WHO WE ARE

Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. Sealaska Heritage 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.

We offer numerous programs promoting Southeast Alaskan Native culture, including language and art. We maintain a substantial archive of Southeast Alaskan Native ethnographic material. We partner with local schools to promote academics and cultural education. Biennially, we produce Celebration, Alaska’s second-largest Native gathering. We own and operate the Sealaska Heritage Store and curate an ongoing cultural exhibit on the first floor of our headquarters in Juneau’s landmark Walter Soboleff Building.

OUR FOUNDING

Sealaska Heritage was founded in 1980 by Sealaska after being conceived by clan leaders, traditional scholars and elders at the first Sealaska Elders Conference. During that meeting, the Elders likened Native culture to a blanket. They told the new leaders that their hands were growing weary of holding onto the metaphorical blanket, this “container of wisdom.” They said they were transferring this responsibility to Sealaska, the regional Native corporation serving Southeast Alaska. In response, Sealaska founded Sealaska Heritage to operate cultural and educational programs. The late George Davis (Kichnáalx—Lk’aanaaw) of Angoon spoke these memorable words:

“We don’t want what you did here to only echo in the air, how our grandfathers used to do things… Yes. You have unwrapped it for us. That is why we will open again this container of wisdom left in our care.”

Sealaska Heritage is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars and a Native Artist Committee.

LATEST NEWS

SHI TO EXPAND LIBRARY PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN

August 7th, 2023|News|

Move stems from successful demonstration project pioneered in 2022 Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI), in partnership with a consortium of libraries, associations and educators, is launching a new program to develop culturally-relevant programming for children for ... read more

UPCOMING EVENTS

LIFESTYLE

GAMES

EARRINGS

LIFESTYLE

GAMES

EARRINGS

LET’S WORK TOGETHER

SHI is raising funds for the project, which will cost an estimated $14 million to construct. We are offering a wide range of donor levels and benefits.

SHI is raising funds for the project, which will cost an estimated $14 million to construct. We are offering a wide range of donor levels and benefits.