Anfesia Shapsnikoff (October 1, 1901 – January 15, 1973) was an

Aleut The Aleuts ( ; russian: Алеуты, Aleuty) are the indigenous people of the Aleutian Islands, which are located between the North Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea. Both the Aleut people and the islands are politically divided between the U ...

leader and educator born October 1, 1901, at

Atka, Alaska Atka ( ale, Atx̂ax̂, russian: Атка) is a small city located on the east side of Atka Island, in Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, United States. The population was 53 at the 2020 census, down from 61 in 2010. The population of Atka is n ...

, in the

Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...

.Hudson, Ray (1992). Unugulux Tunusangin: Oldtime Stories. Unalaska City School District: Unalaska, Alaska. Her father was Michael Philip "Mike" Tutiakoff. Anfesia died January 15, 1973, and was buried at the Holy Ascension Cathedral Churchyard at Unalaska. Renowned for her weaving of

grass baskets, Anfesia flew to many communities throughout

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

to teach children the lost art of Attu

basket weaving Basket weaving (also basketry or basket making) is the process of weaving or sewing pliable materials into three-dimensional artifacts, such as baskets, mats, mesh bags or even furniture. Craftspeople and artists specialized in making baskets ...

Biography

The Twenty-First Legislature of the

Alaska State Legislature The Alaska Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is a bicameral institution consisting of the 40-member Alaska House of Representatives (lower house) and the 20-member Alaska Senate (upper house). There are 40 Hou ...

recognized Anfesia on March 7, 2000, as an "Aleut Tradition Bearer" who "...served as nurse, church reader, teacher and community leader nearly all her life...Who contributed history and well being for all Alaskans". Anfesia served as a powerful role model within the Aleut communities where she taught and got involved in matters of importance to the people. "Anfesia's influence in the Aleut community endures.... Her passion for Aleut culture has infused various Aleut organizations, and her willingness to serve on civic boards has inspired others to follow her example". Even though Anfesia was physically small, she could be "...extremely fierce at times if she found something out that she was unhappy with. And she was often unhappy with the written accounts of Aleut history". Fifteen audio recordings of oral traditions from Anfesia are archived at the Alaska Native Language Archive at the

University of Alaska Fairbanks The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF or Alaska) is a public land-grant research university in College, Alaska, a suburb of Fairbanks. It is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska system. UAF was established in 1917 and opened for cla ...

References

*Hudson, Ray (1986). People of the Aleutian Islands. Unalaska City School District: Unalaska, Alaska. *Hudson, Ray (1992). Unugulux Tunusangin: Oldtime Stories. Unalaska City School District: Unalaska, Alaska. *Jones,Cherry Lyon (2006). More than Petticoats: Remarkable Alaska Women, pp. 115–125. Guilford, Connecticut: A Twodot Book, The Globe Pequot Press, 2006 *Anfesia Shapsnikoff Collection. Box 1, Folders 15, 17, 18. Archives, Alaska and Polar Regions Department, Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
Baranov Museum Web site: "Attu Grass Basket Weaving with Hazel Jones."
*Letters from Anfesia Shapsnikoff, 1967. Margaret Hafemeister Collection, Archives and Manuscripts Department, Consortium Library, University of Alaska, Anchorage. *Neseth, Eunice. Transcript. Oral History Interview at interviewer's home, Kodiak, Alaska, May 21, 1971. Anfesia Shapsnikoff Collection, Archives and Manuscript Department, Consortium Library, University of Alaska, Anchorage. *Oleksa, Rev. Michael. Six Alaskan Native Women Leaders: Pre-Statehood. Alaska State Department of Education, January 1991.

External links

Transcript of Alaska State Senate recognition of Anfesia Shapsnikoff as a 'Aleut Tradition Bearer' and 'community leader' Photograph of Anfesia Shapsnikoff
from Alaska's Digital Archives.
Alaska's Digital Archives
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shapsnikoff, Anfesia 1901 births 1973 deaths Alaska Native people Artists from Alaska People from Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska