Native Youth Olympics: Games of Heritage

0:00The 56th Annual Native Youth Olympics kicked off Thursday at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, drawing 50 teams from over 100. Communities statewide. Nearly 400 young athletes are competing in 11 traditional native games through Saturday. Earlier this week, action started with the tow kick, risk carry, and a lasken high kick. Organizers call the tow kick the toughest, testing concentration, agility, and coordination as players jump and land precisely on a moving stick. These games root deep in ancestral ways of life, building skills for survival, like hopping between ice flows or crossing slippery creeks. They help today's youth feel that connection, understanding the grit their elders needed just to give by. This marks the first game since Typhoon Remnants hit lower Cuscoquim communities in October 2025, displacing many athletes now calling. Anchorage Home, officials say the event feels like family, offering steady support no storm can shake. Competition raft Saturday with awards, all free and open to the public,

1:02catch the action if you nearby and see native heritage thrive. That's the story for today. Anchorage News Today, Driven by AI