Category: Published stories
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Compassion is transformative
This spring I spoke with U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo for a story for New Mexico’s El Palacio Magazine. For five years it was my job to interview people. All kinds of people. Hunters, mayors, U.S. Senators, Alaska Governors, CEOs and birders. I was rarely nervous, and definitely never as nervous as I was in…
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Gram, Beach Greens, Fermenting & Home
Our busy harvesting season begins with our ugruk hunts in May. After ugruk we have the oil to store greens and roots like tukaiyuk, masru and sura. (I actually don’t pick sura because I don’t have the patience to pick and clean the tiny greens, LOL.) In June we pick beach greens to ferment. To…
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I’m writing again!
It’s been a while. I know. Thanks to High Country News, I’ll be sharing glimpses into our life in western Alaska. My favorite thing. This past summer I took a qulliq carving class with one of the greatest teachers of our time, Kunaq. This column explores welcoming the seal oil lamp back into our homes.…
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So. I love the Anchorage Museum.
I love the Anchorage Museum. We love it. It turns out the last date before Timm experienced parenthood was at the Anchorage Museum. That night Timm and I shared a dinner outside at Spenard Roadhouse and then drove downtown to walk around the museum. On free night. 🙂 We loved it. We enjoyed learning more…
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Group project
Let’s do a project together. Last night I read that you don’t get exhausted doing what you love. It got me thinking. I never got exhausted when working at KNOM Radio providing information to the region, and I have never worked longer hours. I loved it. With everything going on (how we natives say COVID-19…
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Ugruk in The New York Times
When you’re given a gift, share it. So I say yes to writing projects I believe in, show up, and let what wants to be told, be told. I worked with The New York Times for this story that touches on climate change, motherhood, cultural loss, hope, family, ugruk hunting, history – so many things!…
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How I became a feminist
Sadly, I found out that with the change of ADN ownership and the implementation of their business plan, this Sunday’s edition will include the final printing of the We Alaskans magazine. For three years I had the pleasure of working with Mike Campbell, a fine editor, who worked hard to get stories from all throughout Alaska. The paper,…
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My family calls it Knock Out
These stories print in the Alaska Dispatch News Sunday insert. It’s been a great relationship and I have a good editor who lets me use my village talk and Inupiaq without explanations. Sometimes. I feel like this story was waiting to be told for a long time. I often don’t know what will make it…
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Inupiaq: The language I can write and speak, but don’t understand
Photo: I call Niv “my little teacher.” I spent four days with her and her Anaana, camping on the Niukluk River, near White Mountain. Niv and her Anaana are from Iqaluit, Canada and with intention, Jesse speaks Inuktitut with her young daughter. I learned so much simply listening to the two speak with one other, and from Niv’s…
laureli ivanoff 