Free event to be offered in-person, virtually
(Flyer)
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture on Tuesday on the story behind a clan’s use of a crest as part of its new fall series on a wide variety of topics.
In his talk, How the Chookaneidí Clan Earned the Rights to Use the Devilfish/Octopus as a Crest, Saat-Kaa Fred Fulmer will share images and words about his newest creation, which is made from old-growth red cedar.
Over the span of 28 years, Fulmer’s journey as an artist has been a culmination of listening to stories from his aunts and uncles, working alongside other carvers and getting inspiration through dreams and visions while he pursues his passion.
Fulmer is a member of the Tlingit tribe, Chookaneidí clan of Hoonah through his mother, Frances Austin. Fulmer’s interest in carving came from his great-grandfather Frank St Clair Sr. Fulmer started learning carving in the 1990s from his Chookaneidí clan uncle, Ray Nielsen Sr.
The lecture is scheduled for 12 pm, Tuesday, Sept. 13, in Shuká Hít within SHI’s Walter Soboleff Building, 105 S. Seward St. in Juneau. All lectures will be livestreamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel.
Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts social 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.
CONTACT: Kathy Dye, SHI Communications and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636, kathy.dye@sealaska.com.
Caption: Photos courtesy of Fred Saat-Kaa Fulmer. Note: News outlets are welcome to use this photo for coverage of this story. For a higher-res image, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com.
