ANCHORAGE, Alaska — For an Islander, a visit to the Alaska Native Heritage Center just outside this city resonates strongly.

A guide tells you that he never learned his mother tongue because his mother was sent to a boarding school where speaking any of the Alaskan natives' 11 languages and 22 dialects was forbidden.

A walk through a village of reconstructed dwellings outfitted with artifacts shows the ingenuity and skill with which the peoples of Alaska's five culture groupings, living in vastly different climate and geographic zones, made use of what was available in impressively creative ways, forming windows of translucent seal intestine, making backpacks of gutted seals, finding ways to live securely in a land of man-eating polar bears.

Quotes from elders posted in the Hall of Cultures museum illustrate philosophies shared by Native Hawaiians:

"The seafood is who we are ... part of what feeds the soul and the spirit."

"(We) gave the first catch to the elders, then it will be plentiful. That is how people learn to be helpful to each other."

"You thank the animals for giving up their lives and put the moose to good use."

Like Hawaiians, Native Alaskans believed in taking only what was needed (or, in some cases, what threatened them and had to be taken in self-defense).

Here, you can witness native dances, visit with craftsmen and artists, buy gorgeous whalebone jewelry or replicas of artifacts.

And besides all that, you might see a moose. We did. Just after getting out of our car in the parking lot, there she was, munching away on the vegetation on a grass- and tree-covered berm surrounding the centers. We went wild with our cameras while she ignored us, ambling along and then disappearing into the brush.

PLENTY TO SEE

What's at the Alaska Native Heritage Center

You can spend an entire day at this exceptionally well-organized and interesting center, and there is much to do. Set aside at least an hour and a half. (And don't forget to notice the glass case in the foyer that contains gifts from other native cultures, including a kahili, a miniature canoe paddle and a shark-tooth weapon from Hawai'i.) All the activities below occur daily; there's a schedule in the guide brochure and activities are also announced from the Gathering Place stage. The Center is fully wheelchair accessible and there are lots of places to sit for those who need frequent rest.