Sunday

My Grandma used to tell me to love my family –Byron Nicholai

 About 600 people live in Byron Nicholai's hometown of Toksook Bay, a Yup’ik fishing village in Western Alaska. Five times that many people listen when he sings.

A 16-year-old high school junior whose first language is Central Yup’ik, Nicholai is quickly gathering an online following for videos performing an old-school Alaskan art. Beginning in 2013, Nicholai began recording clips of his singing and drumming on an iPhone and posting the videos to a Facebook page he created called “I Sing. You Dance.”

The title for the page comes from something he noticed while performing at Alaska Native dance festivals. Elders in the crowd would inevitably start nodding their heads to the beat. He sang, they danced.

"When I was younger, every morning my grandma would tell me to love my family" I'd always wake up before school started and as I got ready to head to school my grandma who passed away, would always tell me to love my family no matter what wrong they did to me. Rest in Peace Gramma. says Nicholai

VIDEO

Responses to "A 16-year-old Yup'ik Teen Singer "Grandma Honor" Song Will Touch Your Heart"

  1. How I miss my grandma too... thank you for sharing!!! :)

  2. Anonymous says:

    Prayers go out to you and your family, sorry... can you sing like Steve Perry in 'Journey'

  3. Anonymous says:

    This Grandma says thank you.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Love never dies, she lives in your heart forever. Thank you for keeping your culture alive.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Beautiful, reminding me of home, Alaska.

  6. Anonymous says:

    I am so sorry for your family's loss. I have had that picture on my wall for at least 20 years. I purchased it on of my business trips into the villages. Many prayers for you, your family, and community.

  7. Anonymous says:

    Thank you!
    Its an honor and a gift to hear the voice of a young man honoring his grandmother. Stay Strong in the songs....

  8. Unknown says:

    How come the are no Google translations for the languages of my Native American brothers and sisters?

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