News Release

Native Arts & Crafts Fair

Anchorage, Alaska – Oct. 23, 2008 – Attendees of the 2008 Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) annual convention and eager community members flocked to the Edlughet (Eklutna) Exhibit Hall of the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center to get first pick of the many spectacular native crafts and to browse fine quality art at the Native Arts & Crafts Fair today.

More than 100 artists and craftsmen featured novel products ranging from native clothing and intricate beaded jewelry, to seal fur wallets and purses, and eye-popping 3D artwork. One of the most spectacular, however, are the hand-made seal skin dolls with hoods made of polar bear fur, such as those displayed by Ursula Paniyak, of Chevak, Alaska. What makes Paniyak’s traditional Cup’ik Eskimo dolls especially unique is how their limbs are positioned to be fishing, dancing, weaving baskets, or representing any other number of cultural native activities. Paniyak displays her dolls with pride as she explains how she came to learn the trade at the age of 10 from her mother, internationally renowned doll-maker, Rosalie Paniyak. Each doll takes around three to four days to make and sells for $300.

“No collection would be complete without an Ursula Paniyak,” says Veronica Slajer, an Alaska Native currently living in Washington D.C., who made a special trip to attend this year. “I’ve come every year and I would not miss it,” Slajer exclaims.

For more than 30 years, AFN has brought together Alaska Native artisans from all regions of the state as well as lower 48 American Indian friends to showcase and sell their artwork.

“The Alaska Native Arts & Crafts Fair is renowned as one of the best places to find Alaska Native and American Indian artwork from cultures that are vital and rich with history, skill, tradition, adaptation, and creativity. This traditional Fair is a way of promoting the artists and celebrating the uniqueness of art and heritage,” said Julie Kitka, president of Alaska Federation of Natives.

The Native Arts & Crafts Fair is open to the public and will continue tomorrow, Oct. 24, 2008, from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008, from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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Media Contacts:

Jeanette Anderson Moores, (907) 229-6925, mooreswj@gci.net