The Sheldon Jackson Museum is pleased to announce the second artist-in-residence of 2023, David John Angaiak, a contemporary Alaskan Native visual artist who creates functional Yup’ik Story Masks and Dance Fans.
He joined KCAW’s Brooke Schafer to discuss his work, along with SJ Muesum Curator Jackie Fernandez Hamberg and board member Ari FitzGibbon. Listen to their discussion here:
The Alaska Heritage Emergency Network (AHEN) has been established to build and empower Alaska’s Cultural Heritage community’s capacity, relationships, and resources to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. AHEN was created through an initiative of the Alaska State Museums, cultural organizations of Alaska, and the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHS&EM), to provide a forum where analysis and information sharing can be supported.
Now in its 53rd year, Alaska Positive continues to encourage photography as an art form in Alaska. Guest juror Camille Seaman believes "art is not only important; it is necessary for us to communicate what is happening with our planet."
Her photographs concentrate on the fragile environment of the polar regions, providing the message: "we are of this Earth, and we only get one."
containers, windows, drums, and other items, but this is rarely seen today.
Left: Stranded Icebergs Detail II, Cape Bird, Antarctica, December 25, 2006. Right: Camille Seaman.
Elder John Roberts still thinks about the ancient toy kayak he found on the beach when he was a boy. He sold it then, before he realized what it would mean to him. Artifacts would show up from time to time near Quinhagak, on the rocky coast of the Bering Sea. The story had been passed down through generations: there was a source.
“The Elders used to say there’s a place not far from here that you will find artifacts from there,” explained Roberts. “They never talked too much about it, but they told us there’s a land they call Nunalleq. A land long time ago. All the things would be hidden. Someday, someone will find them.”
Many didn’t want to go looking for Nunalleq, "the old village." Tradition says not to mess with artifacts because they carry energy. But in 2007, more and more artifacts were washing up on the shores. Climate change was accelerating erosion and permafrost melt. This was revealing ancient history, but also causing it to rot away.
Filipino Americans have been a part of the Alaskan community since the late 18th century, yet little is known about their origin stories and the communities they helped build.
To bridge this gap, the Anchorage Museum will be opening a pop-up exhibit and gathering space called Mana on October 28, 2023. Mana will showcase the past and present experiences of Filipinos across Alaska through narrative storytelling, connecting the younger and older generations of Filipino Americans.
The exhibit will highlight the cultural value of “Kapwa,” which recognizes Filipino shared identity...
Archaeologists with Kodiak’s Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository have recovered woven artifacts that are an estimated 3,000 years old.
The rare finds were discovered at an ancestral Alutiiq sod house settlement on the shore of Karluk Lake on Kodiak on Aug. 18. While excavating the house, archaeologists found the uniquely preserved woven fragments — which are said to be the oldest well-documented examples of Kodiak Alutiiq/Sugpiaq weaving.
While weaving is a long-practiced Alutiiq/Sugpiaq tradition, it is difficult to document archaeologically. Since fiber artifacts are so fragile, they are rarely preserved.
Federal money for arts, culture and educational programs will fund the creation of two dugout canoes in Southeast Alaska.
Goldbelt Heritage Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Goldbelt, Inc., will teach Alaska Native youth how to carve canoes with nearly a quarter million dollars in grant funding from the National Park Service. The goal is to teach Tlingit culture while applying the principles of science, technology, engineering and math education to canoe making.
For new Pratt director Patty Relay, a museum is a local space that brings a community together.
“A museum is an identity. The community is part of that identity, and I have a lot I can bring to it from my own experiences, too,” Relay said...
“I believe museums are a critical cultural component and somewhat of a persona of all communities. They serve as an interpretative feature for community identity.”
The Alaska Sealife Center welcomed John Fraser as the director of mission impact and Wei-Ying Wong as their chief science and education officer. The new hires are a part of the Sealife Center’s efforts to bring social science practices into their organization.
Fraser is the founder and former president of Knology, a New York City based think tank that works to support cultural institutions like zoos, museums and libraries. He brings years of research experience in how these institutions can better serve local communities. He recently drove to Seward from New York with his family for the new job.
“I'm just so excited about this opportunity to work in such a wonderful little town where you know everybody from the grocery store,” he said, “and yet, being able to have this megaphone for the issues that we're addressing here that can reach such a huge global population. I mean, that's just rare for social scientists to have this opportunity.”
Books, DVDs, and more. Now, Sitkans can check out something new from the Sitka Public Library – board games. The library has acquired a collection of 21 board games. Adult Services Librarian Margot O’Connell joined KCAW’s Brooke Schafer to discuss the new board game program, which they hope to expand in the future. Listen to their conversation here:
“We do have some specifically kids games, but we also have a lot of stuff that can be played by folks of all ages,” O’Connell says. “Cooperative classics, we have RPGs…deck building games. So it’s a big variety.”
Three local Alutiiq/Sugpiaq artists will lead a series of intimate craft workshops at the Kodiak History Museum next month.
Each will train participants in their speciality. Fabric artist Mariah Stapleton will teach weaving basics, sewer Susan Malutin will teach how to make fur mittens, and David Tucker will train in illustration drawing.
Coming to UAMN this fall in exhibits and digital media, the museum will launch its new podcast, The More You Look. Look for it on your podcast service or find where to stream it here. Beginning September 5th and available for free, new episodes will appear every 3 weeks. Episode 1 features Dr. Derek Sikes, UAMN Curator of Insects, who discusses more than 10 years of studying life’s return to the volcano Kasatochi, and the daunting work ahead in fully cataloging Alaska's arthropod biodiversity.
Cultural education program receives $1 million in grant funding this year for elder mentors
On a visit to Alaska last week, the leader of the national community service agency AmeriCorps said the group plans to increase its investment in the state...
Communities that could use volunteers or AmeriCorps members to enact the social services they need can reach out to the program directly or through the state’s website.
“We’ve got dollars,” Smith said. “We provide resources, and then the local community gets to decide what the best and greatest need is.”
As the new school year begins, the Internal Revenue Service reminds teachers and other educators that they'll be able to deduct up to $300 of out-of-pocket classroom expenses for 2023 when they file their federal income tax return next year.
This is the same limit that applied in 2022, the first year this provision became subject to inflation adjustment. Before that, the limit was $250. The limit will rise in $50 increments in future years based on inflation adjustments.
August 17, 2023. IRS News Releases.
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