Unangax̂ and Yup’ik artist Mercedes Laadakuchax̂ Kashatok’s regalia and beading journey began when they were able to join traditional headdress beading at the Urban Unangax̂ Culture Camp at age 12.
Between then and now, they have made dozens of headdresses under Chix̂tax̂ Designs — a space to create contemporary Alaska Native art and jewelry, traditional Unangan regalia and Yup’ik qaspeqs.
“My Unangax̂ and Yup’ik cultures fuel my creative passion,” Kashatok said. “I don’t know how to describe it other than my beading and sewing work just felt natural, like I was meant to be a beader and seamstress.”
Some of the more recent qaspeqs have been heavily inspired by the Inupiaq atikluq, where Kashatok has added traditional Unangan designs into the pocket trim.
“[The pocket trim] is a physical representation of how the Alaska Native art community influences each other,” they said. “I went to a handful of Inupiaq seamstresses to ask if it was okay to create something like that — our respect for one another is what helps lift each other up.”
Kashatok says they are determined to share their knowledge with other regalia makers and beaders, and were invited to St. Paul Island — their mother’s hometown — and Akutan to teach sewing and beading.
“For me, it feels as though there’s a huge modern renaissance when it comes to Alaska Native art,” Kashatok said. “The normalization of representing your culture through jewelry or simply wanting to support Alaska Native artists feels unprecedented compared to say 10 years ago.”
In 2020, Kashatok says they went back to making beaded jewelry as a form of coping, which sparked a newfound appreciation for their cultures and wide-ranging artforms.
“My Kukax̂ has said she wished [Unangan jewelry makers] were around when she was young so she could wear this art and jewelry, which made me very emotional, knowing the history of our people who faced colonization.” Kashatok said.
It makes Kashatok “incredibly happy” to see people proudly wearing Alaska Native-made jewelry.
“I think that also motivates and sparks that something in me: the gentle and unapologetic creation of art as Alaskan Native peoples that tells everyone we’re not going anywhere,” Kashtaok said. “We’ll always keep creating our art and practicing our cultures.”
Seeing that there are so many different Alaska Native artists in such a variance of mediums has been highly motivating, Kashatok says, and how important it is to uplift one another.
“I hope the number of Alaska Native artists triples, quadruples!” Kashatok said.
Sam Davenport is a writer residing in Anchorage. She's a leo and a plant-person, and loves spending quality time with her dog, Aspen. She is a Real Housewives fan and has been called a Bravo historian.
