Thursday’s evening performances opened with Ashley Young, an artist from Yakutat who now lives in Anchorage, performing on guitar a few of her pieces from her Window Seat album and a new unreleased song. Her ballads set the stage for an epic night of culture and music. As the last strains of applause for Young’s songs echoed through the Glenn Massey theater, the lights dimmed. It was time for fashion forward to take the stage. The first designer to showcase her art, Merna Lonack Wharton, embodied tradition with her skin sewing masterpieces adorning models moving in a stylish walk. She is a proud Yup’ik woman from Akiacuaq (Akiachak), living in Anchorage, and is an Alaska Native artist, poet, seamstress and carver. Golga Oscar graced the stage with his mix of traditional and modern seal skin designs. His evening gown with a fur yoke inspired admiring whispers. Golga is a Yup’ik artist from southwest Alaska who is self-taught and uses modern textiles. Through traditional art forms and sewing skills, he creates cultural attire, a vital visual element in his photographic imagery. The next models for Kaylyn Baker meshed modern with traditional. “I heard a phrase one time – ‘symphony of thoughts’ – that I really like,” she says. Her symphony of pieces meshes traditional techniques with very unconventional materials, mixing textures and colors. “I give myself permission to try things. I do whatever I feel like in the moment,” she added. Baker is Northern Tutchone and Tlingit specializing in beads and tufts. She also incorporates black and white quillwork. Each piece is a memory or story told in textures, colors, and a unique material language. The highlight of her collection was a dress with moose antlers attached to the back like wings. The antlers appeared to be velvet but incorporated beaded appliques. The crowd was in awe of those antlers. Britt’nee Brower led us further into how modern style meets tradition.Traditional Qupak motifs stood out on pants with a strong black and white contrast. Whether dressed up or dressed down, these pants and sweatshirts were the talk of the audience. Brower is a supporter of language revitalization, storytelling, art, and traditional tattooing of her Inupiat heritage. One of the youngest designers to showcase their art was Cohen Quash, thirteen years old and taking the runway by storm. He is an accomplished fashion designer and beading artist from Watson Lake, Yukon Territory. He launched his first clothing line, Mesdzih Eskiye Designs, when he was eleven years old. His beaded medallions highlight his Kaska Dene, Talhtan and Tlingit heritage. Quash attributes his success to his family, mentors, and supporters, but he says his greatest inspiration is his great-grandmother, Pansy. As he and his models were lined up on the runway, they threw knitted hats to lucky crowd members. The youngest designer was Hannah Itta, a twelve-year-old Inupiat from Utqiagvik. She started out by helping to model her mother’s fashion designs when she was two years old. In 2022 she created two dresses for her mother to wear during her fashion show in New York. Itta uses iridescent materials to create a futuristic feel. This is her first fashion show, and the audience showed her love with thundering applause. Closing out the fashion part of the evening was designer Bobby Itta Brower, an enrolled citizen of the Native Village of the Barrow in Utqiagvik. She learned to skin sew at the age of thirteen in her Inupiaq language class. Her seal skin motif clothing included outerwear and ready to wear fashions. The highlight of her collection, based on audience reaction, was an evening gown with seal skin and velvet. Bobby Itta Brower founded her own business, Arctic Lux. Her work has been in international fashion shows and national shows.Teaching the next generation of skin sewers helps her keep the Inupiaq traditions alive. As the models and their designers lined the stage, the audience erupted in applause. Their creations brought traditional knowledge and skills into modern clothing that can be worn when practicing traditional ways of subsistence living or relaxing after competing in the Arctic Winter Games. “I am glad they came to share their culture,” said Alma Ortega, an audience member. “The young designers have a gift to give us. I hope they continue with their work and pass on their knowledge. They were amazing!” The bar has been set high as this fashion show could become the 22nd sport of the Games behind pin trading. We shall see what next year holds but there is excitement that the indigenous fashion show will continue in 2026.

Healing and Reconciliation for Victims of Indigenous Boarding Schools As athletes, volunteers, and members of the public meandered through the busy isles of today’s popup makers’ market in Raven Hall at the Alaska State Fairgrounds, one booth in the corner filled with people of all ages stringing sinew through long bone beads to make their own necklaces while learning a few Ahtna vocabulary words in the process. Nearby, standing in front of a large 1940s photograph of Indigenous children at the Eklutna Vocational School, Angela Wade told me her family’s true story. “Imagine an entire village with no children. Not a single one.” Wade asked me to picture it, and a sick knot formed in my stomach. “The loss, the confusion, the trauma–the forced removal of children from villages in Alaska was devastating for our family,” she continued. Tribal citizen and Cultural Project Manager for Chickaloon Native Village, Angela Wade is brimming with righteous rage–and for good reason. Starting in the late 1800s, as part of a political land-grab disguised as social reform, the US government and various church groups started kidnapping native children to fill their newly established industrial boarding (residential) schools for American Indian and Alaska Native children. Forcibly removed from their homes and separated from their families, these children experienced years of systematic abuse, forced labor, and government sanctioned violence at the hands of school administrators–a collective traumatic experience that’s still impacting tribal communities today. The Eklutna Vocational School, similar to so many others, was designed to “civilize” tribal children and assimilate them into white culture. This amounted to cultural genocide, and families are still suffering from this mass injustice decades later. “We had an entire generation of children who grew up without parents, so when they grew up and had children, they had no idea how to be a parent. It was like Lord of the Flies,” Wade recalled. “My grandmother was one of eleven kids, and she was the only one who wasn’t taken. Her grandparents hid her because they knew…” Wade went on to describe the way this traumatic separation resulted in many of her family members becoming addicted to alcohol or drugs to numb the deep psychological wounds left by this practice. “I found records for my Uncle Peter, somehow, at Morningside Hospital in Portland.” Wade went on to explain that many rural Alaskans at the time would express surprise when they witnessed an electric light turn on for the first time, and thusly would be diagnosed with “delusions” regarding electricity, deemed insane, and involuntarily deported out of Alaska by the federal government to live at Morningside Hospital in Portland, Oregon. They were taken from their families and communities by dog sled, train and boat, often escorted by failed gold miners looking for free or discounted transport back to the lower 48. According to the Morningside Hospital archival documents, at least 3,500 Alaskans were sent to Morningside between 1904 and the 1960s, and many people were never heard from by their families again. Unfortunately, family stories like Angela Wade’s are far too common, and the list of atrocities is too long to completely cover here. Which is why Wade and others at the Tribal Historic Preservation Council are committed to raising awareness about the damage the residential school system did to Indigenous children, their families, and their cultures. Today Wade and her colleagues spent the afternoon educating passersby about this history in an effort to bring dark secrets into the light, provide comfort and cultural context to those who’ve suffered. Because, when we learn about the past and work to heal together, then we can prevent further atrocities like this from happening in the future.

The ice is fast at Harry J McDonald Memorial Centre in Eagle River for short track speed skating! Ola Gawlak of Team Alberta took the Gold Ulu today in Short Track Speed Skating when she skated the 1000m in one minute and 51.03 seconds. (1:51.03). Saiya McEachern of Team Northwest Territories also took home the Gold Ulu when he set the new Arctic Winter Games record in the juvenile U15 boys division. McEachern’s one minute, 46.52 seconds (1:46.52) is thirteen one hundredth’s of a second (0.13) faster than the former record set by Lucas Taggart-Cox in 2018. Taggart-Cox still holds three other records at the Arctic Winter Games. Tuesday saw more records set in speed skating including Team Alberta’s June Lynch who broke the U15 girls 400m record in her opening heat, only to skate even faster in the Semi Finals with a time of 42.09 seconds. Team Nunavut's Akutaq Williamson-Bathory broke an eighteen year old AWG record in the junior girls under 19, 500m. Her 48.84 seconds surpasses (NWT) Jill Gilday’s 49.1 from 2006. Jill’s Dad, Assistant Referee David Gilday of Yellowknife was on the ice as it happened, as was Akutaq’s ataata (father) Stephen, the Chief Track Stewart. Speed skating resumes Thursday morning at 9am and again on Friday, where there’s potential for more records to be smashed, and more hope for athletes to continue rising strong.

Imagine lying in the snow, hunting seals on a winter's day. You lie motionless, with your harpoon positioned under your chest crossways.  Gripping the harpoon with your knuckles on the ground, you begin to move forward in a seal-like motion, utilizing a combination of knuckle and toe pushes toward your target while maintaining the starting position of a full push-up. The sport requires incredible core strength, endurance and physical prowess. The participants made this challenging task appear effortless. Yet, it is anything but. At the Mat-Su 2024 AWG, athletes happily embraced the challenge of knuckle hop, with an excited crowd rallying behind them. Colony Middle School Gymnasium buzzed with energy as spectators filled every available seat, the audience eager for knuckle hop to begin. The atmosphere crackled with electricity as cheers, applause, and even imitation seal barks and honks echoed through the gym. As each contestant assumed their starting position, a hush fell over the crowd, giving their full focus to the athletes. Once the athletes began their journey across the floor, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause, their fervor intensifying with every meter covered, their eyes fixed on the tape track guiding the athletes forward. Officials meticulously observed the athletes’ form, ensuring athletes didn’t break from the required parallel position to the floor.  Any deviation from this form resulted in a halt, with the athlete's distance being measured from that spot. Among the crowd favorites was Kyle Worl, representing Alaska, whose father had previously set the world record for knuckle hop. Kyle’s remarkable performance earned him the Gold Ulu, traveling an impressive 47.854 meters. Inuuteq Josefsen from Kalallit Nunaat, claimed silver with 41.129 meters, while Parker Kenick from Alaska secured bronze with a distance of 26.213 meters.  Congratulations to all the athletes, coaches and support teams on a job well done.

As game week comes closer to the end, let's touch on some amazing merchandise that is available for purchase! Hockey Pucks - coming in at the bottom of our list but not for the reason you think! The hockey puck is just 1 inch thick and 3  inches around, featuring this year’s AWG logo. It's at the bottom of our list due to its late arrival. As it has become more readily available, it has quickly become a crowd favorite and is flying off the shelf! Fishe Cap - with blue tones and an aquatic feel, and is quickly being noticed for its gentle colors. It pairs well with the tote bag of the same design! Contingent Sweatpants - these sweatpants have been walking off the tables faster than our volunteers are able to restock. These sweatpants feature the flags of all the teams that have come out to participate in this year's Arctic Winter Games. Chickadee Crew Neck Sweatshirt - if you are looking for this sweatshirt in the soft blue-teal or soft lavender color, you might be disappointed. These sweatshirts were off the hangers before they could get them up. With Arctic Winter Games written on the front and beautiful black-capped chickadees hovering in the corners, it is the second best seller this week. Pins - this might not come as a shocker, but this year's ultimate must-have item are PINS! Not only is pin trading considered the 21st sport of the AWG, it is also a great way to make connections and interact with all contingents. There are an array of sport related pins as well as contingent sets available. Deal of the week!! All who purchase a scarf will get a free, yes FREE, pair of gloves! Find your nearest merchandise shops now!

At 12pm, female U16 teams Nunavut and Yukon faced off.  The first half unfolded at a slow pace, lacking many thrilling moments. The half concluded with Yukon leading 3-0. As the second half commenced, both teams ramped up their intensity, resulting in a much faster paced game. Yukon ultimately secured victory with a score of 10-0. At 1pm, male U16 teams Sápmi and Northwest Territories took the court. The match kicked off with a rapid pace in the first half, with Team Sápmi taking a commanding 7-0 lead. The momentum carried over into the second half, with Team Sápmi maintaining their dominance and ultimately winning 12-0. At 2pm male U18 teams Alaska and Nunavut clashed in a fiercely competitive game from start to finish. The match was marked by a high tempo and aggressive play throughout. Team Nunavut’s repeated fouls resulted in numerous free shots on goal for Team Alaska. Amidst the fierce play, a particularly aggressive incident led to a red card for a Nunavut player, leaving their team a player short until halftime. Despite the challenges, Team Nunavut managed to end the half with a 3-2 edge. However, tensions remained high throughout the second half, with confrontations between players and heated exchanges between coaches and referees. The tension from the game even carried into the crowd,resulting in volunteers standing between fan sections as a precaution. Nunavut held their lead and won this fierce matchup 6-3. After the game referee Nathan Grey said in response to the question ‘how do you handle a game as heated as this?’. He stated, “You wanna make sure you stay fair and be aware that some players might lose their cool…you have to have wits about you… as a ref you live for these games.”

The skating action at the Harry MacDonald Center in Eagle River shifted on Wednesday from Speed Skating to Figure Skating with 31 athletes entering the first rounds of competition. Participants in the events are divided into four levels of skills and ages. The largest group in this year’s Games are in level one with 13 competitors and level two with 11. The figure skating competition is female only at the Games. Sarah Deveroux McCormick, Figure Skating Sports chair, explained that the Wednesday games saw the skaters compete in the short program. The short program includes required technical elements. On Thursday, skaters competed in the free skate and on Friday the team compulsory event will cap the event. Depending on the level of the competition, the elements performed by the skaters will vary with difficulty increasing with the level of competition. With different countries attending the games, the “tech package” used by the judges is designed to accommodate differences in the host countries' packages. “As you watch the higher level skaters you’ll be seeing the elements with a twist…the variety of difficulty changes as they move up”, said Deveroux McComick. A skater in Games in the 1990s and a former coach, she said she has “amazing memories” of those experiences. “What’s really cool is the spirit among the coaches and the athletes fits my recollection, that camaraderie and team spirit is really cool,” she said. Thursday skating action began with the return of Speed Skating with the 500 meter and 777 meter events running from 8 am until 2 pm. Then at 3:15 p.m. the Figure Skating competition returned with Free Skate rounds for all four levels of skaters. Friday’s Speed Skating events also start at 8 a.m. and are ticketed events for the 1500 meter and 3000 meter skates. Figure Skating will return on Friday at 3pm. with the Team Compulsory event.

The ulu has been used to clean skins, cut up meat, filet fish, make clothes, cut hair, trim blocks of ice, and more. There is a deep culture around the ulu we don't hear of often. The ulu has a history in the Yup'ik, Aleut, Dene, and Inuit cultures in Alaska, Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland) and Canada. Their history is said to span from more than 5,000 years ago. Historically, the ulu was made of slate, quartzite or shale for the blade with ivory, wood, antler, horn, or bone for the handle. Some Canadian Inuit used native copper for the blade. The curve of the ulu blade ensures the force is centered. The shape of an ulu may tell you from what culture or area it originated. In the Alaskan Inupiat style, the centerpiece of the blade is cut out and the handle is fitted to both edges of the blade. Styles found in the West Greenland have the blade attached to the handle by a single stem. In the far north and northwest of Alaska are triangular blades, while in the Northwest Territories and West Greenland ulus may be a combination of triangular blades attached to the handle by a thin stem. In Eastern Greenlandic, styles with pointed blade ends may be found. As the ulu was mainly used by women, to get an ulu passed down from your mother and grandmother was an honor. Inuit rights activist Shelia Watt-Cloutier has noted that when an Inuk woman dies, her ulu retains her energy, making ulus powerful spiritual objects. The ulu itself is a unique implement which makes Inuit culture and traditions very rich and very much alive. Using an ulu is one of the ways that Inuit women connect to Inuit culture as well as give back to it. The ulu has been integrated into the modern day culinary world. Many who use the ulu in their homes or restaurants appreciate the curved blade, which allows for easier handling and chopping, and the comfortable handle allows for less stress and fatigue in the hands.

When the last rays of the day’s sun paint the tops of the Chugach mountain range the Glenn Massay Theater comes alive with the Arctic Winter Games Cultural Gala. Every Arctic Winter Game holds a Cultural Gala. Galas are theatrical representations of the different cultures represented in the Games. Each team has a performance troupe in addition to the athletes. The performers practice all week for the final Gala. Over the last five days, troupes have held live practices in pop-up performances around the Mat-Su. The Mat-Su Winter Arctic Winter Games’ theme ‘Rising Strong Together’ is the heart of  Friday’s gala. Gala directors Erin Tripp and Rio Alberto say in the Gala program that the stage holds the Northern People’s past, present and future. “We hope that you feel that sense of connection as you hear the voices lifted and hear the drum beating.” Friday’s Gala decorations turn the Glenn Massay Theatre into the Auroras. The audience will feel as if they have been invited to grab hold of a ribbon of the Aurora and travel the circumpolar North as the lights touch down in different lands. Galas interconnect all of the Northern cultures represented in the Games. On Friday the audience can look forward to a variety of performances, from powwow dancing from Alberta North to yoiks from the Sami performers.  Together they rise - voices from across the North. Rising strong as they sing and dance their way into the hearts and imaginations of the audience. Tickets for the 3 p.m. matinee are still available at tickets.awg2024.org.

President John Rodda has been with the Arctic Winter Games for 50 frigidly wonderful years. He is a lifelong Alaskan and participated in different roles within sports throughout his entire life. He has been a coach, participant, and volunteer in the sports community since the early 60s. From 1974 to 1997, he was involved in the development, construction, and management of four indoor ice arenas. He became involved with the Arctic Winter Games just three years after they began. Mr. Rodda’s early life was spent on his family’s 160 acre homestead then moved to Anchorage in 1958 where he became involved in sports. This participation in sports became the foundation of most of his career. He learned the value of giving back to the community from his parents and friends who volunteered in support of youth athletics. Due to how he was raised, and his passion for sports, he always had an interest in public parks and facilities. His career started in the early 70s managing the old Anchorage Sports Arena. From 1975 to 1978, he worked with former Mayor Sullivan to open and manage the Ben Boeke Arenas. In 1983, he moved to open the Sullivan Arena then on to the Harry J. McDonald Center in 1984. In 1998, he was appointed Sports and Recreation Director by Mayor Mystrom and continued to work for the Municipality of Anchorage as the Parks and Recreation Director until he retired in the Fall of 2019. In 1973, as the Sports Arena manager, Rodda found out Anchorage would be hosting the 1974 Arctic Winter Games. Since that was the only indoor ice arena, they would be hosting all the ice events other than curling. He had no idea how the Games would affect him. He said, “It was such an incredible experience making it happen, feeling the enthusiasm and excitement of the athletes, and meeting people who have become lifelong friends. I tell people I was bitten by the Arctic Winter Games bug, and after 50 years, I have continued to be involved.” He said that he enjoys all of the sports, but Arctic Sports and Dene Games are his favorite. When asked if he had failed at any of the events he had tried, he told of a time he was confident with his athletic ability and felt he could play or try most of the sports. At one of the Games during practice, he tried the one-foot high-kick. He failed miserably and was mercilessly laughed at by his colleagues. He learned a new appreciation for how hard the athletes have to train and hone their crafts. I didn’t realize that John Rodda had such an impact on the Games. He seems to be responsible for the existence of some of the locations being used at not only this year’s Games, but many over the past 50 years. While watching the skating competitions, we are appreciative of the time and effort put into the Harry J. McDonald Center. We are very lucky the 1974 AWG had such an impact on now President John Rodda. If you happen to see him around, make sure you thank him for everything he has done.

How the heck does the 2024 Arctic Winter Games host society feed all these hungry athletes? It takes a village to feed all those athletes and one local community non-profit answered the call providing the Arctic Winter Games villages with 200-600 sack lunches made daily using only the freshest ingredients. What’s more, Kids Kupboard is still serving their regular 400 to 500 meals to communities across the Matanuska Valley from Willow to Sutton and beyond to reach hungry kids across the last frontier. If you are following the math, that’s anywhere between 600 to 1100 fresh-made meals, they make to feed the community on a given day. At the core of Kids Kupboard's success is its passionate and committed staff, working tirelessly to address the urgent needs of vulnerable children dealing with food insecurity. These individuals, driven by a shared mission, understand the profound impact that a nutritious meal can have on a child's physical and emotional well-being. After reaching out to Kids Kupboard I got the chance to talk with Chris Haugom the operations manager who shared how valuable this experience has been for him and for Kids Kupboard. Chris shared “this has been lots of fun and that it has been great to see the community come together for this event”. After talking with Chris it was evident that the staff and volunteers of Kids Kupboard are like a tight knit family. Chris gave credit to his team of eight to ten regular volunteers as well as staff who have helped make all these fresh meals possible each day. In a unique twist I would find out later that Chris was an Arctic Winter Games celebrity in his own right having won the golden ulu in the 1990 games in Yellowknife for indoor soccer. Talk about giving back to the athletes after all these years. One of the core aspects of the 2024 Mat-Su Arctic Winter Games is community. Kids Kupboard’s valiant effort to continue feeding Alaskans while also providing fresh, nutritiously balanced meals for our visiting athletes and the wider community throughout this event is what the games showcase. Kids Kupboard operates on a fundamental belief in the strength of community. For this non-profit it is not just about filling stomachs; it's about building a network of care and support around children who need it the most as well as ending food insecurity for all Alaskan children.

Wasilla – The Arctic Winter Games embodies culture, youth, and the northern experience.  While the spirit of AWG can be experienced in person through sporting competitions and cultural exchanges, the history and stories shine through the 50 Years of Arctic Winter Games exhibit on display at the Wasilla Museum and Visitor Center. “I think today the Arctic Winter Games is truly a northern experience, relying on ice, snow and native sports,” said George Smith, who spoke at the Museum Wednesday night about the exhibit and his experiences with the Arctic Winter Games.  He was first involved in Team Alaska Mission Staff from 1992 through 2003 and then became a member of the state board in 2005.  He has seen a lot in his years involved with AWG.  Smith worked with over fifty AWG collecting enthusiasts to gather the items in the exhibit.  Every item has a story. “I had a friend tell me that my Jersey was on display at the Museum,” said Syrilyn Tong a current volunteer for the AWG2024, who lives in Fairbanks.  “I was a goalie on the 1990 Team Alaska women’s hockey team.” “We lost in double overtime that year to Yukon,” she said.  “We started at 8 pm and we played for four and half hours straight.  I was actually relieved when the game ended!” Tong brought her wife, Sarah Albers, to see her Jersey on display in the exhibit.  It brought back a lot of memories for Tong, which she shared. “I’ve been a player, a coach and volunteer,” she stated.  “I volunteered to run the broomball event in the 88 games when women’s hockey ws canceled.  Then I was asked to be the assistant Chef de Mission and later Chef de Mission for Team Alaska in 2012.  It was great traveling to all the different places with AWG including Yellowknife and Whitehorse.” Tong and Albers are members of the Fairbanks Community Emergency Response Team contingent that came to volunteer at the Arctic Winter Games.  This is Albers first-time volunteering for the games. “As volunteers we get to experience a lot of different games and events,” said Albers. “We’ve been security for hockey and Dene games which has been great to watch the crowd and the athletes.” “It truly warms my heart to see the athletes,” says Tong with fond memories of her time in the Arctic Winter Games. “I was there, as an athlete and a coach and now a volunteer.  To see the engagement of the athletes and to know they will meet each other year after year like I did, it is such an important part to see happen again.” “To see these kids compete in the various sports, but when they come off the ice or the court, they are friends,” said Albers.  “That is truly the spirit of the games.” And that sentiment is continued throughout the exhibit curated by Smith and the Alaska State Museum. “I feel the three main parts of the Arctic Winter Games are the youth, the culture, and the northern experience shared by these athletes,” said Smith.  “I’ve seen the games evolve from 500 athletes from The Northwest Territories, The Yukon and Alaska grow to over 2000 athletes to include the nations of Northern Alberta, Nunavut, Greenland, Russia, Sápmi and Nunavik.  It’s great to see so many people involved.” The sports have also grown from ten sports to twenty.  The Arctic and Dene Games were added in 1992 but were solely men’s competition. In 2004 the international committee decided to include women in the Dene Games. With the sports expanding in the year 2000 and the athletes’ numbers growing, the international committee had to decide on 1. Get rid of some of the contingents, 2. Get rid of some of the sports, or 3. Get rid of the adults competing, according to Smith. “One and two were not very popular options,” said Smith.  The international committee decided to eliminate adults from the sport except for the Arctic and Dene games. “They did keep the adults competing in the Arctic and Dene games because culturally the knowledge is passed through competition between elders and youth in the villages,” Smith stated. The big question from the audience at his talk, ‘What about the pins?’ One of the highlights of the exhibit is the over 1900 pins on display showing how far pin trading has come since the early days of the games.  Pin trading has been called the twenty-first sport of the games.  Athletes, coaches, volunteers, venues, sponsors and more create and exchange pins throughout the week of the games. “In the beginning, 1970, there was only one pin, and it was the international committee pin, the gold ulu,” Smith reminisced.  He stated that by 1980 pin collecting was catching on, and in 1982 we see the first sports pins.  It wasn’t until 1992 that the first and probably only puzzle pin came out. “Everyone was collecting these pins and were looking at them wondering why they were all different shapes,” Smith remembers. “It wasn’t until Friday that they revealed a paper that had the outline when all the pins were put together spelled out AWG.” Smith notes that there was not much change in pins or any other puzzle pins until 2004 when Team Nunavut created an igloo with their contingent pins.  According to Smith, it wasn’t really until 2012 that you see the addition of multiple pins creating one image that we see today. “I think the teams started getting together the year before to see ‘what can we do better than last year’.”  Smith has been impressed with the ingenuity and artistry of the pins each year. In 1986 there were 80 pins total.  By 1994 that number has increased to 108.  The largest number of pins in one game was the 2000 games with 195 pins.  This year during the AWG 2024 there are about 157 pins available to collect.  Be on the lookout for pin trading at the Palmer Depot or any of the venues you attend.  Start your pin trading collection today. “I collected a few my first games and thought, this is fun,” Smith said.  “By the end of the week I was hooked.  You get to meet great people through pin trading and share your memories of the games.” The Arctic Winter Games exhibit is on display at the Wasilla Museum and Visitor Center, located at 391 N Main Street in downtown Wasilla.  The Museum is open Tuesday – Friday 10 am – 3 pm.  Call 907-373-9071 for more information or to schedule a tour of the exhibit.  The exhibit will be at the Museum through Friday, March 29, 2024.