I learned that the world rotates to the key of A. Before the mass, a Native Alaskan flutist gave us that piece of knowledge before playing the second of his three haunting songs. As I listened, I could not help but agree that his music, more so than mine, was in tune with the Earth.
I learned to revel in challenge. It was said of Laura that she loved to fish out on the ocean. In the cold and wet, covered in water and slime, her brother said that she would stand at the front of the bow with her nose to the wind, spread out her arms and say, "I love this [expletive]!" There are so many who shy away from adversity; rare are those who face it head on.
I learned that God is present in all cultures. This is an idea from a statement made just before one of her relatives (from the Raven clan, the opposite of her Wolf clan) placed a traditional blanket over Laura's casket to keep her warm on her journey. God set our world and its people in motion. Every culture is born from that fact. Even if some have strayed from God's divine purpose, I believe that nothing can exist in our universe without God being present in some way.
Being a part of this funeral that combined Native Alaskan and Catholic customs and rituals made me feel like a part of a larger world. This is the best part of a multicultural society: we can take the best pieces of each group and make them into something grander, something better. I'm glad that I went today. I learned more about Laura, and more about myself.