American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 24 (2003) Winner
Vera Kingeekuk Metcalf
ヴェラ・キングークク・メトカーフ
Vera Kingeekuk Metcalf
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1951-01-01 （Sivungaq (Savoonga), St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, United States）
- Nationality
- United States, Alaska Native
- Languages
- Yupik, English
- Residence History
- St. Lawrence Island (Savoonga) → Fairbanks, Alaska (studies/activities) → Nome, Alaska (regional work)
Career
- Occupations
- educator, activist (cultural and language preservation), community leader, environmental advocate
- Active Years
- 1970-
- Affiliations
- Eskimo Walrus Commission, Inuit Circumpolar Council, United States Arctic Research Commission, Bering Straits Foundation, Kawerak
- Memberships
- Inuit Circumpolar Council, Eskimo Walrus Commission, United States Arctic Research Commission (appointed)
- Influenced
- St. Lawrence Island community and younger generations, Indigenous language and cultural preservation movements in Alaska
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alaska Fairbanks | — | — | Bachelor's | — | United States |
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Degree:
Bachelor's
Year of Graduation:
1991
Country:
United States
Earned a bachelor's degree in 1991. Worked as a teacher's aide in her community before and during early career.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | American Book Award (co-recipient) | Akuzilleput igaqullghet = Our words put to paper | — | Before Columbus Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2008 | Sea Award (Women of Discovery Award) | — | — | Women of Discovery | 受賞 |
| 2019 | Alaska Women's Hall of Fame induction | — | — | Alaska Women's Hall of Fame | 殿堂入り |
American Book Award (co-recipient)
2003
Work:
Akuzilleput igaqullghet = Our words put to paper
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
受賞
Sea Award (Women of Discovery Award)
2008
Organization:
Women of Discovery
Result:
受賞
Alaska Women's Hall of Fame induction
2019
Organization:
Alaska Women's Hall of Fame
Result:
殿堂入り
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Akuzilleput igaqullghet = Our words put to paper: Sourcebook in St. Lawrence Island heritage and history
2002 sourcebook / regional historyA sourcebook compiling St. Lawrence Island heritage, history, and oral traditions. The work includes Yupik and English materials and serves as a participatory record used for cultural preservation and education.
cultural preservationYupik languageregional history
Translations
- Bilingual Yupik-English materials
Sustaining a Healthy Human-Walrus Relationship in a Dynamic Environment: Challenges for Comanagement
2008 academic paper (ecology) 9 pagesDiscusses cultural perspectives and ecological challenges in comanagement, emphasizing the need to preserve Indigenous harvesting rights and traditional knowledge.
co-managementmarine mammalstraditional knowledge
Nangaghneghput – our way of life
2021 commentary / essay 1 pagesA short commentary discussing how changes in sea ice affect Indigenous livelihoods and subsistence practices from a community perspective.
climate changesea icelivelihoods and subsistence
Bibliography
- Krupnik, Igor; Krutak, Lars F.; Walunga, Willis; Metcalf, Vera (2002). Akuzilleput igaqullghet = Our words put to paper.
- Metcalf, Vera; Robards, Martin (2008). Sustaining a Healthy Human-Walrus Relationship in a Dynamic Environment: Challenges for Comanagement.
- Metcalf, Vera K. (2021). Nangaghneghput – our way of life.
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- collaborative and participatory documentationpractical style valuing oral traditionsdescriptive writing rooted in local perspectives
- Recurring Motifs
- walrus and subsistence huntingsea ice and environmental changelanguage and cultural preservation
Legacy
Vera Metcalf is recognized for her leadership in preserving the Yupik language and culture, advocating Indigenous rights, repatriation efforts under NAGPRA, and co-management of walrus resources. She represents community voices in national and international forums, contributing to intergenerational transmission and cultural resource preservation.
Museums
- Collections held by institutions in Fairbanks (subject to repatriation) Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
- Smithsonian Institution (noted as a holder of remains subject to repatriation) Washington, D.C., United States
Academic Societies
- regional and Indigenous studies organizations
- Arctic research community
Archives
- Smithsonian Institution archives
- Regional archives in Alaska (e.g., Fairbanks)
Quotes
-
I speak not for myself but for my community. Changes in sea ice are having major impacts on harvesting and livelihoods.
Source: Alaska Magazine (interview) (2021)
Trivia
- Worked on repatriation of nearly 1,000 remains held by institutions such as the Fairbanks collections and the Smithsonian under NAGPRA.
- As head of the Eskimo Walrus Commission, has worked to protect walrus co-management and subsistence hunting rights.
- Involved in efforts (2015) to establish visa-free travel across the Bering Strait to ease regional family visits.