Speaking to a packed gymnasium at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, Ileen Sylvester said she didn’t have a Native name growing up. Instead, she said, her grandfather always sang her the same song when he saw her.
“It was ‘One Sock, One Shoe,’” said Sylvester, an enrolled tribal member of the Native Village of Ekwok. “And what that was all about was he knew that I would be a bridge between the old ways, and the future and the ways that we have today. And so I just felt so blessed.”
Sylvester is vice president of executive and tribal affairs at Southcentral Foundation, and was keynote speaker at APU’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration on Monday. Held in lieu of Columbus Day, the holiday recognizes the history of Alaska Native and Native Americans by honoring their past, acknowledging present-day strengths and struggles, and looking ahead to the future.
Sylvester told the crowd that she understood that bridge between the past and the present — that her grandfather spoke of — when she attended the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in the early ‘90s.
At the time, she said, many Alaska Native people showed up in suits and ties, signifying a transition from traditional ways to a more corporate, business world.
But then, she remembered Will Mayo — chief of the Tanana Chiefs Conference at the time. He took center stage. He shed his suit and tie. He put on his chief’s necklace.
“He put on his moosehide vest, he put on his moccasins, and he put on his gloves,” Sylvester said. “And then, if you’re at AFN, you know that big long table. He went and leaped over the table and he started dancing. And that was a change for our people. It was such a dramatic message about not forgetting who you are, where you come from and that being our strength.”
That strength was palpable at the celebration at APU, as a few hundred Alaska Native and Native Americans packed the Moseley Sports Center with laughter and community.
“It’s a pleasure to be with you today,” Jeanette Akin told the crowd. “I love seeing so many people out to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. And we are very proud to showcase our children today.”
Akin’s group, the Aanchich’x Kwaan Tlingit dancers, filled the gymnasium with drumming as elders and children sang songs, even inviting audience members to participate, too.
A major focus of the celebration was on the next generation continuing traditions. Students from the West High School Indigenous Club wowed the crowd as they participated in Native Youth Olympics events like the high kick and stick pull.
Indigenous Leaders of Bartlett, a younger dance group made up of students at Bartlett High School, also performed at the event. Noel Strick, a math teacher at the school, organized the group.
“We have been a group for at least three years, because I’m looking at my seniors now, getting ready to cry,” Strick said.
One of those seniors, Ellenia Dommek, was nervous to perform, but said she appreciated the chance to celebrate her Alaska Native heritage.
“It’s a way for us to say that we’re still here, after everything that we’ve been through,” Dommek said. “We’re still thriving and we’re still happy and we’re still putting ourselves out there for other people to witness. And so I think that’s very important, especially for youth.”
Dorothy Badwarrior said she was excited to dance in place of Indigenous people who weren’t allowed to dance in the past. She learned dances from Yup’ik mentors at the Alaska Native Heritage Center.
“And so I was given permission by Yup’iks to dance their songs, which is pretty uplifting because their songs aren’t really carried as much anymore,” Badwarrior said. “So as long as I’m able to keep their songs alive and dance for them, I’m OK with it.”
Amber Shields, the other teacher in the dance group, said she has watched teenagers who participate become more involved in their school work and more sure of themselves.
“I’m just very proud of them, especially for some students that, you know, weren’t regularly going to school,” Shields said. “But then seeing them come to school to start dancing, and some students that were very shy coming out of their shell.”
No matter the age or experience level, the response from the crowd remained the same for all of the dancers and performers — joyous applause.
Wesley Early covers Anchorage life and city politics for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at wearly@alaskapublic.org and follow him on X at @wesley_early. Read more about Wesley here.
