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Stories From The Past

by Association of Village Council Presidents

50 pages; saddle stitched; catalogue #03-1638; ISBN 1-4120-1260-0; US$28.50, C$33.00, EUR23.50, £16.50

The Yup'ik and Cup'ik of Alaska have inhabited the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta region for over ten thousand years. This collection of short stories by elementary school students written in both English and Yup'ik are stories of the traditions, language, history and culture of this fascinating region of Alaska. Elementary school students interviewed Elders in their communities and these are the stories they were told.

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About the Book A collection of short stories by Lower Kuskokwim School District elementary school students based on their interviews with Elders in their communities. The Yukon Kuskokwim Delta region of Alaska, where the Yup'ik and Cup'ik have lived for over ten thousand years, provides the background for this beautiful collection of Traditional Stories, Stories about Ways of Life, Subsistence Stories, Hunting Stories and Ghost Stories. The Stories from the Past project was developed and implemented by Laura Jeane Story Schlapkohl, an Americorps*Vista Volunteer under the direction of Joan Hamilton, the Yupiit Piciryarait Museum Director-Curator during the spring of 2003. The Association of Village Council Presidents and the Yupiit Piciryarait Museum together supported the Stories from the Past Writing Competition. Stories from the Past Writing Competition The Stories from the Past Writing Competition began in January 2003 with the announcement to elementary schools throughout the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta Region that submissions to the competition would be accepted through April 1, 2003. The Stories from the Past Writing Competition required students to interview an Elder in their community, and to write a story based on the interview. Students were encouraged to write in both English and Yup'ik, adding to the language preservation aspects of the project. As of April 1, 2003 we received seventy entries from four schools to the Stories from the Past Writing Competition. Schools who participated in Stories from the Past 2003 Akiuk Memorial School, Akiuk, Alaska Chefornak School, Chefornak, Alaska Kilbuck Elementary School, Bethel, Alaska Kuinerramiut Elitnaurviat, Quinhagak, Alaska Grand Prize Best Collections of Stories Teachers who participated in Stories from the Past 2003 April Blevins, Kilbuck Elementary School Meg Gag, Akiuk Memorial School Sherry Marousek, Kuinerramiut Elitnaurviat Eric Pederson, Kuinerramiut Elitnaurviat Nick Straw, Chefornak School Students who participated in Stories from the Past 2003 Akiuk Memorial School Danya Andrews, Interview with George Keene, Sr. Grand Prize Individual Story Winner Natasia Anvil, Interview with Lucy Kassel Harry Berlin, Interview with Daniel Berlin, Jr. Michael Berlin, Interview with Rhonda Berlin Anastasia Brink, Interview with Lucy Brink George Isaac, Interview with George Keene, St. Renae Keene, Interview with Lena Keene Michael Martin, Jr., Interview with Marie A. Charles Sherry Oscar, Interview with Marie A. Charles and Molly Oscar Harry Slim, Interview with Eddie Andrew Sillufie Thomas, Jr., Interview with Cecil Active Naomi White, Interview with Moses White, Sr. Edward Wassillie, Interview with Dora Wassillie Chefornak School Janelle Kinegak, Interview with Eliza Fairbanks Thomas Mael, Interview with Bob Tunuchuk Bretina Agnus, Interview with Cyril Alexie Vicki Wiseman, Interview with Josephine Wiseman David Chagluak, Interview with Martina Chagluak Dana Gerhart, Interview with Eliza Fairbanks Kilbuck Elementary School Emerie Fairbanks, Interview with Debbie Fairbanks Santee McKay, Interview with Arleata Snell Susan Dostert, Interview with Donna Carpenter Max Fancher, Interview with Charlene Fancher Whitney Walker, Interview with Debbie Walker Avery Atti, Interview with Trevor Henderson Delwen Samuelson, Interview with Abigail Samuelson Randy Hanson, Interview with Abigail Samuelson Dustin Hayden, Interview with Rafe Johnson Sumo Walker, Interview with Shirley Lawson Dylan Stanton, Interview with Mike Stanton Jenny Klejka, Interview with Jackie Klejka Leland Rogers, Interview with Ina Morgan Trevor Henderson, Interview with Rose Henderson Kendrick Lange, Interview with Jacquie Campbell Elizabeth Turrentine, Interview with her aunt Brooke Charlie, Interview with Tonya Charlie Kathryn Medinger, Interview with Mary Kay Medinger John Street, Interview with Teddy Street Nancie Grifka, Interview with Clair Grifka Henry Thorne, Interview with Ina Morgan Cheryl George, Interview with Winnie Billy Marissa Hunter, Interview with Mary Uttereyuk Danielle Beaver, Interview with Susan Murphy Kuinerramiut Elitnaurviat Krystin Beebe, Interview with Paul Beebe Charlene Church, Interview with Paul Beebe Vera Cleveland, Interview with Paul Beebe Zane Debilt, Interview with Louisa Britton Travis Nick, Interview with Lousia Britton Arthur Abalama, Interview with Annie Cleveland Danny Abalama, Interview with Annie Cleveland Christopher Mark Jr., Interview with Kenneth Cleveland Michael Smith, Interview with Kenneth Cleveland Lonry Strunk, Interview with Kenneth Cleveland Robert Guest, Interview with Olinka Donahuk Willie Nelon, Interview with Edith Evans Lynn Church, Interview with Mary Ford Christina Ford, Interview with Mary Ford Olivia Guest, Interview with Mary Ford Kendra Cleveland, Interview with Dora Green Marcella Jones, Interview with Dora Green Martin Roach II, Interview with Oscar Friendly Kristy A. Mark, Interview with Annie Mark Julius Henry, Interview with John Mark Eric Brown, Interview with Henry Matthew Brittany Andrew, Interview with Jakub and May Nelson Carissa Cleveland, Interview with Jakub and May Nelson Richard Cleveland, Interview with Jakub Nelson Kera Foster, Interview with Carrie Pleasant Jeffrey Matthew, Interview with Carrie Pleasant Alicia Sharp, Interview with Carrie Pleasant During the month of April, a committe of judges at the Yup'it Piciryarait Museum and Allen Joseph of AVCP selected the Grand Prize Best Collection of Stories and the Overall Individual Story Winner Kuinerramiut Elitnaurviat of Quinhagak, Alaska was awarded the Grand Prize Best Collection of Stories. Danya Iqvarta Andrews of Akiuk Memorial School was awarded as the Overall Individual Story Winner for her story "The Grandmother's Song". On March 16, 2003 the local Bethel band Los Esposos played a free concert at the Museum as a fund raiser for Stories from the Past. This event, which nearly 70 people attended, raised funds for the Stories from the Past Writing Competition and Exhibit. The Bethel Lion's Club also donated to the Stories from the Past Writing Competition. The funds from the Museum Benefit Show and from the Lion's Club were used to put together the Stories from the Past Exhibit, and to pay for prizes for all of the students who participated. Every students who submitted a story to Stories from the Past received a medal of participation. Trophies were awarded to the winning school and to the winning student Danya Andrews. The Stories from the Past Exhibit opened at the Yupiit Piciryarait Museum on May 20, 2003. The Stories from the Past exhibit features every story received this year. Traditional Stories, stories about ways of life, subsistence stories and ghost stories decorated the museum walls. The Stories from the Past Exhibit also featured paintings by Bethel Regional High School art students. The high school art students, under direction of their teacher Jayne Hotaling, interviewed Elders in the community and created pieces inspired by their interviews. The Stories from the Past project created opportunities for Elders to teach youth, strengthening the bond between generations. Students were given the chance, whether through writing or painting, to creatively express and preserve traditional knowledge. As part of a language and culture preservation project, the stories will remain at the Yupiit Piciryarait Museum and at libraries in the region for future generations to access. Thank You Association of Village Council Presidents Yupiit Piciryarait Museum Myron Naneng, President of AVCP Joan Hamilton, Director-Curator, Yupiit Piciryarait Museum Bethel Lion's Club Los Esposos: Paul Basile, Joe Homlar, Shane Iverson and Laura Schlapkohl Jayne Hotaling and the art students at Bethel Regional High School Fran Reich Beverly Williams Allen Joseph Low Kuskokwim School District Shawn Johnson Marty Langlois The Delta Discovery The Tundra Drums Wilson Naneng Zack Brink, Vice President of AVCP Dolly Venes, Vice President of Finance, AVCP Museum Board of Elders Stories from the Past Judges 2003 Americorps*VISTA Thank you to all of the individuals who supported the Stories from the Past project, for attending the Los Esponsos Museum Benefit Show, and for visiting the Stories from the Past exhibit at the Yupiit Piciryarait Museum. Thank you to the Elders and the students who participated in this important project, making this beautiful book possible.

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Sample Excerpts or Table of Contents

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Catalogue Information

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