New monthly magazine aims to help Alaska Native children learn more about their culture

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Lexi Trainer, founder of the new magazine Yaaruin Kids, is proud of her Cu’pik and Yu’pik heritage. Growing up in the Western Alaska village of Chevak, Trainer said picking berries, summers at fish camp and wearing handsewn parkas was the norm.

When her son Max was born in Anchorage in 2025, Trainer wanted to pass those traditions on.

“Even though we live in the city now, I want my son to have that same experience,” she said. “I want him to hear Cu’pik in the house. I want him to see traditional foods and not think, ‘That’s a traditional food,’ and just think, that’s part of our food.”

But the more Trainer thought about it, the more she realized that her son wasn’t the only one who could benefit from learning more about their own culture.

“I was like, there are so many other Alaska Native Youth that also need this experience and I have the skillset, so why not go for it?”

The first edition of Yaaruin Kids features games, puzzles and other activities.

”I try to highlight each of the different five areas of Alaska, the five main regions,” Trainer said. “And so each of them will have different activities and will feature each region in each one.”

The magazine also has a recipe of the month; in this case Trainer’s grandmother’s recipe for Akutaq.

There’s also a word or phrase of the month in every issue.

“One of the things I’m really excited about is having a word of the month, so I try to teach this in as many languages as I can,” Trainer explained.

While the magazine is clearly aimed at youth, Trainer said it offers learning opportunities for adults as well.

“The idea is that anybody can learn from it. There are so many people that I’ve talked to who are adults and they’re like, ‘I have been wanting to learn but I don’t know where to start.’”

The magazine is now available for subscriptions which Trainer said will run $149.99 for a full year with delivery beginning in January.

Yaaruin Kids will also host a launch party at the Loussac Library on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. that will feature activities and a traditional storyteller.

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