On Friday, Oct. 27, around 80 people showed up to get spooked out at Bethel’s Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center. They came for "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra," an event co-hosted by the Kuskokwim Consortium Library, Southwest Alaska Arts Group, and KYUK.
Bethel staple Bev Hoffman and author Don Rearden served as MCs, and the latter was himself one of seven storytellers that worked hard in the months leading up to the event to craft tales of adventure, the supernatural, and the downright inexplicable on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (mostly).
In between terrifying tales, local band Velma Lyle took to the stage to play a handful of their own eerily good tunes.
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Participants in "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" pose for a group photo at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
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Bev Hoffman introduces storytellers during '"Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
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Ian Poole tells the story of finding himself in the middle of a race riot in Atlanta as part of "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
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Tiana Lupie recounts a ghost story from her childhood as part of "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
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Roxanne Saddler tells her story of a day spent berry picking and swimming as a kid in Bethel as part of "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
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Francisco Martínezcuello shares his story as part of "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
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Sugar Henderson recounts several frightening incidents from her life as part of "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
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Eva Malvich tells the story of the first time she drove a boat as part of "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
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Don Rearden tells the story of how he became a skeptic at "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
Hosts:
- Bev Hoffman
- Don Rearden
Storytellers (in order of appearance):
- Ian Poole
- Tiana Lupie
- Roxanne Saddler
- Francisco Martinezcuello
- Sugar Henderson
- Eva Malvich
- Don Rearden
Musicians performing as Velma Lyle:
- Paul Basile
- Bethy Whalen
- Lisa Whalen
- Kevin Morgan
- Nate DeHann
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Velma Lyle performs at "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
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Paul Basile performs with Velma Lyle during "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
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Bethy Whalen performs with Velma Lyle during "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
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Kevin Morgan plays drums with Velma Lyle during "Terrifying Tales on the Tundra" at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on Oct. 27, 2023.
MaryCait Dolan / KYUK
