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Alaska Is the Center of the Universe

By: James Dommek Jr., Josephine Holtzman, Isaac Kestenbaum
Narrated by: James Dommek Jr.
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Social Sciences
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Episodes
  • Trailer

    Trailer
    Nov 2 2023
    Alaska’s recent history is one of massive changes: Western contact, colonization, climate change. But some stories have survived—including stories of mysterious creatures that may still be out there. In this series, Iñupiaq storyteller James Dommek, Jr, goes on a journey across Alaska in search of stories of the unknown… to find out what they can tell us about how to live today.
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    3 mins
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  • Intro

    Intro
    Nov 2 2023
    At a time of great change for Alaska, James Dommek, Jr, a rock-n-roll drummer, Iñupiaq storyteller and podcaster, sets out on a journey across the whole state of Alaska to find old myths, stories about cryptids, and forgotten history, to learn what they can teach us about the world as it is today.
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    9 mins
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  • Episode 1: The Hairy Man

    Episode 1: The Hairy Man
    Nov 2 2023
    In this episode, James travels to Utqiagvik, the northernmost city in Alaska (and the country) in search of stories of The Hairy Man, a cryptid with mysterious powers… and a taste for blood. Plus: a murder ballad like you’ve never heard before.
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    29 mins
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James Dommek, Jr.
Josephine Holtzman
Isaac Kestenbaum

About the Creator and Performer

James Dommek, Jr. is an Alaska Native musician and audio producer. He has played drums with Alaskan bands The Whipsaws, Pamyua, Meg Mackey Band, Quinn Christopherson and Medium Build, as well as Tim Easton. He is a member of the Iñupiaq tribe and the great-grandson of one of the last Iñupiaq story-tellers, Palangun.
James has worked in film and audio production for over a decade. In 2013, he scored an Emmy award-winning documentary. His previous podcast for Audible, Midnight Son, received critical acclaim and several awards.
Additionally, he co-created (with Anchorage public radio)"The RIVR" (Rising Indigenous Voices Radio), an international online radio station that provides a platform for Alaska Native and American Indian singers, songwriters, and musicians. He is also the Marketing Coordinator for a local philanthropic nonprofit organization.
James resides in Anchorage, Alaska, where he is rooted in Alaska Native culture, foods, and traditions. He enjoys subsistence hunting, fishing, and the Alaskan way of life with his three children.

About the Creator

Josie Holtzman is an audio documentarian, podcast producer and multimedia artist. Her work includes an award-winning multimedia piece about the effects of climate change on Alaska's rural indigenous communities, a multi-platform project exploring the modern-day impacts of treaties on Native American communities in the US with NPR's Story Lab and the Pulitzer Center, and an Audible Originals podcast that pits Native American folklore against the US justice system. She has produced soundwalks and audio tours for the Eisenhower Memorial Museum and the Anchorage Museum, among others. She has taught at NYU’s Journalism School, the Association for Independent in Radio, UnionDocs and Monson Arts.
In 2018 she co-founded the audio production company, Future Projects Media, with partner Isaac Kestenbaum.
She lives in Portland, ME with her husband and two sons.

About the Creator

Isaac Kestenbaum is a veteran audio producer and journalist. He is the co-founder, along with Josephine Holtzman, of the production company Future Projects; Along with James Dommek, Jr, they created the award-winning true crime podcast Midnight Son for Audible Originals. Isaac has reported extensively on climate change in Alaska, and his work has been funded by the Arctic Circle Foundation and the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting.
He is the former Production Manager at the national oral history and radio project StoryCorps. Honors include a Peabody Award, a duPont Award, two Online News Association awards and an Alaska Broadcasters "Goldie" Award.
He is currently the director of the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies in Portland, Maine.

What listeners say about Alaska Is the Center of the Universe

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Strange, delightful, moving

This is one of the most wonderful things I’ve ever listened to. The stories are strange and miraculous, and they have really stuck with me. And they’re embedded in a story about a really likable host meeting folks from Alaska and yelling and eliciting stories. The part about his travels is delightful. Highly recommend!

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Profile Image for Libby

Entertaining as all get-out

Witty narration and compelling storytellers with smooth transitions throughout. It felt like a privilege to be able to hear these legends delivered orally by expert storytellers who aren't going off a script. Listened to this while doing house chores; would also be a great listen for a road trip.

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I keep thinking about this series

This was one of the best things I listened to this year- soulful, entertaining, deep, lighthearted. Really really special and well done!

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One of the best storytellers around

Grounding the here and now in ancient lore, helping pull ancient wisdom into the future for the benefit and interest of all.

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Beautiful Story Telling

This beautifully researched and produced podcast brought the listener on a wonderful ride to the "Center" of Alaska.

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Great storytelling

The storytellers are great, and the background of James traveling around to get their stories is also really fun.

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Incredible stories and story telling

James and the other story tellers do an incredible job. Each episodes are engaging, powerful, and moving. It’s like a more authentic Serial.

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Profile Image for Harold Houdini

Cultural intersections shared with heart and soul

This podcast is so absolutely original and full of heart — probably my favorite audio series of the year. Take Alaska Native stories of the strange and spiritual, gently uncover and share their historic and cultural roots and implications, all in the most intimate and thoughtful way… I was sad that there were only eight chapters. James is a masterful storyteller, and the audio production is pristine yet inviting. Can’t wait to hear more from him and this team.

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Profile Image for Andrea M. Savar

A New Favorite

Alaska is the center of the universe is my favorite new podcast. The stories and how they connect to present day are beautifully woven together with depth. Looking forward to hopefully more episodes. Well done!

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Transporting and magical

This series is one of those very special ones that is about something very specific but also contains the whole world. This series is about Native culture and climate change while also being about the nature of truth and what it means to be in relationship with other humans. It has a strong sense of place and tells old stories but doesn’t romanticize them, it shows that they are more important now than ever.

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