We are pleased to announce that Cook Inlet Housing Authority will offer six (6) Alaska Native cultural workshops in Fall 2026-Spring 2027, continuing our efforts to preserve and celebrate Alaska Native arts and culture through community workshops and events at The Nave. This program series brings new opportunities to facilitate connection among Indigenous participants while sharing traditional knowledge.
The Nave’s 2026-2027 Arts + Culture Workshop series is presented by Cook Inlet Housing Authority with generous support from The CIRI Foundation. This project is supported by The Alaska State Council which receives support in part from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Please see below for upcoming workshops and registration.
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September, 2026: Piluuguq Sewing Workshop with Merna Wharton (Nasektaq)
Award-winning Yup’ik artist Merna Wharton (Nasektaq) will teach the traditional art of sewing Piluuguq (skin boots) at The Nave from September 22-26, 2026.
This in-person workshop is open for up to ten (10) Alaska Native participants, with some sewing experience required.
There is a registration fee of $50.00 to support the supply budget, which includes bearded seal skin* and all materials needed to create your own pair of Piluuguq. This fee is required to complete registration.
Class sessions will take place over five (5) days, September 22-26, 2026 (5pm-9pm) at The Nave.
Once 10 students have completed their registration, all additional signups will be added to waitlist and notified in the event of a student cancellation in the order they were received.
Registration opens: August 17, 2026
This program is made possible by The CIRI Foundation and Cook Inlet Housing Authority, and is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Alaska State Council on the Arts. For questions, contact rfontaine@cookinlethousing.org.*For questions related to use of bearded seal skins for this workshop, please refer to https://www.fws.gov/Alaska-Native-handicrafts.
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STAY TUNED FOR FUTURE WORKSHOPS
UP NEXT: Qaspeq Sewing Workshop with Mary Kirisimasi, October 27-31, 2026
Registration opens: September 14
For questions about The Nave’s programs, workshops, and artist collaborations, contact rfontaine@cookinlethousing.org.
