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Earring styles of Southwest Alaska are as diverse as their makers

KYUK | By Katie Baldwin Basile
Published December 8, 2023 at 1:55 PM AKST
“We do a lot of fishing starting up in June, and that doesn’t end till about late August. And even then there’s the winter fishing seasons, the lush, the ice fishing. So a big portion of my material is from fish, such as the vertebrae, the spine and the skin.” - Andrea Tumaralria Mingaralria Wuya, Yup’ik Earring Artist
1 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Andrea-Wuya-KBasile-9204.JPG
“We do a lot of fishing starting up in June, and that doesn’t end till about late August. And even then there’s the winter fishing seasons, the lush, the ice fishing. So a big portion of my material is from fish, such as the vertebrae, the spine and the skin.” - Andrea Tumaralria Mingaralria Wuya, Yup’ik Earring Artist
Katie Basile
“We do a lot of fishing starting up in June, and that doesn’t end till about late August. And even then there’s the winter fishing seasons, the lush, the ice fishing. So a big portion of my material is from fish, such as the vertebrae, the spine and the skin.” - Andrea Tumaralria Mingaralria Wuya, Yup’ik Earring Artist
2 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Andrea-Wuya-KBasile-9313.JPG
“We do a lot of fishing starting up in June, and that doesn’t end till about late August. And even then there’s the winter fishing seasons, the lush, the ice fishing. So a big portion of my material is from fish, such as the vertebrae, the spine and the skin.” - Andrea Tumaralria Mingaralria Wuya, Yup’ik Earring Artist
“Beading is a really fun process and a good outlet for creativity. As I get older I’m trying not to be as materialistic and to see the value in making things. Having the ability to make something with my hands and give it to somebody brings me a lot of joy.” - Cagluaq Valerie Thomas, Yup’ik Earring Artist
3 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Valerie-Thomas-KBasile-7157.JPG
“Beading is a really fun process and a good outlet for creativity. As I get older I’m trying not to be as materialistic and to see the value in making things. Having the ability to make something with my hands and give it to somebody brings me a lot of joy.” - Cagluaq Valerie Thomas, Yup’ik Earring Artist
Katie Basile
“Beading is a really fun process and a good outlet for creativity. As I get older I’m trying not to be as materialistic and to see the value in making things. Having the ability to make something with my hands and give it to somebody brings me a lot of joy.” - Cagluaq Valerie Thomas, Yup’ik Earring Artist
4 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Valerie-Thomas-KBasile-8303.JPG
“Beading is a really fun process and a good outlet for creativity. As I get older I’m trying not to be as materialistic and to see the value in making things. Having the ability to make something with my hands and give it to somebody brings me a lot of joy.” - Cagluaq Valerie Thomas, Yup’ik Earring Artist
“I started making earrings when I was probably 11-years-old. And then I started carving ivory just this year. The spirit drums that we use in Sami culture have inscriptions on them, or drawings. It really is a storytelling method, so I wanted to incorporate that into my ivory carvings.” - Miranda Ciquyaq Robb, Yup’ik, Athabascan, and Swedish Sami Earring Artist
5 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Miranda-Robb-KBasile-.JPG
“I started making earrings when I was probably 11-years-old. And then I started carving ivory just this year. The spirit drums that we use in Sami culture have inscriptions on them, or drawings. It really is a storytelling method, so I wanted to incorporate that into my ivory carvings.” - Miranda Ciquyaq Robb, Yup’ik, Athabascan and Swedish Sami Earring Artist
Katie Basile
“I started making earrings when I was probably 11-years-old. And then I started carving ivory just this year. The spirit drums that we use in Sami culture have inscriptions on them, or drawings. It really is a storytelling method, so I wanted to incorporate that into my ivory carvings.” - Miranda Ciquyaq Robb, Yup’ik, Athabascan and Swedish Sami Earring Artist
6 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Miranda-Robb-KBasile-8207.JPG
“I started making earrings when I was probably 11-years-old. And then I started carving ivory just this year. The spirit drums that we use in Sami culture have inscriptions on them, or drawings. It really is a storytelling method, so I wanted to incorporate that into my ivory carvings.” - Miranda Ciquyaq Robb, Yup’ik, Athabascan and Swedish Sami Earring Artist
“I come from three generations of women who bead. My mom has a pair of earrings that my grandma made before she was born, and my mom is 77 now. It’s super cool that those earrings are older than my mom and that they are still put together after all these years.” - Alicia Tutmaralria Oscar, Yup’ik Earring Artist
7 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Alicia-Oscar-KBasile-8047.JPG
“I come from three generations of women who bead. My mom has a pair of earrings that my grandma made before she was born, and my mom is 77 now. It’s super cool that those earrings are older than my mom and that they are still put together after all these years.” - Alicia Tutmaralria Oscar, Yup’ik Earring Artist
Katie Basile
“I come from three generations of women who bead. My mom has a pair of earrings that my grandma made before she was born, and my mom is 77 now. It’s super cool that those earrings are older than my mom and that they are still put together after all these years.” - Alicia Tutmaralria Oscar, Yup’ik Earring Artist
8 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Alicia-Oscar-KBasile-8307.JPG
“I come from three generations of women who bead. My mom has a pair of earrings that my grandma made before she was born, and my mom is 77 now. It’s super cool that those earrings are older than my mom and that they are still put together after all these years.” - Alicia Tutmaralria Oscar, Yup’ik Earring Artist
“When COVID hit and we had nothing to do, my girls and I would sit around trying to purchase earrings. And it was always a big race to see who could claim them first on Instagram. Finally, one day I said to my daughters, ‘why don’t we make them?’ Quarantine and all that was no fun. But we have really fond memories of just sitting around the table beading together, laughing and creating.” - Mikngayaq Selena Malone, Yup’ik Earring Artist
9 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Selena-Malone-KBasile-9604.JPG
“When COVID hit and we had nothing to do, my girls and I would sit around trying to purchase earrings. And it was always a big race to see who could claim them first on Instagram. Finally, one day I said to my daughters, ‘why don’t we make them?’ Quarantine and all that was no fun. But we have really fond memories of just sitting around the table beading together, laughing and creating.” - Mikngayaq Selena Malone, Yup’ik Earring Artist
“Along the way I picked up the dress with the hand pattern for MMIW, which is to raise awareness for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women. I’m an Alaska Native and I have a big heart, especially for my people. Now I’m known for spreading awareness for these causes.” - Alice Nanuk, Yup’ik Earring Artist
10 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Alice-Nanuk-KBasile-6394.JPG
“Along the way I picked up the dress with the hand pattern for MMIW, which is to raise awareness for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women. I’m an Alaska Native and I have a big heart, especially for my people. Now I’m known for spreading awareness for these causes.” - Alice Nanuk, Yup’ik Earring Artist
Katie Basile
“Along the way I picked up the dress with the hand pattern for MMIW, which is to raise awareness for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women. I’m an Alaska Native and I have a big heart, especially for my people. Now I’m known for spreading awareness for these causes.” - Alice Nanuk, Yup’ik Earring Artist
11 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Alice-Nanuk-KBasile-0048.JPG
“Along the way I picked up the dress with the hand pattern for MMIW, which is to raise awareness for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women. I’m an Alaska Native and I have a big heart, especially for my people. Now I’m known for spreading awareness for these causes.” - Alice Nanuk, Yup’ik Earring Artist
“I started beading with my daughter about two and a half years ago. I can’t remember what kind of beads we were using, but I thought they were similar to earring beads. So I explored a little more and we figured out how to do it together. I’m inspired by what’s around me. Berries are a big inspiration, so are fish and the Northern Lights.” - Kaukaq Susan Jones, Cup’ik Earring Artist
12 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Susan-Jones-KBasile-9715.JPG
“I started beading with my daughter about two and a half years ago. I can’t remember what kind of beads we were using, but I thought they were similar to earring beads. So I explored a little more and we figured out how to do it together. I’m inspired by what’s around me. Berries are a big inspiration, so are fish and the Northern Lights.” - Kaukaq Susan Jones, Cup’ik Earring Artist
Katie Basile
“I started beading with my daughter about two and a half years ago. I can’t remember what kind of beads we were using, but I thought they were similar to earring beads. So I explored a little more and we figured out how to do it together. I’m inspired by what’s around me. Berries are a big inspiration, so are fish and the Northern Lights.” - Kaukaq Susan Jones, Cup’ik Earring Artist
13 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Susan-Jones-KBasile-9751.JPG
“I started beading with my daughter about two and a half years ago. I can’t remember what kind of beads we were using, but I thought they were similar to earring beads. So I explored a little more and we figured out how to do it together. I’m inspired by what’s around me. Berries are a big inspiration, so are fish and the Northern Lights.” - Kaukaq Susan Jones, Cup’ik Earring Artist
“There are different earrings I’ve made for different times. The yellow ones in particular I really like because I knew I was going to have a son. And I kept thinking sunshine, and I kept thinking sunflowers. And so they also just remind me of being pregnant.” - Sara Ayaniuq Guinn, Yup’ik Earring Artist
14 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Sara-Guinn-KBasile-1815.JPG
“There are different earrings I’ve made for different times. The yellow ones in particular I really like because I knew I was going to have a son. And I kept thinking sunshine, and I kept thinking sunflowers. And so they also just remind me of being pregnant.” - Sara Ayaniuq Guinn, Yup’ik Earring Artist
Katie Basile
“There are different earrings I’ve made for different times. The yellow ones in particular I really like because I knew I was going to have a son. And I kept thinking sunshine, and I kept thinking sunflowers. And so they also just remind me of being pregnant.” - Sara Ayaniuq Guinn, Yup’ik Earring Artist
15 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Sara-Guinn-KBasile-8410.JPG
“There are different earrings I’ve made for different times. The yellow ones in particular I really like because I knew I was going to have a son. And I kept thinking sunshine, and I kept thinking sunflowers. And so they also just remind me of being pregnant.” - Sara Ayaniuq Guinn, Yup’ik Earring Artist
“I think what has been really meaningful to me is that I can shift gears from being a mom and doing work to being a little bit more creative. I feel like it’s exercising my brain in a little bit of a different way, and it’s helped me feel more wholesome.” - Carolyn Qaskerraq Iverson, Yup’ik and Polish Earring Artist
16 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Carolyn-Iverson-KBasile-.JPG
“I think what has been really meaningful to me is that I can shift gears from being a mom and doing work to being a little bit more creative. I feel like it’s exercising my brain in a little bit of a different way, and it’s helped me feel more wholesome.” - Carolyn Qaskerraq Iverson, Yup’ik and Polish Earring Artist
Katie Basile
“I think what has been really meaningful to me is that I can shift gears from being a mom and doing work to being a little bit more creative. I feel like it’s exercising my brain in a little bit of a different way, and it’s helped me feel more wholesome.” - Carolyn Qaskerraq Iverson, Yup’ik and Polish Earring Artist
17 of 17  — KYUK Exports Earrings/Carolyn-Iverson-KBasile-0068.JPG
“I think what has been really meaningful to me is that I can shift gears from being a mom and doing work to being a little bit more creative. I feel like it’s exercising my brain in a little bit of a different way, and it’s helped me feel more wholesome.” - Carolyn Qaskerraq Iverson, Yup’ik and Polish Earring Artist

Ivory scrimshaw, caribou antler cabochons, fish vertebrae, and trade beads. The earring styles of Southwest Alaska are as diverse as their makers.

While earrings have been made and worn in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta for centuries, the region has seen a rapid increase in the number of artists and variety of styles over the last few years. Many artists credit long days in COVID-19 lockdown as the birthplace of their art form, while others say that they started making earrings to explore their heritage, or to relax after a long day of working and parenting.

Patterns and styles tend to reflect the sky, water, tundra, and the artist’s lived experiences. Each pair may be a personal story, a call for social justice, a cultural exploration, or a wild combination of colors.

Through a grant from the Alaska Humanities Forum, the Southwest Alaska Arts Group partnered with Bethel-based photographer Katie Basile to profile nine earring artists in the region. Artists collaborated with Basile to create a series of portraits and interviews that explore the creative process and inspiration behind these beautiful creations. Enjoy this sample of the many talented earring artists in Southwest Alaska.
Arts, Culture & Community Features
Katie Baldwin Basile
Katie Baldwin Basile is an independent photographer and multimedia storyteller from Bethel, Alaska.
See stories by Katie Baldwin Basile