It’s Time For Movie Monday!
Movie Monday: The Paddle Workshop
In the summer of 2024, Yakutat youth learned canoeing skills through a program run by Fathoms Alaska. Youth filmmaker and participant, Laycie, brings us along in The Paddle Workshop, a short film that celebrates the joy of being on the water, the challenges of learning new paddling techniques, and the deeper connections between culture, nature, and community.
Through interviews and scenes on the water, this film highlights not only the technical aspects of canoeing but also the healing, grounding, and cultural significance of being outside together. Beyond learning strokes, paddling became a way to practice balance, build teamwork, and strengthen ties to their homeland.
📽️ Watch the full film here or click on the still below to watch: The Paddle Workshop
Discussion Questions
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What role does being on the water play in connecting youth to culture, tradition, and community in Yakutat?
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How can outdoor programs like Fathoms support mental health and well-being for young people?
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In what ways can canoeing and other traditional skills be preserved and passed down to future generations?
These films were produced during the 2025 Yakutat Middle School “100 Years From Now” youth film workshop, made possible with funding provided by the National Park Service, the Alaska Mental Health Trust, and the Alaska State Council on the Arts.
Join us back here for our next Movie Monday, a weekly showcase of student- and educator-produced films from our workshops across Alaska. Each film tells a unique story—shedding light on history, cultural traditions, and pressing social issues.
Previous Movie Monday films from this series:
Fish Camp by Avery
For many in Yakutat, Fish Camp is where summer memories are made. It’s a place to gather with family, step back from everyday life, and carry forward traditions that have shaped the community for generations. In this heartfelt film, youth filmmaker Avery shares why Fish Camp holds such a special place in Yakutat life:
“I love it out at Situk Fish Camp. We go out there every summer, and my Dad fishes there. Everyone I interviewed in this film loves it at Fish Camp, mostly for the family time, not just the fishing.”
The film weaves together voices from the community, reflecting on the joy, challenges, and deep meaning of Fish Camp. Whether it’s the memories of summers spent at grandparents’ cabins, the freedom of stepping away from technology, or the ongoing responsibility to protect salmon runs for future generations, Fish Camp remains central to Yakutat identity.
For many in Yakutat, Fish Camp is where summer memories are made. It’s a place to gather with family, step back from everyday life, and carry forward traditions that have shaped the community for generations.
🎥 Watch the film on our website and join the discussion below: Fish Camp
Discussion Questions
- How does Fish Camp serve as both a place of work and a place of joy?
- What traditions or memories do you associate with family and time outdoors?
- How can communities like Yakutat continue to protect Fish Camp for the next 100 years?
Yakutat Subsistence
This spring, middle school students in Yakutat took on a bold challenge: what will life in their community look like a century from now? Over two weeks, they explored that question through hands-on documentary filmmaking, weaving together interviews, archival footage, and their own creative voices.
The project culminated in the Yakutat Youth Film Festival, where more than ten student-made films lit up the big screen for friends, families, and neighbors. Laughter, pride, and applause filled the theater as the community gathered to celebrate the voices of its youngest storytellers. These films reveal what matters most to Yakutat youth in preserving traditions, caring for the land, and imagining futures rooted in connection.
One of those stories is Yakutat Subsistence, a short documentary created by Dyson and Greg created during the Yakutat: 100 Years From Now youth film workshop.
Subsistence is more than food in Yakutat—it’s a way of life, a connection to family, and a right secured through decades of advocacy. As community member Glenn Israelson shares in the film, “There were roughly 27 years of court battles between the state of Alaska and the federal government to determine that rural Alaska residents should have priority for subsistence use of Fish and Game on federal lands. I think that was a huge win for small communities all over the state.”
The film also looks to the future. One student imagines, “100 years from now, I want my grandkids to be fishing and hunting the same land I did, and for the populations to be preserved for the future generations to enjoy too.”
Through stories of hunting, fishing, and berry picking, Yakutat Subsistence shows how deeply rooted this practice is in community identity and how vital it is to protect for the next 100 years.
🎥 Watch the film: Yakutat Subsistence or click the still below to watch!
Discussion Questions
- What role does subsistence play in shaping identity, culture, and daily life in Yakutat?
- Looking 100 years into the future, what challenges and hopes do you see for preserving subsistence traditions?
Movie Monday: More Than A Place
This week’s Movie Monday features More Than A Place, a short film by Yakutat student filmmakers Kylie and George. The film reminds us that Yakutat is not just a location on the map—it’s home. Through powerful community voices, it explores how fishing, gathering, and living off the land shape not only daily life, but also cultural identity and belonging.
As one community member shares:
“For a lot of us who’ve done it our whole life, it’s not just the money—it’s who I am.”
Fishing is more than an economy here; it is a way of life. It sustains families, traditions, and celebrations. It is woven into the rhythms of the ocean, the rivers, and the forest that provide both food and cultural continuity. For Yakutat youth like Kylie and George, documenting this reality means honoring the community that raised them and the land and waters that continue to nourish it.
🎥 Watch More Than A Place here or click the still below:
Discussion Questions
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How does fishing shape not only Yakutat’s economy but also its cultural identity and sense of home?
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What role do forests, rivers, and oceans play in sustaining both the environment and community traditions in Yakutat?
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In what ways do daily practices like subsistence fishing connect generations and strengthen community ties?
Check out our growing library of lesson plans on our Teacher Tools online community! Register today to access for educators who want to bring cultural storytelling into the classroom! If you’re an educator interested in integrating storytelling and cultural preservation into your classroom, check out Teacher Tools—our online community where educators can access free lesson plans, digital storytelling resources, and more.
Find our new TeacherTools online community here: See Stories Teacher Tools Community