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Allison Warden
Owner, Uyalunaq Productions
Allison Akootchook Warden is an Iñupiaq multidisciplinary artist, performer, and activist based in Anchorage, Alaska.12 She is a tribal member of the Native Village of Kaktovik and has strong ties to her home community on Alaska's North Slope.3
Artistic Career
As a rapper, Warden performs under the name AKU-MATU, which is a hyphenation of two of her Iñupiaq names, Akootchook and Matumeak.1 She began learning to rap at the age of 22, motivated by the lack of Alaskan Native female rap artists and a desire to share positive messages with youth who felt a strong connection to their place.1
Warden's artistic work spans various mediums, including:
- Installation art
- Music
- Performance art
- Visual art
- Creative writing
- Dance2
Her performances often incorporate elements from her theatre training, using props, costumes, and characterization to embody different personas, including animals like caribou and bowhead whales.1
Themes and Collaborations
Warden's work frequently addresses themes related to:
She has collaborated with other artists, including:
- Waylon Dungan (WD4D) on creating beats for her album, incorporating samples from Iñupiaq traditional music1
- Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, appearing in his short film "FEELS GOOD" as a rap artist character1
Awards and Recognition
Warden has received several notable awards for her work:
- Rasmuson Individual Artist Fellowship in New Genre (2018)
- Native Arts and Cultures Foundation National Artist Fellowship in Music (2018)
- Western Arts Alliance Native Launchpad Fellowship in Music (2018)2
Current Projects
Warden is currently working on various projects, including:
- "Everybody Will Be a Millionaire!" - An installation collaboration with Iñupiaq photographer Brian Adams, featuring staged photographs that explore cultural exchange and identity2
- An album entirely in her Iñupiaq language2
Through her work at Uyalunaq Productions, Warden continues to create and perform as an independent artist, rapper, and workshop facilitator, using her platform to educate, inspire, and preserve Iñupiaq culture while addressing contemporary issues facing Indigenous communities.4
