The highlights, naturally, were the works that exemplified Indigenous innovation. This year’s top artists combined traditional Indigenous materials (such as porcupine quills, beads, furs, and animal pelts) but fused them with contemporary twists—some adding luxurious 18-karat gold or rare corals and turquoises for an even more luxurious finish. One could see this fine craftsmanship expressed to its fullest at SWAIA’s “Best of Show” showcase, where ribbons were handed out to artists across a variety of categories.

The “Best of Class: Jewelry” winner Jack Tom, for one, created a dragonfly-shaped necklace made of 14-karat gold, Mediterranean and Pacific coral, and Cocobolo wood. The “Best of Class: Beadwork & Quillwork” winner Juanita Growing Thunder Fogarty, an Indian Market veteran, crafted a classic Native American medicine carrying bag made from porcupine quills and beads, which were then applied to buckskin, moose hide, and rawhide. Artist Golga Oscar also debuted a traditional fancy Yup’ik parka made of a variety of furs, including wolverine, wolf, ground squirrel, and calfskin.