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White Mountain, Alaska

Due to his mother contracting tuberculosis, he was placed in a residential school/orphanage in White Mountain, Alaska, when he was a toddler. Suuqiina lived there in the village, surrounded by his people and his culture, until he was 7 years old.



At age 7 he and his biological brother were adopted by the missionaries that ran the orphanage and they were moved to Thief River Falls, Minnesota, where they remained until he was 18.

During this time Suuqiina was cut off from his native identity and culture due to the process of forced assimilation imposed upon native children, which was accepted at that time. Through these years he excelled in sports, educational pursuits, art, and he became an accomplished concert pianist.

When he entered college as a young adult he was drawn to Native American studies where he once again connected to his lost culture through books. For a few years he traveled as a keyboard player with a rock band opening for many well-known musical groups in the early 70's. It was during this time that he had a transformative experience with Yeshua (Jesus) that altered his path in life.

He then felt called to pursue his life's work as a preacher of the Word of God and he served as a pastor for 21 years. During that time he was a founding member of The International Christian Embassy in Israel.


Suuqiina continued to pursue art and music through his bi-vocational career as a Commercial Graphic Artist, an oil painter, and as the Keyboard player in Last Generation, a Christian Rock Band.

He recorded several music albums, one in which he developed the music for and recorded with the Czechoslovakian Symphony Orchestra. He also studied with his mentor, Master Painter Scott Switzer, and was awarded first place for Best Oil Painting in the Nashville Arts League.

Along with a love for art and music, Suuqiina became a licensed private pilot and marathon runner.

He also has raised a son, Tony, and daughter Annie, with whom he remains close. Tony resides in Idaho with his wife Kim and their 4 daughters and grandson, while Annie lives in Montana with her husband Chad and their son and daughter.
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Suuqiina Part Two
Home Support Qaumaniq Ministry Tribe Artwork Store Itinerary
Copyright © 2012 - Indigenous Messengers International. All rights reserved.
Website designed and maintained by Lynn Maudlin

Home Support Qaumaniq Ministry Tribe Artwork Store Itinerary
Copyright © 2012 - Indigenous Messengers International. All rights reserved.
Website designed and maintained by Lynn Maudlin