Culturally relevant literature for Alaska Native kids can be hard to come by. That's why an Anchorage-based publisher recently launched Yaaruin Kids, a magazine for Native children.
The goal is to inspire kids to embrace their own cultures while learning about a variety of Alaska Native customs, said Qass'uq Lexi Trainer. Trainer is Cup'ik and Yup'ik, her family is originally from Chevak and Pitkas Point, and she grew up going to school in Anchorage. She remembers reading Highlights, a popular educational magazine mainly for elementary-age children.
Trainer wanted something similar, full of lessons and activities, but in the spirit of sharing Alaska Native culture. It became more personal when she had her son last year and started thinking about how to convey her family's Alaska Native heritage with him, Trainer said.
"I'm not the only person who's struggling to figure out how to share this information with my son," she said. "And so I was like, why not just solve the problem for a lot of folks, and do it in a way that's fun and exciting, and allows the adults to learn alongside the children in their lives?"
Last month, Trainer debuted Yarruin Kids at the Elders and Youth conference in Anchorage. She said she enjoyed collaborating with a variety of contributors and translators.
"I've been working with people from all sorts of backgrounds, people who know their languages, people who do graphic design, and bringing them in to do things relevant to their Alaska Native culture," Trainer said. "And it's also fun because now they can turn around and say in their portfolio, 'I've worked on this magazine. Look at the work that I've done.'"
The first issue features an assortment of activities rooted in Alaska Native cultures from around the state.
Those include an exercise aimed at teaching kids how to count in Iñupiaq, a crossword puzzle that requires kids to translate Dena'ina words into English, a decoder challenge from which children learn an Unangan traditional value and instructions for how to draw a tináa copper shield, symbolic in Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures. There's also a recipe for making akutaq, an Alaska Native dessert made with berries and fat.
Trainer said she hopes kids learn about both their own Alaska Native cultures and the similarities they share with others.
"The goal is to get the youth to start talking to their parents or the other adults in their lives and start asking them those questions about, 'Well, how do we say in our language? Where are we from?' and start having those conversations. 'Do we have our own akutaq recipe, and what does that look like?'" she said
Trainer said she would need about 1,000 subscriptions for the magazine to be sustainable and that she's pleased with the support it's gotten so far. Calista Corporation paid for all of the issues that were distributed at Elders and Youth, and Trainer said she's seen a steady rise in subscriptions from individuals. Organizations like the Lower Kuskokwim School District have also made bulk orders.
"Hopefully, their families all start subscribing as well because they're interested, and just trying to make sure that, in a time where kids are on their phone more often than they're not, that they're interested in pursuing something that gets them off the screens and learning their languages in ways that are fun," Trainer said.
She has also heard positive feedback from families. One of the articles in the first issue is about getting out the Native vote and includes a ballot for kids to vote on their favorite Alaska Native foods, cultural activities and animals.
"Somebody reached out and said that they had to talk with their son about what a write-in candidate was, because his favorite Alaska Native food wasn't on the list," Trainer said. "That was really cool. And so now they're going to be getting him some more moose, because fish is his second favorite, not his first."
The magazine isn't just for Alaska Native kids, Trainer said. She hopes people of all backgrounds can get something out of learning about all of the various cultures. Trainer said she's most excited for her son to have an opportunity to see positive displays of his history and culture.
"I want my son to grow up seeing himself in media, and not just himself, but Alaska Native culture in ways that highlight how wonderful they are, our languages, our people, our stories, in ways that are fun and don't necessarily cater to so many of the negative stereotypes I grew up experiencing," she said.
The next issue of Yaaruin Kids is set to come out in January, and the plan is for monthly publications. You can subscribe here.
Copyright 2026 Alaska Public Media