The Nome Static, December 2019

Mother and daughter, Gwendalyn Trigg-Komakhuk and Kangisaq Payne Trigg, show off their ‘qaspeqs’ (also spelled as ‘kuspuk’). They are long hooded handmade shirts with pockets, at an indigenous fashion show and baby pageant held to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day at the Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC). Kangisaq won second place in the 1 to 3-year-old…

One of KNOM’s most long-standing traditions is the annual Christmas Play. Decades ago, it was an opportunity for each of KNOM’s volunteer support nurses and doctors who weren’t usually on the airwaves to share in some radio fun. In recent years, the annual project has evolved to include as many voices from the greater community…

‘Name That Tune’ is a half-hour long radio show featuring Alaska Native music. Listeners are encouraged to call with any information they may have about the recording. Where did it originate? Who composed it? How do you pronounce the name of the song? What story does it tell? Over the years, many of KNOM’s recordings…

Nome Beltz High School’s volleyball team raised funds for breast cancer awareness at the annual Arctic Pinkies Volleyball Tournament. “In the background we were selling pink volleyballs and the money that we made would be donated towards the Arctic Pinkies organization. We ended up writing a $500 check to the Arctic Pinkies,” said Nome-Beltz volleyball…

The circle started with only twenty chairs, but quickly grew to include nearly 150 young men surrounding an elder who guided talking points. George Edwardsen hosted the men’s talking circle to discuss violence against Native women. He is an elder, and the president of the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope, the region’s tribal government.…