How to Buy Authentic Alaska Native Artwork

About the Author: Mary Goddard is Tlingit Kaagwaantaan, Eagle/Brown Bear of Klukwan and grew up in Yakutat. She resides in Sitka with her husband and son, creating Tlingit formline designs for her original carved jewelry, public art installations, and more. She has designed for companies like Filson Co. and was the first and only Alaska Native Artist to create designs for XTRATUF boots. In addition to her artistic pursuits, Mary runs a film company and an Indigenous cooking blog.

Imagine bringing home a piece of Alaska that embodies the spirit of your adventure. Alaska Native art isn't just a souvenir; it's a connection to a living culture, a window into the traditions passed down through generations. Whether you're captivated by the intricate carvings of the Tlingit and Haida, the detailed beadwork of the Athabascan, or the heartwarming story behind a Yup'ik mask, you'll find a unique piece that reflects the region you explored.

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As a Tlingit artist, my craft began at an early age. Beginning with beaded earrings and bracelets, gradually advancing to metal smithing, form line design, and graphic design, I have been making gifts for people to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, decorate traditional regalia, as well as creating gifts for visitors to Alaska. Rooted in our way of life, my gifts have been crafted out of locally harvested materials (furs, feathers, roots, shells, hides…) or designed with an artform that has been around for 10,000 years and counting. My methods of crafting have been passed down through mentors, as well as incorporating contemporary methods and skill sets into my art.

Authentic Alaska Native gifts connect guests to our cultural lifestyles, our traditional stories, and our way of life.

For example, my Eagle and Raven Moiety necklaces reflect my Tlingit culture’s societal structure and value of balance. Distinguished by either Eagle or Raven, each Tlingit tribal member is one or the other. This matrilineal culture holds the value that clan members take care of the opposite clan members (Eagle marries Raven, Raven marries Eagle), ensuring balance and carrying on our way of life. Here is an example of a little gift embodying the history, the culture and the style of the Tlingit people.

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The value of purchasing authentic Alaska Native artwork helps tribal members perpetuate culture in their communities, educates visitors which in turn promotes respect and understanding of our unique culture. For artists like myself, purchasing my artwork gives me the opportunity and platform to teach and pass down our Tlingit stories, educate others about our value system as well help build our local economy.

Authentic Alaska Native artwork is any art created, crafted or designed by Alaska Native artists. This art can vary greatly from one cultural group to another. Typically, Alaska Native arts are crafted from locally harvested materials, methods passed on through ancestry knowledge, and designs that hold importance in each culture.

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Authentic Alaska Native artwork includes a vast array of objects; things like seal skin moccasins, mukluks, octopus bags, and totem poles come to mind. It includes bentwood boxes, masks, grass baskets, spruce root and cedar baskets, dance fans, drums, regalia, beaded jewelry, silver, gold and copper jewelry, headbands, button blankets, and even tattoos.

This is all accomplished through using particular designs, locally harvested and prepared materials and by incorporating ancestral methods. Many of the natural materials used to create art are derived out of the value of honoring the animal or plant by wasting nothing. Each object embodies the Alaska Native value system.

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Tips for Purchasing Authentic Alaska Native Atwork

One of the best ways to ensure authenticity and support Alaska Native artists directly is to purchase from reputable shops and directly from artists at cultural events. Here are some tips:

• Look for shops affiliated with museums or tribal organizations
• Don't hesitate to ask questions! Reputable shops will be knowledgeable about the artists they carry and the cultural significance of the artwork.

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Shop at some of my favorite shops that carry authentic Alaska Native artwork:

• Sealaska Heritage Gift Shop in Juneau
• Anchorage Museum Store in Anchorage
• Xutaa Hidi Store in Sitka 
• Crazy Wolf Studio in Ketchikan
• Museum of the North in Fairbanks

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Here are some ideas for your shopping pleasure:

• $$$$ Glass Totem Sculpture: Created by renowned artist Preston Singletary, this contemporary take of a Tlingit totem pole is a statement piece that would be stunning in any home. Purchase at Sealaska Heritage Gift Store in Juneau. 
• $$$ Iñupiat hand carved Whale bone and Walrus Ivory Sculpture: This item is a nod to the Iñupiat social structure as only Alaska Natives are allowed to hunt whales. The Iñupiat hunt whales for their subsistence lifestyle and utilize the bone in artwork. Wasting no part of the animal. 
• $$ Yup'ik Mask: Symbolic of the dark long winters experienced in Northern Alaska, these masks were (and are) used to tell stories and entertain, oftentimes representing supernatural beings. Shop the Ch’k’iqadi gift shop, located in the Alaska Native Heritage Center. 
• $ Trickster Salmon People Acrylic Ornament: A mini replica of the Alaska Airlines Jet with the bright salmon designs created by Crystal Worl, co-owner of Trickster Co. Chances are, you flew in on this jet!

Purchasing Artwork at Alaska Native Festivals

If your vacation is timed just right, you can shop directly from Alaska Native artists themselves at the various markets hosted around Alaska. Here are two of my favorites:

• AFN Native Artist Market, held yearly in October. This market moves from Anchorage to Fairbanks so be sure to check where it is held before you make plans.
• Celebration Alaska Native Market, held every two years in June, in Juneau. 
• More festivals and markets can be found here. 

Alaska Native artwork is more than just a beautiful object; it's a bridge to a vibrant culture. By purchasing authentic art, you're not only acquiring a unique treasure, but you're also supporting a living tradition and accepting an invitation to be engaged in the rich and diverse cultures of Alaska. 

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