From arts to athletics, WEIO has it all

Published on July 29th, 2010

By VAN WILLIAMS

FAIRBANKS - Shishmaref artist Francis Kakoona has carved beautiful pieces from ivory and whale bone for most of his life.

You name it, he's done it.

"I used to carve when I was in grade school," the 63-year-old said proudly.

Now he does it for a living. Kakoona was among the few dozen vendors selling authentic arts and crafts at the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics inside the Carlson Center.

The location is prime real estate, a place to reel in thousands of potential customers.

Kakoona is a regular vendor at cultural events such as AFN, Fur Rondy and WEIO.

"It's been good this year," Kakoona said with a grin. "It's getting better each year."

Kakoona learned everything he knows family elders, taking hand-me-down techniques to create something from his heart.

"When you make a piece you just use your imagination and go from there," he said.

And all of his stuff is homemade.

"My wife sews and I help her," Kakoona said.

LOOKING TOWARDS 2011

Perry Ahsogeak has his work cut out for him.

As WEIO Chairman for the Board of Governors, one of his jobs is planning for next year's 50th anniversary bash.

"We want to make it a big deal," Ahsogeak said.

It's a party so big, everybody is invited. Organizers are looking especially for past stars and beauty queens.

"We're looking all our Miss WEIO queens over years," he said. "We're looking for our place kickers, first, second and third. We want to recognize what they have achieved over the term of our event."

Getting in touch with past champions, however, hasn't been easy.

"It has been a challenge," he said. "People move, change their names. We have it on our website that we're looking for them."

So spread the word, people.

"It's important that we recognize everybody that has participated in our event," Ahsogeak said. "They're the reason why we are here."

BACK FOR MORE

It had been 13 long years since Stan Swetzof of Unalaska last competed at WEIO.

The layoff didn't appear to affect him, however.

Swetzof outpulled the competition to win the Eskimo stick pull title, despite doing no real training.

"I'm really surprised that I did well," he said, a grizzly bear of a man. "I don't have a strategy. I just pull."

Not bad for a rookie of the strength events.

In the past, Swetzof competed in the kicking events when he was younger. And even though he no longer jumps, he's still a big fan.

"I still love watching them," he said.

BIGS AND LITTLES

Among the sea of booths set up at WEIO, one of them had little to do with sports and everything to do with support.

It was the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska foundation, looking for volunteers to mentor young children across the state.

They are really in need of Big Brothers, especially in the villages.

"Personally I haven't figured out why more men haven't signed up," said Flossie Iqilan Spencer, the Alaska Native Mentoring Director.

Spencer, an Inupiat woman from Barrow, said her mission is to raise participation numbers.

"I run into so many men, not just Natives, but men of walks of life that think they've messed up in some point of their lives and they don't think they are good enough or don't have anything to offer, but they do," she said.

"They have time ... they have a lot to offer and we want that and somewhere out there a little brother is waiting."