AFN

Attending the Alaska Federation of Natives annual convention is one of the many blessings to living in Alaska. Every year, with the exception of 2007 when AFN for the first time was held in Fairbanks, I have donned my Aleut traditional dress (which I purchased in 2004 when I first moved here), made to look like the seal gut waterproof parkas they used to wear out on the ocean and trimmed with dangling beads, or my kuspuk (which I purchased in 2005 as a matching set to Kyra's) and immersed myself for at least 2 days with my "family." Without fail every year, the Native artists and leaders I meet always make me feel loved and treasured. Mostly, my heart and brain is saturated and overstimulated with writing ideas. Many of the indigenous leaders spoke of the importance of telling stories and how only by telling stories do we heal.

This year, Thomas and the kids (see how cute they are in their kuspuks!) joined me for Quyana which is AFN's dance performances in the evening.