OUR MISSION
Mission: The PNWACC provides community to Alutiiq People residing outside traditional homelands by delivering both in person and online opportunities which will reawaken traditional ways of being; help Alutiiq/Sugpiaq people root themselves in their cultural identity, improve health outcomes, build multigenerational community connections, encourage respect for the environment, and promote the active use of the Alutiiq language.
Vision: PNW Alutiiq Culture Camp connects Sugpiaq people to each other, their culture, and their community through revitalizing cultural practices and language.
Values: The Values of the PNWACC are centered on the people, the land and culture; with the goal that we will pass Sugpiaq culture down to our future generations. Our Values include:
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Courage – To reclaim our culture, language and ways of being.
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Collaboration – Partnership with and support of other native organizations.
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Inclusiveness – All Sugpiaq people are Sugpiaq enough.
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Integrity – Providing quality service in all facets.
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Healing – Harm caused by generations of colonialism.
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Breaking down artificial barriers between Sugpiaq people.
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Compassion – For where each Sugpiat is in their journey.
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Respect – For our elders, our culture, the environment, and all people including ourselves.
We are excited to do this work to help our people and ourselves heal through our ways of being.
OUR TEACHERS
2024 Teachers:
Andrew Abyo
Loren S. Anderson
Mari Hansell
Heather Metrokin Cannon
Jessica Towns-Camara, M.S.
Christine Redmond (Kid's Camp)
Anna Uyeda (Kid's Camp)
Melissa McKee (Kid's Camp)
Alumni Teachers:
Alexandria Christiansen Troxell (Koniag Rep) (2022)
Alicia Drabek, Phd. (2020, 2023)
Anna Uyeda (2023)
Andrew Abyo (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
Christine Redmond (2023)
Dehrich Isuwiiq Chya, M.A. (Alutiiq Museum Reg) (2019)
Djuna Davidson (Alutiiq Museum Rep) (2019)
Ezra Sholl (2020)
Hanna Agasuuq Sholl (2019, 2020, 2021)
Heather Metrokin Cannon (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
Ingrid Hansen (2023)
Jessica Towns-Camara, MS. (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
June Pardue (2020, 2021)
Loren S. Anderson (2023)
Mari Hansell (2023)
Melissa McKee (2023)
Mellisa Meyer (2022)
Michaila Taylor (2022. 2023)
Natalia Schnieder (2021, 2022)
Stevi Frets (2019)
Sven Haakanson, PHD. (2019)
Tanya Larson (2022)
Tim Metrokin (2022)
Vicki Puquisqaq Era-Pankretz (2020)
OUR HISTORY
The PNW Alutiiq Culture Camp impetus was a hunger for our culture. A small group of PNW Sugpiat/Alutiit including Ellie Dinglasa Stewart, Vickie Era-Pankretz, Ingrid Hansen, Brandee Era-Miller and Jessica Towns-Camara founded PNW Alutiiq Culture Camp in 2018 to create space to share our Alutiiq knowledge and stories and to simply be with other Alutiiq people.
The Evergreen State College Foundation (501c3) and the TESC House of Welcome have generously taken PNWACC on as an independently run part of their workshop programing. The TESC House of Welcome is our non-profit manager and handles all incoming and outgoing funds. PNW Alutiiq Culture Camp is not an independent 501c3.
The PNW Alutiiq Culture Camp Team still has complete autonomy in choosing what programming we offer at camp. We also write all the funding requests though some may be turned in on our behalf by the TESC Longhouse Foundation.
OUR TEAM
Co-Directors
Heather Metrokin Cannon (Sun'aq Tribe & Bristol Bay Native Corp)
Jessica Towns-Camara (Native Village of Pilot Point & BBNC)
Evergreen Representative
Laura VerMeulen (Tlingit/Haida & Sealaska)
Ikayut Team (Volunteer Helpers)
Team Member - Tanya Larson (Koniag, Afognak Des.) - Advisory, and FB Group Moderator
Team Member - Christine Redmond (CIRI, Ninilchik) - In-person Camp Planner and Kid's Camp
Team Member - Anna Uyeda (Koniag Des., Tangirnaq) - Kid's Camp and FB Group Moderator
Team Member - Ingrid Hansen (BBNC, Pilot Point) - PNW Alutiiq Culture Camp Community FB Moderator
Team Member - Melissa McKee (Koniag, Afognak) - Afognak Advocate
Team Member - Marissa Vinberg (Koniag) - In-Person Camp Engagement and Greeter Volunteer
Quyakapet Members (Honorary Members)
Elder - Tim Metrokin (Sun'aq Tribe and BBNC)
Past Team Members
Ellie Dinglasa Stewart (Koniag & Natives of Kodiak) - 2018-2019
Ingrid Hansen (BBNC) -2019
Vickie Era Pankretz (Koniag & NOK) - 2018-2019 (Quyakapet 2020-2023)
Brandee Era-Miller (Koniag & Natives of Kodiak) - 2019-2020
Ronna Myles-Era (Koniag & Natives of Kodiak) - 11/2019-1/2020
Hanna Agasuuq Sholl (Koniag, Sun'aq Tribe, Leisnoi, Afognak Native Corporation & Natives of Kodiak) - 2019-2021
Honored Community Member of the Year
2023 Recipient - Ellie Dinglasa Stewart (Koniag, NOK)
Ellie felt the desire of our community to connect and learn deeply which led her to launch the PNWACC back in 2018. Ellie utilized her solid connections in the Kodiak community, her writing prowess and her gentle heart to willl PNW Alutiiq Culture Camp into being. Ellie is never one to center herself and she always shines the light on others. She would be the first to say she did dot do it alone, she had a wonderful team in Vickie Era-Pankretz who gave an in-kind donation of 3/5th of her Creative Native Grant, Ingrid Hansen who secured a large donation from BBNC, Jessica Towns-Camara and Brandee Era-Miller. Ellie herself secured sizable donations from Koniag, NOK, Afognak and the Alutiiq Museum.
Since then Ellie has been a beacon of positivity, always cheering Jessica and Heather on in their efforts to grow PNWACC since Ellie handed over the reigns of camp to Jessica in 2019.
Quyanaa for being a light in this world Ellie! We love you!
2022 Recipient - Vickie Puqisqaq Era-Pankretz (Koniag & Natives of Kodiak)
Ellie recieves her BBNC Eighth Generation blanket in an Honoring Ceremony at the TESC House of Welcome in 2023.
Puqisqaq was very important to the PNW Sugpiaq Community and we, along with The Evergreen State College S'gʷi gʷi ʔ altxʷ House of Welcome, were privileged to honor her at PNWACC In-person Camp in 2022 in a blanketing ceremony naming her Honored Elder. Puqisqaq leaves a wonderful legacy within her daughters Ronna and Brandee, her grandchildren and the Sugpiaq Community.
Ellie recieves her BBNC Eighth Generation blanket in an Honoring Ceremony at the TESC House of Welcome in 2023.