Tukuuludaa, an Alaska and Norway based organization co-founder by Garrett Pletnikoff (Aleut of St. Paul Island) and Hannah Zimmerman (traveler Romani) to transform Rudyard Kipling’s “White Seal” St. Paul Island-based Jungle Book story into the world’s first Aleut Young Adult novel for premiere at the 2026 Arctic Arts Summit in Umeå, Sweden. The premiere will also include an animated short film and an art installation based on the retelling.
Tukuuludaa will retell Rudyard Kipling’s “White Seal” St. Paul Island-based Jungle Book story from a modern, Aleut, and Aleut fishermen’s perspective. Through an art installation, young adult novel publication, and short animated film, we will premiere our work as the headliner of the 2026 Arctic Arts Summit in Umeå, Sweden.
St. Paul Island has been associated with Rudyard Kipling and Disney’s The Jungle Book since its original publication in 1893, as it is the setting of the only story from the book that is not in India. The story tells of an albino fur seal who, after witnessing Aleut seal hunters kill a group of seals, decides the practice is barbaric and must find a new home for his species. The story positions Aleut seal hunters as villains.
Rather than just abandoning the story, we are retelling it from the perspective of local Aleut. Instead of the seal and Aleut hunter being enemies, this story will paint us as allies in the fight against destructive fishing practices that are destroying our homeland. With this project, we are publishing one of the world’s first big-kids’/young adult Aleut-themed novels (aimed for ages 8+).
To tell the story, and in addition to the book, we are creating a corresponding art installation that showcases characters from the retelling as soft sculptures crafted from local St. Paul Island materials using traditional methods. This project fosters international collaboration among Indigenous artists in Sápmi and Unangam Tanangin. The Sámi artists Rebecca Tornberg and Mikael Berglund will illustrate our book and adapt it into a short animated film to premiere at the Arctic Arts Summit in June 2026.
The first (International) published version of the novel will be available for sale at the Arctic Arts Summit. After the summit, the book will remain available through Tráhppie Ume Sámi Culture Center in Umeå, Sweden. We will then adapt the book into a US-domestic version and audiobook for sale through a local Alaskan publisher (to be announced).
Project Sponsors to be announced at a later date. To be notified about the project’s progress and when copies of the book will be available, please fill out this form.
Hanna Zimmerman
redaktionen@dikko.nu
Att vara en oberoende tidning kostar pengar därför använder vi oss av crowdfunding. Det innebär att människor med små eller stora summor hjälper till att finansiera vår verksamhet. Magasin DIKKOs insamlingen sker via swish: 123 242 83 40 eller bg: 5534-0046
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