Bunnell Arts Center

ALAXSXA | ALASKA weaves puppetry, video installations, recorded interviews, and yuraq (Alaska Native Yup’ik drum and dance) in a collage of striking contemporary and historical encounters between indigenous Alaska Native communities and newcomers to the Great Land. The title of the piece includes the ancient indigenous Unangax tribal name for the rocky shores of the Alaska Peninsula: Alaxsxa (uh-LUK-shuh). This word is mirrored by and juxtaposed against the familiar, Anglicized version of this place name: "Alaska." The title is a metaphor for the personal and cultural encounters at the heart of this project. Performers: Ryan Conarro and Gary Upay’aq Beaver with puppeteer Justin Perkins.