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
2025Teachers:
Melissa McKee
Heather Metrokin Cannon
Jessica Towns-Camara, M.S.
Sheryl Blackman
Melissa McKee (Kid's Camp)
Alumni Teachers:
Alexandria Christiansen Troxell (Koniag Rep) (2022)
Alicia Drabek, Phd. (2020, 2023)
Anna Uyeda (2023, 2024)
Andrew Abyo (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Christine Redmond (2023, 2024)
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, 2024, 2025)
Ingrid Hansen (2023, 2024)
Jessica Towns-Camara, MS. (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
June Pardue (2020, 2021)
Loren S. Anderson (2023, 2024, 2025)
Mari Hansell (2023, 2024)
Melissa McKee (2023, 2024)
Mellisa Meyer (2022)
Michaila Taylor (2022. 2023)
Natalia Schnieder (2021, 2022)
Sheryl Blackman (2025)
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
Director
Jessica Towns-Camara (Native Village of Pilot Point & BBNC)
Evergreen Representative
Laura VerMeulen (Tlingit/Haida & Sealaska)
Ikayut Team (Volunteer Helpers)
Team Member -- Katrean Hall (Koniag Descendant) - Advisory, and FB Group Moderator
Team Member - Melissa McKee (Koniag, Afognak) - Afognak Advocate
Team Member - Adriana Furlong - (BBNC, Koniag)
Team Member - Ingrid Hansen (BBNC, Pilot Point) - PNW Alutiiq Culture Camp Community FB Moderator
Team Member - Marissa Vinberg (Koniag) - In-Person Camp Engagement and Greeter Volunteer
Team Member - Ellie Dinglasa Stewart (Koniag & Natives of Kodiak)
Quyakapet Members (Honorary Members)
Elder - Tim Metrokin (Sun'aq Tribe and BBNC)
Past Team Members
Heather Metrokin Cannon (Sun'aq Tribe & Bristol Bay Native Corp)
Ellie Dinglasa Stewart (Koniag & Natives of Kodiak) - 2018-2019
Ingrid Hansen (BBNC) -2019
Tanya Larson (Koniag, Afognak Des.) -2023-2024
Christine Redmond (CIRI, Ninilchik) - 2023-2024
Anna Uyeda (Koniag Des., Tangirnaq) - 2023-2024
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
2025 Recipient - Loren S Anderson (Koniag, Afognak)
At the 2025 Alutiiq Culture Camp, we honored Loren S. Anderson through the act of blanketing, presenting him with an eighth-generation design wool blanket. Blanketing is a meaningful practice we are intentionally reawakening, drawing from what we know of our ancestors—important people in our societies were honored with Raven’s Tail robes, we acknowledge that these traditions existed before and deserve to live again. Loren embodies the values this honor represents. He gives abundantly of his time, musical knowledge, and spirit—organizing his own dance group while continually supporting others in learning song and dance. He is the sole reason Tamamta Sugpiaq Alutiiq Dance Group exists in Washington State, and his positive, generous presence has shaped our community in lasting ways. Loren has traveled to and participated in camp in person many times from 2022 to the present, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to partnership, not just in the past but continuing forward. We are deeply grateful for his leadership, creativity, and the joyful abundance he shares with all of us.
2024 Recipient - Ingrid Hansen (BBNC, Native Village of Pilot Point)
2023 Recipient - Ellie Dinglasa Stewart (Koniag, NOK)
2022 Recipient - Vickie Puqisqaq Era-Pankretz (Koniag & Natives of Kodiak)
Ingrid in blanketed with her 8th Generation Blanket.
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.