SHI LECTURE TO EXAMINE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS IN ARCTIC ANTHROPOLOGY

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will host a lecture Wednesday as part of its fall series, spotlighting leaders in emerging technologies, Indigenous knowledge, art and cultural innovation.

The lecture will feature William W. Fitzhugh, Ph.D., director of the Arctic Studies Center at the Smithsonian Institution, who will present his talk, “Some Unanswered Questions in Arctic Anthropology.”

Fitzhugh’s lecture will explore the enduring mysteries of Arctic anthropology, delving into questions that have persisted since the earliest Western expeditions to the Arctic. Despite centuries of research, critical inquiries remain: Who are the Inuit? How have they and other Northern peoples not only survived but thrived in harsh environments deemed inhospitable by European explorers? What can Indigenous Arctic cultures reveal about human resilience and ingenuity?

Drawing on extensive research across disciplines such as archaeology, genetics, ethnography and oral history, Fitzhugh will discuss the gaps in our understanding of Arctic peoples and their histories. His lecture will also address the increasing global importance of Arctic regions amidst climate change and shifting geopolitical interests.

Fitzhugh has led archaeological projects in Northern Canada, Siberia and Mongolia, producing landmark exhibitions on northern cultures, including the Ainu of Japan and Viking art. In addition to his work at the Smithsonian, Fitzhugh serves as a senior scientist and visiting professor at Dartmouth College, contributing to global conversations on Arctic research.

The lecture is scheduled for noon, Wednesday, Oct. 1, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event 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 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: William Fitzhugh at Evighedsfjord glacier, West Greenland, in September 2010. Photo by Elizabeth Graversen, courtesy of Smithsonian Global.