Latest posts
Seal Science: The Whole Seal: Traditional Diets and Food Security
Seal Science: The Whole Seal: Traditional Diets and Food Security This article is the second one of eight in a series of outreach materials funded through a partnership between Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) and the Indigenous People’s Council for Marine Mammals (IPCoMM) on harbor seal conservation and subsistence harvesting. Written by Abigail Sweetman. (Article 1) “Food is medicine” [...]
First student graduates from new Northwest Coast art college degree program!
Tlingit student Gáanax Sháa Gloria Eyon on graduation day. All photos courtesy of Michael Penn. First student graduates from new Northwest Coast art college degree program! Tlingit student Gloria Eyon has made history by being the first to graduate from an AA degree program that includes an emphasis on Northwest Coast arts. The landmark program at the University of Alaska Southeast [...]
Seal Science: Establishing Baselines: Data Gaps in Harbor Seal Research
Seal Science: Establishing Baselines: Data Gaps in Harbor Seal Research This article is one of eight in a series of outreach materials funded through a partnership between Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) and the Indigenous People’s Council for Marine Mammals (IPCoMM) on harbor seal conservation and subsistence harvesting. While residents and visitors of coastal Alaska may [...]
Formline Deterioration in Northwest Coast Art
Exterior of the SHI building, which features formline design by master Haida artist Robert Davidson. Formline Deterioration in Northwest Coast Art The Sealaska Heritage (SHI) Native Artist Committee in their recent meeting expressed deep concern about the deterioration of Northwest Coast (NWC) formline that they are seeing within our community of artists. The concerns [...]
The Inbox
Eechdaa Dave Ketah, who was born in Ketchikan, now lives in Portland, OR. Despite living away from Lingít aaní, Ketah has been connecting with his heritage by taking online classes offered at SHI and UAS, visiting his father’s people in Klawock to learn to carve and by attending Celebration in person in 2022. [...]
In the Boat & On the Shore
A whole group portrait at the final celebration for the Haa Yoo X’atángi Deiyí project on August 19, 2022. Immersive Learning Experiences with Haa Yoo X’atángi Deiyí: Our Language Pathways Photos and Text by Stacy Unzicker Along the back of a banquet hall sits a long table holding pictures of beloved elders and ancestors that [...]
Calling on our Grandparents’ Knowledge: Hundreds gather to discuss culturally responsive education in Alaska
Sealaska Heritage’s fourth culturally responsive education conference, Our Cultural Landscape, was held virtually for the second time Aug. 5-7, drawing more than 450 educators from Alaska, the Lower 48, and beyond. The event featured prominent Indigenous keynote speakers and more than two dozen breakout presentations, while providing opportunities for attendees to discuss the many complex issues [...]
Photos: Voices on the Land Storytelling Camp 2021
By Kaasteen (Katelynn Drake) Photos by: Carl Tuzroyluke Sealaska Heritage’s Voices on the Land program was first held in Juneau in 2014, with the goal of improving student literacy skills, as well as increasing Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian language use through the mediums of performing arts and digital storytelling. This educational project was launched in order to [...]
Photos: Apprentices go spruce-root gathering, prepping!
Spruce-root apprentices seeking roots. Photos by Carl Tuzroyluke. By Kaasteen (Katelynn Drake) Sealaska Heritage’s spruce-root gathering and weaving class held its first session on Saturday, June 19. Ten apprentice students in Juneau convened at the start of Boy Scout Camp Trail to learn the art of spruce-root gathering from Tlingit artist Naakil.aan (Hans Chester). Naakil.aan [...]
Northern Regional Traditional Games brings athletes together in Juneau for COVID-conscious competition
Middle school boys One Foot High Kick at the Northern Regional Traditional Games. Photo by Lyndsey Brollini. (Official Results) By Lyndsey Brollini Athletes from Juneau and four other communities, Hoonah, Anchorage, Unalakleet, and Kotzebue, competed in the Northern Regional Traditional Games held May 8-9. Last year’s Traditional Games occurred before the pandemic shut down the city, so this was the [...]
A CLOSER LOOK: How SHI’s Celebrations are being digitized, made available online for the first time
Emily Pastore with the original U-matic and Betacam tapes that Celebration 1982 were recorded on and the external hard drive where all the digitized footage is saved. Photo by Lyndsey Brollini. By Lyndsey Brollini Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) recently released all its video from Celebration 1982 onto YouTube, bringing the footage online for public access [...]
Cyril George: 75 Years of Perspective through Photos
Cyril George at Sealaska Heritage recording stories in 2013. Photo by Christy Eriksen By Mikayla Mitchell “I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for pop. Some people will never be forgotten, and neither will you,” said Roberta Jack, daughter of the late Angoon Elder Cyril George, to Kathy Kolkhorst Ruddy over Zoom at [...]
Q & A with Rosita Worl: What is your position on the petition to remove the Seward statue in Juneau?
At Sealaska Heritage, we field a lot of questions from the public, researchers and the media about Northwest Coast cultures. This question was in the news recently. Question: What is your position on the petition to remove the Seward statue in Juneau? SHI President Rosita Worl, Ph.D.: The call for the removal of the William H. Seward statue is [...]
Photos: Another successful year at the 2020 Traditional Games
Mara Sheakley-Early competing in the Two-Foot High Kick. Photo by Lyndsey Brollini, SHI Media Department. (Official Results) By Lyndsey Brollini One hundred and forty-five athletes from across Alaska, Arizona, and Canada competed in the third annual Traditional Games in Juneau, held March 7-8 at Juneau Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. Athletes from 14 communities lined up in the [...]
Practicing our values, from Baby Raven Reads
Practicing our values, from Baby Raven Reads By Tess Olympia SHI Education Program Manager Suddenly, we are home with our children, all day every day. How do we shift to a daily life of “social distancing” with infants and young children? Let’s take advantage of this time at home to practice our values. Haa Latseení, [...]
