SHI launches program promoting traditional education for young men

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has launched a new program designed to restore traditional pathways to strength, leadership and community for Alaska Native young men.

As part of SHI’s Haa Ḵusteeyí Initiative—Our Way of Life—the Uncles Program pairs Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian young men (ages 16–22) with Alaska Native mentors in seven Southeast communities: Haines/Klukwan, Juneau, Angoon, Sitka, Kake, Hoonah and Hydaburg. Through hands-on harvesting practices and formal instruction, Nephews will reconnect with their traditional roles as providers, protectors and leaders in their communities.

The initiative is based on the traditional practice of uncles teaching nephews how to live with respect for the land, uphold cultural responsibilities and serve their people. It centers traditional knowledge and offers students certificated trainings. Participants will earn certifications in Alaska boat safety, hunter education and food preservation and engage in mentorship and cultural programming focused on tribal leadership, mental wellness and environmental science.

Over the course of the three-year project, 42 young men will participate in immersive, land-based learning experiences, yearlong cultural mentorship, learn ceremonial protocols and share Native foods with their community.

The program responds to pressing needs identified by SHI and regional data, including lower graduation and post-secondary enrollment rates among Native men, a gap in science proficiency and high incarceration and suicide rates. Through cultural revitalization and mentorship, the Uncles Program aims to foster stronger academic outcomes, career pathways and cultural resiliency.

SHI’s Latseen Committee, comprised of respected tribal leaders and harvesters, has played a central role in shaping the curriculum and ensuring it reflects Southeast Alaska’s ancestral knowledge.

Sealaska Heritage Institute is a 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 and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.

CONTACT: Kathy Dye, SHI Communications and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636, kathy.dye@sealaska.com.