 Allison Akootchook Warden, Iñupiaq Kalukaq from the Future (Sent from the Eagle Mother) plywood, iridescent wood screws, glo polypropylene rope, u-bolt, Titebond III ultimate wood glue, plastic wood all-purpose wood filler, carraige bolts, leather pelt, glow-in-the dark paint, glow in the dark vinyl, fake eagle feather, fluid acrylic, heavy gloss, calfskin belt, gel, love and prayers 2016 “The process of creating this kalukaq was transformative. I hadn’t thought that in my lifetime I would make an Iñupiaq box drum. It started when our Kisaġviġmiut Dance group began to form, and that it became clear that the co-leader of our group, my cousin Isaiah Patkutaq Cakicenaq McKenzie, was preparing to make a kalukaq for the group, but that it most likely wouldn’t be ready for the freezing that needs to happen for the opening. Also, his kalukaq is his own design, and I thought about the space I was creating, how it would be good to have one that wouldn’t be performed, but would fit into the future/ancient aesthetic. I asked people about kalukaq design and I read a few passages in books and online, as well as studying images. My Tlingit friend Laura Schleifman enlisted the help of her boyfriend Ryan Rapuzzi, and we started to craft the box drum. I am very thankful to the both of them. In the process of making this drum, I learned a lot about the meaning behind the drum and the ceremony that goes with the drum. I watched videos of the dance being performed today. I wanted the box to glow in the dark because of the heartbeat of the Eagle Mother, to honor the story of the very first box drum, which is different from this one.” Dimensions height at tallest point 64" (with feather) width of two sides 19 1/2" width of other two sides 18" height from mountains to feet (without stick and feather) 32" The above was installed as part of Unipkaaġusiksuġuvik (the place of the future/ancient), a performative installation at the Anchorage Museum in 2016.
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 above: the Kisaġviġmiut Traditional Dancers It was the year 2016. I was set to install an Ińupiaq ceremonial house, a Qargi, placed in the time/space between the hyper-hyper future and the super-super ancient. It was called Unipkaaġusiksuġuvik (the place of the future/ancient) and was set to be installed on the entire fourth floor of the Anchorage Museum for two months, in which I would physically occupy the exhibition about 85 percent of all the Museum's opening hours.
Part of the installation included benches, that would be traditionally on both sides of the Qargi. We have traditional dances called bench dances, and we nowadays, we perform them on the ground, or on the edge of the stage, or most often, on chairs. I thought it was amazing that we had near to original bench as the original benches might be, and I wanted to activate the space by forming a traditional dance group. I put a post on facebook asking if there was anyone that knew how to drum, who knew old songs. People responded with a name of someone who lived in my same city of Anchorage, Isaiah Patkotak MacKenzie. We chatted for a bit on facebook and then decided to have a phone call. Turns out he is my cousin. And, he is 16 and still in high school. On our phone call, there was this amazing energy, like it was meant to be. We decided to meet up, and the Kisaġviġmiut Traditional Dancers was formed. He is pictured above, in the middle, standing and dancing, leading everyone in the bench dances that we are learning, collectively. I am dancing in the far back, on the bench. We started practicing in the theatre of the Anchorage Museum before the exhibit was up. We kept the dance group going for around four years give or take a year. At the last year, I let go of my co-leadership position, and he led the group on his own. Below is an interview about the exhibition. |