My name is Sarah Knudson. I am Gwich’in, Athabascan from Fort Yukon, Alaska. As a young girl, I was taught how to sew beads by my grandmother. My western education began at home and later in Fort Yukon I attended a dual school system when Alaska became a state, we all went to a new school. After high school I attended Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka, Alaska where I received a Liberal Arts Degree. For my senior project I did research on Athabascan Beadwork following the Russian American trade routes.

I would like to continue to cultivate and nurture the social, physical and spiritual growth of Gwich’in style beadwork by utilizing my previous research and learning and adapting to new styles of beadwork that today’s technology allows us to share new ideas, materials, colors and designs throughout Alaska, Canada and beyond.

My visit to the Alaska State Museum in March 2024 in Juneau, gave me an opportunity to continue research on various styles of moccasins from the time of immemorial to present day. There have been immense changes in moccasin patterns, beadwork and materials used from early 1800’s to present day but techniques of assembling moccasins remains foundational.

Heartfelt appreciation to The CIRI Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, and Museums Alaska for an amazing opportunity.