On this month’s episode of Dearest Alaska, KNOM lets you be a fly on the wall as Niviaaluk Brandt – a Nome resident and KNOM’s own host of Alianait Radio – receives a stitched and poked traditional chin tattoo from Iñupiaq tattooist Marjorie Tahbone.
Hear all about the design process and tattooing ceremony to be witness to a cathartic cultural moment.
This tattooing session will also be featured in Skindigenous, a documentary series on traditional tattooing across the world airing on APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network).
Dearest Alaska is an experimental audio project; the program will be available on this website and broadcast live on the first Saturday and Sunday of every month at 12noon and 5pm on KNOM (96.1 FM, 780 AM).
If you or someone you know would like to participate in an episode of Dearest Alaska, please contact KNOM at 907-443-5221 or dearest.alaska@knom.org.
Dearest Alaska: Bring your radio to life with the sounds of Western A-K.
Image at top: Niviaaluk (Nivi) Brandt proudly shows off her healed chin tattoo from Iñupiaq traditional tattooist Marjorie Tahbone. Photo: Karen Trop/KNOM.