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An immersive picture book that follows a modern Iñupiat family as they share their connection to their land, heritage, and history in the Arctic, culminating in Nalukataq, an annual celebration, illustrated by Newbery Honoree Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson.
Welcome to Iñupiat Nunat, where the Arctic wind blows over frozen tundra. The Iñupiat live here. They always have. With snow as their compass, Iñupiat ancestors first trekked by foot, and later by dog team. With snowmobiles, modern Iñupiat still use the ice and snow as their roadway. The Iñupiat treat the land with respect. The seal, caribou, polar bear, and ducks feed and clothe the Iñupiat, who in turn honor and respect those lives and spirits. In the summer, at the Nalukataq, the Iñupiat celebrate the bowhead whale, which has provided warmth and food for thousands of years, through today and beyond. The whales are the spiritual heart of the culture. Thousands gather in gratitude to eat, sing, dance, and share stories. This tradition, and their histories and stories, continue on. The Iñupiat, the real people of the Arctic, have always lived there - and they always will. Powerfully written by Saġġan George Edwardson and National Book Award finalist Debby Dahl Edwardson, with gorgeous illustrations by Newbery Honoree Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson, Welcome to Iñupiat Nunat is a joyful exploration of indigenous environmentalism, the cultural strength of Arctic communities, and the importance of preserving oral history.Born and raised in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, Saġġan George Edwardson grew up hunting, whaling, and learning from his elders. He earned a degree in geology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and served as president of the Iñupiat Community of the Arctic Slope (ICAS) a regional tribal government for nearly forty years. Saġġan is a traditional storyteller and oral historian. He and his wife, Debby, have seven children and sixteen grandchildren.
Debby Dahl Edwardson, Nipik, grew up in Minnesota, where she spent summers at her family cabin on an island near the Canadian border. She attended school in Norway and has lived for nearly fifty years in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, the northernmost community in the country. Her novel My Name Is Not Easy was a finalist for the National Book Award. Debby is an adjunct instructor at Ilisaġvik College, a tribal college. Born and raised in Alaska, Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson is a tribally enrolled Iñupiaq author and illustrator. She holds a BA degree in studio art from Humboldt State University and is a student of philosophy and marine biology. She's had several careers, including documentarian and school teacher, where her focus is always on reclaiming indigenous culture and creativity. She is the author of the Newbery Honor Book, Eagle Drums.Thanks for subscribing!
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