Nolan Center first to host traveling story doll exhibit

The Nolan Center has a new exhibit available for public viewing. A collection of almost 50 "story dolls" currently sit in glass shelves at the center, depicting life of Alaska natives in the rural parts of the state.

Cyni Crary, with the Nolan Center, said that the doll collection was put together by Jane Niebergall, of Anchorage. The dolls themselves were created by a variety of different artists. The Nolan Center is the first museum to show these dolls, she added.

"She called and asked if we might be interested in displaying them here in our museum," said Jennie Ridgeway, also with the Nolan Center. "We were like 'Sure, let's learn more about it.' So she sent some information via email, and a packet of information about the actual dolls."

Each doll shows a different aspect of life in rural Alaska, such as fishing, hunting, the types of clothes worn, and much more. The dolls show both traditional and modern ways of life, especially among the Inuit and Yup'ik peoples. Niebergall began her doll collection in 1965, according to the provided information packet, while traveling and working in rural Alaska. The first doll was purchased at a bookstore. Other dolls were crafted by artists such as Nancy Andrew, Lucy Bobby, Sophie Abraham, and Louise Maxey. Another artist, Martina Oscar from Bethel, made almost half the dolls after being contracted by Niebergall.

"My introduction to rural Alaska was in 1965, when I was hired to supervise a traveling team of five people doing the health examinations of all the rural children in the very new Economic Opportunity Head Start education programs," Niebergall wrote in her information packet. "This was my first opportunity to met rural people, to experience the 'hugeness' of Alaska, to visit 23 different very rural villages all over this very large state."

The dolls will be displayed at the Nolan Center all through February and until the end of March. The display, as well as the rest of the museum, can be seen during the Nolan Center's normal business hours. The Nolan Center can be reached at (907) 874-3699.