Camaraderie and Culture

If you ask a Western Alaska school-aged child to name their favorite sport, the most common response will likely be “Native Youth Olympics,” or NYO. The games aren’t just a way for students to compete and develop athletic skills; they’re also a means for youth to connect to subsistence culture and learn to support each other.

Wales’ Song and Dance

Alaska Native music and dance festivals are powerfully moving events, KNOM volunteer reporter Gabe Colombo discovered in the community of Wales this year. “It was amazing to see,” he says.

At Wales’ Kingikmiut Festival, Dancing to Heal

The Native dance tradition has been revived in Wales and other communities over the past 20 years, after decades of cultural suppression by colonial forces. Today, as one elder put it, “coming here makes us feel whole.”

Preparing for the Harvest

In Western Alaska, preparations for winter begin in summer, with all the different forms of local subsistence hunting, fishing, and food gathering. At fish camps and remote communities, KNOM plays a special role in this sub-Arctic harvest — through your support.

KNOM News: Delving Deeper

The challenges of continuing Alaska Native subsistence traditions in the modern era have been highlighted in recent KNOM News stories — such as reports on ivory artworks and reindeer herding.

At Cama-i, Finding “Common Humanity” Through the Drum

Alaska Native drumming, dancing, and song represent a “common heartbeat” and a “common humanity” for the region KNOM serves. Thanks to you, we helped bring to our listeners a vibrant example of these cultural traditions at a very special event: the 2016 Cama-i Dance Festival.

In Teller, Alaska, a Singular Festival — and a Rite of Passage

Teller, Alaska, is a community close to Nome, and KNOM, in more ways than one. This year, our volunteers continued a cherished tradition of making the trek to Teller’s annual, spirited dancing festival.

A Joyful Visit to Alaska’s Far West

Volunteer producers Maddie and Mitch recently traveled to the community of Wales for one of our region’s most notable annual events: the Kingikmiut Dance Festival, which brings together practitioners of traditional Alaska Native music and storytelling from throughout KNOM country.

Elder Voices: Guy Martin

The December 2013 episode of Elder Voices features Guy Martin of Nome, Alaska, born April 5th, 1942.

Gavel-to-gavel for AFN 2013

In late October, KNOM was proud to present live, “gavel-to-gavel” coverage of one of the most important annual gatherings in the state of Alaska: the Alaska Federation of Natives convention (AFN), which is held each autumn in either Fairbanks or Anchorage. For the many different Native communities of our state, AFN is an opportunity to […]