Billsaidhermaternalgrandmotheralsohad
beensentawaytoboardingschool.Givenher
family’sbackground,Bill’smotherwasnearly
broughttotearsbecauseofthestory’s“good
message,”theteensaid.
“It’sabletopassonthatmessagethrougha
kindandlovingandkid-friendlyway,”shesaid.
“Butit’sstillteachingandit’sstillgivingthose
importantvalues.”
AsforJohnson’schildhoodfoodfavorites,dried
fishmakesanappearanceintheshow.What
aboutmoose-headsoup?“Notyet,”Johnsonsays
witha laugh.
Followingthelongerpremiere,the30-minute
showwillrunmorningssevendaysa week,
accordingtoWGBHexecutiveproducerDorothea
Gillim.PBSordered 38 half-hourepisodesbesides
thepremiere,with 13 episodessetforthefirst
rotation.Eachepisodealsoincludesa shortvideo
featuringrealAlaskaNativechildrenlivinglifein
a vaststatepopulatedbymultipleNativegroups
withtheirowndiverseculturesandlanguages.
Gillimsaidshelongwantedtodoa showfeaturing
a storethat’sa socialcenterforlocals,likea local
storeoftheRochester,NewYork-basedWegmans
grocerychainwasforhergrowingupinthat
city.AndWGBHco-creatorKathyWaughalways
wantedtodooneonanoutdoorsygirl.Thestore
becamea tradingpostwhenthecreatorsdecided
toplaceit inAlaskaafterhearingthatthen-
PresidentBarackObamavisitedthestatein2015.
PBSgavethegreenlightfora pilotonthe
concept.Thatpromptedthenon-Nativecreators
toreachouttoindigenousexpertsinAlaska,
creatinga teamofculturaladvisersforthepilot
and,ultimately,theseries.Image: Mark Thiessen