Maggie Miller crowned Miss ANB

Last Tuesday, June 16, friends, family and community members and at least two former Miss ANBs gathered at the Mini Convention Center for the Catherine Tobuk Miss Arctic Native Brotherhood.
The event, hosted by the Arctic Native Brotherhood, or ANB for short, highlights cultural values, subsistence and the traditional dress of the participants.
Josie Bourdon, Cynthia Gray and Ashley Payenna served as judges for the two contestants, Maggie Miller and Jessica LeClair. John Handeland emceed for the short event organized by Marsha Tobuk, Catherine Tobuk’s granddaughter.
The contestants answered questions related to subsistence, traditional and cultural activities and what they hope to gain from the experience. They then slipped backstage to pull on full regalia, a difficult task considering that Nome was hot that day, with temperatures running in the 70s. A door was cracked on the side of the building to let in the breeze.
While the judges deliberated and points were tallied, Brooke Anungazuk, 2025 Miss ANB came on stage and said a few words. She told the crowd that last year, she’d been crowned Miss ANB a week before her brother passed away, and nine days later, traveled to compete at Miss WEIO, where she was the runner-up by three points. “The highs and lows and the experience helped me cope in the right ways,” she said.
Anungazuk told the attendees that the most meaningful parts of her year-long tenure as Miss ANB was giving back to the community by volunteering at schools. She finished with some advice for the next Miss ANB. “Be prepared for the heat when you’re wearing all your regalia. Most importantly, embrace every opportunity that comes your way,” she said. “This title will take you places, introduce you to amazing people and help you grow in ways you’ve never imagined.”
Then it was time to announce the new Miss ANB. Handeland announced the runner up – Jessica LeClair. “Being there’s only two of them, you know who the other one is, we would like to welcome Miss ANB 2026,” he said, welcoming Maggie Miller to the stage.
After Miller was announced, family members, former Miss ANBs and friends gathered for pictures with Miller and LeClair.
Miller’s whole performance at the pageant was tied to her family. Her traditional name is Nuġalaq, after Martha (Avessuk) Keller, who created some of the regalia she showcased. Her grandmother, Mary Miller, was the person who taught her many traditional activities. Some of her oldest memories are picking greens with her grandmother. “My grandmother was very involved in our way of life, sharing with each other, sharing with our community, our family,” she said.
When the contestants showcased their regalia, Miller came out in a red parka and sealskin slippers made by Keller, ivory earrings crafted by The Ivory Plug and an ivory bracelet made by Wilson Hoogendorn.
Miller said she’s been putting off running for Miss ANB for years. When Marsha Tobuk first urged her to run, she was grieving the loss of her father. In subsequent years, she was working on her bachelor’s degree and busy with City Council activities – Miller was elected to Council Seat B in 2023. This year, she finally made the leap, in part because she worried if she waited, she’d be up against her sister. “She’s starting to finish her degree, and I think she was going to start thinking about it,” said Miller. “I was like, ‘Man, I got to do this before she starts thinking about it.’”
Miller said while her experience on City Council was very different from her experience competing in Miss ANB, it has taught her valuable public speaking skills. “It has been a really good opportunity for me to learn about our community, or what difference can I make,” she said. “I guess they are similar in that way.”
Miller said she’s excited and nervous for her tenure as Miss ANB. “I probably wouldn’t consider doing a beauty pageant,” she said. “But because this involves our culture, and conversations around harvesting and subsistence, that was more or less the interest for me.”
Miller has had several family members compete in the pageant before, and she said that made her feel like she had support. “I have a whole community behind me, and I really feel that,” she said. “This was my first time doing anything like this, so I didn’t know what to expect.”
During her tenure as Miss ANB, Miller hopes to encourage more community gatherings, especially in the winter months. “It’s really difficult to transition from season to season, and it’s nice to have community to look to,” she said.
Miller said that her year as Miss ANB will feel short. “It’s only one year, so trying to do what I can within a year to help the program” she said. “I think a lot of this is just about service, giving back, encouraging younger girls.”