The Kodiak History Museum hired a new executive director after months of searching. Kristin O’Lear, the new executive director, is bringing over a decade of experience in museums to the job. She arrives on the island in May. “I am so excited to be in this new role and to move to Kodiak and just get to know the community …
Read More »Alutiiq Museum names Jim and Bonnie Dillard as its volunteers of the year
The Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak named its volunteer of the year on Feb. 14, celebrating two people in 2024 – Jim and Bonnie Dillard. Both the Dillards are long-time educators on the island. The couple live in Kodiak and were commended, in part, for hand-crafting new traditional drums for an elementary school music class. According to a press release from …
Read More »Chocolate Lovers Fling and Art Auction raises over $14,000 to boost tourism
Chocolate confections and local art came together on Feb. 17 for Discover Kodiak’s annual fundraising event. As KMXT’s Brian Venua reports, the local visitor bureau’s auction was raising money to support tourism to the island. Attendees tasted several local chocolatey goods pictured here as they bid on photos and paintings from local artists. (Brian Venua/KMXT) Brock Simmons, the executive director …
Read More »Alutiiq Museum plans to reach more tourists with advertising campaign and new Keneq gallery
Kodiak’s Alutiiq Museum has been awarded a $143,460 federal grant to expand its efforts to attract more tourists. The money is from the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) and the U.S. Forest Service. The Alutiiq Museum was one of six Native organizations across the country to receive over a hundred thousand dollars in grant funding. April Counceller is …
Read More »New comprehensive textbook spurs speaking and teaching of Alutiiq language
The Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak in collaboration with the Alutiiq Museum have released a textbook to help revitalize an endangered Alaska Native language. As KMXT’s Davis Hovey reports, it’s a new tool to teach the next generation of Alutiiq speakers. The Alutiiq language also known as Sugpiaq is broken up into two main dialects, the Koniag Alutiiq spoken in Kodiak …
Read More »Alutiiq Museum to create online database of repatriation efforts
While efforts to repatriate Alaska Native remains have been ongoing, keeping track of those remains has been difficult. But now the Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak is building a database of repatriation efforts for the archipelago’s communities. Amanda Lancaster is the Alutiiq museum’s curator of collections. She says the $99,713 grant comes from the National Park Service’s Native American Graves Protection …
Read More »Kodiak FilAm hosts Christmas party to close out the year
Kodiak FilAm celebrated Christmas with loud music, and even a few rounds of musical chairs over the weekend. Kodiak’s population is just about half Filipino and hundreds of people came to celebrate the upcoming holiday. The event was held in the armory, across from Main Elementary and was filled with celebrators. (Brian Venua/KMXT) Mark-Anthony Vizcocho is the president of Kodiak …
Read More »Hundreds of kids wander Kodiak for Downtown Trick or Treat
Kodiak had a few events to celebrate Halloween but the centerpiece event was the downtown trick or treating held by the Chamber of Commerce. Hundreds of costumed children wandered downtown in the rain and wind to fill their buckets and bags for the holiday. Some of the kids wore rain and winter coats for the cold. (Brian Venua/KMXT) Beth Koehler …
Read More »Kodiak Marketplace to hold soft opening on Friday
The Islander Bookshop is one of a handful of local businesses that announced it’s moving into the mall. It’s relocating from a small storefront about a mile north of downtown. “It just blows my mind that in 2023, an indie bookstore, not in the lower 48 but on this island, pretty far out there, can expand – triple our size,” …
Read More »Alutiiq Museum commissions new atkuk to display in galleries after construction
An atkuk is a type of traditional Alutiiq clothing. “The snow falling parka is what these are sometimes known as and when someone is dancing, wearing it, you see the ermine tails just sort of sway and it really does look like snow falling,” said Amanda Landcaster, the curator of collections at the Alutiiq Museum. The new Atkuk was made …
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