Whales, Threads & Ancestors: We Are Not Studied—We Are the Story

Real Native Roots: Untold Stories Podcast is honored to welcome Jacqualine Qataliña Schaeffer — a visionary Alaska Native leader, artist, and grandmother whose wisdom runs as deep as the Arctic waters she grew up near. In this episode, Jackie opens a window into her ancestral teachings, climate advocacy, traditional healing, and the living heartbeat of her community’s food systems. From seal skin boats to salmon leather, from language revitalization to runway fashion infused with story, Jackie bridges the ancient and the modern with grace and grit. We explore how her upbringing—rooted in harvesting from air, land, and sea—continues to shape her work in climate health and cultural preservation today. She reminds us that our ancestors’ wisdom lives in our DNA, that laughter is our second medicine, and that awareness—true awareness—can reconnect us to the land and to ourselves. We also reflect on the stories behind the designs, and the future of Indigenous fashion, identity, and planetary healing. Don’t miss this episode — like, follow, and share the podcast! We’re on all major platforms including YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google, and more. #RealNativeRootsUntoldStories #RealNativeRootsPodcast #JackieSchaeffer #InupiaqWisdom #IndigenousFashion #ClimateJusticeVoices #NativeWomenRise #SealSkinAndSalmon #LanguageIsMedicine #LaughterIsHealing #AlaskaNativeVoices #FashionWithMeaning #IndigenousFuturism #NativeGrandmothersSpeak #WeAreTheStory