Edward Vajda - Tlingit and the Dene-Yeniseian Hypothesis Sealaska Heritage Institute 2021-02-02 | To share your feedback on our lecture series, please go ahead and fill out a short survey:surveymonkey.com/r/SHILecturesLearn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
SHI Annual Video 2023 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-10-19 | Watch highlights of some of the activities of Sealaska Heritage in 2023, including the opening of the Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus, Celebration, and more!Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Fall Lecture Series– Waking Up from the Last Ice Age Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-10-09 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture next week as part of its ongoing fall series, featuring prominent voices in Indigenous knowledge, art and culture, wildlife conservation and science.The upcoming lecture will feature Jason Briner, Ph.D., a professor of geology at the University at Buffalo, who will present his talk, “Waking Up from the Last Ice Age.”Briner’s lecture will explore how glaciers and ice sheets have shaped Southeast Alaska’s landscape over millennia. He will discuss how the most recent ice age dramatically altered sea levels, triggered cataclysmic volcanic eruptions and caused shifts in animal populations as the region’s islands were covered and uncovered by ice. The talk will include new research findings from Briner’s team of geologists and biologists, in partnership with the Tongass Forest Service, and preview ongoing studies aimed at understanding how the region’s climate has fluctuated between colder and warmer periods since the last ice age.Briner has conducted more than 40 research expeditions above the Arctic Circle, focusing on the impact of climate change on glaciers in Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Norway. He has published more than 150 papers on ice sheet dynamics and is recognized for his contributions to understanding how glaciers and ice sheets respond to climate change.The lecture is scheduled for noon, Tuesday, Oct. 8, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event will be livestreamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel.Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Mount Fairweather Dancers I Celebration 2012 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-10-03 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Fall Lecture Series– Some Unanswered Questions in Arctic Anthropology Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-10-03 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture next week as part of its ongoing fall series, featuring prominent voices in Indigenous knowledge, art and culture, wildlife conservation and science.The upcoming lecture will feature William W. Fitzhugh, Ph.D., Director of the Arctic Studies Center at the Smithsonian Institution, presenting his talk, “Some Unanswered Questions in Arctic Anthropology.”Fitzhugh’s lecture will explore the enduring mysteries of Arctic anthropology, delving into questions that have persisted since the earliest Western expeditions to the Arctic. Despite centuries of research, critical inquiries remain: Who are the Inuit? How have they and other Northern peoples not only survived but thrived in harsh environments deemed inhospitable by European explorers? What can Indigenous Arctic cultures reveal about human resilience and ingenuity?Drawing on extensive research across disciplines such as archaeology, genetics, ethnography and oral history, Fitzhugh will discuss the gaps in our understanding of Arctic peoples and their histories. His lecture will also address the increasing global importance of Arctic regions amidst climate change and shifting geopolitical interests.Fitzhugh has led archaeological projects in Northern Canada, Siberia and Mongolia, producing landmark exhibitions on northern cultures, including the Ainu of Japan and Viking art. In addition to his work at the Smithsonian, Fitzhugh serves as a senior scientist and visiting professor at Dartmouth College, contributing to global conversations on Arctic research.The lecture is scheduled for noon, Wednesday, Oct. 2, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event will be livestreamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel.Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Fall Lecture Series– Unlocking the Potential of Generative AI: An Introduction and Practical Guide Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-10-01 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture next week as part of its ongoing fall series, featuring prominent voices in Indigenous knowledge, art and culture, wildlife conservation and science.The event will feature Auryan Ratliff, director of Creative and Emerging Technologies at Arizona State University (ASU). His lecture, “Unlocking the Potential of Generative AI: An Introduction and Practical Guide,” will explore the world of artificial intelligence (AI), a groundbreaking technology revolutionizing creative industries, education and business.Ratliff will provide a high-level overview of generative AI, detailing its unique capabilities in areas such as content creation and productivity enhancement, while also highlighting how it differs from other forms of AI and machine learning.The lecturer will also address essential topics such as data quality, bias and ethical considerations in working with AI, offering a nuanced view of the complexities surrounding its use and implementation. Through real-world case studies, he will demonstrate how generative AI can be applied effectively across various sectors.Ratliff has spent nearly a decade leading teams in developing digital tools at ASU, focusing on virtual reality, augmented reality, AI and other emerging technologies. His innovative solutions have garnered widespread recognition, with projects featured by Meta and Google. Through his work, Ratliff has fostered a culture of creativity and problem-solving that has made a lasting impact on both education and technology.The lecture is scheduled for noon, Monday, Sept. 30, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event will be livestreamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel.Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Fall Lecture Series– Creating Spaces with Robert Davidson Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-09-27 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture next week as part of its ongoing fall series, featuring prominent voices in Indigenous knowledge, art and culture, wildlife conservation and science.The event will spotlight Robert Davidson, one of Canada’s most esteemed contemporary artists and a master carver of totem poles and masks. In his lecture, “Creating Spaces,” Davidson will reflect on the art of the old masters of the Northwest Coast, sharing insights into how they achieved balance and harmony through intuitive creation. He will also explore how the traditional Haida art form has evolved over generations while maintaining its integrity.Davidson has spent more than 40 years as an artist and cultural leader, producing a body of work that is recognized worldwide. Through a series of slides, he will examine how the Haida art “alphabet” has been passed down and reimagined by successive generations.The master artist will also reflect on his career — which spans several mediums, including printmaking, painting and jewelry — and his role in the ongoing renaissance of Haida art and culture. His works are featured in prestigious collections such as the National Gallery of Canada, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Vancouver Art Gallery, among others. Davidson is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Order of Canada and the National Aboriginal Achievement Award. His lecture will provide a glimpse into the artistic journey that led him to become such an influential figure in the field of Native art.The lecture is scheduled for noon, Thursday, Sept. 26, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event will be livestreamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel.Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Fall Lecture Series– The Meaning of Haida Title Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-09-26 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture next week as part of its ongoing fall series, featuring prominent voices in Indigenous knowledge, art and culture, wildlife conservation and science.The event will feature Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson, a renowned Haida artist, musician and lawyer, who will discuss the historic Gaayhllxid/Gíihlagalgang “Rising Tide” Haida Title Lands Agreement, the first agreement of its kind in Canada.In her lecture, “The Meaning of Haida Title,” Williams-Davidson will explore the decades-long journey that led to the formal recognition of the Haida Nation’s aboriginal title to Haida Gwaii. She will explain how the agreement, enacted in July 2024, goes beyond legal definitions to restore relationships between the Haida people, the land and waters of Haida Gwaii and all living beings.Williams-Davidson, who has represented the Haida Nation in litigation and negotiations since 1995, will also share her perspective on the broader implications of the agreement and its role in Indigenous legal frameworks. As the lead counsel on the Haida title case—the first to address aboriginal title to ocean regions in Canada—she will provide insight into how this milestone connects to the Haida people’s ongoing journey toward justice, or tll yahda.Additionally, Williams-Davidson will reflect on her expansive career in Indigenous law and environmental advocacy, highlighting her work on the protection of Haida Gwaii’s old-growth forests and marine ecosystems, including her successful legal challenges to the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines.Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.The lecture is scheduled for noon, Wednesday, Sept. 25, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event will be live-streamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel.Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
U.S. MILITARY OFFERS HISTORIC APOLOGY TO KAKE FOR DEVASTATING 1869 BOMBARDMENT Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-09-22 | The United States Navy will formally apologize to the village of Kake this month for its devastating bombardment of the Southeast Alaska town and its associated sites more than 150 years ago.The attack was launched in January 1869 and destroyed homes, canoes and food supplies during winter, which led to many deaths in the aftermath, especially among children and Elders who starved or died of exposure, according to Kake oral histories.In the many decades that followed, Tlingit leaders from Kake appealed in vain to the military for an apology and reparations.The recent news of an imminent apology surprised some Kake leaders who were under the impression that such a gesture was out of reach.“It’s a long time coming,” said Joel Jackson, president of the Organized Village of Kake (OVK), which is located on Kupreanof Island. “We weren’t at war with the U.S., they declared war on us. It was never anything other than the military coming and bombarding our village—there was no war. They need to make it right.”Much of the history written about the bombardment omits Tlingit oral histories and relies on the military’s accounts. The village is developing curriculum to teach children about the event and to set the record straight.Jackson hopes the apology will be a first step toward healing the intergenerational trauma caused by the military’s violence.“A lot of our people don’t even talk about it. We need to start talking about it, because we need to start healing,” he said.The event is scheduled in Kake at 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Kake Community Hall. Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will provide live stream coverage of the ceremony on its YouTube channel.The communities of Angoon and Wrangell have also sought apologies for many years from the military for the destruction of their villages that occurred in 1882 and 1869, respectively.Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Fall Lecture Series– Tsimshian Art with David A. Boxley Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-09-20 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture Thursday as part of its ongoing fall series, featuring prominent voices in Indigenous knowledge, art and culture, wildlife conservation and science.David A. Boxley, a Tsimshian carver from Metlakatla, will discuss the deep connection between traditional art forms and the cultural revitalization of the Tshimshian people in his lecture, “Tsimshian Art.”Boxley is the first Alaskan Tsimshian artist to achieve national prominence, and he has been a pivotal figure in the preservation and revitalization of Tsimshian culture, art and language. His work, which includes more than 65 totem poles carved over the past 25 years, has not only preserved the traditional methods he learned from studying ethnographic materials in museum collections but has also inspired future generations of carvers.Today, he is celebrated for teaching Shm’algyack, art and carving, and for his collaborations with his son, David R. Boxley, including the cedar house front in the foyer of the Walter Soboleff Building, believed to be the largest of its kind in the world.The house front is an original design created in traditional Tsimshian formline style and was designed to honor the master artists of the 1800s. It tells the Tsimshian story of Am’ala, the strongest man in the world. After training in icy water, receiving strength from a supernatural being and defeating many warriors and animals in battles of strength, Am’ala is given the responsibility of carrying the weight of the world.The lecture is scheduled at noon, Thursday, Sept. 19, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event will be livestreamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel.Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Fall Lecture Series– Eagle’s Journey with Raven Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-09-18 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture next week as part of its ongoing fall series, featuring prominent voices in Indigenous knowledge, science and art.The event will feature renowned Tlingit artist Preston Singletary, who will discuss his artistic journey and the fusion of traditional Tlingit art with the medium of glass.In his lecture, “Eagle’s Journey with Raven,” Singletary will explore how his career evolved from glass blowing to incorporating Tlingit designs into his sculptural work. He will share how his collaborations with Elders and teachers such as Walter Porter and Joe David expanded his knowledge of Tlingit mythologies and Native spiritual practices.Singletary will also delve into his role as an ambassador of change in the Indigenous art world, focusing on how contemporary materials such as glass can be used to tell traditional stories in new ways. He will trace his career from gallery exhibitions to large-scale public art installations, including his recent work for the Pacific Northwest Ballet.The artist will also discuss the immersive exhibit “Raven and the Box of Daylight,” a multimedia experience that has been traveling across the country since 2018. This project, which Singletary developed with guidance from Porter and curator Miranda Belarde-Lewis, is now the longest-running solo show by an Alaska Native artist.The lecture is scheduled at noon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event will be live-streamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel.Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Fall Lecture Series– Indigenous Southeast Alaskan Wolf Knowledge Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-09-13 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture this week as part of its ongoing fall series, featuring prominent voices in Indigenous knowledge, wildlife conservation and science.Jeffrey J. Brooks, Ph.D., a social scientist with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, will deliver a presentation on the integration of Indigenous knowledge into species assessments.In his lecture, “Indigenous Knowledge and Species Assessment for the Alexander Archipelago Wolf: Successes, Challenges and Lessons Learned,” Dr. Brooks will share insights from a 2022-2023 study conducted by SHI for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) during its review of a petition to list the Alexander Archipelago wolf (Canis lupus ligoni) under the Endangered Species Act.Dr. Brooks will explain how Indigenous knowledge guided the agency’s understanding of the wolves’ ecological and cultural significance. While the USFWS approached the assessment with a single-species conservation model, Indigenous experts provided a broader, community-based perspective that emphasized cultural principles such as balance and respect for all species.The lecture will address the successes achieved through blending these knowledge systems and discuss challenges, including how regulatory timeframes limited the ability to fully incorporate Indigenous knowledge into the review process. Dr. Brooks will propose recommendations for future collaborations between federal agencies and Indigenous experts, advocating for co-developed frameworks that equitably reflect both perspectives.The lecture is scheduled at noon, Thursday, Sept. 12, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event will be livestreamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel. This is the second of two lectures on this project, following co-author and Indigenous knowledge expert Dr. Stephen J. Langdon on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Fall Lecture Series– Indigenous Southeast Alaskan Wolf Knowledge Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-09-11 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture next week as part of its ongoing fall series that highlights prominent voices in Indigenous knowledge, wildlife conservation and science.The second talk in the series will focus on the rich and complex Indigenous knowledge of Southeast Alaskan wolves, presented by Dr. Stephen J. Langdon, a professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of Alaska Anchorage and SHI research fellow. The presentation, “Indigenous Southeast Alaskan Wolf Knowledge—Observational and Interactive Knowledge Provided by Indigenous Experts and Its Significance,” will cover the relationship between wolves and Indigenous communities across Southeast Alaska. Dr. Langdon will share findings from rapid assessment research on Indigenous knowledge conducted through SHI at the request of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Drawing from interviews with Indigenous experts spanning Yakutat to Metlakatla, Dr. Langdon will explore the wolves’ cultural importance and the observational and interactive knowledge gained through diverse engagements, such as hunting, trapping and wilderness treks. The lecture will also highlight the relationships between wolves, prey and their environment, with a focus on the principle of balance, which seeks conditions beneficial to all participants in the ecosystem.Findings from this research were incorporated into a 2023 species status assessment under the Endangered Species Act, influencing the USFWS’s decision not to list the Alexander Archipelago wolf as endangered.The research was groundbreaking in that a federal agency turned to Native people to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into the study. The department reached out to SHI to collaborate on the project based on its record of research in Southeast Alaska. Through SHI, Dr. Langdon conducted interviews with expert wolf hunters and trappers in Craig, Haines, Hydaburg, Kake, Ketchikan, Klawock, Klukwan and Yakutat.After weighing both Western science and Indigenous knowledge, the agency found that the listing of the Alexander Archipelago wolf under the Endangered Species Act was not warranted.“As Native people who have been on this land for more than 10,000 years, we are happy to see scientists tapping Indigenous knowledge in an effort to better understand our homeland,” said SHI President Rosita Worl.Dr. Langdon’s talk is the first of two lectures on this project. Dr. Jeffery Brooks, who co-authored the final report along with the Indigenous knowledge experts, will speak on the topic on Thursday, Sept. 12.The lecture is scheduled at noon, Tuesday, Sept. 10, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event will be livestreamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel.Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Fall Lecture Series– TALK ON SUBMERGED ARCHAEOLOGY, ADVANCED UNDERWATER ROBOTICS Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-09-05 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture this week as part of its ongoing fall series featuring leading voices in Indigenous knowledge, conservation and science. The first talk will be an in-depth discussion on submerged archaeology and advanced robotic exploration. The session will be led by Kelly Monteleone, Ph.D., an underwater anthropologist at SHI and adjunct professor at the University of Calgary, and Kristof Richmond, Ph.D., chief technology officer at Sunfish, Inc., a robotics company specializing in undersea exploration and inspection.The presentation, “Our Submerged Past: Exploring Inundated Late Pleistocene Caves in Southeast Alaska with SUNFISH®,” will delve into the archaeological potential of Southeast Alaska’s submerged caves and rock shelters, which were exposed during the last glacial period over 10,000 years ago.Monteleone will share insights from her work using advanced sonar and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) surveys, which have identified over 80 high-potential cave sites. The research highlights evidence of early human habitation, reinforcing theories about ancient migration routes in the region.Richmond will discuss the role of the SUNFISH® autonomous underwater vehicle, a cutting-edge robotic system used to navigate and map these challenging underwater environments. SUNFISH®’s precision mapping and sampling capabilities were crucial to exploring submerged sites west of Prince of Wales Island in 2023, providing valuable data and expanding our understanding of Southeast Alaska’s prehistoric past.The lecture is scheduled at noon, Wednesda, Sept. 4, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event will be livestreamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel.This project is supported by NOAA Ocean Exploration Grant #NA21OAR0110198.Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.All lectures will be held in-person at noon (Alaska time) at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the series on YouTube, where the recordings will be viewable immediately after. Viewers are encouraged to pose questions in-person and online.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Koowutyas.ein X̱’ayáx̱ Á: The Teachings of Daniel Brown I Sealaska Heritage Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-06-27 | It is hard to define the importance and value of cultural connections in public education and in our communities. Koowutyas.ein, Daniel Brown, understood this on a deep and personal level. Over several years he inspired love and appreciation for the Teiḵweidí clan, Tlingit people and Tlingit aaní (land) through frequent visits to the Auke Bay classroom of teacher Angie Wright. This student directed project honors the teaching and life of Daniel Brown. It was produced through SHI’s program Sharing our Stories: Voices on the Land, which provides literacy-based, artist residencies in 4th and 5th grade classrooms with Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian languages and cultural values forming the basis of instruction. Through the program, students integrate visual, performing, and digital arts with traditional knowledge and learn to create videos such as this one. Through a collaboration with SHI, project director Linda Frame, 5th grade students, and Wright worked with filmmaker Scott Burton to produce this mini documentary. The students were integral to the project, as they operated cameras, and conducted and gave interviews, and assisted with postproduction. We think that together they created a gem that allows people to witness the magic that happens when cultural icons such as Daniel Brown weave Tlingit culture into schools. Through his teachings you will see that Daniel, who passed away in 2023, provided more than stories and songs. He left behind a legacy of cultural connection that inspired these students. We hope it will inspire you too.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Celebration 2024 | Day 4 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-06-09 | Watch our live stream of Celebration 2024, a major dance-and-culture festival organized by Sealaska Heritage Institute every two years. First held in 1982, Celebration has become the one of the largest events in the state, drawing thousands of people and millions of dollars to Juneau. It’s a time when Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people come together to celebrate their cultural survival and to share their cultures with the public. The Celebration 2024 art was designed by Tlingit artist G̱at X̱wéech (Nick Alan Foote), who won with his piece “Sacred Embrace,” which was inspired by the 2024 theme, “Together We Live in Balance.”Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Celebration 2024 | Day 3 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-06-08 | Watch our live stream of Celebration 2024, a major dance-and-culture festival organized by Sealaska Heritage Institute every two years. First held in 1982, Celebration has become the one of the largest events in the state, drawing thousands of people and millions of dollars to Juneau. It’s a time when Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people come together to celebrate their cultural survival and to share their cultures with the public. The Celebration 2024 art was designed by Tlingit artist G̱at X̱wéech (Nick Alan Foote), who won with his piece “Sacred Embrace,” which was inspired by the 2024 theme, “Together We Live in Balance.”Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Celebration 2024 | Day 2 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-06-07 | Watch our live stream of Celebration 2024, a major dance-and-culture festival organized by Sealaska Heritage Institute every two years. First held in 1982, Celebration has become the one of the largest events in the state, drawing thousands of people and millions of dollars to Juneau. It’s a time when Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people come together to celebrate their cultural survival and to share their cultures with the public. The Celebration 2024 art was designed by Tlingit artist G̱at X̱wéech (Nick Alan Foote), who won with his piece “Sacred Embrace,” which was inspired by the 2024 theme, “Together We Live in Balance.”Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Celebration 2024 | Day 1 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-06-06 | Watch our live stream of Celebration 2024, a major dance-and-culture festival organized by Sealaska Heritage Institute every two years. First held in 1982, Celebration has become the one of the largest events in the state, drawing thousands of people and millions of dollars to Juneau. It’s a time when Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people come together to celebrate their cultural survival and to share their cultures with the public. The Celebration 2024 art was designed by Tlingit artist G̱at X̱wéech (Nick Alan Foote), who won with his piece “Sacred Embrace,” which was inspired by the 2024 theme, “Together We Live in Balance.”Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Triangle Fringe Earrings Class with Ranelle Hinchman Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-04-20 | Jewelry Making with Ranelle Hinchman Saturday, April 20th at 6pm.Come learn how to make beaded earrings with SHI's Demonstrating Artist Ranelle Hinchman at Atnané Hít!Ranelle's Tlingit name is L’ux Shawaat (Coho Lady), and her English name is Ranelle Hinchman. She is Raven moiety, of the L’uknax.ádi Clan, and her clan house is X’áakw yádi Hít (Small Freshwater Coho House).Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Sheetka Kwaan Dancers 2022 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-04-19 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
SEVENTH ANNUAL TRADITIONAL ALASKAN GAMES I Day 2 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-04-08 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is proud to present The seventh annual Traditional Alaskan Games will kick off this Friday in Juneau for athletes from 29 teams across Alaska, Canada and the Lower 48.More than 260 middle school, high school, college and adult athletes from more than 20 communities will compete in 12 events that are based on ancient hunting and survival skills of Indigenous people.The event will feature visiting teams from Seattle and Whitehorse and from across Alaska, including Hoonah, Metlakatla, Ketchikan, Sitka, Petersburg, Kake, Klawock, Thorne Bay, Anchorage, Seward, Sterling, Homer, Chickaloon Village, Utqiagvik and Nome. Students will represent teams from across the University of Alaska system, as well as Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas.It will also feature Juneau teams from Dzántik’i Héeni Middle School, Floyd Dryden Middle School, Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé, Thunder Mountain High School, Yaaḵoosgé Daakahídi High School, University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) and the Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy Program.The games are different from most other sports in that athletes competing against one another in the same events also encourage each other to reach new personal bests. Coaches give helpful tips and guidance to athletes from opposing teams.The result is an uncommon comradery and respect among athletes who find a new network of supporters and friends through the games.Coach Kyle Worl, who resurrected a high school team in Juneau after a near 30-year lull, has competed in the games for the past 16 years and describes it as a “life-changing experience.”“The games helped build my confidence. I felt like I belonged, and that Native identity was acknowledged and embraced. It was a way to connect with my culture and come out of my shell,” said Worl, a Tlingit tribal member. Worl explained that Juneau’s event is open to parents and adults and that non-Native athletes are also welcome to compete.The free event is scheduled from 5:30-9 pm on Friday, April 5; 9 am-6 pm on Saturday, April 6; and 9 am-5 pm on Sunday, April 7 at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. Event organizers are looking for volunteers. To volunteer, register here or contact Coach Kyle Worl at kworl@tlingitandhaida.gov or 907.227.4998.The games will be livestreamed from noon to 6 pm, Saturday, April 6, and from 11 am to 5 pm, Sunday, April 7, on Sealaska Heritage Institute’s YouTube channel which will be accessible through the Traditional Games website. Spectators are also welcome to attend in person at Juneau-Douglas Yadaa.at Kalé High School at 1639 Glacier Ave. in Juneau.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
THE SEVENTH ANNUAL TRADITIONAL ALASKAN GAMES I Sealaska Heritage Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-04-07 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is proud to present the seventh annual Traditional Alaskan Games will kick off this Friday in Juneau for athletes from 29 teams across Alaska, Canada and the Lower 48.More than 260 middle school, high school, college and adult athletes from more than 20 communities will compete in 12 events that are based on ancient hunting and survival skills of Indigenous people.The event will feature visiting teams from Seattle and Whitehorse and from across Alaska, including Hoonah, Metlakatla, Ketchikan, Sitka, Petersburg, Kake, Klawock, Thorne Bay, Anchorage, Seward, Sterling, Homer, Chickaloon Village, Utqiagvik and Nome. Students will represent teams from across the University of Alaska system, as well as Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas.It will also feature Juneau teams from Dzántik’i Héeni Middle School, Floyd Dryden Middle School, Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé, Thunder Mountain High School, Yaaḵoosgé Daakahídi High School, University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) and the Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy Program.The games are different from most other sports in that athletes competing against one another in the same events also encourage each other to reach new personal bests. Coaches give helpful tips and guidance to athletes from opposing teams.The result is an uncommon comradery and respect among athletes who find a new network of supporters and friends through the games.Coach Kyle Worl, who resurrected a high school team in Juneau after a near 30-year lull, has competed in the games for the past 16 years and describes it as a “life-changing experience.”“The games helped build my confidence. I felt like I belonged, and that Native identity was acknowledged and embraced. It was a way to connect with my culture and come out of my shell,” said Worl, a Tlingit tribal member. Worl explained that Juneau’s event is open to parents and adults and that non-Native athletes are also welcome to compete.The free event is scheduled from 5:30-9 pm on Friday, April 5; 9 am-6 pm on Saturday, April 6; and 9 am-5 pm on Sunday, April 7 at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. Event organizers are looking for volunteers. To volunteer, register here or contact Coach Kyle Worl at kworl@tlingitandhaida.gov or 907.227.4998.The games will be livestreamed from noon to 6 pm, Saturday, April 6, and from 11 am to 5 pm, Sunday, April 7, on Sealaska Heritage Institute’s YouTube channel which will be accessible through the Traditional Games website. Spectators are also welcome to attend in person at Juneau-Douglas Yadaa.at Kalé High School at 1639 Glacier Ave. in Juneau.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Scholar to Teacher – Building your Mentor Team with Neelaatughaa Anna Clock Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-03-23 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a free lecture series on the challenges and successes faced by language students learning Lingít (Tlingit), X̱aad Kíl (Haida) and Shm’algyack (Tsimshian).The series, “Honoring Our Ancestors and Future Generations” (Haa Shuká in Tlingit; Íitl’ Kuníisii in Haida and Na Łagigyetgm in Tsimshian), is part of an effort to unite language learners and culture leaders so they can focus on language instruction, programs and resources available to students.Friday, March 22Neelaatughaa Anna Clock: Scholar to Teacher – Building your Mentor TeamNeelaatughaa Anna Clock is a Tlingit language teacher and a former student of SHI’s Language Scholars program. She teaches the Tlingit language at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She also hosts an online study group, transcribes, and translates recordings from Tlingit to English and creates instructional videos of her own. In 2022, Anna completed her Indigenous Teaching Certificate in Tlingit as an SHI Language Scholar.“We have learned through our ongoing Language Scholars program for Lingít, X̱aad Kíl and Shm’algyack students that the journey has its challenges. We want to support our students and ease their way, as the work they are doing is so important to revitalizing our ancient languages,” said Dr. Rosita Ḵaaháni Worl, president of SHI.Lecturers will share the challenges and successes of their work to demonstrate to other language learners what is possible and to assure them they are not alone.All lectures will be held in-person at noon (Alaska time) at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the series on YouTube, where the recordings will be viewable immediately after. Viewers are encouraged to pose questions in-person and online.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Enduring Language Work has Its Rewards with Dag Júus Robert Yates Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-03-20 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a free lecture series on the challenges and successes faced by language students learning Lingít (Tlingit), X̱aad Kíl (Haida) and Shm’algyack (Tsimshian).The series, “Honoring Our Ancestors and Future Generations” (Haa Shuká in Tlingit; Íitl’ Kuníisii in Haida and Na Łagigyetgm in Tsimshian), is part of an effort to unite language learners and culture leaders so they can focus on language instruction, programs and resources available to students.Tuesday, March 19Dag Júus Robert Yates: Enduring Language Work has its RewardsDag Júus Robert Yates is a Haida language teacher and a former student of SHI’s language scholars’ program, through which he completed his Indigenous Teaching Certificate in Haida. Since then, he has been teaching community classes through Outer Coast and Tlingit and Haida Central Council. He has also taught Beginning Haida language classes through UAS.“We have learned through our ongoing Language Scholars program for Lingít, X̱aad Kíl and Shm’algyack students that the journey has its challenges. We want to support our students and ease their way, as the work they are doing is so important to revitalizing our ancient languages,” said Dr. Rosita Ḵaaháni Worl, president of SHI.Lecturers will share the challenges and successes of their work to demonstrate to other language learners what is possible and to assure them they are not alone.All lectures will be held in-person at noon (Alaska time) at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the series on YouTube, where the recordings will be viewable immediately after. Viewers are encouraged to pose questions in-person and online.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Honoring Our Ancestors and Future Generations Language Lecture with Skíl Jáadei Linda Schrack Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-03-15 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a free lecture series on the challenges and successes faced by language students learning Lingít (Tlingit), X̱aad Kíl (Haida) and Shm’algyack (Tsimshian).The series, “Honoring Our Ancestors and Future Generations” (Haa Shuká in Tlingit; Íitl’ Kuníisii in Haida and Na Łagigyetgm in Tsimshian), is part of an effort to unite language learners and culture leaders so they can focus on language instruction, programs and resources available to students.Thursday, March 14Skíl Jáadei Linda Schrack: Honoring Our Speakers: Past, Present, and FutureSkíl Jáadei Linda Schrack is a Haida language teacher and an assistant professor of Alaska Native languages at UAS. She has been teaching the Haida language at the university since 2014 and holds a Master of Arts in Indigenous languages and linguistics from Simon Fraser University. Skíl Jáadei worked for the Ketchikan Indian Community Johnson O’Malley program beginning in 2006. In 2008, she initiated the program’s shift from a culture and arts focus to Tlingit, Tsimshian and Haida language mentor-apprentice programming. While Haida is Skíl Jáadei’s focus, she continually advocates for Tsimshian and Tlingit languages and culture.“We have learned through our ongoing Language Scholars program for Lingít, X̱aad Kíl and Shm’algyack students that the journey has its challenges. We want to support our students and ease their way, as the work they are doing is so important to revitalizing our ancient languages,” said Dr. Rosita Ḵaaháni Worl, president of SHI.Lecturers will share the challenges and successes of their work to demonstrate to other language learners what is possible and to assure them they are not alone.All lectures will be held in-person at noon (Alaska time) at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the series on YouTube, where the recordings will be viewable immediately after. Viewers are encouraged to pose questions in-person and online.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Dan Brown Stories Day 2 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-03-11 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Dan Brown migration Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-03-11 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
The Man Who Married A Bear Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-03-11 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Sayéik Ocean Guardians I 2023 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-03-05 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
HISTORIC CHILKAT ROBE WELCOME HOME CEREMONY Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-03-02 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will hold a public ceremony this week to welcome home a historic naaxein (Chilkat robe) that was purchased by six people in the Lower 48 and donated to the institute.The ceremony will include a special recognition of the donors, Bob and Rita Moore, Nancy Kovalik, Martha and Eugene Nester, Ashley Verplank McClelland and Kathryn Bunn-Marcuse; and the weavers who assisted in securing its return, including Evelyn Vanderhoop, Wooshkindein Da.Aat Lily Hope and Mangyepsa Gyipaayg Kandi McGilton.The event will also include a traditional Spirit Dance to welcome it home and bring life back into the robe.The ceremony is scheduled for 12 pm on Friday, March 1 in the clan house at SHI’s Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the event. The public is welcome to attend.Six people in the Lower 48 have purchased an historic naaxein (Chilkat robe) at auction and donated it to Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI), where it can be studied by artists to perpetuate this ancient and endangered art form.The robe, estimated to be at least 150 years of age by the highly esteemed Haida Chilkat weaver Evelyn Vanderhoop, has great historical significance because its design appeared on the first robe of its kind traded from the Tsimshian to the Chilkat Tlingits in Klukwan, she said.“The history of the robe and the honor this design continues to receive from the Chilkat people make this a very valuable acquisition,” Vanderhoop said.SHI President Rosita Worl, a Chilkat Tlingit from Klukwan, called the donation a wonderful gift.“We are grateful and indebted to the people who came together to make this extraordinary donation to SHI. Our ancestor is coming home to teach our weavers about this ancient art form and design. This is a joyous occasion for us,” Worl said. The Tsimshian people pioneered the technique of Chilkat weaving, one of the most difficult and complex art forms in the world. After the Klukwan Tlingits acquired that first robe, Chilkat women took it apart and learned how to weave the robes themselves, said Worl, an anthropologist. The weavers were so prolific, the blankets became known as Chilkat robes.SHI staff became aware the robe was for sale through MBA Seattle Auction House, but its $39,000 price put it beyond the nonprofit’s reach.That’s when a perfect storm ensued. Three weavers, including Vanderhoop, Lily Hope and Kandi McGilton, contacted Dr. Kathryn Bunn-Marcuse, the curator of Northwest Native art at the Burke Museum in Washington, searching for a way to stop the robe from returning to private hands, where it had lived for many years. Together, they encouraged a small group of donors to purchase the robe and donate it to SHI so that it would be accessible to Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people for study in perpetuity.“I think the redeeming part about the story is that all of us can work together to make these good things happen,” said Bunn-Marcuse. “We can come together across different institutions and communities to make sure that historical creations are accessible to contemporary artists and community members.”Two of the donors, Bob and Rita Moore, have a deep connection to SHI. They attended SHI’s biennial Celebration for the first time in 2014 and have gone to every event since (except 2020, when it was virtual due to the pandemic). They’ve also made contributions to SHI that included funds to establish SHI’s Walter Soboleff Building and its Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus, among other donations.It was important to them to help return the robe to the people who pioneered and perpetuated the art form.“In learning about Northwest Coast Indigenous art, we have become aware that many of the historic items currently in non-Indigenous hands were at best sold under duress, and at worst outright stolen. So, we are delighted to help bring a culturally important object like this robe back to the people it came from,” Bob Moore said.Other donors included Nancy Kovalik, Martha and Eugene Nester and Ashley Verplank McClelland.Tlingit weaver and teacher Lily Hope said she is grateful that another handwoven teacher is coming home."My students and I look to historic Chilkat works for technical mastery, inspiration and permission to allow flaws. We're looking forward to visiting with her when she arrives," Hope said.SHI will livestream the ceremony to welcome the robe home and bring the spirits back to life. The ceremony will be held in-person at noon (Alaska time) at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the series on its YouTube and save the talks on its channel immediately after. Viewers are encouraged to pose questions in-person and online.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Ed Thomas Lecture Sealaska Heritage Institute 2024-01-31 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
The Historical Context of Alaska Native Leadership, with Edward K. Thomas - Walter Soboleff Day Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-11-15 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a free lecture next week on Alaska Native leadership from the late 1800s to modern times in honor of Walter Soboleff Day.In his talk, Hall of Famers in History: Decades of Leadership, longtime Tlingit leader Edward K. Thomas will lay out how tribal relations to the United States have changed over the decades.“It is helpful to match our Native leaders to the timeframe in which they did their outstanding work addressing the challenges that faced Native people at that time,” Thomas wrote.About the LecturerEd Thomas was born and raised in Craig, Alaska, where he graduated from high school in 1960. He began his college education at Sheldon Jackson College earning his associate in science degree and then went on to earn his Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. In 1974, he accepted a fellowship from Pennsylvania State University where he earned his master’s in education administration.Thomas began his 25-year commercial fishing career as a cook at the age of 13 on the FV Verness of Klawock. He would go on to skipper a seine boat and later a power troller; he currently owns a hand troller permit.Thomas taught junior high school and coached the boy’s junior high basketball team in Klawock, Alaska, for a year. He was a high school counselor and coached the boy’s junior high basketball team in Craig, Alaska, and served as the Indian Studies student counselor for the Sitka School District. He also served as the executive director of the Indian Education Program in Ketchikan for nine years.Thomas has been the president emeritus of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit Haida Central Council) since April 2008. He served as president of the tribe from October 1984 until April 2007, was re-elected in 2010 and officially retired in 2014. He served on the Sealaska Corporation board of directors from 1993 to 2020 and is the chairman of the Sealaska Timber Corporation board in addition to a variety of other positions and responsibilities he fulfills.All lectures will be held in-person at noon (Alaska time) at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the series on its YouTube and save the talks on its channel immediately after. Viewers are encouraged to pose questions in-person and online.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
The U.S. Army’s 1869 Bombardment and Terrorization of the Tlingit Villages I Lecture Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-11-08 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture on the 1869 bombardment of the Tlingit Villages of Ḵaachx̱haan.áak’w (Wrangell), Ḵéex̱' Ḵwáan (Kake), and Xutsnoowú Ḵwáan (Angoon), in honor of Native American Heritage Month. Presented by Zachary Jones, Ph.D., the lecture will be given at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the Walter Soboleff Building and live streamed on SHI’s YouTube channel. The presentation is free and open to the public.Jones’ lecture, entitled The U.S. Army’s 1869 Bombardment and Terrorization of the Tlingit Villages of Ḵaachx̱haan.áak’w, Kéex̱ Kwáan, and Xutsnoowú Kwán, overviews the U.S. Army’s 1869 terrorization and attack of individuals from the various Alaska Native communities, part of present-day Wrangell, Kake, and Angoon.Wrangell BombingIn December 1869 soldiers from Fort Wrangell shot individuals, used artillery on civilian houses, issued threats and ultimatums, and executed a community religious leader, Jones wrote in an abstract. The Tlingit took action to protect its civilian population, fight back, and deescalate the situation through negotiation. This story touches on the problems of military governance, the notion of invasion and occupation by a foreign power, the results of cross-cultural miscommunication, and the illegalities of military action.Kake BombingIn Febraury of 1869, three Kake village sites and two forts were totally destroyed by the military. After the shelling, the soldiers went ashore and found each site to be deserted. They proceeded to set fire to the villages and destroyed all of the canoes and food supplies. Angoon BombingIn 1882, after the accidental death of a respected Tlingit shaman, Teel' Tlein, the Tlingit detained two white crew members, seeking 200 blankets as compensation. The whaling superintendent claimed Angoon residents were rebelling. Reacting, US Navy's Commander Merriman demanded 400 blankets and threatened Angoon's destruction. The Tlingit provided only 81 blankets, leading Merriman to destroy the village, resulting in six children's deaths and near-starvation for villagers that winter. All lectures will be held in-person at noon (Alaska time) at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the series on its YouTube and save the talks on its channel immediately after. Viewers are encouraged to pose questions in-person and online.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Klawock River and Estuary Fish Traps I Sealaska Heritage Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-24 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Intertidal Fish Traps Unnamed Beach and Fern Point branded Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-24 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Houghtaling 2023 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-17 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Kaxdigoowu Heén Elementary I 2022-23 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-17 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Mendenhall River Community School I 2022-23 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-17 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Craig Elementary I 2023 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-17 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Klawock I 2023 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-17 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Point Higgins I 2023 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-17 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Sít Eetí Shaanáx: Glacier Valley 4th Grade I 2022 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-17 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Sít Eetí Shaanáx: Glacier Valley 5th grade 2022 Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-17 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Voices On The Land I 2023: Craig Elementary Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-17 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Yaakwdaat we hold each other up Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-17 | Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Kootéeyaa Deiyí -Totem Pole Trail Sharing Our History Documentary Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-16 | This is documentary highlights the installation of the first 12 of 30 totems for Totem Pole Trail, an initiative launched in 2021 through a $2.9 million grant from the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project. The Monuments Project is an unprecedented $250 million commitment by the Mellon Foundation to transform the nation’s commemorative landscape.Through this grant, SHI hired 10 Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian artists, including TJ and Joe Young of Hydaburg, Jon Rowan of Klawock, David R. Boxley of Metlakatla, Nathan and Stephen Jackson of Saxman, Nicholas Galanin and Tommy Joseph of Sitka, Robert Mills of Kake and Mick Beasley of Juneau. Haida artist Warren Peele was also hired to make a totem pole for the project in 2022 through a grant from the Denali Commission. TJ Young made two of the poles for the project.The Mellon grant also funded apprentices to mentor with each of the artists.“We discovered through this process that there aren’t a lot of master artist Northwest Coast totem pole carvers. SHI’s Native Artist Committee considers a person a master artist totem pole carver if he/she has carved at least five totem poles. With the limited number of master totem pole carvers, the mentor-apprentice arrangement became a vital component of the project," Worl said.“These indigenous master carvers and artists have made even more visible the stories and cultural legacies of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples to all who experience Southeast Alaska,” said Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Mellon Foundation. “The Totem Trail, together with other vital community commemorative efforts across the United States, is re-shaping our understanding of monuments and memorials to better reflect the complexity and multiplicity of histories in our country. We are deeply honored to support this work in Juneau.”The totem poles will be an entry point from the waterfront to Heritage Square, a space encompassing the intersection of Seward and Front Streets and surrounding area that was named by the city in 2018. Each totem pole will eventually feature a corresponding story board that identifies the clan, crests and information related to the artwork. Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
The Canadian Legacy of Indian Residential Schools: A personal narrative, Dr. Georgina Martin Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-10-14 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a free lecture this month on Canada’s controversial residential school system, which was comprised of government-sponsored religious schools established to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture.In her talk, The Canadian Legacy of Indian Residential Schools: A personal narrative, Dr. Georgina Martin will discuss the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that was established by Canada’s federal government in 2008 to investigate the harms inflicted upon Indigenous people by the residential schools and their assimilation policies.The TRC opened the door for residential school survivors to tell their stories and share their truth, Martin wrote.“Reconciliation is meant to establish and maintain trusting relationships. I will provide a historical overview and where we are in the relationship.”The residential school system officially operated from the 1880s into the closing decades of the 20th century. The system forcibly separated children from their families for extended periods of time and forbade them to acknowledge their Indigenous heritage and culture or to speak their own languages, according to the University of British Columbia.All lectures will be held in-person at noon (Alaska time) at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the series on its YouTube and save the talks on its channel immediately after. Viewers are encouraged to pose questions in-person and online.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Yoo Dzi.áx̱k Haa Jiyís: It Echoes For Us: Music Through Lingít in Elementary Schools in Áakʼw Ḵwáan Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-09-27 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has expanded its free lecture series on Southeast Alaska Native languages to include additional talks in September.In the lectures, guest speakers focus on the challenges faced by language students learning Lingít (Tlingit), X̱aad Kíl (Haida) and Sm'algyax (Tsimshian).The series, Strengthening our Community, is part of an effort to offer tools to students to work through issues they might encounter while studying languages.“We have learned through our ongoing language scholars program for Lingít, X̱aad Kíl and Sm'algyax students that the journey has its challenges. We want to support our students and ease their way, as the work they are doing is so important to revitalizing our ancient languages,” said Dr. Rosita Worl, president of SHI.All lectures will be held in-person at noon (Alaska time) at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the series on its YouTube and save the talks on its channel immediately after. Viewers are encouraged to pose questions in-person and online.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Strengthening our Community Lecture Series: Alfie Price | Sealaska Heritage Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-09-22 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has expanded its free lecture series on Southeast Alaska Native languages to include additional talks in September.In the lectures, guest speakers focus on the challenges faced by language students learning Lingít (Tlingit), X̱aad Kíl (Haida) and Sm'algyax (Tsimshian).The series, Strengthening our Community, is part of an effort to offer tools to students to work through issues they might encounter while studying languages.“We have learned through our ongoing language scholars program for Lingít, X̱aad Kíl and Sm'algyax students that the journey has its challenges. We want to support our students and ease their way, as the work they are doing is so important to revitalizing our ancient languages,” said Dr. Rosita Worl, president of SHI.All lectures will be held in-person at noon (Alaska time) at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the series on its YouTube and save the talks on its channel immediately after. Viewers are encouraged to pose questions in-person and online.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
Strengthening our Community Lecture Series:• Daaljini Mary Cruise | Sealaska Heritage Sealaska Heritage Institute 2023-09-13 | Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has expanded its free lecture series on Southeast Alaska Native languages to include additional talks in September.In the lectures, guest speakers focus on the challenges faced by language students learning Lingít (Tlingit), X̱aad Kíl (Haida) and Sm'algyax (Tsimshian).The series, Strengthening our Community, is part of an effort to offer tools to students to work through issues they might encounter while studying languages.“We have learned through our ongoing language scholars program for Lingít, X̱aad Kíl and Sm'algyax students that the journey has its challenges. We want to support our students and ease their way, as the work they are doing is so important to revitalizing our ancient languages,” said Dr. Rosita Worl, president of SHI.All lectures will be held in-person at noon (Alaska time) at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the series on its YouTube and save the talks on its channel immediately after. Viewers are encouraged to pose questions in-person and online.Learn more about Sealaska Heritage here: sealaskaheritage.orgfacebook.com/SHInstituteinstagram.com/shinstitutetwitter.com/SHInstitute
