“Land Acknowledgment is the public recognition of Indigenous peoples. The Alaska Native people have stewarded this place for thousands of years. Their acute knowledge of this environment created a sustainable and symbiotic relationship with the waters, plants and animals of this land. We look to their Elders and their youth for guidance. It is only Indigenous ways of being that will ensure our collective future.

This workshop will focus your personal relationship and understanding of Land Acknowledgment and Indigenous ways of being. It will include a conversational presentation as well as a guided and abstracted ceremony that focuses on opening a space with gratitude and centering Indigenous ways of being.” — Melissa Shaginoff

Melissa Shaginoff is of Athabascan and Paiute descent. She grew up in Kenai. She received her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from the University of Alaska Anchorage. After working for a brief time in social work Melissa returned to her creative roots and received her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Studio Art from the Institute of American Indian Arts and Alaska Native Cultures in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is former curator of Indigenous Art at the Anchorage Museum and current curator of art for Alaska Pacific University.

*This workshop is currently full. Please email us if you’d like to participate at a future date: info@bunnellarts.org