Kwigillingok Angyaq

http://www.qayanek.com/

The small community of Kwigillingok lies on the west side of the Kuskokwim Bay. It is home to a quiet renaissance in traditional boat-building and associated traditional technologies.



The effort is lead by patriarch Elder Frank Misaaq Andrew. While the community is prominently known for it's long tradition and knowledge-base surrounding traditional qayaq construction, an old tradition of Angyaqs, or large open skin boats, has existed in the mind of Frank Andrew for some time.

A school / community project, centered around a 21st Century Community Learning Center effort, helped Misaaq bring that knowledge to bear and produce a boat that hadn't been viewed or used in the Lower Kuskokwim region for some 70+ years.



Frank was assisted by Mr. Skip Snaith, shipwright, umiaq historian and builder.http://cronus.rockisland.com/~kyak/index.html

The most memorable moment was Frank taking the Angyaq on the Kwigillingok River. The boat was manned by adult men from the community and the launching witnessed by many of the the youth and other community members...






Here's the video slide-show of the project:


Music: Aerial Boundaries, Michael Hedges

Sunday morning...KYUK Radio, Bethel

Sunday morning radio with KYUK radio, Bethel, Alaska...Peter Twitchell host...gospel music from Yupik country! The quality of audio is questionable...we're working at improving the interface.

Edward Curtis', Nunivak Island

Edward Curtis



The North American Indian by Edward S. Curtis is one of the most significant and controversial representations of traditional American Indian culture ever produced. Issued in a limited edition from 1907-1930, the publication continues to exert a major influence on the image of Indians in popular culture. Curtis said he wanted to document "the old time Indian, his dress, his ceremonies, his life and manners." In over 2000 photogravure plates and narrative, Curtis portrayed the traditional customs and lifeways of eighty Indian tribes.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/ienhtml/special.html

View a slide show of Curtis' documentation during a visit to Nunivak Island, circa 1927, people, places and things!




Music: Phillip Aaberg, Theme for Naiomi Uemura, from Windham Hill Sactuary