They help them by cooking, cleaning, and being there to listen and comfort them for their lost loved one.

    The first day the family cleans the body and dresses them in their nice clothes. Next they clean the house before they lay the body underneath the cross. Then they cook and make coffee, juice, and tea for the feed, then Orthodox priest would bless the body and the house.

    The second day the Orthodox priest would have services in the church for the body and the family members. After church the family, relatives, and friends go back to the house and the father says prayers then blesses the house and the food for the feed. On this day some of the families and relatives make a coffin for the loved one before the funeral on the third day.

    On the third day the family brings the body of their loved one to the church. The Orthodox priest will have services and say prayers for the body so they can be accepted in the Kingdom of Heaven. After blessing the body, families, relatives, and friends kiss the body before it is buried. Then a few families and relatives help carry out the body to the burial grounds where the body will lay in peace.

    The Orthodox priest says prayers and blesses the body one more time before they actually bury the person. After the prayers and blessings the body is then buried. Then after the funeral the family has the last good-bye feed for their lost loved one. A time when family, relatives, and friends spend time together showing their support and comfort to the family.

    Here in Kalskag it is a traditional event that we follow when someone dear to us passes away. Everyone helps each other in times like this because it not only hurts the family, but the whole community as well. That is how people of Kalskag deal with losing a loved one.