Museum schedules "Drums of Winter" showings

Submitted by Kerynn Fisher
Phone: (907) 474-6941
03/12/07

The University of Alaska Museum of the North will show the "The Drums of Winter" daily during UAF’s spring break week, giving local residents and Fairbanks visitors a chance to see the award-winning documentary. The film will be shown at 2 p.m. daily from Saturday, March 10 through Sunday, March 18.

Directed by University of Alaska Museum of the North film curator Leonard Kamerling and SUNY Buffalo Professor Sarah Elder, the 90-minute film presents the spiritual world of Yup’ik dance, music and reciprocal gift giving. It documents how a community’s history, social values and spiritual relationships are woven around traditional songs and dances that have been handed down from generation to generation. "Drums of Winter" was produced collaboratively with the Lower Yukon community of Emmonak and was added to the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress late last year. It is only the second Alaska film in the 450-film registry.

Admission to the film is included with the museum’s general admission price: $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $5 for youth 7-17 and free for children 6 and under. Museum members and UAF students (with valid ID) also receive free admission. The museum’s winter/spring hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. weekends. Information on the museum’s programs and exhibits is available at (907) 474-7505 and online at www.uaf.edu/museum.

Contact: Kerynn Fisher, communications coordinator, University of Alaska Museum of the North, at (907) 474-6941 or k.fisher@uaf.edu.

Read more about the film and the National Film Registry online at www.uaf.edu/news/a_news/20070112144600.html.