The 2026 Bristol Bay Indigenous Language Summit
April 24th & 25th, 2026
Naknek, Alaska
In partnership with other regional entities, the Bristol Bay Foundation hosts a Bristol Bay Indigenous Language Summit bi-annually. The Summit brings together Dena’ina, Yupiaq/Yup’ik, and Alutiiq/Sugpiaq Elders, speakers, teachers, and learners to connect, discuss, and support existing region-wide efforts in language revitalization.
This year, the third Summit was hosted in Bristol Bay for the first time, a monumental step to centering our language on our lands.
Check out highlights from our 2026 Summit below.
Keynotes
The first day of the Summit, Egalaaq Christopher Liu and Alaskuk Lonny Strunk presented on their experience co-founding their business, Yuarcuun Technologies. The second day, Native Hawaiian social scientist, Hau’olihiwahiwa Moniz, dived deep with her work on lateral violence.
Explore the 2026 keynote presentations below.
-
Christopher Liu (Egalaaq) and Lonny Strunk (Alaskuk) are Yup’ik computer scientists from the Lower Kuskokwim region. Egalaaq was born and raised in Mamterilleq (Bethel), his mother is from Nunapicuaq and father is from Taiwan. Alaskuk grew up in Kuinerraq (Quinhagak), his mother is from Kuinerraq and father is from Washington and Oregon.
From building online language tools as a hobby to building a business, Christopher and Lonny will share their journey behind Yuarcuun Technologies. Their keynote will highlight the meaningful Yup’ik language and historical insights they’ve learned along their journey.
-
Hau’olihiwahiwa Moniz is a Native Hawaiian social researcher and community educator from the ‘ili of Keahupua’anui in Kailua, Ko’olaupoko, O’ahu. She holds a Master of Arts in Hawaiian Studies and a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Her scholarly work introduced the concept of Native Hawaiian Lateral Violence into academic discourse, examining how identity, belonging, and cultural self-efficacy are shaped in Hawaiian language and cultural revitalization spaces.
Her 2026 Keynote Presentation, “Am I Native Enough?” Lateral Violence in Indigenous Language Learning, examines how lateral violence influences Indigenous peoples’ relationships with community, identity, and the reclamation of their mother tongues. Grounded in research within the Native Hawaiian community, it analyzes how internalized colonial definitions of being “Native enough” undermine legitimacy and belonging in language learning spaces, creating emotional and social barriers for Indigenous language learners today.
From left to right: Keynote speakers Alaskuk Lonny Strunk, Hau’olihiwahiwa Moniz, and Egalaaq Christopher Liu
2026 Language Summit theme:
Awakening together
Allrilurmi Esgartukut - Qit’ach’idaznit - Ellangukut Quyumta
Culture, center stage.
Some of the most joyful parts of the Summit were the dance performances and lessons where each Bristol Bay culture was represented, Yup’ik, Dena’ina, and Sugpiaq/Alutiiq.
Check out the Imarpigmiut dancers from Togiak as they take the main stage!
Breakout sessions
Summit breakout sessions were held in BBBSD classrooms and topics ranged from Alutiiq games to language lessons, to integrating Yugtun into the home to keeping the Dena’ina language alive in the 21st century.
Attendees discussed and reflected on welcoming and supportive learning environments, language and cultural materials, archiving, language learning practices, observe demonstrations of proven language teaching methods, and learn about approaches to developing language teachers.
The 2026 Language Summit brought together teachers, learners, Elders, and youth from across Bristol Bay and beyond. The event engaged every part of the community, from teachers and students to business owners and Tribal members. The Summit had over 200 attendees, sharing space at Bristol Bay High School, actively participating in conversations, both joyful and hard, and creating a vision for a future where our Bristol Bay languages are at the center of everything.
Stronger together
Bristol Bay Borough School District Student Government volunteered to support the Summit. Not only did the students attend the event but they directed attendees to sessions, helped with set up and take down, and provided Elder support. A great opportunity for our young shareholders and descendants!
Bristol Bay Borough School District Superintendent, Michael Robbins, alongside keynote speakers from Yuarcuun Technologies. Mr. Robbins was a key planning partner and provided tech support during the event.
The Dena’ina dancers invite audience members up to dance with them on the second day of the Summit.
BBF Community Coordinators, Lauren Seiter and Amber Peterson-Tanuvasa, enjoy the first morning of the Summit. The event allowed BBF’s Coordinators to collaborate in person for the first time.
The Naknek Native Village Council hosted a community potluck at their building Friday, April 24th. Here, Bertha Pavian-Lockuk from Togiak, opens the evening with a prayer.
Dena’ina Elder, Donita Slawson
“I know who I am because I know my language.”
Our BBF team was honored to host the first in-region Language Summit. We extend our deep gratitude to all of those that participated and supported this year’s Summit. This incredible gathering would not have been possible without the support of gracious community and regional partners, engaged community members and students, honored Elders, dedicated educators and learners, and so many others that lifted this event and truly made it shine.
