Phillip Blanchett, the musician and artist who emceed the event, took time to speak about the flood and storm damages in Western Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, his home region.
The Lepquinm Gumilgit Gagoadim Tsimshian dance group performs at Alaska Pacific University’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration on Oct. 13, 2025. In Alaska, the second Monday of October is designated to recognize the state’s Indigenous people and their cultures.
The Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage was one of several sites around the state that hosted events to commemorate the day. APU’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration combined festivities, food and education. There were dances, demonstrations of traditional Native sports, a buffet featuring salmon and reindeer stews, and educational booths hosted by artists and activists. Phillip Blanchett, the musician and artist who emceed the event, took time to speak about the flood and storm damages in Western Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, his home region., which lashed the region and caused record flooding and hurricane-force winds.Musician and artist Phillip Blanchett, serving at emcee at the Indigenious Peoples’ Day celebration at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, introduces the university’s president, Janelle Vanasse. Blanchett, who is Yup’ik, is a founding member of the musical grouop Pamyua and also an actor and director. Pamyua played a benefit concert for Bethel-based public media station KYUK on Saturday night, just before the storm effects of Typhoon Halong hit the region. Blanchett, who is Yup’ik, was in his hometown of Bethel over the weekend. His band, Pamyua, played a benefit concert for the local public media station, KYUK, on Saturday night, just before the storm hit. He saw the water rising just before he was able to fly to Anchorage, he said. Local people prepared the best they could, but it’s difficult to combat such a powerful natural disaster, he said. “In the Bush, everybody knows when a storm’s coming and what to do,” he said. However, “this storm was not a normal storm.” Other speakers at the event, including APU President Janelle Vanasse, also expressed concerns about Western Alaska storm victims.of Indigenous residents, became one of the first states to officially recognize Indigenous People’s Day when then-Gov. Bill Walker signed a proclamation in 2015.
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