Indigenous value systems — relationships, reciprocity, and responsibility — are fundamental to Indigenous knowledge systems and cultures. A new book explores these value systems through science, poetry, and stories.

I had the opportunity to attend a performance of FLOT’s unique adaptation of The Pirates of Penzance. This fun spin on a classic operetta was directed by Tekla Butcher-Monson, with musical direction by Phil Heilbron. The show ran two weekends at the UAF Salisbury Theatre from October 4th to October 13th, 2024.

The Georgeson Botanical Garden, found on UAF’s campus, is hosting a fundraiser to help support the garden. From December 19th, 2024, to January 18th, 2025, the GBG will be open for Botanical Garden light viewing, with a suggested minimum of $8 for the experience. They will be open from 5-9 pm from Thursday to Saturday.

The UAF Art Gallery, located in the Fine Arts Building, showcases a student art exhibition highlighting the diverse talents of UAF’s art majors and students enrolled in current art courses. This exhibition provides a unique opportunity for students to share their work with the campus community and beyond.

On October 12, UAF celebrated the 101st Starvation Gulch across the Student Recreation Center’s parking lot. DJs (and fellow students) the Brothers Ramirez, DJ the Arc and DJ Lagosa, opened the night’s festivities with an hour-long set replete with high-energy hits, hyping up the audience for the arrival of the bonfires and the headliner, DJ Siren.

The UAF Volleyball Club Tournament went off without a hitch on Saturday, March 30th. We dreamed of it when we started getting back into volleyball in the fall.

This year’s Festival of Native Arts was held at UAF’s Troth Yeddha’ campus from February 22-24, with performances and vendors in the Fine Arts Complex and various workshops in the Wood Center.

On a Friday in early February, I entered the Brooks Building and entered a large communal room where people gathered, did beadwork, and set out food and beverages. I found a comfy seat beside a young person playing a somber and beautiful song on the ukulele. We were all there for a screening of the classic ethnographic documentary Uksuum Cauyai: Drums of Winter, directed by Sarah Elder and Professor Emeritus Leonard Kamerling.

On Friday, January 19th, the Midnight Sun Visiting Writers Series hosted the first ever Solstice Poetry Cycle at the Schaible Auditorium. Twenty-nine poets from the Fairbanks area read one poem each.

On November 10th-19th, the UAF Theatre and Film Department presented Dance Nation, directed by Daniel Ponickly. Dance Nation is a play by Clare Barron that delves into the trials and tribulations of youth through the eyes of a competitive dance team.