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Like many organizations, Kawerak’s Katirvik Cultural Center in Nome shut down public programming during Covid. In the years since, they have gone through staffing shortages and changes. As of this spring, they are now fully staffed and ramping up public programming. Among other classes this summer, the cultural center started an Inupiaq story hour for kids.
Amid displays of cultural artifacts and exhibits, after hearing, “aġupitisi aŋmaluagiktuaqtun,” a group of 10 kids gathered and sat in a circle on the floor. Ataasiaq Amber Otton led the kids in a song.
“I just start the song and let them kind of figure out what I'm saying every time, like, oh, maybe that means middle finger, or maybe that means ring finger,” Ataasiaq said.
Ataasiaq is the cultural center’s new operations manager. She recently left an administrative position with the Bering Strait School District, where she helped gather resources for teachers in the district’s bilingual program. But she wasn’t in the classroom.
“So I basically built this whole big tool kit of things from all around Inupiaq nunat, stuff from North Slope, and stuff from Kotzebue,” she said.
In her new role, Ataasiaq has the chance to put her resources into practice.
“It feels really good to do Inupiaq language work. It makes me feel like I'm doing worthwhile work every day, while I'm away from my kids, and then I bring it home, so it just feels like full circle, like holistic type of work.”
To keep English from dominating the space, Ataasiaq said she teaches in a language immersion style. The kids learn by listening, and by doing. She uses big hand gestures, facial expressions, and lots of repetition.
Current plans and future possibilities
The Katirvik Cultural Center hired Ataasiaq this spring. This completed the full staff of three. Kiminaq Aġviaq joined last year. And Kunaq Marjorie Tahbone started as director at the cultural center in 2023. So they’re all fairly new in their positions.
Kunaq said, “One of the things that we focus on are our strengths. So Kiminaq’s strength is Inupiaq language, so she's been interviewing elders and collecting information on dances and translating stories. And Ataasiaq’s passion is also language and teaching her children. So she's been focused on doing a lot of family-oriented activities, like Inupiaq Story Hour and drop-in sewing.”
Kunaq said she also teaches a variety of classes. The center recently offered seal oil lamp making in Unalakleet and beading in Wales. But, so far, the bulk of the staff’s energy has been centered on Inupiaq language projects.
“All three of us are learners of Inupiaq, and so because we have that passion and drive, that's been our main focus here at the cultural center, heavily focused on bringing back our traditional language through Inupiaq Story Hour, creating Inupiaq curriculum for immersion Head Start classrooms within the region,” Kunaq said.
Ataasiaq said that speaking and teaching in Inupiaq can be intimidating but also rewarding.
“I feel like every week I'm learning something new. It is scary to speak Inupiaq sometimes, like you just think to yourself, ‘Am I saying this right?’ But just starting really helped. You just gotta start. I always think of when Kiminaq said that to me. ‘WE just gotta start,’ is what she said. And I was like, ‘Yeah, you’re right!’”
With winter on the horizon, the staff plan to offer a variety of different cultural learning classes. But for now, Ataasiaq is taking her Inupiaq teaching one week at a time.
Kawerak's Katirvik Cultural Center is open to the public Wednesday through Friday, 12pm to 4pm. Inupiaq Story Hour takes place each Thursday at 11am and drop-in sewing is on Fridays, 12pm-4pm. If you’re in Nome or a regional community and are interested in cultural learning opportunities, you can contact the Katirvik Cultural Center at 907-443-4340.
