Iḷisaġvik College Celebrates Ikayuaq Martha Stackhouse's Contributions

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We're celebrating one of our treasured Iḷisaurrit, Ikayuaq Martha Stackhouse. Back in 2010, she was hired by former President, Beverly Grinage, to start Future Teachers of Alaska (FTA) clubs in each of our North Slope villages. She took students from 8th to 12th grade to statewide FTA meetings, including North Slope Borough Mayor, Josiah Patkotak and Iḷisaġvik Assistant Professor, Jerica Leavitt. When that funding ended, she joined Kuutuuq Fannie Akpik in Iñupiaq Studies. There she taught Iñupiaq Storytelling and Iñupiaq Language to Kiita students. She also helped plan the yearly culture camps in Anaktuvuk Pass, Nuiqsut, Point Hope, and Tuapaktusuk, where teachers across Alaska and the North Slope learned firsthand about the Iñupiaq way of life. Later she became head teacher at the Iñupiaq Language Nest. Two and three-year-olds there learned to sing the atchagat, count to 20, and understand conversations in Iñupiaq. Now, in 2026, she's back at Iḷisaġvik teaching our open class at Tuzzy Library, "Iñupiatun Uqaqta - Let's Speak Iñupiaq." On September 30th, she joined us on National Day of Truth and Reconciliation as one of our guest speakers for "Utuqqanaat Uqaluktuaqtut - Life Experience of the Elders," where she shared about her boarding school experience at Mount Edgecumbe and told us: "...keep subsisting, keep trying to learn, keep learning both ways (Iñupiaq + English), have forgiveness for those people who hurt you, release it.." Quyanaqpak, Ikayuaq, for your many years of teaching, your patience, and your love for our language, history, and our young people. Your work continues to shape our communities today. #MarthaStackhouse #ThrowbackThursday #ilisagvikcollege #TribalCollege #Tribaleducation #30thanniversary