About the Film

Alaska The Alutiiq people have lived primarily in south central Alaska and Kodiak Island for over 7,500 years. Their culture has been shaped by their environment: rugged coastal mountains, volcanoes, forests, rivers, and especially the sea. Their arts and dances, rich in symbolism and cultural significance, tell their stories.

Having nearly lost their ancient culture through centuries of conquest and exploitation by the Russians and the Americans, the 3,500 Alutiiq natives remaining began a cultural renaissance in the 1980s. Today new art is emerging (mask-carving, drum-making, regalia design, song-writing, and dance choreography) reflecting the symbols and stories of the culture, learned from the teaching and oral history of the tribal elders. In addition to preserving the stories told in the art and dance, this documentary film tells a story of rediscovery as Alutiiq dancers and artists explore their heritage through the creative process. They are discovering who they were, are, and are becoming.

Overview of Project:

Through on-location filming of interviews and art-making of Alutiiq leaders, elders, artists, and dancers, Professors Van’t Hof and Prince created a documentary film based upon key arts and humanities questions; design and manage a project website for film clips, updates, and educational resources; and broadcast, present, and distribute the film.

Key questions include:

Historical Context: What are the primary events and stories in the long and rich history of the Alutiit, and how did the cultural re-awakening begin?

Creative Process: Who are the key artists? How are they “finding” and creating their art? What is their creative process? What symbols are they using and why? What role does tradition play in their contemporary art? How does their Alutiiq cultural heritage enrich and inform their world today?

Generational Interaction: What do the elders consider most 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 does the younger generation feel about their culture? How is their participation in the arts valuable to their identity as contemporary Alutiit? How do they connect their world with their cultural heritage?

Statement of need, meeting the need with this project:

The culture reflected in the arts and dance of the Alutiiq people has been under-reported and little known outside of Native American circles. Few written and very few visual resources about the reemerging heritage and arts of the Alutiit are available. The crucial process of cultural reawakening is a story that needs to be told and shown. A documentary film is the most effective and accessible means for telling this story.

Finished product:

The product of this project is a 55-minute film "Finding their own Dance: Reawakening the Alaskan Alutiiq Arts". Even though the Alutiiq are a relatively small group, the story of the struggle to recapture their cultural identity is universal. Through this documentary film, the Alutiit are able to learn about and celebrate their cultural heritage while others will discover the role of the arts as an expression of this native culture.

Friends of the film:

Andrew Abyo; Imamsuat drummer, carver

Nick Alokli; Alutiiq elder, fluent speaker

Steven Alvarez; Director of Strategic Initiatives, Alaska Native Heritage Center

Lena Snow Amason; mask-maker, artist, co-director of Nuniaq Alutiiq Dancers, Old Harbor

Loren Anderson; choreographer, drummer, Imamsuat Dancers, Public Programs Supervisor, Alaska Native Heritage Center

Susan Anderson; President / CEO, The CIRI Foundation

Will Anderson; President / CEO, Koniag Corporation

Leo Ash; guitarist, Nanwalek

Sally Ash; Alutiiq elder and fluent speaker, Nanwalek

Sperry Ash; Alutiiq teacher, dancer, choreographer, language specialist

Michael Beal; CEO, Seldovia Native Association, Inc.

Heather Beggs; Director, Pratt Museum, Homer

Melissa Berns; co-director, Nuniaq Alutiiq Dancers, Old Harbor

Jodie Bird; Administrative Assistant, HPERDS Department, Calvin College

Lydia Black; author, historian (deceased)

Peter Boskofsky; language specialist, Alutiiq Museum and Archeological Repository, Kodiak

Brianna Cannon; Program Assistant, The CIRI Foundation

Teresa Carlson; Alutiiq language liaison

Carl Christiansen, Jr.; drum and visor maker, Old Harbor Tribal Council

Fred Christiansen; Chair, Kodiak Area Native Association

April Laktonen Counceller; Alutiiq Language Manager, musician, Alutiiq Museum and Archeological Repository, Kodiak

Irene Coyle; Alutiiq elder, fluent speaker, song-writer

Alfred Cratty, Jr.; President, Old Harbor Tribal Council

Dawn Crook; grant manager, Calvin College

Aron L. Crowell; Smithsonian Institution Alaska Office Director, author

Janel Curry; Dean of Scholarship, Calvin College

Donald DeGraaf; chair, HPERDS Department, Calvin College

Phil deHaan; Director of Media Relations, Calvin College

Beth Dieleman-Dykstra; Manager of Grant Proposals, Calvin College

Brigid Dodge; Alutiiq language apprentice, liaison

Harry Dodge; Kodiak guide, photographer

Perry Eaton; Alutiiq artist, mask-maker, historian

Leslie Leyland Fields; Kodiak author

Debra Freeberg; Theater Professor, Calvin College

Sarah Froning; French liaison, researcher

Kimerly Gall; supporter

Danciel Garcia; Professor, Calvin College, filmmaker, Spanish translator

Mary Haakanson; Alutiiq elder, fluent speaker

Sven Haakanson, Jr.; Director / CEO, Alutiiq Museum and Archeological Repository, Kodiak

James Pepper Henry; Director / CEO Anchorage Museum @ Rasmuson Center

Jennifer Hoogendorn; Program Assistant, The CIRI Foundation

Zora Inga; co-director Nuniaq Alutiiq Dancers, Old Harbor

Leonard Kamerling; Project Consultant, film-maker, Professor University of Alaska Fairbanks

William Katerberg; Professor, Director of Mellema Program for Western American Studies, Calvin College

Lois Konyndyk; Director of Foundation Relations, Calvin College

James Korf; Professor Emeritus, Calvin College, artist, graphic designer

Dave and Darlene Kuiper; pastor, Anchorage Crosspoint Church

Anne-Claire Laronde; Director Chateau-Musee’, Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France

Gabrielle LeDoux; Alaska State Representative, District 36

Peter Lind; Alutiiq artist, Homer

Darlene Lind; Alutiiq artist, Homer

Ron Lubbers; business advisor, Calvin College

Chuna McIntye; Yup’ik dancer, story-teller

Dennis Metrokin; Past-President, Koniag, Inc.

Ephim Moonin; Nanwalek masked dancer/ actor

Rhoda Moonin; Nanwalek Dancers

Steven Niedzielski; Video Producer, Calvin College

Judy Cooper Olsen; supporter

Lydia Olsen; Alutiiq dancer

Ole Olsen; Alutiiq businessman

Gloria O'Neill; President / CEO, Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc.

June Pardue; dancer, choreographer

Florence Pestrikoff; Alutiiq elder, fluent speaker

Leora and Dave Pooler; supporters

Melissa Prince; supporter

Gordon L. Pullar; Director Department of Alaska Native & Rural Development, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Anne Remick; Grants Officer, Alaska Humanities Forum

Lynn Rosendale; Publications Coordinator, Calvin College

Laura Schue; Grants Officer, Alaska Humanities Forum

Vincent Scott; National Museum for the American Indian – Smithsonian Institution

Helen Simeonoff; Sugpiaq artist, historian

Emilie Swenning; Alutiiq historian, Nanwalek

Andy Teuber; Vice President, Koniag, Inc.

Glen VanAndel; Professor, Calvin College

James VandenBosch; Editor, English Professor, Calvin College

Michael VanDenend; Director of Alumni and Public Relations, Calvin College

Gerry VanKooten; Geology Professor, Calvin College

Jan VanKooten; supporter

David Van’t Hof; videographic assistant

Dean Ward, Academic Dean; Calvin College

Gary Watson; Shun'aq Tribe of Kodiak

Betsy Webb; Curator of Collections, Pratt Museum, Homer

Laura Williams; Accountant, Calvin College

Elmer Yazzie; Navajo artist, New Mexico

Violet Yeaten; Director, Port Graham Dancers