Who We Are
AIVAN is an Itelmen word that means North. It is an informal platform that unites Indigenous artists throughout the Arctic and beyond to share Indigenous wisdom through creative arts. We meet virtually to exchange knowledge, traditional crafts techniques, and facilitate discussions on the place of Indigenous arts in the 21st century.
Our Goals
- Advance our understanding of the value and meaning of artistic expressions to the well-being and wellness of Indigenous communities and share best practices;
- Exchange our visions on sustainable use of natural materials in daily artistic expressions;
- Provide platform for knowledge sharing and mutual support
Our Objectives
- Share perspectives on human-nature relations through learning about history, beliefs, values, subsistence woven into crafts;
- Exchange knowledge about sustainable use of natural materials in daily art practices;
- Develop collaborative art projects;
- Offer workshops on different aspects of Indigenous arts/crafts;
- Facilitate discussions on the current trends in the sphere of the development of Indigenous arts/crafts;
- Foster Indigenous story-telling and knowledge sharing.
Our Team
Tatiana Degai
I am Itelmen from the beautiful land of Kamchatka Peninsula. The art and culture of my people is inspired by the waters of the Pacific ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk that are home to vibrant marine life. Traditional dance and craft making takes a major part in my life supporting and informing my academic endeavors in language and culture revitalization efforts. Currently, I am a Postdoc at the ARCTICenter, Department of Geography, University of Northern Iowa where I am concentrating my research around Indigenous knowledge systems, Indigenous visions on sustainability and well-being. I believe that crafts circles like AIVAN provide opportunities for professional growth, mutual support, and knowledge sharing across diverse cultures and geographical regions.
Andrey Petrov
Professor of Geography, ARCTICenter Director and Academic Director of GeoTREE Center at the University of Northern Iowa. He was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia and completed graduate studies in Canada and the USA. Dr. Petrov is an economic and social geographer who specializes in Arctic economy, regional development and post-Soviet society, with an emphasis on the social geography of the Indigenous Peoples. His current research concerns sustainable development, spatial organization, and restructuring of peripheral economies, as well as dynamics of social-ecological systems. Dr. Petrov leads the Research Coordination Networks in Arctic Sustainability (Arctic-FROST) and Arctic Coastal Resilience (Arctic-COAST). He has published on issues pertaining to socio-economic crisis, development, and demographic dynamics of Arctic populations. Dr. Petrov leads the COVITA project