The new cultural identity program, which is called Gui Kima — or “about myself” in Northern Alutiiq — is funded by a federal grant.
Helena Batman, director of Indigenous and Migrant Education, left, stands with Cyndi Reeves, Gui Kima coordinator, at the Anchorage School District Education Center on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023.
“We do have a severe need for Indigenous educators,” said Helena Batman, the district’s director of Indigenous and migrant education. She said there also needs to be more support for early-career teachers and college students pursuing teaching degrees to address the problem.Gui Kima — or “about myself” in Northern Alutiiq — is funded by a five-year $330,000 federal grant the district received last year.
The Cook Inlet Tribal Council and Alaska Pacific University are also included as partners in the grant; Batman said students are able to visit APU’s campus in the summer to help further launch possible careers in education, and the tribal council’s focus is on providing similar cultural identity opportunities to middle school students.
“We really value our elders and our culture-bearers. And I think that for students, being surrounded by the people that we’re used to really in a comfortable setting, I think that is very, very helpful — having those familiar faces, and traditional backgrounds, and food, and being able to kind of quietly understand each other,” she said.
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