EP 091: Wendell Amisimak Stalker, Musician, Artist & Author

The Rhonda Grant Show

Intriguing conversation with Wendell Amisimak Stalker who lives in Alaska. As a child, he was taught through storytelling how to survive in the harsh climate. He talks about how they were able to know where the game was and how important fish was for their survival. They also had a Shaman who provided knowledge of what they could expect in the future. Wendell has become a great ambassador for his country by passing his knowledge to future generations through his books.

Born Wendell Amisimak Stalker to parents, Jacob Stalker, Sr. and Marie T. Stalker on February 21, 1953 in the village of Noatak, Alaska. Wendell’s family moved to Kotzebue when Alaska gained statehood in 1959 allowing him to grow up in Kotzebue, the hub of the northwest.

Wendell started playing guitar at age 14. After learning the basic guitar chords, he learned to use his ear to reproduce sounds. He would turn the radio on and play along with whatever song was coming over the airwaves. He didn't have eye glasses until he turned 14 but he could read and see things close up.

Wendell tended to read a lot of books because everything around him was blurry. He had a love of writing at a young age. The first 6 years of his life in Noatak, he spoke mostly the Inupiaq Eskimo language and in the 1950s there were no TVs so he listened to Eskimo stories. The Eskimo people taught the next generation how to live on the land and ocean. Some stories would last 2 weeks, told every night after eating a hearty meal shared by everyone.

The stories had a huge impact on his life above the Arctic Circle and he lived by what his elders taught. He enjoyed the Arctic life and loves to write about how the people interacted with each other and the animals they harvested to live through cold winters. He was taught how to carve Ivory by some awesome master carvers. He raised 3 children by selling his carvings – his son Bob, and daughters Bessie and Winnie are now all in their 30s.

http://www.wendellamisimakstalker.com

This podcast has been treated with digital audio health by my sponsor, Cymatrax Inc.

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