The RIVR

08/03/2025

Angela Startz (Iñupiaq) of the Reel Indigenous podcast reviews the series "North of North" for FAAM's Summer 2025 issue. Have you watched?

"The directors have a lot of talent to work with. In addition to Anna Lambe, Inuk goddess Tanya Tagaq appears throughout the series to whet our appetite. Maika Harper (Inuk), one of the stars of podcast-favorite, TV series 'Mohawk Girls,' plays Siaja’s nuanced mother Neevee, who is fighting her own demons yet provides a home to her daughter and granddaughter. Mary Lynn Rajskub, costar of '24,' is cast as the white lady who moved to Ice Cove to run the community center nearly 20 years ago who begrudgingly gives Siaja the opportunity she is craving. Zorga Qaunaq (Inuk), renowned graphic artist, jeweler, and tattooist, steps in as Millie, one of the wacky coworkers, along with Bailey Poching (Māori) as an Arctic transplant from New Zealand, with a shout-out to Indigenous radio stations.

Fan-favorite Doreen Nutaaq Simmonds (Iñupiaq) as Elisapee brings the judgy aana energy to the cast, providing a worthy foil to Siaja and Neevee’s shenanigans. This talented cast knows comedy, their communities, and how to keep us laughing."

Read the rest of the review in our current issue out now.

Pictured: Nutaaq Doreen Simmonds (Iñupiaq) as Elisapee, left, and Zorga Qaunaq (Inuk) as Millie, right. Photo: Jasper Savage/Netflix.

08/03/2025

Immiqsuaksraq immiqsullagitin!

Applications are OPEN for the 2025 Adult Inupiaq Intensive!

Recognizing the need to push our intermediate Iñupiaq learners farther, the 2025 intensive is intended for fluent speakers and Inupiaq learners with an established foundation in the language, that is, those who have taken a beginner class or attended a previous Iḷisaqativut intensive.

Learn more and apply now at ilisaqativut.org/intensive-2025

07/29/2025

Hulu has found its latest true-crime documentary and it’s based on an audiobook from an Alaskan writer and musician. The streamer is launching Blood & Myth, a doc that explores a series of shocking violent crimes that shattered a remote native village in Northern Alaska.

The doc is based on the Midnight Son audiobook, which came out in 2019 and was created by James Dommek Jr., Isaac Kestenbaum and Josie Holtzman, who were shedding new light on a real-life mystery that pits Native American folklore against the U.S. justice system.

The streamer is launching Blood & Myth, a doc that explores a series of shocking violent crimes that shattered a remote native village in Northern Alaska.

07/26/2025

What happens when Native stories are at risk of being silenced? We speak louder.
The rescission of over $1 billion in public media funding has already begun to impact organizations like Koahnic — a nonprofit media organization that exists to amplify Indigenous voices across the U.S. through national shows like National Native News and Native America Calling.

This moment calls for more than reflection. It calls for action. Native-led media matters now more than ever. Our shows tell the stories that others overlook. We ask the hard questions, uplift Indigenous perspectives, and connect people across generations and geographies.

We’re still standing — and moving forward. But we can’t do it alone.
Help us carry Native voices further:
🔹 Donate at bit.ly/GiveKoahnic
🔹 Or text KOAHNIC to 41444

Every contribution, large or small, helps keep Native perspectives on the public airwaves.
Together, we’ll rise stronger.

07/25/2025

📣 Opportunity for students in the Calista Region! 📣

Need a laptop, iPad, or printer for school? The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) is offering an amazing tech support opportunity for eligible Alaska Native postsecondary and vocational students for the 2025–2026 academic year! 💻🖨📱

AFN is providing free PC or Apple laptop bundles – plus an optional black & white printer – to 100 eligible college, university, or vocational students in our region.

This opportunity is made possible through AFN’s Tribal Broadband and Connectivity Program grant, awarded on behalf of 74 Alaska Tribes, Village Corporations, regional Native nonprofits, and tribal housing partners.

👉 To learn more or apply, contact the AFN Navigator Program:
📧 [email protected]
📞 (907) 903-0924

Don’t miss out on this powerful resource to support your educational journey!

07/24/2025

For the first time in 38 years, Tlingit and Haida gathered in Wrangell from throughout Southeast Alaska for the unveiling of five totem poles.

07/23/2025

📚 Help us support local students! 📚
Our staff are collecting school supplies for youth in our community, and we're inviting the public to join this effort! Every donation helps a student start the school year prepared and confident.

Drop off supplies at either location:
📍CITC: 3600 San Jeronimo Dr
📍Denełchin Lab: 7710 Grass Creek Rd

What we need: Visit ASD's school supplies page for the complete list: https://www.asdk12.org/Page/13306

We'll be distributing these supplies to our participants at a special back-to-school event on August 12. Thank you for helping our youth succeed! 💙

07/22/2025

07/22/2025

Las Vegas Aces rookie Aaliyah Nye (Pottawatomi) on Tribal Heritage.


https://www.nocapspacewbb.com/p/aces-rookie-aaliyah-nye-carries-legacy

07/21/2025