My name is Mary Anniagruk Sage. My grandparents are the late Luke Elavgak and Mary Anniagruk Saganna, and the late James and Virginia Lum. I was born in Edmonds, WA and raised in Fairbanks, AK. I moved to Barrow as a young adult to get to know my extended family and my culture. I’m a proud mother of five children - Annaqaq, Mitiktaun, Akootchok, Kivvaq and Itqiliuraq.

I graduated from Lathrop High School in Fairbanks, attended Ilisagvik College in Barrow where I earned certification in Heavy Truck Operations. I also received Bachelor of Arts in Rural Development from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. While attending UAF, I was involved in some wonderful Native student organizations such as the Native American Business Leaders/American Indian Business Leaders, the Inu-Yupiaq Eskimo Dance Group, and the Festival of Native Arts.

I’m a big supporter of Native foster parenting and adoption. I have a strong interest in learning our Inupiaq language; I have learned so much since I moved to Barrow in 1994. I traveled to New Zealand with groups representing the North Slope and Northwest areas to study the Maori language revitalization. I am deeply inspired by the Maori and I admire their hard work and successful ideas. I am also thankful for their continued support and encouragement of our goal to revitalize the Inupiaq language.

I love boating in the summer time, either to go caribou hunting down the coast, seal hunting out in the ocean, or up the rivers to check out some friends' camps. I enjoy subsistence hunting year round, and bartering with my Native friends around Alaska. I have trading partners in Shungnak and Ruby. I send them fresh whale and they send me beaver furs, muskrat furs, intricate willow photo frames, dried salmon strips and jarred salmon. I especially enjoy being able to provide my mom Esther (Saganna) Lum, who lives in Fairbanks, with her favorites - seal oil, dried caribou (like beef jerky) and fresh muktuk (skin and fat from the bowhead whale). In return, she makes dozens of sugar cookies for us to take home on the plane.