An old Yup’ik dance mask connects Indigenous tradition and shorebird conservation.

Shorebirds that nest in Alaska migrate to New Zealand, South America, and beyond. Shorebirds are part of the diet and culture of Yup’ik people of western Alaska. A dance mask from the early 1900s highlights connections of Yup’ik people with their culture and homeland as well as the importance of including Indigenous peoples in bird and shorebird conservation.

Liliana Coelho Naves

Lili has over two decades of life and work experience in Alaska dedicated to bird conservation, research, and management. She has worked in collaboration with state, federal, Indigenous, nonprofit, and other partners. Lili’s work has blended natural and social sciences, focusing on bird ecology, harvest assessment, Indigenous knowledge, co-management, outreach and education, and place- and culture-based conservation actions. She is a recipient of the Alaska Bird Conference Isleib Award for outstanding contributions to bird conservation. Lili serves as the Director of Conservation for the Alaska Program of the National Audubon Society. Lili earned a BS in Oceanography and MS in Biological Oceanography from the Federal University of Rio Grande (Brazil) and a PhD in Biodiversity from the Sorbonne-Université Pierre et Marie Curie (France).