March 28-30, 2025
Join us at the BRHS gym in Bethel, Alaska
Cama’i Dance Festival
“Ciuliamta Cauyait - Drums of our Ancestors”
Join us
The three-day event begins on Friday, March 28th with doors opening at 5 p.m., ending Sunday, March 30th at 9 p.m.
Friday: Doors open 5 p.m.
Dancing begins 5:30 p.m. to midnight
Saturday: Doors open 11:30 a.m.
Dancing begins 12:00 p.m. to midnight
Native foods dinner - 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Please donate food ~ everyone is invited
Sunday: Doors open 12:30 p.m.
Dancing begins 1:00 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Dance Groups Invited
Unit Souzou - Photo credit Ross Peter Nelson
-
Qasgirmiut
Upallret
Yurartet
BRHS Warriors
Mikelnguut Elitnaurviat
Ayaprun Elitnaurvik
Gladys Jung Cranes
Kuskokwim Learning Academy - KLA
BRHS JROTC Rifle Drill Team
Delta Illusion Dancers
-
Emmonak
Kasigluk
Kotlik
Scammon Bay
Chevak Tanqik
-
Aanchich’x Kwaan, Tlingit & Haida
Ellangluni - Polly Andrews & Moses Wiseman
-
• Step Dance, African American
-
Unit Souzou, Japanese Taiko Drummers
Cuban & Latin Dance
Ciuliamta Cauyait
•
Drums of our Ancestors
•
Ciuliamta Cauyait • Drums of our Ancestors •
Reserve a craft table.
Full table $50/day or $130 for 3 days | Half table $30/day or $75 for 3 days
Leave a message for Minnie Sallison Fritts
In Yup’ik culture, we embrace each other with a warm and welcoming greeting by offering a handshake accompanied by the exclamation, “Cama’i!”
-
Volunteers Needed!
The festival is only possible with generous help from volunteers who give their time and energy so that we can all share in these experiences.
Volunteers work in 2-4 hour shifts.Each volunteer receives a day pass to the event and a Cama’i pin.
-
Alaska Airlines Travel Discount
Book your ticket on Alaska Airlines now and gt a 7% discount to join us in Bethel!
Use Alaska Airlines discount code: ECMO006
Valid for travel between March 23rd - April 4th, 2025 (exclusions may apply).
-
Miss Cama’i Cultural Pageant
Miss Cama’i is a cultural ambassador whose mission is to build leadership and increase community involvement among people of the YK Delta and beyond.
-
Artist Vendor Tables
Full table $50/day or $130 for 3 days
Half table $30/day or $75 for 3 daysTable reservation for corporations or orgs: $100/ day or $300 for 3 days.
-
Cama’i 2023 Gallery
-
Sponsor Now
We love our sponsors!
It is our hope that you will consider
partnering with us to keep regional arts
alive for the coming generations. -
Team Leaders Needed
Team leaders help recruit volunteers to help make Cama’i successful.
Put your leadership and organizational skills to work.
2025 Dedication
It is customary for the Cama’i Dance Festival to dedicate the event to at least one inspiring individual whose legacy helped to shape and preserve our cultural traditions in the delta. The Cama’i Dance Festival is deeply honored to recognize the contributions of Stanley Cakicenaq Masgun Waska of Emmonak and dedicates this year’s event to his memory.
Stanley was born on January 17th, 1917 in the old village of Kuigmiut and lived in the village of Hamilton where he worked at the local store and commercial fished during the summer months. He then lived the rest of his life in Emmonak.
He married his wife Jane, and together they had nine children. He lived a traditional subsistence lifestyle as a hunter and fisherman and was very self-sufficient. He excelled in the craft of bending wood and used those skills to make drums and wooden sleds.
He composed yuraq songs and developed choreography to bring the stories to life. In this work, he was featured in the documentary film “Uksuum Cauyai” or “Drums of Winter,” which was dedicated to his memory.
Stanley was very friendly and was well-known and well-liked throughout the YK Delta. This was evident at his “standing room” only funeral service in Emmonak. The venue had to be changed to the local school gymnasium to accommodate the number of people who showed up from far and wide to pay their last respects to him. He was laid to rest in Hamilton.
We pay tribute to Stanley’s memory by ensuring that we are doing our part to continue to reverberate the drums of our ancestors.
Stanley Cakitcenaq Masgun Waska
Date of birth: January 17, 1917
Date of death: December 15, 1986
Home village: Hamilton and then Emmonak
2025 Living Treasures
We honor our living treasures: Isadore & Angela Hunt of Kotlik
Isidore Caara and Angela Yaayuk Hunt were born in Caniliak, Alaska. Isidore is 86 years old and Angela is 84 years old. They got married 66 years ago and have 6 children, 21 grandchildren and 34 great grandchildren.
They moved to Kotlik so their children could attend school. Together, they live a traditional subsistence lifestyle and they continue to teach their descendants the value of hard work, respect, and helping others.
Angela currently serves as a eucharistic minister where she actively helps to translate text and services. Both Isidore and Angela are deeply rooted in their spirituality.
Isidore’s role in the annual yurarpak, or potlatch ceremonies, is that of the chief. As a community, they coordinate with their sister community Stebbins, as well as the nearby communities of Emmonak, St. Mary’s and Mountain Village to decide dates for the events and other logistics.
He has both a knowledge of historical yuraq songs and dances and has a talent for composing them. Angela’s supporting role in the community is invaluable. She helps with the voluminous tasks that come with preparing for dance ceremonies and helps with dance choreography and regalia to bring the songs to life. Her sharp memory serves as a database for remembering song composers and other historical data.
Through their work, they have ensured that our culture of song and dance will live on through the drums of our ancestors.
View 2024 Recap
“Yuraq Paiciutekaput ~ Dance is our Legacy”
