Aan Yátx'u Sáani: Noble People of the Land
Ryan Conarro co-wrote, -directed, and -facilitated a community testimonial project in Juneau in 2018, with Frank Henry Kaash Katasse (Tlingit). Part of Ping Chong + Company’s Undesirable Elements series, Aan Yátx’u Sáani: Noble People of the Land features five Alaska Native Juneau community members sharing stories and histories of Juneau’s oldest indigenous neighborhoods–particularly the downtown Old Indian Village, often referred to as “the Willoughby District.”
Aan Yátx’u Sáani: Noble People of the Land
As Artistic Collaborator in Residence at Ping Chong + Company, Ryan co-wrote, -directed, and -facilitated a community storytelling performance project in Juneau in 2018, with theater maker Frank Henry Kaash Katasse (Tlingit). Part of Ping Chong + Company’s Undesirable Elements series of interview-based works, Aan Yátx’u Sáani: Noble People of the Land features five Alaska Native Juneau community members: Ernestine Hayes, Kinkaduneek Paul Marks, Lillian Petershoare, Marcelo Quinto, and Walter A. Soboleff, Jr. These five community members share stories and histories of Juneau’s oldest indigenous neighborhoods—particularly the old Indian Village, often referred to as “the Willoughby District.” With music and video projections, the piece weaves these storytellers’ memories with little-known histories revealing massive changes that have marked the heart of Alaska’s Capital City. Aan Yátx’u Sáani: Noble People of the Land lifts up enduring community and cultural values towards a more inclusive and just future for all Alaskans.
For more on this project and Ping Chong + Company’s Undesirable Elements series, click here.
For a video of the Juneau performance, please click here to go to Alaska Public Television’s site, 360North.
Alongside the production, Ryan co-led the development of a community stories website, AanYatxu.org, with Sarah Campen.
