QASPIGHUN
Gambell Winter Event
QASPIGHUN - February 4-6
The ARC NAV Steering Committee and the research team worked with teachers and administrators at the John Apangalook School to organize a winter carnival & science fair from February 7-8. (Orginally scheduled for the 4-6 - due to weather delays now scheduled 7-8.)
The planning community, in consultation with elders, named the event "qaspighun" - a Saint Lawrence Island Yupik word that refers to sallek (thin/slush ice) that collides, layers on top of each other, becoming thicker, stronger, and safer to be on. Qaspighun alludes to how our relationships form, ideas collide in beautiful ways, and partnerships grow strong.
February 7
Nakaghlleq Photo Exhibit - Connecting Life, Land, and Sea: Sivuqaq to Russia
Starting at 5 pm, John Apangalook School - The photo exhibit will be displayed at the John Apangalook School from February 4-5; part of the exhibit will remain on permanent display in Gambell. Photographs share stories from across the Bering including work by Afanassi Makovnev - Gambell and Savoonga (1989), Jan Oelker - Chukotka and Gambell (1992-1995), Victor Gumenyuk - Kamchatka, and Rodney (Buddy) Ungwiluk, Jr. - Gambell.
Nakaghlleq refers to a stretch of ice connecting two places - in this case, Sivuqaq to Russia
Nakaghlleq Cultural night - Itelmen dance - Nenets Storytelling - Atuq
Starting at 7 pm , John Apangalook School - Join us for a Cultural Night from Across the Bering Sea. Indigenous scholars and artists from the ARCTICenter at the University of Northern and the ARC NAV research project will present stories and dance from the Indigenous world of Russia. Tatiana Degai (Itelmen, Kamchatka) and Polina Syadeyskaya (Nenets, Yamal) will share dancing and stories from the Itelmen and Nenets People. Community atuq to follow. Door prizes!
February 8
Student Science Fair – Gambell students will present their posters from their science projects. Celebrate their research achievements!
Research Symposium - There will be posters, videos, games, and hands on activities featuring the ongoing Gambell research that university scientists are conducting with local Yupik knowledge-holders. The science symposium will take place at the John Apangalook School on February 6 from 2-3:30PM.
The Community Research Symposium is an idea that started with the Gambell Steering Committee and Eddie Ungott, Jr. (Community Research Consultant). The planning team nominated researchers, projects, and topics most relevant to the Gambell Community - with a focus on environmental change.
Glow in Gam/Film - Starting at 8 pm - The Book of the Sea (2018) 1h25m; In Russian w/ English subtitles.Director/Writer Aleksei Vakhrushev: A look at the lives of the Indigenous, traditional hunters of the Bering Strait. In eastern Russia they fight against the icy elements, and hunt seals and whales to provide for their families and their village. Door prizes!
Special thanks to middle school science teacher Gladys Borillo, and principal Keith Shelton, for their tireless work to collaboratively organize this winter carnival science fair. Thank you to John Apangalook for coordinating Atuq, and Shemrose Koonooka, Petu Koonooka, and Clement Ungott for input on wording. This could not be possible without the work of many others at the school, and with the ARC-NAV research team. Thank you to ARC-NAV community research leads Eddie Ungott and Pekennaq Kaningok