On Monday, October 17, UAA student Doreen Andersen-Spear and Shawnalee Whitney, an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, traveled to the 2005 Elders and Youth Conference in Fairbanks. The conference, sponsored by the First Alaskans Institute and a precursor to the annual convention of the Alaska Federation of Natives, focused on the theme “Embracing Tomorrow with the Strength of Our Elders.” Andersen-Spear and Whitney traveled to Fairbanks on behalf of the Alaska Native Oratory Society (AkNOS), a group designed to offer Native and non-Native students opportunities to build leadership and communication skills by providing forums in which students may address issues relevant to indigenous people, cultures and issues.
The AkNOS Elders and Youth program was entitled “Finding Strength for Tomorrow in the Voices of Our Elders.” The proposal for the program was competitively reviewed from a field of 80 applications and was selected as one of only 20 sessions for the two day conference. While some of the sessions were smaller “break-out” workshops, the AkNOS proposal was chosen as one that was held on the main floor of the Carlson Center arena; it was open to all attendees.
The presentation, which was given by Doreen Andersen-Spear in front of approximately 1000 people, was interrupted by applause from the audience no less than four times. Doreen gave a Dramatic Declamation, a presentation of a speech on Native education that was originally given almost 30 years ago by her grandfather and former North Slope Borough Mayor, the late Eben Hopson. Doreen then reflected on how her grandfather’s words still ring true and are still relevant for many Alaska Natives as they go through the education system.
While Shawnalee Whitney is in only her second year of serving as Director of the Alaska Native Oratory Society, she has had students such as Andersen-Spear competing in the event since its inception in Spring 2002. In fact, Doreen Andersen-Spear starting competing in AkNOS as a result of taking COMM 111 (Fundamentals of Oral Communication) with Shawnalee Whitney at UAA. She then went on to win the Dramatic Declamation division in the inaugural AkNOS statewide tournament.
On October 14, UAA students Crystal Swetzof and Quentin Simeon, along with Shawnalee Whitney, spoke at the 2005 Bioneers Conference on the UAA campus. Crystal Swetzof, dressed in full cultural regalia, spoke eloquently on the values of her people, the Unangax of Atka, Alaska. Quentin Simeon, a three-time winner in the Oratory division of the AkNOS statewide competition, spoke about the Yupik notion of awareness—the way in which people become aware that they are a part of a family, part of a community and part of a larger world around them. Both Crystal and Quentin have earned many awards as speakers and, better still, have said that they’ve gained self-confidence and a sense of empowerment from their experiences in the Alaska Native Oratory Society.
In addition to sponsoring competitive events and participating in conferences, the Alaska Native Oratory Society engages in a various outreach projects. For instance, students from the program are often invited to speak at local and regional events and for various organizations. Moreover, the program offers public speaking assistance to any interested student at UAA.
For more information on the Alaska Native Oratory Society, please call 786-4354 or visit us online at www.uaa.alaska.edu/aknos.
