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Shawna Williams

Shawna Williams is Yupi'k from the village of Akiak, Alaska. She grew up immersed in her Native language, culture, and history. Her father, Mike Williams, Sr. is chief of the Akiak Native Community, is a successful dog musher, and a long-time Native rights and sobriety advocate. In 2004, when oral history interviews were conducted in Akiak for the Yupiit School District Project Jukebox, Shawna was the Yupiit Elitnaurutait Local Cultural Coordinator and assisted with the project. She currently is a Bilingual Teacher Aide at the Akiak School and is involved with the family sport of dog mushing through the Williams Family Kennel.

Shawna Williams appears in the following new Jukebox projects:

Akiak

As Interviewer

Interview Title	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Abstract
Elizabeth Egoak	2004-17-19	Akiak	Elizabeth Egoak was interviewed on November 18, 2004 by William Schneider, Louann Rank, Karen Brewster, and Shawna Williams along with 7th grade students Josh Hoagland and Nels Jasper at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. Elizabeth speaks in her Native Yup’ik language and Frank Chingliak translates into English for her. In this interview, Elizabeth describes her first memories of reindeer camp and traveling with her family and the reindeer herds, getting married and moving to Akiak, and discusses how to trap ground squirrels when they come out of hibernation and make squirrel skin parkas.
Lillian Lliabon	2004-07-21	Akiak	Lillian Lliabon was interviewed on November 18, 2004 by William Schneider, Shawna Williams, Louann Rank, and Karen Brewster at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. Lillian grew up hearing the story of how Akiak was started from her mother, Maggie Japhet, so she tells this story in English, as well as telling a story about how the specific style of trim on Akiak parkas came to be.
Bertha Beaver	2004-07-18	Akiak	Bertha Beaver was interviewed on November 16, 2004 along with Wassillie Evan and John and Mary Phillip by Shawna Williams, Karen Brewster and Louann Rank along with 7th grade students Holly Demantle, Diedre Williams, Gabriel Nicolai and Milton Jones while looking at historic photographs at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this excerpt of the longer recording, Bertha talks about what it was like to be in an arranged marriage and some of the hardships of raising such a large family in the early days when there was little money. Bertha emphasizes the importance for young people to remember their traditional values, activities, and foods.
Marian Jackson	mjacksonphotos	Akiak	Marian Jackson was interviewed on November 18, 2004 by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Shawna William and Louann Rank at Marian's house on Akiak, Alaska. In this interview, Marian talks about family photographs hanging on the walls of her living room. View a slideshow of the photos and listen to Marian talk about them.
John and Mary Phillip, Part 1	2004-07-22_PT.1	Akiak	John and Mary Phillip were interviewed on November 18, 2004 by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Louann Rank, and Shawna Williams along with 7th grade students Andy Japhet and Carrie Lake at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, John Phillip talks about his childhood, living a subsistence lifestyle, and having to travel to find jobs so he could support his family. Mary Phillip talks about her experience as a community health aide, the training and education she received, and relocating to Bethel for work. John and Mary also talk about their family histories, raising their children, and changes they have seen in Akiak.
John and Mary Phillip, Part 2	2004-07-22_PT.2	Akiak	This is the continuation of an interview with John and Mary Phillip on November 18, 2004 by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Louann Rank, and Shawna Williams along with 7th grade students Andy Japhet and Carrie Lake at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this second part of a two part interview, John and Mary talk about subsistence fishing and hunting activities, seasonal camps for fishing and muskrat hunting, methods of travel, and processing of salmon.
Wassillie Evan and John Phillip, Part 1	2004-07-23_PT.1	Akiak	Wassillie Evan and John Phillip are interviewed on November 19, 2004 by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Louann Rank, and Shawna Williams along with 7th grade students Leanne Jackson and Nels Jasper at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, Wassillie and John talk about subsistence activities, the history of Akiak, and refer to a map to talk about traditionally used places, travel routes and trails, and Yup'ik place names. John and Wassille have hunted and trapped together, and they talk about Qantar and the original trail, and mention two sites in particular: Anayaruaq - "a place up by the mountains that you are supposed to avoid;" and a small lake down by the Kuskokwim River that "if you drink the water from it you will disappear." Wassillie also tells a story in Yup'ik about starvation times and talks about traditional medicine and healing practices. Wassillie is most comfortable speaking Yup'ik, so he speaks in Yup'ik throughout much of the interview and John translates his comments into English.
Wassillie Evan and John Phillip, Part 2	2004-07-23_PT.2	Akiak	This is the continuation of an interview with Wassillie Evan and John Phillip on November 19, 2004 by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Louann Rank, and Shawna Williams along with 7th grade students Leanne Jackson and Nels Jasper at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this second part of a two part interview, Wassillie and John talk about traditionally used places and place names, travel and trails, and trapping. Wassillie and John also talk about the origin of their Yup'ik names, and John talks about the use of fish traps. Wassillie is most comfortable speaking Yup'ik, so he speaks in Yup'ik throughout much of the interview and John translates his comments into English.
Annie Kawagley, Mary Phillip, and Bertha Beaver	2004-07-20	Akiak	Annie Kawagley, Mary Phillip and Bertha Beaver are interviewed on November 18, 2004 by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Louann Rank, and Shawna Williams along with 7th grade students Minnie Kashatok and Lott Egoak at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this interview, Annie, Mary and Bertha talk about women's roles in Yup'ik life, the subsistence lifestyle at seasonal camps and preparing fish and other traditional foods, raising a family, following traditional values, and working jobs outside of the home. Specifically, Annie discusses her work at the orphanage in Kwethluk, Alaska and as a health aide in Akiak; Mary shares some of her health aide experiences, delivering babies, and the use of traditional medicine; and Bertha (who joined the interview late) talks about coming to Akiak, marriage, the hardships of raising a large family during times of food shortage and starvation, and traditional rules and knowledge. Annie Kawagley was most comfortable speaking Yup'ik, so she speaks in Yup'ik throughout most of the interview and Mary Phillip translates her comments into English.