Starvation Gulch 2007 a roaring success

Submitted by Megan Otts
Phone: (907) 474-6959
09/24/07

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Honors Program took top honors in this weekend’s Starvation Gulch bonfire competition, capturing the award for the most creative fire with its Trojan Rabbit, of Monty Python fame.

The bonfires drew hundreds of UAF students, alumni and community members who gathered in the Taku parking lot for the yearly celebration of the new academic year. Jake Poole, vice chancellor for university advancement, kicked off the event, setting the fires ablaze at 10 p.m. on Saturday. Fire breathers and belly dancers entertained the crowd and the arrival of the elusive Tradition Stone ignited a wave of excitement among spectators.

Members of the Student Firefighter Association brought the iconic concrete stone to the festivities in the back of a heavily guarded Hummer, allowing people in the crowd to take photos, ask questions and closely examine the stone. Its arrival at Starvation Gulch capped off a string of public appearances at various UAF events throughout the weekend. Student firefighters said that they felt the stone should celebrate its golden anniversary in Fairbanks, alongside its creators, the class of 1957.

Starvation Gulch is a long-held tradition on campus, tracing back to President Charles Bunnell’s establishment of the annual Freshman Bonfire in 1923. The bonfires were originally built to symbolize the passing of "the torch of knowledge," and were a form of initiation for the freshman class. Entering students would build wooden skyscrapers, sometimes over 50 feet tall, which were lit by President Bunnell to signal that a new school year had begun.

The bonfires have evolved into a competition of sorts between various groups on campus. This year, five teams participated in the event. The upper and lower campus dorms teamed up to compete with the orientation leaders, the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, the Honors Program and the Student Firefighter Association to build the most creative wooden structure. The groups had from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday to work on their structures. The firefighters ended up being disqualified for going over the time limit.

The winner of the Residence Hall Association’s "Big Ass Flame" trophy has not yet been announced. The award is given to the group that creates the tallest flame of the night.