Yup’ik Mask, Drum Making & Dance

Assanaaq “Ossie” Kairaiuak is a gifted Yup’ik artist from Chefornak, Alaska, whose traditional upbringing included practicing his ancestors’ beliefs and speaking his native language have gifted him with a particular worldview and a commitment to keep his culture alive through the arts.

“My parents inspired me through stories of my ancestry, of great hunters whom I aspired to become one day, and how they served as living examples of those traditional values they taught us. I admire them, for they were the last to have been raised in the Old Yup’ik Way. When given an opportunity, I use my hands and my (Yup’ik) voice to express what I am inspired by, and I feel very much alive when I can accomplish such a task. I try to harness those old beliefs with stories surrounding them, in a medium best suited to be expressed in; then I try to weave those in, largely through gut instinct and through a thought process.”

Ossie makes drums, masks, and ivory carvings and composes traditional songs for individuals. Ossie has also written short plays. He founded a traditional Yup’ik Dance Group, Acilquq, and is a member of an internationally known tribal funk group, Pamyua.

Having said of such diverse talents (& collaborated with other artists), Ossie has an exciting, positive outlook on how his Yup’ik Culture can fit in and add to a richer thought process that is as old as traditional Yup’ik Belief/Proverb Nutmllaq: How the Natural World dictates how we act, think, feel, and express it by continuing to engage in it actively.

Includes wood, carving tools, paint, drum making materials and tools.

A REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLE!
Optional:
Padded cushion for your seat
Back support device
Clamp on light
Clip on fan for comfort
Reading glasses if necessary

Each day, your workshop starts at 9 am. Lunch is served from 12 pm to 1 pm. Workshops all recommence at 1 pm and wrap up at 4 pm. Dinner is served from 5 pm to 7 pm. NOTE: Some instructors allow for after-hour work sessions. If the instructor(s) is/are willing and present in the classroom, you can work on your pieces after 4 pm.

1) Native American Community Members, Leaders, Artists, and Teachers

For adults 18 and older with current tribal affiliation, the scholarship brings community leaders, artists, members, and teachers to workshops at Idyllwild Arts to benefit both the scholarship recipient and those in their schools or tribal communities. Applicants with financial needs may receive priority. We also offer scholarships for Native American Teens for both the Summer Program and the Academy.

Click here for more information about adult scholarships.