Art connects and preserves culture

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Multiple rooms were full Saturday with wares from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Indigenous Arts and Crafts Fair. From ivory carvings to fish skin art, there was a chance to delve into the deep culture of Alaska Native peoples.

The fair is slated as an annual happening on the first Saturday in November, says Roberta Miljure, Volunteer Coordinator at the Alaska Native Medical Center. The arts and crafts fair is intended to encourage Alaska Native artists to continue practicing their traditional artistry and crafts and provide a market to sell them.

“Alaska Natives made their own garments, their own clothing, out of the things that they harvested from the land and from the sea and the air. And that’s how this started. It was actually the clothing and things, the things that they made out of their traditional materials, became art. And so that’s why we want to support the artists and make sure they have a market to continue the traditional activities,” said Miljure.

Audrey Armstrong, a fish skin artist who makes baskets and jewelry, says when she creates art she’s preserving her culture.

“Art to me, explains my identity,” says Armstrong. “Art is living our traditional way, learning our traditional way. And I think when we make a piece of art, it gives us such sense of pride in our culture and that we’re able to continue it. And my biggest thing is for art, for the artists to continue it, but also to be a teacher, to teach the younger generation, so this will continue for more generations to come. So it just doesn’t disappear.”

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