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Families from across Western Alaska gathered in Nome over the weekend for the Katiluta Cultural Festival. The three-day event hosted by local Alaska Native corporations and non-profits featured art workshops, fish cutting demonstrations, storytelling and more.
Yaayuk Alvanna-Stimpfle was part of a panel of Elders on Friday discussing protocol, history, and the significance of dancing in the region. She said that every song has a story, and each movement has a meaning.
“You just don't go up and move your arms around any old way. You have to be precise,” she explained. “We have to do it correctly, because that's showing respect and honoring where it came from.”
Inupiaq, Yup'ik and St. Lawrence Island Yupik people have lived in the Bering Strait region since time immemorial — but after the arrival of missionaries in the 1880s, many communities were banned from speaking their Native languages or participating in cultural practices.
Today, revitalization efforts and events like Katiluta help pass traditions like singing and dancing from generation to generation.
“I am happy when I dance,” nine-year-old Brielle Olanna said. “It's our tradition.”
It takes a lot of practice to get all the moves down. Alvanna-Stimpfle explained memorization is key.
“As Native people, we have a large capacity for memory,” she said. “We memorize everything. We watch and observe, and that's our learning style.“
Phyllis Walluk teaches cultural studies at Nome-Beltz Middle High School. She says it can take a while for students to nail the motions, but one of the most important things is to dance with heart.
“It makes it more fun. It's like the rush goes in you when the second part of the song goes faster, it just hits you,” she said. “That's when you need to have fun. Put your whole heart into that dancing.”
On Saturday night, dancers of all ages took to the stage inside Nome Elementary School. Audience members followed their rhythmic arm motions, while others sang along with the drummers.
Opportunities to dance with her community make nine-year-old Azrguq Klescewski feel proud of her heritage.
“It makes us happy,” she said. We cannot stop our tradition, because it's our tradition, and our ancestors did that a long time ago, which is really special, because it makes us remember them.”
