Story49 Archives - KNOM Radio Mission

Story49: Nome Brothers Summit Denali

By Emily Hofstaedter | July 2, 2019 |

Two young men stand smiling in front of a grey building on a sunny, summer day

Oliver and Wilson Hoogendorn, two Nome brothers, were the first to summit Mount Denali this year.

Story49: Lisa Lynch

By Emily Hofstaedter | August 31, 2018 |

Woman stands in Nome street, smiling, wearing traditional Alaska Native clothing handed down through her family.

Lisa Lynch was crowned Miss Arctic Native Brotherhood in the summer. Although she grew up in Alaska, she now studies classics in Europe. Listen to hear how Lisa went from herding reindeer to sharing her culture in Rome.

Story49: Delbert Pungowiyi

By Zoe Grueskin | June 19, 2018 |

Delbert Pungowiyi sits with a cup of coffee in the IRA office in Savoonga.

When Delbert Pungowiyi was a young man in Savoonga, they had “nine months of winter.” This year, ice barely reached the island. In this two-part series, Delbert shares his memories of growing up on St. Lawrence Island and how he became a fierce voice for his community in a time of great change.

Story49: The Kobuk Comes to Ambler

By Zoe Grueskin | May 23, 2018

Kobuk 440 champion Nicolas Petit tries on a pair of fur mittens sewn by Myra Yupikson.

The village of Ambler, 45 miles above the Arctic Circle, is the main stop on the Kobuk 440 dogsled race. Volunteers at the checkpoint say it takes the whole village to make it happen.

Story49: Esther in Kotlik

By admin | April 19, 2018 |

Esther Andrews lives in Kotlik now, but she grew up around the Y-K Delta and worked at the St. Michael school for over 20 years. This month on Story49, hear her story.

Story49: Two Tales From the Trail

By Zoe Grueskin | February 20, 2018

Wearing the same winter gear as when she ran the race, Kirsten Bey stands on stage at the Nome Elementary School to recount her experience of running the Yukon Quest.

In Western Alaska, it’s not just winter, it’s mushing season. Kirsten Bey and Rick Anderson told their stories from the trail live at the Nome Arts Council’s annual event, Tales From Around the Woodstove.

Story49: Back to Nome With an Open Heart

By Zoe Grueskin | January 23, 2018 |

Sarah Hanson Hofstetter plays her guitar in the KNOM studios.

Sarah Hanson Hofstetter returned to Nome to share her music — and found a community to come home to.

Story49: Trust in God and Hope for Mankind — Vi Waghiyi’s Fight for Environmental Justice

By Zoe Grueskin | December 18, 2017 |

Vi Waghiyi, Environmental Health and Justice Program Director for Alaska Community Action on Toxics.

Vi Waghiyi is a program director at an environmental non-profit, but when she testifies before Congress or the UN, she introduces herself as a Yup’ik mother and grandmother.

Story49: “I Gave Myself Permission”

By Zoe Grueskin | November 22, 2017

Laureli Ivanoff stands on the beach in Unalakleet.

After 20 years away, Laureli Ivanoff returned home to Unalakleet, determined to share stories that celebrate life in rural Alaska.

Story49: “What Happens When Two People Meet Each Other”

By Zoe Grueskin | October 17, 2017 |

Collaborators Ryan Conarro, Gary Beaver, and Justin Perkins before the Nome premier of Alaxsxa | Alaska.

Go behind the scenes with the creators of “Alaxsxa | Alaska,” an ambitious new production that combines storytelling, dance, and puppetry to explore the 49th state’s complicated history of cross-cultural encounters.