Blog

  At Sealaska Heritage, we field a lot of questions from the public, researchers and the media about Northwest Coast cultures. This question comes to us from an Alaska educator. Question: Why do some of SHI's programs give preference to Native participants? SHI President Rosita Worl: The answer is complex and long and is rooted in centuries of history. [...]

On Wednesday, January 23, respected Elder of the T’akhdeintaan clan, Kenny Grant, shared this Tlingit proverb with SHI staff. The topic of proverbs, parables, riddles, and other old Tlingit sayings was initially raised that day by the Vice Chair of SHI’s Board of Trustees, Albert Kookesh of the Teikhweidí clan. Appropriately, Kenny, whose carries the [...]

(Watch the Summit) Sealaska Heritage’s first-ever language summit brought together nearly 70 fluent speakers and more than 200 language learners in Juneau to recognize and celebrate the Elders who continued to speak their languages in the face of intense opposition. SHI President Rosita Worl giving opening remarks “The pain caused by efforts to stamp out our [...]

The renowned master artist Robert Davidson has agreed to allow Sealaska Heritage to post occasional teachings online. In this latest blog, he answers eleven questions about his evolution as an artist, an artist’s role in society and the role of critics, to name a few. Did you know from childhood or early life that you [...]

Sealaska Heritage sponsored a horn-spoon carving workshop in Ketchikan this month in an effort to ensure the endangered art of goat horn spoon carving is passed on to future generations. The four-day course was taught by Steve Brown and the acclaimed Tlingit artist Nathan Jackson stopped by for a visit! The course focused on developing the skills, [...]

SHI President Rosita Worl took part in the opening panel for the Arctic Frost Annual Network Meeting this morning at the Baranof Hotel, a three-day event focused on building collaboration among governments, Indigenous organizations and researchers in sustainable development in the Arctic. Worl provided attendees with an overview of the Southeast Alaska Native core cultural [...]

The anatomy of making, installing and celebrating SHI's new house posts Sealaska Heritage Institute unveiled three bronze house posts on the corner of Front and Seward Streets by the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau on Aug. 26 during a public ceremony and celebration. The posts were made by three emerging master Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian [...]

Youth from across Southeast Alaska and beyond participate in SHI's summer programs This summer provided many opportunities for our youth in the region. Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) held five camps aimed at providing cultural activities for youth of all ages throughout Southeast Alaska.  Students in SHI’s camps are able to meet others and make friends [...]

Attendees and presenters came from across Alaska and even as far as New Zealand to attend SHI’s second annual Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) Conference held August 1-3 in Juneau. As part of SHI’s mission to promote cross-cultural understanding, the CRE conference was created to provide teachers and administrators with an understanding of issues affecting Alaska [...]