01x18 - Ice Sculpture/Tale of a Totem

[bunniefuu]

Hey, everyone-- it's me, Molly!

♪ Molly of Denali ♪

Let's go!

♪ She's Molly of Denali ♪

(laughing): Whoo!

♪ By plane or sled or snowshoe ♪

♪ She is ready to explore ♪

♪ From Kaktovik down to Juneau ♪

♪ Always wanting to learn more ♪

Yeah!

♪ Together with her best friend Tooey ♪

♪ Always by her side ♪ And Trini!

♪ Discovering the outdoors ♪

♪ On adventures day and night ♪

♪ Come along with Molly ♪

♪ Molly ♪

♪ Through fields of fireweed ♪

♪ Come along with Molly ♪

♪ Molly ♪

♪ From tundra to the sea ♪

Mahsi'choo-- let's go!

♪ Molly of Denali ♪ Yeah!

♪ She's Molly of Denali ♪

♪ Come on ♪ ♪ Let's go! ♪

♪ Molly of Denali ♪

♪ She's Molly of Denali ♪

MOLLY: "Ice Sculpture."

MOLLY: Hey, everyone-- it's me, Molly!

So, I'm a little messy.

But look!

(moans spookily)

Cool, huh?

It's glow-in-the-dark paint.

And I'm guessing you're wondering

why I have glow-in-the-dark paint all over.

Well, it all started when Auntie Midge came over.

AUNTIE MIDGE: Layla!

Guess what time of year it is!

What time is it?

Are you finally going to enter?

Enter what?

(laughs): I can't.

Can't what?

Every year, there's an ice sculpture competition

in Fairbanks.

And every year,

I try to get your mother to enter it.

Only every year, I have to work.

Wait, what?

Mom makes ice sculptures?

You make ice sculptures?

She is a boss with a saw.

(imitating chainsaw)

(laughing)

(sighs): When I was younger,

I was kind of obsessed with ice sculpture.

Really?

I wish I could see you do that.

You can.

There's tons of video of her on the internet.

There is?

♪ ♪

"Video of mom making ice sculpture."

♪ ♪

Hmm.

, results?

That's a lot of moms, and none of them are mine.

A-ha!

I need to type her name, not "mom."

"Layla Mabray videos."

♪ ♪

Wow, cool flying videos of Mom!

But I don't see any ice sculptures.

(gasps): Maybe if I type

"Layla Mabray ice sculpture videos."

(clicks mouse)

Auntie Midge, Mom!

I found them!

(barks)

(chainsaw running)

You really are a boss with a saw.

(imitating chainsaw)

(sighs): Carving ice was so much fun!

I really wish I could see you carve in person.

(gasps): We should have our own ice sculpting contest

right here in Qyah!

Gee, good idea.

Let's do it this Saturday!

Yeah!

We'll need some fliers to get the word out.

On it!

And I know just the people to help.

♪ ♪

Ice sculpture contest in Qyah?

Uh-huh.

In the big field by the library.

(chuckles): Jaws and I will be there.

(metal clanking)

TOOEY: Mr. Rowley!

Ice sculpture competition?

Well, that's a moose of a different color.

(laughing): I can't wait to carve up some fun.

♪ ♪

Hi, Connie! I wanted to give you this flier for an ice...

Oh, I know all about it.

(rings)

Hi, Mol!

Hi, Mom!

I guess we'll all stocking up for the big contest.

(chuckles)

Hope you're bringing your A game!

Ha! I only have an A game.

Things are really heating up, eh, Rowley?

You betcha!

Hope you don't get cold feet, Patak!

(all laugh, door opens and closes)

AUNTIE MIDGE (sighs): No one's going to need

to stock up for the contest,

because it isn't going to happen.

(all exclaiming)

Weather forecast says a warm front is coming in.

It'll be degrees this Saturday.

(whistles)

At that temperature, the ice will melt.

Mm-hmm.

What if we move it to next week?

Yeah.

Maybe it'll get cold again.

It's not likely.

The weather is changing.

Winters aren't as cold as they used to be.

MR. PATAK: Mm-hmm.

And spring comes earlier.

Remember when river ice didn't melt until early May?

Sure do.

AUNTIE MIDGE: Yep, that's right.

Guess you kids better take down those fliers.

(sighs)

MOLLY: Did you see the look

on my mom's face

when Auntie Midge said we had to cancel?

(sighs): It made my heart hurt.

There's got to be some way we could still do it.

Trini?

Where are you going?

Home!

Already?

It's not dinnertime yet.

But it will be dark soon.

I don't like playing outside after dark.

Everything on me gets freeze-y so fast.

See you!

(gasps): That's it!

What's it?

We don't need to cancel the contest.

We just need to move it from the daytime to the nighttime.

Because the weather app says the temperatures drop below freezing

after dark.

So the ice won't melt!

♪ ♪

There's just one problem.

MOM: You don't want to be swinging a chainsaw around in the dark.

MOLLY: Huh.

(engine running)

(horn honks)

Hey!

What if we drive cars onto the field

and turn on the headlights?

Stinky.

Not if they shut their engines off.

Their batteries would die.

It takes hours to carve ice.

(sighs)

It was a nice dream while it lasted,

but we have to cancel.

(Molly and Tooey groan)

Wait.

Auntie Midge,

why is your coat glowing?

I painted it with glow-in-the-dark paint.

Makes it easier for snowgoes to see me at night.

BOTH: Whoa.

How does it work?

A little light from Sno-Gos or streetlights

recharges the paint and keeps it lit for hours.

Do you have more?

Gallons-- why?

I might need to borrow some.

But first, I have to look something up.

Come on!

MOLLY: "How to make glow-in-the-dark lights."

Wait.

I have to be more specific

if I'm going to find what I need.

"With glow-in-the-dark paint."

♪ ♪

(gasps): Found it!

Yes!

Hey, Connie, it's Midge.

I just wanted to let you know...

The contest is still on!

We found a way to light the field!

But we'll need some of your paint,

and we'll need Trini.

♪ ♪

The instructions say to roll the jars around

until the insides are coated with paint.

♪ ♪

(jars clanking)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

TRINI: Wow.

It's magical!

(groans): But still too dark.

Well, Molly, you tried your best.

It's too dark to saw.

I'll tell everyone the contest is off.

(bike horn honks): Am I late?

What'd I miss?

Wait a minute.

What's she up to now?

(bike horn honks)

I think I know how to light the field!

But I'll need some help.

Tooey... Huh?

Trini... That's my name!

MOLLY: And Connie.

Come on, g*ng.

Huddle up!

First we...

(whispering)

That is one kid who never gives up.

(bike bell rings)

♪ ♪

Okay, your bikes are all hooked up.

When you pedal, you'll create the energy

to make the lights work.

What are we waiting for?

Let's light up the night!

(machinery running)

(all cheer)

Ladies and gentlemen, start your chainsaw engines!

Let's saw some ice!

(chainsaws starting)

(cheering)

(chainsaws grinding)

Whew.

(sipping)

(panting)

(chainsaws grinding)

Go, Mom, go!

Goosoo nets'e' hudaa'o!

(chainsaw grinding)

(blows whistle)

Time's up!

(exhale deeply)

(fading)

♪ ♪

(gasps)

Nzoo hònlii!

Please, oh, please, oh, please, oh, please.

(talking softly)

(all cheering)

Shidrii shoo ihlii!

My heart is so happy.

Oh, Mol, thank you for working so hard

to make this happen for me.

It was pretty special.

Mom's sculpture will probably melt tomorrow,

but I'll always have this shirt to remind me

of how cool tonight was.

Plus, now I can do this!

(moans spookily)

Noyhoonaaghge'aan!

See you all again.

Hey, everyone!

Molly here to answer your questions about life in Alaska.

(click)

Darius in Illinois asks, "How can I learn

how to make an ice sculpture?"

Let's see if my friends in Fairbanks can help.

♪ ♪

(cheers)

♪ ♪

GIRL: We are here in Fairbanks, Alaska.

GIRL: We went to the ice park

and saw incredible things made out of ice.

Some of the world's best ice carvers

come here to make ice art.

It's amazing

what you can make out of ice.

BOY: We want to learn how to ice-carve,

so we're searching for classes.

Okay, guys, what if we looked up

"Classes for ice carving"?

The Academy of Ice Carving and Design.

BOY (laughs): That's not in Alaska.

So I think we should go more specific.

"Teachers for ice carving."

"In Fairbanks, Alaska."

Oh, you added "Fairbanks, Alaska," cool.

"Teachers for ice carving

in Fairbanks, Alaska"-- how do you guys like that?

I like that. Okay.

ALL: "Ice art classes."

GIRL: We found it, guys!

Wow.

Okay, okay.

BOY: We're going to make

our first-ever ice sculptures.

GIRL: This is our teacher, An Zhe.

He's a champion ice carver.

GIRL: First I thought of a design,

and then we drew it on the ice.

I'm making a star.

GIRL: Our teacher showed us how to use the tools.

AN: Okay, good job.

BOY: There was some curved chisels

that you could make, um, smooth curved lines,

and then there was also a flat chisel,

so that you could just take big chunks out.

GIRL: It took a lot of work,

but it was all worth it.

BOY: I made a lynx,

because it's my favorite animal, and they just look cool.

I think it's very fun, like,

making shapes and cool stuff in ice.

(laughs): Now I'm an ice sculpturist.

ALL: Ice is cool!

(taps key)

Mahsi'choo!

Thanks for asking, and see you next time.

MOLLY: "Tale of a Totem."

(raven squawking)

(plane approaching)

(phone chirps)

Hey, everyone,

it's me, Molly.

As you can see,

we're in Mom's bush plane.

I'd like to tell you where we're going,

but no one will tell me.

It's a surprise.

And as my mom and dad love to say...

ALL: If we told you, then it wouldn't be a surprise.

(all laugh)

Take another look outside, Molly.

Lots of clues.

MOLLY: Mountains, an airport by the lake.

Wait a sec.

That's not a lake.

It's the ocean!

It's Sitka!

♪ We're going to Sitka ♪

But why are we going to Sitka?

If we told you, then it...

ALL: ...wouldn't be a surprise.

(all laugh)

♪ ♪

Look! Otters!

Belaazone!

What are they doing?

Eating.

They love shellfish.

They're so cute.

RANDALL: Guess who?

(gasps)

Surprise, cuz!

Randall! Uncle Jack!

Yak'ei yee xwsateeni.

It's good to see you all.

Same here. You, too.

Auntie Merna!

Oh!

Nice to see you, Shahnyaa.

This is the best surprise ever!

Actually, cuz, we're not the surprise.

No.

The surprise is, you're going to see

your first totem raising.

(gasps): Really?

Pretty awesome, huh? And get this.

Uncle Jack is the town's master carver.

(sighs): I can't wait to learn to carve totems like him.

And your cousin is going to be one of the drummers.

Yeah, it's kind of a big deal around here.

(Auntie Merna clears throat)

Let's get this show on the road.

♪ ♪

Walter and I will help you set up.

Yeah, set up the snack table.

(laughing)

RANDALL: While they're setting up,

do you want to see what I've been working on

with Uncle Jack? (gasps): Yes!

Let's go!

♪ ♪

Wow.

♪ ♪

I've never seen a totem pole so close before.

It's beautiful.

(chuckles): I'm glad you like it.

Totems tell stories, you know.

This one is about how the salmon came to us.

Look familiar?

MOLLY: "Carved in ."

The original of this one was falling apart,

and the paint was chipped all over.

So I made a copy of the original.

Using the photograph from the book?

Uh-huh.

Plus, I read descriptions

from books and newspaper articles

to make sure they match.

In here, it says,

"The raven's beak is inches in length."

(pulls tape measure)

inches exactly.

Are you almost done?

Yep-- all I have left to do

is add the raven eyes.

I'll do that right before the raising.

Is that what these abalone shells are for?

Yes.

But I didn't see any shells

on the totems in the books.

That's because they're not traditional.

I wanted to give the totem pole something different

that would tie it to our land even more.

Nice.

Well, I better help

your Aunt Merna and your folks set up.

Yeah.

The celebration's less than two hours away.

I can hardly wait!

Me, too.

I've been practicing my drumming, like, forever.

(tapping rhythmically)

My great-nephew has many talents.

That's why he's my apprentice.

He is?

I mean, I am?

(chuckles): You are.

By studying under me,

you'll learn the craft of totem carving,

just as I did when I was an apprentice for my dad.

Thank you, Uncle Jack.

You won't regret it.

Just be sure to lock up after you sweep the floor

and tidy up. Will do!

See you later, Uncle Jack!

Woo-hoo!

I'm an apprentice!

And... I'm a raven.

I'm a raven apprentice, or maybe an apprentice raven.

And I'm a salmon.

(chuckles): Fish lips.

Nice touch.

Catch!

♪ ♪

Go long!

(grunts)

Randall!

And... he's okay!

Nice one, Randall.

Parkour master!

(laughing, gasps)

Where'd the other one go?

I... don't know.

I don't see it.

Not here, either.

This is, like, really bad.

Let's think for a sec.

Okay.

I'm Uncle Jack's apprentice.

What would he do?

Find another one just like it.

Yes!

But where?

At the beach!

Awesome!

Wait.

We need to bring this with us

so we can match the new one to it.

But what if we lose this one, too?

Uncle Jack used old pictures

to make sure his new totem was the same as the original one.

We could take a photo to make sure

we find a shell that matches.

(phone camera clicks)

Good idea!

Thanks, cuz.

Let's hit the beach!

♪ ♪

Oh, no.

It's high tide.

It'll be hours before the water is low enough

to look for shells.

Hours?

But we don't have that much time.

We got to be back...

(gasps): In half an hour!

You'll miss your first totem pole raising because...

(groans)

There won't be one.

Right.

We'll have let the entire community down,

and, let's see-- oh, yeah,

I can kiss that apprenticeship goodbye.

(sighs)

Huh.

If only there was a store that sold shells by the seashore.

(gasps)

(bell rings)

You'd think a place called Sally by the Sea Store

would sell seashells.

You'd think.

But at least I got these sweet shorts.

(Aunt Merna clears throat)

(yelps) Auntie Merna!

There you are.

I just dropped off food at the community garden.

Why aren't you over there?

You know those shells Uncle Jack was going to use

for the raven's eyes?

Ah, abalone.

I played with them and lost one.

Actually, we both played with them.

Now we're trying to find the new shell...

That matches the old one. In, like...

minutes.

Follow me.

♪ ♪

RANDALL (sighs): Thanks, anyway, Auntie Merna,

but we've already been to the beach.

It's high tide.

You haven't been to this beach, have you?

No. No

MOLLY: More otters!

Where there are otters, there are shells.

(gasps)

RANDALL: The otters eat the abalone,

then throw out the shells.

How about this one?

Let's see how it looks next to the original.

Too small.

Too dark.

Too icky.

Close, but no.

Match! That's it!

We found one!

Gunalchèesh, Aunt Merna.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Now, take it to your uncle.

The celebration will be starting in minutes.

Whoa! Whoa!

♪ ♪

MOLLY: Uncle Jack!

(breathlessly): We have something for you.

(catching breath): We were playing around

with the abalone shells,

and we lost one.

But we found another just like it.

And I'm really sorry.

Like, really sorry.

And I totally understand

if you want to find another apprentice.

Played with the shells, did you?

Uh-huh. Uh-huh.

Like this?

♪ ♪

Whoa! Whoa!

Cool!

(chuckles): Shells are fun to play with,

but they can slip away from you.

That's why I always keep extras on hand.

Close, but I think the polished one

will do the trick.

Okay, Randall.

Now you can add the eye

to that old trickster raven.

Really?

Really.

Gunalchèesh.

Thank you.

♪ ♪

Now let's raise this totem pole.

♪ Yes! ♪

♪ ♪

(squawking)

(man singing in Tlingit)

(singing in Tlingit)

TOTEM RAISERS: Kootéeyaa kei kagaxtootáan

That means, "We're going to raise a totem."

TOTEM RAISERS: Wooch.een yéi jigaxtoonéi!

That means, "We are going to work together."

TOTEM RAISERS: Oosh ji.een!

Hands together!

(singing in Tlingit)

(singing continues)

(singing continues)

(cheering)

♪ ♪