Kanaqlak (George Charles), Ph.D.

George Charles, Ph.D. is first and foremost, Yupigua. He had the good fortune to have been surrounded by healthy strong elders and relatives. Dr. Charles’ academic background and interests include Native American religious traditions and philosophy, Alaska Native culture and history, ethnographic process, issues of translation of indigenous narrative, cultural anthropology, orality and literacy. Yupiaq was his first language and he credits this for giving him cultural perspectives beyond measure and expanding his cross-cultural awareness. Dr. Charles has written extensively on Yupiaq and Native Alaskan languages, religious studies and healing traditions. Some of his publications include: The Seen and the Unseen: Ritual Transformation through Yupiaq Song, Dance, Mask and Ceremony, Yuuyaraq (The Way of Human Being), as Interpreted by Contemporary Yup’ik Family, Shamanhood Symbolism and Epic, ed. Juha Pentikainen in collaboration with Hanna Saressalo and Chuner M. Takasami, Akademiai Kiado, Budapest. Bibliotheca Shamanistica, ed. Hoppal, Mihaly, International society of Shamanic Research. Vol. 9, and Angalkugyaraq (The Way of the Angalkuq): The Inner Language of Ritual. He has been a presenter at several conferences; including, Shamanhood: An Endangered Language Conference at the Centre for Advanced Study in Oslo.

Dr. Charles currently is on the faculty with Alaska Native Studies and Department of Alaska Native and Rural Development at University of Alaska Fairbanks and as with the Denali Foundation/Elder Hostel Winter Program of Alaska Native Culture and History. His Ph.D. from UC Santa Barbara was in Religious Studies with emphasis in Native American Religious Traditions. His hobbies include carving, sculpting, traditional Yupiaq Graphic Art on seal gut, Adobe Photoshop enhancement of imagery and music.