Blog

Tlingit weaver Lily Hope, Sealaska Heritage’s current artist-in-residence, celebrated the completion of her first full-sized Chilkat robe Tuesday afternoon in the clan house at the Walter Soboleff Building with a public event that included singing, dancing, and gift giving. (Lily Hope with husband, Ishmael Hope) (Lily Hope hands the robe to Mike Murawski, director of [...]

Harborview Elementary’s Tlingit Culture, Language & Literacy Program (TCLL) held its fifth grade promotion ceremony Thursday at the Walter Soboleff Building, celebrating the event with oratory, singing and dancing. The program, launched by SHI in 2000 and now integrated into the Juneau School District, incorporates Tlingit language and culture into academic teaching for Harborview students [...]

By Rosita Worl President, Sealaska Heritage Institute In recent days, we have received complaints about an opinion piece published in the Alaska Dispatch News titled “Russian extremists want Alaska back.” The piece, written by Dr. Steve Haycox, professor emeritus of history at the University of Alaska Anchorage, included some statements that appeared to be outrageous [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]