Aggie (Patik) Kellie

I grew up in Wainwright, on the North Slope. It was safe, and we could play late into the night. I went hunting, went to whaling camp, went up in the land in summertime. Our holidays always went on late into the night.

I also experienced a difficult childhood, but I learned from that. When I was ten years old, I knocked on the door of a construction company in town asking for a job. I worked under the table there, cleaning and washing dishes, and then started waitressing at the hotel at thirteen. I dropped out of high school in eleventh grade and had my first daughter at eighteen. Later, when my second daughter was a baby I got my GED.

I wanted to raise my girls where they could get an education, so we moved down to Wasilla. It was hard to move away from my village, it was a culture shock. I volunteered and taught kids in my daughters’ classes about animals and hunting. Now, my daughter is the first on my mom’s side of the family to graduate college.

In the last five years, my daughters have been going back to my village for their jobs. My daughter got me involved in this video game. I was so excited when she asked me. I like to share back what I have.

I have a four year-old grandson, so I’m learning video games. Before this, the last video game I played was an Atari! If Never Alone would touch the young people, no matter whether they are in a village or outside, it will make them want to connect to their heritage and learn more. I did this because of my grandson. I want him to play a game that has the history of where he came from.