Kyle Worl, an award-winning World Eskimo-Indian Olympics and Arctic Winter Games athlete, performs a back flip during a blanket toss at the Sealaska Plaza on Thursday. The blanket was made by visiting artists outside Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Walter Soboleff Building this week and was completed minutes before the jump. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Kyle Worl, an award-winning World Eskimo-Indian Olympics and Arctic Winter Games athlete, performs a back flip during a blanket toss at the Sealaska Plaza on Thursday. The blanket was made by visiting artists outside Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Walter Soboleff Building this week and was completed minutes before the jump. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Photos: Up, up and away Visiting artists finish residency with a blanket toss

They brought their culture from 1,200 miles away.

John Waghiyi, Jr. and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, from Savoonga were artists-in-residence at Sealaska Heritage Institute this week. Their visit included a song and dance performance as well as a demonstration of working with walrus skin.


• Contact staff photographer Michael Penn at 523-2262 and mpenn@juneauempire.com. Follow our Instagram at @Juneau.Life.


Sealaska Heritage Institute Artists-in-Residence John Waghiyi Jr. and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, from Savoonga, invite audience members to dance to their St. Lawrence Island rock and roll song at the Walter Soboleff Center on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Sealaska Heritage Institute Artists-in-Residence John Waghiyi Jr. and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, from Savoonga, invite audience members to dance to their St. Lawrence Island rock and roll song at the Walter Soboleff Center on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Rene Mokiyuk, right, performs St. Lawrence Island dancing and song with her uncle, John Waghiyi Jr. and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, of Savoonga, at the Walter Soboleff Center on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Rene Mokiyuk, right, performs St. Lawrence Island dancing and song with her uncle, John Waghiyi Jr. and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, of Savoonga, at the Walter Soboleff Center on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Sealaska Heritage Institute Artists-in-Residence John Waghiyi and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, from Savoonga, perform St. Lawrence Island dancing and song with their niece, Rana Mokiyuk, right, at the Walter Soboleff Center on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Sealaska Heritage Institute Artists-in-Residence John Waghiyi and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, from Savoonga, perform St. Lawrence Island dancing and song with their niece, Rana Mokiyuk, right, at the Walter Soboleff Center on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

John Waghiyi Jr., artist and whaling captain, sews a walrus hide together at the Walter Soboleff Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. The hide will be used for a blanket toss by the Sealaska Heritage Institute. Waghiyi and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, from Savoonga, are currently the artists-in-residence at SHI. The Waghiyis will demonstrate dances from their region from noon-1 pm, Wednesday, Aug. 28, for the public at SHI. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

John Waghiyi Jr., artist and whaling captain, sews a walrus hide together at the Walter Soboleff Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. The hide will be used for a blanket toss by the Sealaska Heritage Institute. Waghiyi and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, from Savoonga, are currently the artists-in-residence at SHI. The Waghiyis will demonstrate dances from their region from noon-1 pm, Wednesday, Aug. 28, for the public at SHI. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

John Waghiyi Jr., artist and whaling captain, uses a synthetic twine to sew a walrus hide together at the Walter Soboleff Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. the Waghiyis will demonstrate dances from their region from noon-1 pm, Wednesday, Aug. 28, for the public at SHI. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

John Waghiyi Jr., artist and whaling captain, uses a synthetic twine to sew a walrus hide together at the Walter Soboleff Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. the Waghiyis will demonstrate dances from their region from noon-1 pm, Wednesday, Aug. 28, for the public at SHI. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

John Waghiyi Jr., artist and whaling captain, talks about preparing a walrus hide as he sews a blanket at the Walter Soboleff Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. the Waghiyis will demonstrate dances from their region from noon-1 pm, Wednesday, Aug. 28, for the public at SHI. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

John Waghiyi Jr., artist and whaling captain, talks about preparing a walrus hide as he sews a blanket at the Walter Soboleff Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. the Waghiyis will demonstrate dances from their region from noon-1 pm, Wednesday, Aug. 28, for the public at SHI. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Sealaska Heritage Institute Artists-in-Residence John Waghiyi Jr. and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, of Savoonga, perform St. Lawrence Island dancing and song with their niece, Rana Mokiyuk, right, at the Walter Soboleff Center on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Sealaska Heritage Institute Artists-in-Residence John Waghiyi Jr. and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, of Savoonga, perform St. Lawrence Island dancing and song with their niece, Rana Mokiyuk, right, at the Walter Soboleff Center on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

John Waghiyi Jr., artist and whaling captain, sews a walrus hide together at the Walter Soboleff Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. The hide will be used for a blanket toss by the Sealaska Heritage Institute. Waghiyi and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, from Savoonga, are currently the artists-in-residence at SHI. the Waghiyis will demonstrate dances from their region from noon-1 pm, Wednesday, Aug. 28, for the public at SHI. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

John Waghiyi Jr., artist and whaling captain, sews a walrus hide together at the Walter Soboleff Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. The hide will be used for a blanket toss by the Sealaska Heritage Institute. Waghiyi and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, from Savoonga, are currently the artists-in-residence at SHI. the Waghiyis will demonstrate dances from their region from noon-1 pm, Wednesday, Aug. 28, for the public at SHI. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

John Waghiyi Jr., artist and whaling captain, sews a walrus hide together at the Walter Soboleff Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. The hide will be used for a blanket toss by the Sealaska Heritage Institute. Waghiyi and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, from Savoonga, are currently the artists-in-residence at SHI. the Waghiyis will demonstrate dances from their region from noon-1 pm, Wednesday, Aug. 28, for the public at SHI. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

John Waghiyi Jr., artist and whaling captain, sews a walrus hide together at the Walter Soboleff Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. The hide will be used for a blanket toss by the Sealaska Heritage Institute. Waghiyi and his wife, Arlene Annogiyuk Waghiyi, from Savoonga, are currently the artists-in-residence at SHI. the Waghiyis will demonstrate dances from their region from noon-1 pm, Wednesday, Aug. 28, for the public at SHI. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

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