Haliehana Alaĝum Ayagaa Stepetin is Unangax̂ and was born and raised on Akutan in Unangam Tanangin—the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. She is an enrolled member of the Native Village of Akutan Tribe, known as Qigiiĝun. Her life and work are deeply rooted in the cultural and ecological landscapes of her homeland.

For these images, Haliehana wears a mixture of Western clothing and modern designs based on traditional Unangax̂ pieces consisting of a corset and a headdress both made from sealskin. Haliehana hired Tlingit artist, Shaax’ Saani (Indigenous Princess), to design the sealskin corset as a versatile fashion piece that combines traditional Arctic Indigenous wearable art with modern elegance. Haliehana made the sealskin headdress of the same hide that Shaax’ Saani made the corset out of.  The corset shown here is the fitting mold—a preliminary version made to ensure the final piece would fit perfectly. Haliehana loved the mold so much that she continues to wear it for special occasions to incorporate Indigenous fashion into the Western environments she finds herself in.

It  serves as a cultural marker at conferences and formal events,  symbolizing pride and belonging while sparking conversations about  Indigenous heritage. The headdress is Haliehana’s recreation of an Unangax̂ headdresses, crafted to be practical and stylish without compromising  cultural meaning. It features strands of beads that accentuate movement  and carry aesthetic significance. The more common Unangax̂ headdresses  generally cover the hair while the design Haliehana created allows her to maintain her hairstyle and sovereign expression.

Unangax̂ clothing, like that of other Indigenous Clothing,  is created for the harsh Arctic environment while embedding artistry into every stitch. For Unangax̂ Peoples, sealskin and sea otter are  sourced through subsistence practices that honor protocols passed down  through generations. Crafting these garments requires skill and respect  for the animals and environment, embodying a reciprocal relationship  central to Unangax̂ cosmology that requires using every single part of the animal.

Haliehana emphasizes that wearing regalia at conferences and gatherings serves as  a cultural marker and conversation starter, fostering connections among  Indigenous Peoples  and educating others. Her designs blend tradition and modernity—she  often pairs her sealskin corset with blazers or tops at formal events,  creating a statement that asserts Indigenous belonging in Western-dominant spaces.

Her creative vision extends beyond ceremonial wear. Inspired by functional garments like the kuspuk—a pullover tunic with a hood and large front pocket common in other Alaska Native cultures—Haliehana imagines Unangax̂-specific  clothing that combines practicality with cultural expression. This  approach reflects her commitment to keeping traditions alive while  adapting them for modern life.

Haliehana speaks passionately about cultural revitalization.

Her generation enjoys a privilege denied to elders who endured assimilation practices through boarding  school trauma. She rejects rigid notions of “authenticity,” instead  embracing innovation in regalia, dance, song, and art. This creative  freedom is a response to a long colonial history—from Russian colonization that begin in the Aleutian Islands in  1741 to American assimilation policies and the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 1971,  which introduced capitalist frameworks that often clash with cultural  values. Russian Orthodoxy also shaped gender norms and suppressed  practices like tattooing, leaving a lasting imprint on Unangax̂ life.

Haliehana explained that during the 1990s revitalization of Unangax̂ regalia, schools in her region sought guidance from Koryak Peoples in Kamchatka because their aesthetics and material culture—shaped by  similar environments of volcanoes, salmon, and wind—aligned more closely  with Unangax̂ traditions than northern Arctic styles. She noted that even though some Unangax̂people in Russia had experienced less cultural suppression, the Koryak  connection provided a more authentic foundation for revitalization than  borrowing from cultures in vastly different ecological contexts. At the  same time, Haliehana emphasized that she avoids recreating a “pure essential past,”  rejecting the idea that pre-contact traditions were more authentic.

In the images some of Haliehana’s, tattoos are visible. For Haliehana, tattoos are profoundly meaningful—holding a deep spiritual significance.  Historically, Unangax̂ tattoos marked rites of passage such as menstruation and carried meanings tied to family relations and belonging. Many original meanings have been lost due to colonial documentation biases, where male researchers only spoke to men leaving behind a gender gap on what is known about tattoos more visibly worn by Unangax̂ women. Haliehana advocates for creating new meanings today. She also notes the evolving  acceptance of LGBTQ identities among younger generations, challenging  binaries introduced by Christianity from Russian and the following American colonizations. If Haliehana wanted to preserve anything from her Unangax̂ pre-contact past, it would be the understandings, acceptance, and protection of gender fluidity within Unangax̂  communities and social practices such as dance, tattooing, and hunting  that today uphold rigid and foreign (colonial) gender roles.

Looking ahead, Haliehana envisions a vibrant future for Unangax̂  clothing—one that balances tradition with innovation. Younger  generations are increasingly embracing these practices, and efforts to  teach traditional craftsmanship are growing. She supports collaborations  that showcase Indigenous fashion and stories at conferences and through photo  exhibits, seeing these as powerful tools for advocacy and cultural  continuity.

Haliehana is  not only an artist but also a scholar and activist. Holding a Ph.D. in  Native American Studies from the University of California, Davis, she  integrates research and artistry to advance environmental justice and  cultural sustainability. Her work theorizes Unangax̂ subsistence cosmologies  and connects environmental justice, Indigenous food sovereignty, and  climate change from a hyper-local perspective. Through performance,  writing, and teaching, she strives to Indigenize knowledge production  and uphold kinship accountabilities for generations to come.