Mariah Stapleton

Medium: Weaving, Beading

Cama’i! My name is Mariah Stapleton, my native name is Liisngaq, which means “One who Likes to Learn.” I was born on Kodiak Island and grew up on Whale Island. My family has lived in the Kodiak region for at least eight generations.

I started to bead and skin sew when I was 8 years old. I learned how to work with fur and leather from my late father, Robert King, and was mostly self-taught

at beading. Over the years, I taught myself to do many other craft skills, and my father also taught me sketching when I was an early teen. This turned into the illustrations that I am able to do now.

As an artist, I work with a variety of traditional and contemporary mediums, including beadwork, skin sewing, weaving, regalia making, and harvesting natural materials. I focus on reconnecting with and reviving the cultural practices of my ancestors, weaving them back into my family and community.

Beyond my art, I am a stay-at-home mom, and I integrate our cultural traditions into our daily life, ensuring that language, storytelling, and traditional skills remain a living part of our home. I am honored to be the first language speaker and culture bearer in at least four generations of my family, and I am committed to continuing this journey of learning and teaching.