“Our Stories etched in Ivory’ prioritizes indigenous knowledge
Dozens of Nomeites gathered at the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum to listen to carvers recount their experiences of learning to carve and to celebrate the publication of a new book, “Our Stories Etched in Ivory,” published in collaboration with the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum and the Smithsonian collections in early August
Several elders from across the region, including Yaayuk AlvannaStimpfle, Sylvester Ayek, Wilfred Anowlic, John Pentac Sr., Joe Kunnuk Sr., and Jerome Saclamana, as well as family members, attended the event on Friday, August 6. Many were able to introduce themselves and their work to the community and shared details about how carving influenced their childhoods.
“We learned how to carve ivory in the clubhouses [on King Island], normally where men gathered to do work and over the years, we did lots of ivory carving,” Kunnuk explained during the event.
Many of the elders and their family members discussed learning to carve from their family members who have since passed.
“Our Stories Etched in Ivory” includes many of their stories, as well as photos and illustrations of 19th century life in Northwest Alaska, including images of carved drill bows and other etchings.
“These beautiful [carved] objects have been hidden in Smithsonian storerooms for more than a century,” according to a press release from the museum. “’Our Stories Etched in Ivory’ prioritized Indigenous knowledge and language by making space for community members to share their own stories and provides Inupiaq language names for places, animals, and objects. The publication marks a collaboration between the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center, Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum, and Bering Strait Communities, to return Indigenous knowledge embedded within historical museum objects back to the Arctic.”
Several individuals who shared their stories in the new book passed away prior to publication and were represented by family members at the event. James Omiak was represented by his daughter Susan Omiak, and Francis Alvanna was represented by his children Janice Knowlton and JJ Alvanna, as well as JJ’s daughter Suluk.
Following introductions from the carvers, event attendees munched on snacks and were able to get their books signed by participants.
The Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum is currently open to visitors from 12 p.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.