Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration showcases culture, art, food, family and gratitude
Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Nome saw a large celebration at the Nome Recreation Center, featuring speeches, a Native food potluck, a regalia fashion show, dancing and a concert by Byron Nicholai. Nome had the Village of Solomon to thank for the event. Kirsten Timbers, president of the Village of Solomon said the village council asked around and learned that nothing in particular was going on to celebrate the holiday. “We wanted to make sure something incredible happened, (so) we started getting the ball rolling,” she said.
Timbers thanked the village’s environmental coordinator Deilah Johnson, for reaching out to organizations, such as Kawerak to collaborate and help turn the plans into a reality. Kawerak, according to Timbers, supplied tech help such as the audio and a screen, while the staffs of Norton Sound and Kawerak used their day off to help setup, clean and organize. All in all, Timbers said, the tiny staff of four plus the Solomon Tribal Council had about a month to plan, collaborate, and make the big event a reality.
Their hard work paid off on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, October 10th, when they welcomed a crowd of hundreds to the Nome Recreation Center to celebrate the culture, joy and humor of being Indigenous.
The Recreation Center was decorated for the events of the night, featuring a red paper catwalk for the fashion show and a stage with a northern lights backdrop for the concert and speeches. The floor of the gym was papered with golden stars bearing the names of community members, like a Nome-grown Hollywood-style Walk of Fame. Of course, there were also tables set up for the feast.
The Native food potluck featured salmon, moose stew, muktuk, fry bread, pilot bread, akutaq and more. Everyone who contributed to the feast by bringing a Native dish was included in a raffle drawing for $500.
The event kicked off around 5 p.m., with a prayer of gratitude and thanks. Then, as the potluck line was slowing down and everyone came back with a full plate, the speeches began.
First, Cordelia Qigñaaq Kellie, Special Assistant for Rural Affairs from Senator Lisa Murkowski’s office spoke. She talked about “the people (she) came from”, her family and elders, and how strong and inspirational they were. Then, she spoke about some of the legislation the Senate was working on for Alaska. She wrapped it up by mentioning how Indigenous Peoples’ Day can mean many different things to everyone.
Next up to speak was staff attorney for Kawerak, Meghan Sigvanna Topkok. In order to put Indigenous Peoples’ Day in some context, she gave a history lesson about Indigenous’ rights in Alaska. She told about the struggle since contact to keep Indigenous land, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, all the way up to the legislation this year that recognized the sovereignty of all Alaska Native tribes (House Bill 123). To give her speech an element of audience participation, Topkok wrote out a description of important historical moments on several pieces of paper and hid them among the audience. At the beginning of her speech she asked audience members to look under their chairs where several people found the papers taped. She then invited the audience members who found the papers to come up on stage with her and read their historical event out loud.
After the speeches came a round of thanks and recognition. Kirsten Timbers took the microphone to recognize the strength of the ancestors and to thank them. Then she asked members from villages all around Alaska to stand and be recognized as their hometown was named. She also recognized the organizers of the event and the elders. Master of ceremonies, Cody Pequeño spoke briefly about the importance of the Elders and the Elders’ knowledge, dwelling on the importance of passing that knowledge on. “Don’t be stingy with the knowledge, whatever you do, share it!” Pequeño said.
After the speeches came the fashion show and dancing. Guests were treated to performances from King Island Dancers and St. Lawrence Island Dancers.
The fashion show, held between the two dance groups’ performances, featured representatives from communities such as Unalakleet, Koyuk, Nome Eskimo Community, King Island and Solomon sporting beautiful, handmade parkas, kuspuks, headbands and mukluks. Once again, the focus of the event was gratitude as MC Pequeño thanked the women and the people who made all the clothes: “All those stitches, made with love, to keep us nice and warm!”
The last event of the night, was a concert by Yup'ik music sensation Byron Nicholai. Nicholai, hailing from Toksook Bay, became a star in Alaska after releasing his first album “I Am Yup’ik” in 2016. He treated the audience to a mix of traditional drumming, dancing, and singing, and his own signature pop music in Yugtun.
Timbers said it felt like “magic” to be able to pull off such a big event after the limitations of the pandemic. “Planning a big event post-COVID, I think just made it even more of a reason to celebrate,” she said. She said the excitement to gather and celebrate “who we are as Native people” was in the air, and there aren’t enough chances to celebrate like this.
Being an Indigenous person was a “pretty powerful” feeling, she said. “I hope we can keep [future Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations] going and growing and improving,” she added.