Finding their own Dance: Reawakening the Alaskan Alutiiq Arts

Finding Their Own Dance: Reawakening the Alaskan Alutiiq Arts

Treatment:

The Alutiiq people of Alaska are an under-reported Native American group whose long history includes a complex social structure based upon the rich maritime resources of the central Gulf of Alaska.  Unfortunately, it also includes exploitation by both Russians and White Americans. The Alutiiq arts and culture were nearly lost over the centuries of oppression by these invading cultures that attempted to tear the Alutiiq people from their culture. Recently, however, something unique and incredible has happened among the Alutiiq people. They have begun to rediscover their rich artistic heritage and are choreographing new dances and creating new art. They have found their dance. How did this cultural reawakening begin?  How has it found fertile ground among the critical younger generations in the face of overwhelming pressure from American popular culture? How are the traditional stories from the dramatic history of the Alutiiq people represented in the art? Will it survive?  These are just a few of the questions we want to ask in this important documentary, “Finding Their Own Dance: Reawakening the Alutiiq Arts.”

This project will involve on-site work in Alaska where we will observe key groups of Alutiiq dancers and artists creating their art. Professors Ellen Van’t Hof and Robert Prince will interview and film the artists as they choose traditional Alutiiq symbols or make new symbols in mask-carving, drum-making, regalia design and construction, song writing, and dance choreography. They plan to observe and record how various artists approach the creative process and film the dance that results.

Key Issues & Questions:

1. Historical Context: What are the primary events and stories in the long and rich history of the Alutiiq people and how did the artistic re-awakening begin?
2. Creating the Art: Who are the key artists? What are they creating? How are they “finding” and creating their art? What is their creative process? As Alutiiq people, why is their art an important expression to them? What symbols are they using and why? What role does tradition play in the creation of their contemporary art?
3. Generational Interaction: What do the elders find important to teach and preserve? How are they teaching the younger generations? What do the adults gain from an understanding of their cultural history? What value do the adults place on passing the cultural history to their children? How do the young people feel about their culture? How is their participation in the arts valuable to them? In the Alutiiq arts, does tradition enrich and inform today’s world? How?

Target Audience:

Although the project will be of interest to a wide range of demographics all over North America, we will target the film specifically toward middle-aged residents in the urban areas of Alaska. 

Acquisition Format:

We will film the majority of this documentary on the new HDV digital video format because of its high quality and versatility.  Portions may also be shot on standard definition DV tape.

Distribution:

Our specific target for the broadcast distribution of this project will be Public Television stations.  This is a natural project for broadcast on Alaska One, the Alaska Public Television Network.  However, the themes of this documentary will be of interest to Public Television stations around North America and we will seek distribution through Public Television associations like the National Educational Telecommunications Association. 

DVD distribution of the project will be sought primarily through websites like Amazon.com, NetFlix and Native museums in Alaska and around North America.