Handshake #25 - How do you paint Sleeping Lady? Handshake in Anchorage with Janet Clemens (akpots)

Welcome to the Last Frontier of Alaska! Alaska is the place I was born and spent the majority of my first 18 years of life living at. Alaska is an abundance of nature and breathtaking landscape. On this clear January day, the temperature was warm at four degrees Fahrenheit and enjoying the beautiful view of Sleeping Lady (Mount Susitna) at Point Woronzof near the Anchorage International Airport. The best part of all this is that I had the opportunity to create a moment with my mother, enjoy the scenery, and have fun by performing a handshake. For this handshake, we symbolized my mother's favorite hobby of painting and used her paint brushes to make it look like she was painting Mount Susitna. My mom Janet has sold her paintings at First Friday Art shows and enjoys painting wildlife and landscape. I chose Point Woronzof for the handshake location to capture in the camera background the snow and outline of the sleeping lady. Now Sleeping Lady is known to many locals in Alaska, and the legend is even taught in schools. 

The legend of the sleeping lady 

*Please note that there are several versions of this legend, and I will be explaining the version that Nancy Lesh and Ann Dixon have documented.*

A long time ago, a clan of peaceful giants settled in the land now called Alaska. Among the giants was a gorgeous young lady and a handsome young gentleman who were intensely in love with each other. Their passion was so joyful that all the locals marveled at them and highly anticipated the marriage. The day before the wedding, a message was delivered that violent war-like barbarians from the north were overrunning the country and crushing everything in their way. The town assembled in council to determine what to do. Some indicated heading north to attack. The young love-filled giant proposed carrying gifts to the barbarians instead of violence, showing their intent for peace, not avoiding a blood bath.

The next day the courageous soldiers were ready to depart. The young lady had great sadness with tears running down her face when her lover came to say goodbye. He stared into her eyes and whispered how he would return with peace between the two groups and to meet near the large body of water known today as Susitna River. After that, the two kissed, and the giant left to join his men. The young lady rushed to the river's body and started to wait, convinced she would soon be back in her lover's arms. For much time she would keep herself busy while waiting until she finally grew tired and laid down to rest and slipped into a deep slumber. While she rested, sad word arrived in the village that the young lady's lover's requests for peace had been rejected, and a dreadful war had begun. Most of the town's giant men were killed or seized. When women from the village attempted to pass along the message to the young lady, they couldn't follow through. It was too dreadful of news to tell the young lady that her lover had been killed and see her devasted. She was never disturbed and awakened from her sleep. To the present day, the sleeping lady lies there, desiring the moment her beloved returns to her side and she can care on with her life of peace and love. 

Thank you, Janet Clemens, for taking part in our mother-son handshake and being my first handshake for 2019! 

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