At BSNC, our unique culture and heritage as Alaska Native people drive everything we do. Our culture sustains and guides us. We live our culture every day through the foods that we eat, the stories we tell and the values we share. We embrace the responsibility to support cultural revitalization efforts.
For these reasons and others, BSNC is pleased to share the following cultural initiatives to celebrate and support shareholder and descendant artists, dancers, writers and knowledge-bearers. We actively work to expand our cultural offerings to our shareholders and find new ways to celebrate and honor our traditions and Our People because our rich, strong culture deserves to be shared with everyone. If you have any questions or ideas you’d like to share with us, please email media@beringstraits.com.
The Bering Strait region has a rich history. In documenting this knowledge, BSNC has collected a wide variety of books written by shareholders, descendants and others about the history of our region, Our People and our lifestyle. The collection of books contains information on ivory carving, survival, the gold rush days, dog mushing and historical and cultural stories of our beautiful region. A language dictionary of one of the dialects spoken in the region is also included. Please be advised that some of the books may be hard to come by but most can be purchased online.
If you know of any other books that should be added to this list, please email media@beringstraits.com.
This is the first edition of the Tundra to Table Cookbook. This cookbook celebrates the culinary traditions of our shareholders and descendants, who are Iñupiaq, Siberian Yup’ik and Central Yupik. From the tundra to the table, we celebrate our culinary traditions and cultures. We thank everyone who shared their recipes.
Click the link below to read more and download your own copy:
BSNC is pleased to share a series of educational videos celebrating our culture and knowledge. This video series is titled Mazzaq Tigittuaq, Iñupiaq for “sunrise.” The culture and traditions of Our People, BSNC’s shareholders and descendants, are key to our strength and resilience. We hope to share cultural knowledge and help uplift and perpetuate the brilliance and beauty of Our People’s traditions.
Elva “Willie” Kanuak (Ahmasuk) Amidon was instrumental in the formation of the organization Alaskans on the Potomac, which was active in the early days of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). Alaskans on the Potomac provided supportive services to Alaskans and Alaska Native people visiting Washington D.C. Amidon represented Alaska on a float at President Nixon’s inauguration.
Amidon was born on March 6, 1938, in Wales, Alaska. She is one of 14 children from Harold and Anna Qiliq Ahmasuk. Amidon was a lieutenant in the Civil Air Patrol when she met Gene Loren Amidon, a young airman stationed in Nome and following a romantic courtship, married him on April 23, 1958. Elva and Gene had seven children during their 63 years of marriage. Due to the nature of Gene’s career in the U.S. Air Force, they moved to numerous assignments all over the world and the U.S. including Germany, Turkey, Washington D.C., South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, Mississippi, Missouri and Wisconsin. After retiring from the Air Force in 1977, Gene and Elva returned to Alaska.
Amidon served as an executive assistant at the Shareholder Division of the CIRI Foundation, President of the Ladie’s Auxillary Service at the Alaska Native Medical Center and a court watch for the Cook Inlet Native Association for Abused Women in Crisis. She was also a master seamstress and an avid hunter who shared the majority of her harvest. Amidon passed away on Jan. 12, 2022.
BSNC’s Village Life Stories Project is an initiative to share the Bering Strait region’s rich cultural history and the lifestyle of Our People. BSNC shareholders and descendants are invited to submit stories of personal experiences about growing up and life in the village to media@beringstraits.com. Photos are not required but encouraged. Story entries must be accompanied by the author’s name, hometown and a story title. Selected stories will be shared on BSNC’s website and social media accounts. Submit stories to media@beringstraits.com.
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Across the BSNC family of companies, nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our people.