Latest posts
The raising of the totem pole raising in Massett in 1969
The renowned master artist Robert Davidson sometimes submits pieces for SHI's blog. This month, news of a new documentary on a totem pole raising in Old Massett in 1969 came out. The film, Now is the Time, explores the raising of a pole carved by Davidson and his brother, Reg. Robert wrote this blog to provide [...]
Latseen Northwest Coast Art and Leadership Academy – July 7-18, 2019
Alaska Native high school students immersed themselves in culturally-based education and leadership training on the ancestral territory of the Áak’w Ḵwáan during Sealaska Heritage’s Latseen Art & Leadership academy, held in partnership with Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (CCTHITA) and in collaboration with Goldbelt Heritage Foundation. A total of 30 students participated [...]
Q & A with Rosita Worl: What is the proper response when a clan performs Spirit Song?
At Sealaska Heritage, we field a lot of questions from the public, researchers and the media about Northwest Coast cultures. This question addresses a question we've fielded numerous times. Question: What is the proper response when a clan performs a Spirit Song? SHI President Rosita Worl: George Keiḵóok’ Jim of the Wooshkeetaan Clan and L’uknax̱.ádi yádi addressed this question at the [...]
Lingit, Xaad Kíl and Sm’algyax language teams launch Haa Shuká journey
By Katrina Hotch, SHI Language Project Coordinator Language teams gathered at Sealaska Heritage Institute April 6-8 for orientation and training to begin their involvement in the Haa Shuká Community Language Learning Project. The Haa Shuká project builds on Sealaska Heritage’s previous Tlingit Mentor-Apprentice Program and has expanded to include Xaad Kíl and Sm’algyax languages. (Hydaburg [...]
Photo essay: a peek into one of SHI’s Baby Raven Reads family events
Sealaska Heritage sponsors Baby Raven Reads, a program that promotes early literacy, language development and school readiness. The program is for Alaska Native families with children up to age 5. Among other things, events include family events at the Walter Soboleff Building clan house, where families are invited to join us for storytelling, songs, and [...]
Learning about regional history through Tlingit art
New third grade lesson plan on Tlingit-Russian Battles of Sitka includes study of Tlingit helmets Third grade students in all six Juneau elementary schools will be broadening their understanding of regional history over the coming weeks through an art-based lesson plan designed to accompany district curriculum. Led by Juneau School District Art Specialist Nancy Lehnhart, [...]
Photo essay: a peek into one of SHI’s skin sewing classes
Since time immemorial, our ancestors have lived off of the land—taking trees for dugout canoes and clan houses, roots and bark for baskets and fish and animals for nourishment. And we’ve used skins and furs to make regalia, moccasins and other pieces. In recent years, we were in danger of losing our ancient knowledge on [...]
It’s time. Nix Columbus Day for Indigenous Peoples Day.
By Rosita Worl President, Sealaska Heritage Institute As a child in school, I was taught that Christopher Columbus discovered America. As a Tlingit who was raised to know Native people have been here since time immemorial, the curriculum was baffling to say the least. The celebration of Columbus Day is a black mark against Native [...]
Rising stars in language revitalization spearhead new language committee
The first meeting of Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Southeast Regional Language Committee began Friday morning with traditional introductions by the committee’s three members: Lance Twitchell, who spoke in Lingít (Tlingit language), Gavin Hudson, who spoke in Sm'algyax (Tsimshian language), and Benjamin Young, who spoke in Xaad Kíl (Haida language). Hearing the three young men express themselves [...]
SHI, UAS weaving language and culture training into public schools
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) and the University of Alaska Southeast’s PITAAS (Preparing Indigenous Teachers and Administrators for Alaska Schools) program co-hosted a series of presentations for UAS faculty at the Walter Soboleff Building Thursday as part of an ongoing partnership designed to provide cultural training for Alaska teachers. Thunder Mountain principal Dan Larson, assistant principal [...]
Elder reveals the history, knowledge embedded in Tlingit place names
Students from Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School were given an opportunity to learn about traditional Tlingit place names Friday morning at the Walter Soboleff Building as part of Sealaska Heritage’s Telling Our Stories: Voices on the Land program. As Tlingit elder David Katzeek shared his knowledge of place names, he helped students understand what those names [...]
A win for Alaska’s School of Education at UAS
By Rosita Worl President, Sealaska Heritage Institute On Dec. 14, the University of Alaska Board of Regents voted unanimously to keep the University of Alaska Southeast School of Education at that campus, rather than moving it to Fairbanks. The move came after UA President Jim Johnsen amended his recommendation during a special Board of Regents [...]
Mentor-apprentice program wraps up
Participants in SHI’s Tlingit language mentor-apprentice program met Saturday at the Walter Soboleff Building to close out the project and assess its success at the end of its three-year term. The program, funded through an Administration for Native Americans (ANA) grant that ends December 30, has paired fluent Tlingit speakers with advanced language students to [...]
Tlingit weaver Clarissa Rizal passes away
The world has lost another luminary. It is with great sadness that we note the passing of the renowned Chilkat and Ravenstail weaver Clarissa Rizal, a Raven of the T’akdeintaan (black-legged Kittywake) Clan. Not so long ago, we were in danger of losing the knowledge on how to make our sacred Chilkat weavings. We as [...]
The Way of the Warrior
The fourth lecture in Sealaska Heritage’s Native Heritage Month Lecture Series was led by Kai Monture of Yakutat, who spoke Tuesday about traditional warrior training as he learned of it in his clan, K'ineix Kwáan. Dressed in his own leather and slat armor, Monture began by singing an Honor Song as a way to acknowledge [...]
