‘Who Are We’ short film explores what it means to be an Alutiiq person in the 21st century

KODIAK, Alaska (KTUU) - The population in Kodiak is a little more than 5,200 people. It’s also home to the Alutiiq Museum.

April Counceller is the museum’s executive director and said while the museum gets visitors from all over the world, they also get a lot of questions.

“There’s actually a lot of people that don’t really know who the traditional Native people of the Kodiak Archipelago are, and why we have different names for ourselves,” she said.

That sparked an endeavor to work with Anchorage filmmaker Joshua Branstetter to produce a short film called “Who Are We,” which explores what it means to be an Alutiiq person in the 21st century. Counceller said the film doesn’t provide “hard and fast answers,” but rather shows that there are many different ways to experience Alutiiq identity.

People of all generations were interviewed for the film, and Counceller said hearing from the few featured elders was a gem.

“In traditional Native culture, a lot of our knowledge is held in people, especially those elders, and so it is really important to have them included and have their perspectives kind of guide us younger generations as we move towards elderhood,” Counceller explained.

She also said museums are changing and so is the way people are experiencing them.

“When people enter our museum, they’re not going to see, you know, old-style exhibits and signs to say be quiet and things like that,” she said.

Instead, they’ll see a nine-minute production that allows for a more interactive experience to learn about Alutiiq culture. Counceller said “Who Are We” is not just a way to educate, but it captures the spirit of a community that is still very much alive today.

“One of the key messages is that no matter what you call yourself, we’re all part of the same community and we respect each other,” she said.

“Who Are We” will be featured in a new gallery exhibit that will open in 2025, but you can view the video online.

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