Alaska Native Arts & Culture

In Alaska, the conversation around land acknowledgments is relatively new. But it’s picking up momentum. And in Anchorage, that means putting the region’s Indigenous heritage front and center.

A humpback whale that beached in Turnagain Arm south of Anchorage has died. Biologists say it is an uncommon location for a humpback, and they are now studying its death.

Hoonah’s Icy Strait Point is positioning itself as one of Alaska’s top cruise ship destinations. But it’s been difficult to gauge local sentiment on the influx of visitors.

The KTOO Arts and Culture team is in Hoonah this week to be a part of its All School Ḵu.éex’ and to produce two episodes of Juneau Afternoon, which we are calling Hoonah Afternoon.
Program host Scott Burton sat down with Ḵu.éex’ organizer, Tlingit language teacher, and mom, Lgéikʼi Heather Powell.

Elders are teaching the Tlingit language to young children in places called “language nests.” They’re finding that a home-like environment is more effective than a typical classroom setting.

Last week, White Mountain hosted thirteen teams for the Bering Strait School District’s regional Native Youth Olympics

The school district recently made a change allowing students to express their cultures as they celebrate their achievement.

As a child, Alice Fitka was punished for speaking her Yup’ik language in school. Since then, she’s spent decades teaching it in the Western Alaska village of Tuntutuliak.

The statewide Yup’ik Spelling Bee for Beginners saw the toughest spell-off in the eight-year history of the event.

With her podcast “Coffee & Quaq,” Glenn wants to spotlight the ideas and conversations of young Alaska Native people and broaden the range of stories that are told about Indigenous experiences.