SHI's 2026 Traditional Games to celebrate Indigenous cultural heritage
Participants will celebrate ancient survival techniques by competing in 12 games
March 9, 2026
The ninth annual Traditional Games will return to Yaada.at Kalé (Juneau-Douglas High School) April 10-12. The event, which is co-hosted by Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) and Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (T&H) in partnership with the Juneau School District, invites athletes from all over the world to test their strength while celebrating Native culture.
The competition will feature 12 games rooted in Indigenous survival and hunting tactics. Each celebrates the skills that have allowed Native peoples to thrive in challenging environments for thousands of years. Events like the One-Foot-High Kick and Wrist Carry are reminiscent of Native hunting practices, as the feats were traditionally used to signal successful hunts and honor the life of a taken animal. Games such as the Kneel Jump and Dené Stick Pull pay tribute to ancient forms of calisthenics.
“It’s important that these games are passed on today as they have been from generation to generation,” said Kyle Kaayák’w Worl, Wellness Administrator for the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. “Our own traditional sports have just as much value as any other sport, and we should be supporting them through events like the Traditional Games.”
Other games include the Seal Hop, Scissor Broad Jump, One-Hand Reach and Alaskan High Kick. Descriptions of each game and video tutorials on how to perform them are available at https://traditionalgames.sealaskaheritage.org/events/.
The competition will feature six divisions: Middle School (6th-8th grade), High School (9th-12th grade) and an Open Division for adults and college athletes. Each division has a male and female category, and anyone 11 and older is encouraged to register. Folks are also welcome to sign up to officiate and volunteer.
“The event is about preserving the games, uplifting our cultural values and giving our youth a healthy outlet,” Worl said. “It’s also about community. We’re all coming together to celebrate our culture.”
Competitors will participate in the games throughout the weekend, with teams from across Southeast Alaska facing off against competitors from the Lower 48 and Canada. On Friday, international guests from New Zealand and Mexico will offer workshops on traditional sports from their countries.
A college and career fair will begin Saturday and continue through Sunday. Attendees are welcome to visit an art market featuring handmade work by six Indigenous artists on Saturday and Sunday as well. The full schedule of events is available online.
Worl said between the college and career fair, the art market and the games themselves, there’s something for everyone at the event — even folks who don’t see themselves as “sporty.”
“Every athlete is celebrated regardless of athletic ability,” Worl said. “As long as each participant is reaching for their personal best, everybody will celebrate them. Success is measured on self-improvement – not by the ‘winner takes all’ mentality that a lot of other sports have. Everyone’s success is tied to each other’s.”
To register as an athlete, volunteer or games official, visit https://traditionalgames.sealaskaheritage.org. For more information, contact Kyle Kaayák’w Worl at kworl@tlingitandhaida.gov.
This event is sponsored by SHI, Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida), Sealaska, University of Alaska Southeast, Select Physical Therapy, Coffman Engineers, Pat Tynan, Rick Harris and Trickster Company in partnership with Goldbelt Heritage Institute and the Juneau School District.
Sealaska Heritage Institute is a non-profit tribal organization founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. SHI 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, a Southeast Regional Language Committee and a newly formed Education Committee.
CONTACT: Kathy Dye, SHI Communications and Publications Deputy Director, kathy.dye@sealaska.com
Caption: Dozens of people participate in a blanket toss during the 2025 Traditional Games. Photo by Bryan Wallace, courtesy of SHI. Note: news outlets are welcome to use this photo for coverage of this story. For a higher-res version, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com.
