Novice Aurora Hunter

In many traditional Indigenous beliefs, whistling or singing to the Aurora Borealis would attract the spirits or ghosts of the dead, who might carry you away. Clapping your hands, however, was seen as a way to ward off these spirits or scare them away, keeping you safe from the lights.

Last night, near Anchorage, I did clap my hands, because a local guide told us the opposite, about a shaman who clapped his hands and disappeared. I missed my opportunity to transcend.