3: Eskimo Beauty

Eulelia

"Atsa"

In March of 2009, a group of dancers were chosen to represent the Alaska Native Heritage Center at the Annual Honolulu Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii.  

My bestie Debra Dommek (Iñupiaq), Chad Shade (Iñupiaq, Yup'ik, Sugpiaq, Unangan), Katie and Eulelia Hess (Sisters, Yup'ik), Loren Anderson (Sugpiaq), and myself were all chosen to travel to Honolulu to dance and represent Alaska, Alaska's first people, and the Alaska Native Heritage Center.  We did short presentations, performed at the Bishop Museum (a partner of ECHO), and paraded through Waikiki to many locals and visitors alike.
This shot was taken as we readied for the parade.
What seemed like thousands of hula dancers lined the streets, many of Asian decent to our surprise.  There were guests from Japan, Australia, and then, there was us.
The sun was near setting, the clouds were lurking, the air was warm.
I called to Atsa, she saw my camera, smiled her gorgeous smile, and I snapped this shot :)
She is glowing (she was pregnant, by the way).  Atsa is one of the most gorgeous Yup'ik woman I have ever seen or had the pleasure of knowing.  She glows even when she's not pregnant; it's her spirit (bright and full of life).  She's got quite a presence.  Not to mention a talented wordsmith, artist (she made her nasqarun, Yup'ik headdress), and dancer :)

I love the way the light hits her in such a way that it lights, perfectly, just one side of her face.