Saaŋiaq Masuġnaat/Aaron Topkok

Uvaŋa atiġa Saaŋiaq Masuġnaat. My Iñupiaq names are Saaŋiaq and Masuġnaat. My white fox name is Aaron Kenneth Topkok. I am Iñupiaq, Sámi, Irish, and Norwegian. My parents are Asiqluq Sean and Ahnaughuq Amy Topkok and their families are from Teller, and Shishmaref/ Noatak, Alaska respectively. My father is Iñupiaq, Sámi, Irish and Norwegian. My mother is full Iñupiaq and was born in Kotzebue. We all are learning to speak a little Iñupiaq at home, but also speak Norwegian and English. My maternal grandparents are Naunaq Delano and Saumik Minnie E. (Onalik) Barr of Shishmaref; and my paternal grandparents were Sanguk Clifford and Aileen Topkok of Teller/ Anchorage, Alaska. My brothers are Akukqasuq Christopher Topkok and Aqituaq Joseph Bjørn Topkok, and my nephew is Sanguk Terry Osborne, who also dance and drum in Pavva.

I have been in the dance group since it began in 1999. I am one of the lead drummers. I have enjoyed the traveling with my family over the United States to represent the dance group, which has brought me to Hawaii, Texas, Florida, and Yukon Territories, Canada. I enjoy dancing The Igloo Dance, The Seal Hunt, and The Fox and The Raven (Kayuqtaġlu Tulugaġlu). My first name, Saaŋiaq, is named after Angela Nageak who is daughter of James and Annie Nageak of Anaktuvuk Pass, and Masuġnaat is named after Christine Barr Obruk, my mom's paternal side auntie. Iñupiaq names are not associated with one gender, a name can belong to a man and a woman. I'm proud to be a dancer and know so many dances.