Linds honored at Native arts festival

Submitted by Carla Browning
Phone: (907) 474-7778
02/17/04

The students and faculty of the Alaska Native studies department at the University of Alaska Fairbanks are sponsoring the 31st annual Festival of Native Arts Feb. 26-27 on the Fairbanks campus. This year’s festival, Many Drums, One Heart, is dedicated to UAF Chancellor Marshall Lind and his wife, Lois, for their many years of service to education in Alaska. Lind announced his plans to retire from UAF at the end of the academic year after more than 40 years as a teacher, principal, state commissioner and university chancellor.

Since 1973, the festival has provided a forum for Alaska Native groups to share their rich cultural heritage. The event brings Alaska Native dance groups and performers to the UAF campus from as far north as Barrow, as far west as Atka and as far south as Juneau.

"The festival has grown to represent all of Alaska’s Native cultural groups," said Tim Murphrey, festival coordinator.

In addition to presenting Alaska Native dance, music, food and artistry, the festival invites participation of Native guests from the continental U.S. as well as indigenous groups from foreign countries such as Japan, Russia and Canada. Performances begin each night at 6 p.m. and will continue until midnight. Events will take place in the Charles W. Davis Concert Hall, the Regents’ Great Hall and the Wood Center. The festival is free and open to the public.

Note to editors: UAF’s Inu-Yupiaq dance group will participate in this year’s festival. Dancers practice on campus Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Brooks Building.

CONTACT: Tim Murphrey at the festival office at (907) 474-6889, or Carol Hollingsworth, Alaska Native studies at (907) 474-7181 or e-mail festivalofnativearts@yahoo.com . Information is also on the web at www.geocities.com/festivalofnativearts.