This time of year, it’s all about harvests, whether it be veggies or fish, and here in the Great Land this week, we have a little bit of news about both – and in our usual Alaskan style. So buckle up, because before we get to harvests, we’ve got something stringy to share.
The Yup’ik are a native group related to the Inuit and Iñupiat. They are found all across Alaska as well as in the eastern reaches of Siberia. They are an ancient people with a fascinating heritage. Matthew Nicolai, a member of the Yup’ik community, is keeping alive a fascinating old custom: the old tradition of telling stories with a loop of string.
Stories can be told in many different ways: through oral histories, in writing, through photos, and even on the radio. But they can also be told with string, and that’s what Matthew Nicolai does best. He’s a storyteller from Kwethluk, and he can spin a…
