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Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SHI PUBLISHES ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY SERIES FOR TLINGIT, HAIDA AND TSIMSHIAN LANGUAGES

Trilogy intended for young language learners, others

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May 15, 2024 

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has published a trilogy of illustrated dictionaries that teach vocabulary for the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian languages.

The series, featuring “Everyday Tlingit,” “Everyday Haida” and “Everyday Tsimshian,” is intended to teach Native words to children in grades K-5 but may also be used by people of all ages who want to learn the vocabularies.

SHI recently mailed 1,000 copies of each volume to schools, teachers, students and community members in Alaska, Canada and the Lower 48.

The goal is to increase exposure to the Tlingit (Lingít), Haida (X̱aad Kíl) and Tsimshian (Shm’algyack) languages of Southeast Alaska, said SHI President Rosita Worl, Ph.D.

“We are normalizing the presence of our languages in written form in households and schools for Native families because studies show that Native students do better academically when their cultures and language are reflected in classroom materials,” Worl said. “We also hope to reach non-Native families in our ongoing effort to promote cross-cultural understanding.”

In the booklets, Native words are superimposed over everyday scenes, including the bedroom, bathroom, laundry room, clothes, kitchen, food and drinks, living room, mudroom, shoreline, underwater, forest, river, plants, insects, camping and weather. They also teach body parts, colors, shapes and numbers. Each volume includes a glossary with English translations.

Learners may listen to audio of the Native words depicted in the illustrated dictionaries through SHI’s new searchable “Languages Dictionary,” which the institute recently launched online.

SHI distributed “Everyday Haida” to schools and community members in Anchorage, Craig, Hydaburg, Juneau, Kasaan, Ketchikan and Wasilla and to entities in Arizona, California, Washington and Canada. SHI mailed “Everyday Tlingit” to schools and community members in Anchorage, Juneau, Sitka and Wrangell. “Everyday Tsimshian” was sent to schools and community members in Anchorage, Juneau, Ketchikan, Metlakatla and Nikiski and to entities in Arizona, California, North Carolina, Washington and Canada.

The books are not currently available to the public for purchase, but SHI is researching ways to further their distribution, and staff and contributors are currently working on second editions with more terms in each language.

The content was developed by SHI staff and contributors, including X̱ʼunei Lance Twitchell, Daaljíni Mary Folletti, Koolyéik Roby Littlefield, Daal At.ja Casey Moats, Goldbelt Heritage Foundation, Skíl Jáadei Linda Schrack, Dag Júus Robert Yates, Nang Jáadaas Gudangáay Ḵ’íinganggang Susie Edwardson, Kugíin-g Dúu Lauryn Framke, Shu Guyna Donna May Roberts and Shiggoap Alfie Price.

The series was illustrated by Tlingit artist Kelsey Mata Foote, who also designed the covers. Mata Foote also illustrated SHI’s Baby Raven Reads book “Celebration,” which won a 2024 American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book Honor from the American Indian Library Association (AILA). The books were designed by Mckenzie Hyde, SHI’s senior graphic designer.

SHI has worked on language documentation and perpetuation since the nonprofit’s inception 44 years ago. The institute initially focused on helping to create the orthographies for the languages and worked with heritage language speakers and linguists to develop dictionaries and other books for Lingít, X̱aad Kíl and Shm’algyack. In the 1990s, SHI’s Board of Trustees made language revitalization a priority. The institute then began to sponsor teaching activities, such as language immersion camps, in which students would live in a habitat of a Native language over a period of days. SHI also poured many resources into developing lessons, videos, flash cards, apps, podcasts and games to enhance the learning experience. In recent years, SHI has sponsored university classes and scholarships for language learners, and many language teachers today are of a generation that grew up without hearing their Native tongue at home.

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: Covers of “Everyday Tlingit,” “Everyday Haida” and “Everyday Tsimshian,” illustrated by Kelsey Mata Foote, courtesy of Sealaska Heritage Institute. Note: news outlets are welcome to use this photo of the book covers for coverage of this story. For a higher-res version or to request images of individual book covers, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com.

 

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SHI TO OPEN 12TH BIENNIAL JURIED ART SHOW THIS WEEK

Winners to be announced during Celebration 2024

May 13, 2024

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will open its 12th biennial Juried Art Show to the public this week, a few weeks ahead of Celebration 2024, when winners will be announced.

Jurors selected 32 pieces by 24 artists for the exhibit, which will open on Friday, May 17, in the Nathan Jackson Gallery at SHI’s Walter Soboleff Building in downtown Juneau.

The following artists and pieces were accepted into the show:

•   Alison Bremner, Me, You and the Man on the Moon
•   Lee Burkhart, Náaḵw Journey
•   Lee Burkhart, Yéts’ shál (Black Horn Spoon)
•   Saak.adoo Davina (Cole) Drones, Fishbone in the Night Sky
•   Sainteen Dr. Anna Brown Ehlers, Chilkat Eagle Apron
•   Sainteen Dr. Anna Brown Ehlers, Chilkat Eagle Tunic
•   Patrizia (Patty) Fiorella, Woodworm Grease Bowl
•   Gunashaa Lisa Fisher, Lightening Leggings
•   Holtka Xsoo Clifton Guthrie, Legacy of Niishluut
•   Holtka Xsoo Clifton Guthrie, A Message from the Deep
•   Ksm Lx’sg̱a̱n Ruth Hallows, Unmasking – A Chilkat Inspired Self-Portrait
•   Kún Kuyáang Karl Hoffman, Wolf Moon Drum
•   Wooshkindein Da.aat Lily Hope, Seven Generations
•   Wooshkindein Da.aat Lily Hope, Pandemic Babysitter
•   Xixtc’i see Ruby Hughes, Raven Transforms into Marilyn
•   Aanchgwanutk’ Janice Jackson, Gods Beautiful Creation the Mighty Salmon
•   Harold Jacobs, At Gugú (Its Ears) – Bear Ears
•   Jinaa Tlàa Janie Jensen, Earth to Soul
•   onn iss kwah James Johnson, Wolf Headdress
•   onn iss kwah James Johnson, Raven Clan Hat
•   onn iss kwah James Johnson, Cannibal Man Horn Spoon
•   Kaasteen Jill Meserve, Sit’ Eetí G̱eeyi – The Bay in Place of the Glacier
•   Reine Pavlik (designer of Alaska Soles), Lady in Black
•   Yakasei Calvin Morberg, Eagle Mother
•   Kaax̱ Tséen Herb Sheakley Jr., Tsaa Al’óoni
•   Kaax̱ Tséen Herb Sheakley Jr., Yéik yaakw
•   Amy Tessaro, Transformation
•   Aa geitl g’e Carolyn Trebian, Shark
•   Shkáx̱ kawdulaák Andrew Tripp, Raven’s Reflection of Wealth
•   Shkáx̱ kawdulaák Andrew Tripp, Hide and Seek Champions
•   Káakaxaawulga Jennifer Younger and Goosh-shu Haa Jennie Wheeler, Dancing in the Summer Rain
•   Naa k’ool dzaaz eesh William Pfeifer Sr., 4-way Eagle Pendant Set with Wing Earrings

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held from 4-6 pm on Wednesday, June 5, in the Shuká Hít clan house. Awards will be given in the categories of carving and sculpture; two-dimensional and relief carving; sewing; weaving and endangered art, which includes spruce-root weaving and horn spoons. Artists who win best of category will compete for best of division, and the division winners will compete for best of show. SHI will also award a best of formline prize and runner up from among all pieces submitted. Winners will receive the following prizes:

•   Best of show: $1,500
•   Best of formline: $1,000
•   2nd place formline: $700
•   Best of division: $700
•   Best of category: $300

About the Jurors

Northwest Coast artists Evelyn Vanderhoop and Tyson Brown served as jurors for the competition.

Evelyn Vanderhoop, daughter of Delores Churchill and granddaughter of Selina Peratrovich, is a member of a weaving family. From early childhood, she was brought to the forest and beaches to harvest weaving materials, including spruce roots and cedar bark. Weaving was a way of life for all Haida women when her Nonny Selina was born. The fast-paced world changed around Selina, but she continued to weave. Through Selina’s teaching, weaving is progressing into the present day and future cultural traditions by her family members and apprentices. Her granddaughter Evelyn Vanderhoop weaves Ravenstail and Naaxiin (Chilkat), techniques that are used in creating the chiefs’ robes of the Northwest Coast. She is also a painter and researcher.

Iljuuwaas or Tyson Brown is a Haida artist from Skidegate, Haida Gwaii. He is a member of the Kayahl ‘Laanas clan of Ts’aahl. His artistic focus is on creating a relevant body of work, while preserving and perpetuating classical Haida design principles. The grandson of Skidegate artists Billy Stevens and Bill Reid, Tyson grew up surrounded by Haida art. As an adult, he completed a formal apprenticeship with renowned Haida artist Robert Davidson. Tyson draws inspiration from nature, current events and his people’s history, stories and collective values. He works in various mediums including design, paint and sculpture.

Jurors reviewed the pieces blindly, meaning the names of artists who submitted pieces were not disclosed.

About the Juried Art Show & Competition

Sealaska Heritage Institute sponsored its first Juried Art Show & Competition in 2002, and since then it has become a biennial event held during Celebration, a major four-day dance-and-culture festival in Juneau hosted by the institute. SHI sponsors the art show in an effort to reaffirm the greatness of Northwest Coast art and to promote the continued evolution of those traditions in Southeast Alaska. The goals of the show are to:

•         encourage and enhance the creation and production of Southeast Alaska Native objects of artistic value, which are becoming rare;
•         stimulate and enhance the quality of artistic work among Native artisans; and
•         encourage the development of new forms of art of purely Southeast Alaska Native form and design.

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: Woodworm Grease Bowl by artist Patrizia (Patty) Fiorella, whose piece was accepted into SHI’s 2024 Juried Art Show & Competition. Photo by Brian Wallace, courtesy of Sealaska Heritage Institute. Note: news outlets are welcome to use this photo for coverage of this story. For a higher-res version, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com.

 

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SHI LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE, SEARCHABLE DICTIONARY THAT INCLUDES AUDIO

Platform includes resources for Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian languages

May 8, 2024

(Languages Dictionary)

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has launched a new online dictionary that allows users to search for words and phrases in Lingít (Tlingit language), X̱aad Kíl (Haida language), Shm’algyack (Tsimshian language) or English, browse words and phrases and listen to heritage language speakers pronouncing the entries.

Notably, users may search the database using English or Native terms to reveal all related content, said SHI President Rosita Worl, Ph.D.

The platform denotes a previously missing language tool that is meant to stand alone or to complement existing materials to help perpetuate Southeast Alaska’s ancient Indigenous languages, she said.

“As a people, we have documented our languages and developed the orthographies for the words that describe our oral histories. We have produced materials to revitalize our languages and apps that allow people to browse categories and hear audio. Now we have a database that offers all of that and includes a search function,” Worl said.

“It’s a game changer.”

The dictionary content mirrors the vocabulary and phrases available on SHI’s Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian learning apps that were released in recent years.

The Tlingit section includes more than 50 categories for words relating to action, adjectives, animal body parts, beach, birds, birth, buildings and structures, clothing, cold blooded animals, colors, commands, communication, conditions, cultural, direction, fish, food, games, geography, grammar, home, human body, human family, insects and invertebrates, kitchen, land animals, location, mammals, marine animals, marriage, material, matter, minerals, names, numbers, nursery, occupations, people, plants, pronouns, quantity, recreation, relationships, school, sea creatures, sky, sports, stage of life, time, tools, transportation, water and weather.

The Haida section includes nearly 40 categories for words relating to the alphabet, animals, art, bathroom, beach, birds, body parts, buildings and structures, clothing, colors, commands, cultural art, culture, fishing and hunting, home, insects and invertebrates, jewelry, kitchen, location, mammals, numbers, nursery, occupations, ocean, outside, plants, recreation, school, sea creatures, sea vessels, sky, time, tools, transportation, verbs, water, weaving and wellness and health.

The Tsimshian section includes 30 categories for words relating to adjectives, alphabet, bathroom, beach, birds, body, buildings and structures, clothing, colors, culture, days of the week, fish, food, home, insects and invertebrates, kitchen, mammals, months of the year, numbers, nursery, occupations, ocean, plants, pronouns, recreation, school, sea creatures, sky, tools and transportation.

All sections also include audio of phrases listed by category. The dictionary is available free of charge on SHI’s website, along with its other language resources. Staff will continue to expand the dictionary’s words, phrases and associated audio.

SHI has worked on language documentation and perpetuation since the nonprofit’s inception 44 years ago. The institute initially focused on helping to create the orthographies for the languages and worked with heritage language speakers and linguists to develop dictionaries and other books for Lingít, X̱aad Kíl and Shm’algyack. In the 1990s, SHI’s Board of Trustees made language revitalization a priority. The institute then began to sponsor teaching activities, such as language immersion camps, in which students would be immersed in a Native language environment over a period of days. SHI also poured many resources into developing lessons, videos, flash cards, apps, podcasts and games to enhance the learning experience. In recent years, SHI has sponsored university classes and scholarships for language learners, and many language teachers today are of a generation that grew up without hearing their Native tongue at home.

SHI has worked on language documentation and perpetuation since the nonprofit’s inception 44 years ago. The institute initially focused on helping to create the orthographies for the languages and worked with heritage language speakers and linguists to develop dictionaries and other books for Lingít, X̱aad Kíl and Shm’algyack. In the 1990s, SHI’s Board of Trustees made language revitalization a priority. The institute then began to sponsor teaching activities, such as language immersion camps, in which students would live in a habitat of a Native language over a period of days. SHI also poured many resources into developing lessons, videos, flash cards, apps, podcasts and games to enhance the learning experience. In recent years, SHI has sponsored university classes and scholarships for language learners, and many language teachers today are of a generation who grew up without hearing their Native tongue at home.

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: Online dictionary. Photo by Mircea Brown, courtesy of Sealaska Heritage Institute. Note: news outlets are welcome to use this photo for coverage of this story. For a higher-res version, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com.

 

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SHI ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR EDUCATORS OF DISTINCTION

Awards to be presented at institute’s annual education conference

May 6, 2024

(Nominate an Educator) (Conference Website)

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is accepting nominations for educators of distinction in an effort to highlight the extraordinary role they play in students’ academic, emotional and cultural success.

People who serve as teachers, educational support staff, administrators, coaches or community members whose work is of such high quality to merit recognition are eligible to be nominated.

The awards are important because they put a spotlight on people who play such a pivotal role in our society, said SHI President Rosita Worl, Ph.D.

“Educators are the heroes among us who inspire and shape our children to achieve their goals in this world. Educators play a key role in helping our children succeed, and we want to publicly acknowledge and thank them for their work,” Worl said.

SHI will present awards in three categories during its annual Our Cultural Landscape Conference, scheduled Aug. 7-9. Categories include:

• Distinguished Educator Award: This category recognizes an educator’s intentional weaving of ways of knowing throughout their lessons and classroom that reflect students through place-based and culturally relevant beliefs and practices, while reinforcing students’ capacity for achievement
• Community-Based Learning Teaching Awards: This category recognizes that generation of knowledge is not limited to the classroom but can occur anywhere and celebrates achievements in teaching that honor SHI’s value of cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through community outreach or as public service;
• Distinguished Leadership Award: This category recognizes outstanding leadership at a school level, district level or community level that exemplifies collaboration and co-creation of environments that are safe, yet challenging, where success if defined through learning, and meaningful mentorship.

Nominations are due by July 1. Selected recipients will receive a monetary award and paid travel to attend the conference in August.

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: Group photo of the awardees who attended SHI’s 2023 Culturally Responsive Education Conference. From left: Naomi Leask; Jennifer McCarty; Donna May Roberts’ granddaughter, Megan Roberts, accepting on Donna’s behalf; Charlie Skultka Jr. and Naomi Michalsen. Photo by Stacy Unzicker, courtesy of SHI. Note: Media outlets are permitted to use this image for coverage of this story. For a higher-res image, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SHI BOARD APPOINTS CLINICAL COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGIST AS TRUSTEE

Appointee to step in as longtime member steps down

May 2, 2024

The Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) Board of Trustees has appointed a new member to help lead the nonprofit’s programs.

Tlingit clinical community psychologist Aandáchjoon Alicia Marvin of Anchorage will fill the seat, which was recently vacated by longtime trustee Jeane Breinig.

Marvin intends to apply her work experience with a tribal health organization for the benefit of the institute and its programming.

“I will use my training in community work and psychology to contribute to the important work of SHI,” Marvin said. “I am honored to serve on the board of trustees as I find deep meaning in community service.”

Marvin belongs to the Raven moiety, G̱aanax̱teidí clan and the Whale House. The Kaagwaantaan are her grandfatherʼs people. Her family has a history of dedication to Tlingit culture and community that includes contributions by her maternal grandmother Mabel Pike and paternal grand uncle and grand aunt Harry and Amy Marvin. 

In her free time, Marvin finds excitement with beading projects, learning about plants and being in the beautiful outdoors with her playful pup. 

SHI President Rosita Worl said she looks forward to Marvin’s contributions and expressed gratitude for the service of Breinig, who is Haida and was recently elected to serve as president of the Kasaan village corporation, Kavilco Incorporated.

“Jeane served as one of our trustees for 18 years, and we know she will succeed and thrive in this new chapter. We will miss her wisdom, knowledge and advice,” Worl said.

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; Aandáchjoon Alicia Marvin, SHI Trustee, ybwellness@proton.me.  

Caption: Aandáchjoon Alicia Marvin. Photo courtesy of Alicia Marvin. Note: news outlets are welcome to use this photo for coverage of this story. For a higher-res version, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com

 

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SHI PUBLISHES BOOK ON THE MUSINGS, ART, WISDOM OF HAIDA MASTER ARTIST ROBERT DAVIDSON

Book available through institute’s Box of Knowledge series

April 17, 2024

(Get the Book)

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has published a book on the musings, art and wisdom of master Haida craftsman Robert Davidson, one of the greatest Northwest Coast artists of our time.

The book, “Art of the Northwest Coast and Beyond,” offers Davidson’s teachings embedded in powerful messages, which go beyond art instruction to offer advice about daily life. The volume is punctuated with stunning samples of work by Davidson, who learned Northwest Coast art by studying the creations of old masters held by museums throughout North America and Europe.

“The wise lessons he offers through his writings are jewels learned and conveyed from the art of the ancient masters and from the wisdom of our ancestors,” wrote SHI President Rosita Wor, Ph.D., in the foreword for the book. “We thought it important that they be compiled in a format that could be widely available to artists, students and the public.”

Davidson wrote these lessons for practicing and budding artists and often emailed his musings to Worl. SHI initially shared his thoughts through its social media channels, where they were immediately well received and widely read.

In the book, he touches on a variety of topics, including encouragement, criticism, excellence in Northwest Coast art, the secrets of good design and the proportions of formline design, a term that describes the shapes and complex arrangements which form the balanced compositions that are a hallmark of Northwest Coast arts.

He also explores the idea of copying formline design from pieces made by the old masters, noting that this is one way to become familiar with the high standard established by the ancestors before an artist moves on to innovation.

“Once one masters the alphabet of Northwest Coast art, the challenge is to move beyond copying and make the art yours. After 10,000 hours of practice and copying, then intuition kicks in,” Davidson wrote.

Davidson also talks about societal challenges from a Haida worldview and interweaves Haida words and translations throughout the book.

The volume was published through SHI’s Box of Knowledge series and is available through its Sealaska Heritage Store.

About Robert Davidson

G̱uud San Glans (Robert Davidson) is one of Canada’s most respected and important contemporary artists. Davidson, whose name translates as Eagle of the Dawn, is Haida of the T’saahl 7lanaas clan.

He is a master carver of totem poles and masks and works in a variety of other media as a printmaker, painter and jeweler. He is also a leading figure in the renaissance of Haida art and culture. Davidson is best known as an impeccable craftsman whose creative and personal interpretation of traditional Haida form is unparalleled.

For more than 40 years, Davidson has worked as an artist and has produced an internationally acclaimed body of work. His work is found in a number of important private and public collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Canadian Museum of History, the Southwest Museum, the Gordon Smith Gallery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Museum of the American Indian and UBC’s Museum of Anthropology. He holds honorary degrees from the University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University, Southern Methodist University and the Emily Carr University of Art + Design. He has received awards from the cities of Vancouver and Surrey, British Columbia, and recognition for lifetime achievement from the National Aboriginal Achievement Award (now the Indspire Awards), the Audain Prize for the Visual Arts and the BC Achievement First Nations Art Award. He is also a recipient of the Order of British Columbia and, in 1996, was appointed to the prestigious Order of Canada. In 2024, the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska honored him with its Lifetime Achievement award.

About Box of Knowledge

SHI’s Box of Knowledge Series consists of essays, reports and books that the institute considers should be made available as a contribution to studies on Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures, history and languages. They may be based on work carried out by researchers working in collaboration with SHI, contributions prepared by external experts and work by staff. Those interested in publishing through the series should contact SHI’s Senior Ethnologist Chuck Smythe at chuck.smythe@sealaska.com.

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. Robert Davidson, Haida master artist, robert@robertdavidson.ca.

Caption: Cover of “Art of the Northwest Coast and Beyond” featuring the piece “Looking Back At Where We Came From” by Robert Davidson, photographed by Kenji Nagai. Note: news outlets are welcome to use this photo of the book cover for coverage of this story. For a higher-res version, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com.

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Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SHI ACCEPTING PROPOSALS FROM PRESENTERS FOR 2024 EDUCATION CONFERENCE

Hybrid conference to be held in Juneau, online in August

April 11, 2024

(Application for Proposals) (Conference Website)

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is accepting proposals from presenters for its seventh Culturally Responsive Education Conference, which is part of a larger effort to promote culturally responsive pedagogy in schools.

SHI is soliciting proposals from educators in Alaska and worldwide to present in person or virtually. This year’s theme is Connecting Culture, Community and Curriculum. Early childhood, K-12, university and community educators are encouraged to submit proposals for presentations related to the following topics:

•         STEAM/Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
•         Language Revitalization/Indigenous Literacy
•         Arts/Culture Integration
•         Indigenizing Education

 

The extended deadline to submit proposals is April 21, 2024. SHI will give preference to proposals that illustrate relevance to the conference theme and connect to culturally responsive education, equity in education and/or Alaska Native education issues. Successful proposals will also emphasize participant engagement, creativity and demonstrated expertise related to the topic. All presentations will be reviewed and considered. The conference will offer both in-person and virtual strands

The annual conference brings together educators from around the world. The 2023 conference served approximately 250 educators and school administrators from nearly 70 towns in Alaska, Canada, the Lower 48, and other parts of the world, including Australia.

The 2024 conference is scheduled for August 7-9 at the University of Alaska Southeast campus in Juneau and is open to all educators who are interested in culturally relevant education. Participants may join in person or through a virtual thread. Selected presentations will also be available via Zoom. Participant registration will open the week of May 20.

The conference is part of SHI’s education program Thru the Cultural Lens, which was founded in 2012 to provide cultural orientations for educators. For more details about the conference, contact Jamie Shanley at jamie.shanley@sealaska.com.

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.

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

NEW PRINCIPAL APPOINTED TO LEAD GROUNDBREAKING TLINGIT SCHOOL PROGRAM

Award-winning educator named a 2024 principal of the year

April 4, 2024

A groundbreaking Tlingit school program established by Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) and the Juneau School District (JSD) in 2000 has a new, award-winning educator as its principal.

The JSD tapped Molly Yerkes to lead Harborview Elementary’s Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy (TCLL) program, which expanded from K-5 to grades K-7 this year and will add grade 8 in 2025.

Yerkes, who has served as the principal of Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School since 2010, was named the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) Principal of the Year for Southeast Alaska in 2024, an award she also won in 2020.

AASSP sponsors regional and statewide Principal of The Year recognition awards to honor the educational leaders who play such a pivotal role in student success.

She will be an extraordinary asset to TCLL educators and students enrolled in the program, said SHI President Rosita Worl.

“We were well aware of Molly’s accomplishments in the field of education, and we are thrilled to have her lead the TCLL program. Her philosophy includes integrating cultural knowledge and practices into education. We could not have asked for a better fit,” Worl said.

Yerkes, who holds three master’s degrees, also has a strong background in language acquisition, which is a good fit for TCLL, through which educators instruct students in the Tlingit language, Worl said.

BIOGRAPHY
Molly Yerkes has been an educator in the Juneau School district for 25 years. During her tenure, she has been committed to building capacity not just at her school, but across the district. This leadership has contributed to expansion of arts education through the Margaret A. Cargill Artful Teaching grant, implementation of educator cohorts to effectively incorporate place-based learning in the classroom, and school leadership strategies that have demonstrated positive outcomes for student performance. Yerkes’ background is in English as a second language and language acquisition programs; this expertise in serving students from diverse backgrounds has informed her practice in school leadership, where she has developed staff capacity to serve students with a wide range of needs. Yerkes’ performance has been recognized at both the local and statewide level. She has twice been awarded Region V Principal of the Year by the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals, both in 2020 and 2024, and she was awarded the prestigious Milken Education Award in 2011. Yerkes grew up in Juneau and has committed her career to ensuring that all Juneau students are provided the opportunity to achieve academic success.

ABOUT TCLL
The Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy Program (TCLL) is a place-based, culture-based “program within a school” where the Tlingit language and culture are integral to daily instruction and celebrated. TCLL in the Juneau School District (JSD) is one of three optional programs open to all students, along with Montessori Borealis School and the Juneau Community Charter School. TCLL was established by SHI and the JSD in 2000, and it proved so successful, the school district assumed funding for the program.

A study in 2013 found that the incorporation of traditional tribal values of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian directly contributes to Alaska Native student success and fosters an environment to grow leadership skills, self-confidence, and creativity. SHI’s goals are to build a thorough language immersive program within TCLL, increase teacher fluency in Tlingit language, and develop TCLL into an autonomous Optional Program in the JSD.

In 2023, SHI secured funding from the Alaska Native Education Program to expand TCLL from K-5 to grades 6-8 by the 2024-2025 school year. The program has also received support from the Douglas Indian Association, Goldbelt Heritage Foundation, Hoonah Heritage Foundation and Tlingit and Haida Central Council. For more information, visit the TCLL website.

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; Molly Yerkes, TCLL principal, molly.yerkes@juneauschools.org.

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SEVENTH ANNUAL TRADITIONAL ALASKAN GAMES TO KICK OFF THIS WEEKEND IN JUNEAU

Public invited to attend, watch livestream

April 1, 2024

(Register) (Schedule) (Volunteer) (Games Website) 

The seventh annual Traditional Alaskan Games will kick off this Friday in Juneau for athletes from 29 teams across Alaska, Canada and the Lower 48.

More than 260 middle school, high school, college and adult athletes from more than 20 communities will compete in 12 events that are based on ancient hunting and survival skills of Indigenous people.

The event will feature visiting teams from Seattle and Whitehorse and from across Alaska, including Hoonah, Metlakatla, Ketchikan, Sitka, Petersburg, Kake, Klawock, Thorne Bay, Anchorage, Seward, Sterling, Homer, Chickaloon Village, Utqiagvik and Nome. Students will represent teams from across the University of Alaska system, as well as Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas.

It will also feature Juneau teams from Dzántik’i Héeni Middle School, Floyd Dryden Middle School, Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé, Thunder Mountain High School, Yaaḵoosgé Daakahídi High School, University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) and the Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy Program.

The games are different from most other sports in that athletes competing against one another in the same events also encourage each other to reach new personal bests. Coaches give helpful tips and guidance to athletes from opposing teams.

The result is an uncommon comradery and respect among athletes who find a new network of supporters and friends through the games.

Coach Kyle Worl, who resurrected a high school team in Juneau after a near 30-year lull, has competed in the games for the past 16 years and describes it as a “life-changing experience.”

“The games helped build my confidence. I felt like I belonged, and that Native identity was acknowledged and embraced. It was a way to connect with my culture and come out of my shell,” said Worl, a Tlingit tribal member. Worl explained that Juneau’s event is open to parents and adults and that non-Native athletes are also welcome to compete.
The free event is scheduled from 5:30-9 pm on Friday, April 5; 9 am-6 pm on Saturday, April 6; and 9 am-5 pm on Sunday, April 7 at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. Event organizers are looking for volunteers. To volunteer, register here or contact Coach Kyle Worl at kworl@tlingitandhaida.gov or 907.227.4998.

The games will be livestreamed from noon to 6 pm, Saturday, April 6, and from 11 am to 5 pm, Sunday, April 7, on Sealaska Heritage Institute’s YouTube channel which will be accessible through the Traditional Games website. Spectators are also welcome to attend in person at Juneau-Douglas Yadaa.at Kalé High School at 1639 Glacier Ave. in Juneau.

Athletes who have questions should contact Coach Kyle Worl at kworl@tlingitandhaida.gov or 907.227.4998.

About Traditional Games

The Traditional Games includes a variety of athletic events that test skills of strength, agility, balance, endurance and focus. These games are based on hunting and survival skills of the Indigenous peoples of Alaska and across the Arctic going back hundreds of years. Athletes strive to perform at their personal best while helping and supporting their fellow competitors, no matter what team they represent. This is the spirit of the games: to work together toward common goals and learn from the skills and values that have allowed Alaska Native people to survive and thrive in some of the harshest conditions.

Sponsors and Partners

The Traditional Games and Juneau’s NYO teams are a community collaboration made possible by the following major sponsors:

One Foot High Kick Level

• Central Council Tlingit and Haida
• Sealaska
• Sealaska Heritage
• Select Physical Therapy

Two Foot High Kick Level

• Juneau Tlingit and Haida Community Council
• University of Alaska Southeast

Alaskan High Kick Level

• Juneau Community Foundation
• SEARHC
• Trickster Company
• Worl Family

One Hand Reach Level

• Thyes Schaub
• Pat Tynan and Rick Harris

Partners

• Goldbelt Heritage
• Juneau School District
• UAS Wooch.Een student club
• Zach Gordon Youth Services (BAM afterschool program)

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; Kyle Worl, Director of the Traditional Games Competition/Coach, 907.227.4998, kworl@tlingitandhaida.gov

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SHI TO SPONSOR LECTURE SERIES ON SOUTHEAST ALASKA NATIVE LANGUAGES

Free event to be offered in-person, and via livestream.

March 6, 2024

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a free lecture series on the challenges and successes faced by language students learning Lingít (Tlingit), X̱aad Kíl (Haida) and Shm’algyack (Tsimshian).

The series, “Honoring Our Ancestors and Future Generations” (Haa Shuká in Tlingit; Íitl’ Kuníisii in Haida and Na Łagigyetgm in Tsimshian), is part of an effort to unite language learners and culture leaders so they can focus on language instruction, programs and resources available to students.

“We have learned through our ongoing Language Scholars program for Lingít, X̱aad Kíl and Shm’algyack students that the journey has its challenges. We want to support our students and ease their way, as the work they are doing is so important to revitalizing our ancient languages,” said Dr. Rosita Ḵaaháni Worl, president of SHI.

Lecturers will share the challenges and successes of their work to demonstrate to other language learners what is possible and to assure them they are not alone.

All lectures will be held in-person at noon (Alaska time) at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. SHI will also live stream the series on YouTube, where the recordings will be viewable immediately after. Viewers are encouraged to pose questions in-person and online.

The three-part series is scheduled as follows:

Thursday, March 14
Linda Schrack (Skíl Jáadei): Honoring Our Speakers: Past, Present, and Future

Skíl Jáadei Linda Schrack is a Haida language teacher and an assistant professor of Alaska Native languages at UAS. She has been teaching the Haida language at the university since 2014 and holds a Master of Arts in Indigenous languages and linguistics from Simon Fraser University. Skíl Jáadei worked for the Ketchikan Indian Community Johnson O’Malley program beginning in 2006. In 2008, she initiated the program’s shift from a culture and arts focus to Tlingit, Tsimshian and Haida language mentor-apprentice programming. While Haida is Skíl Jáadei’s focus, she continually advocates for Tsimshian and Tlingit languages and culture.

Tuesday, March 19
 Robert Yates (Dag Júus): Enduring Language Work has its Rewards

Dag Júus Robert Yates is a Haida language teacher and a former student of SHI’s language scholars’ program, through which he completed his Indigenous Teaching Certificate in Haida. Since then, he has been teaching community classes through Outer Coast and Tlingit and Haida Central Council. He has also taught Beginning Haida language classes through UAS.

Friday, March 22
Anna Clock (Neelaatughaa): Scholar to Teacher – Building your Mentor Team

Neelaatughaa Anna Clock is a Tlingit language teacher and a former student of SHI’s Language Scholars program. She teaches the Tlingit language at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She also hosts an online study group, transcribes, and translates recordings from Tlingit to English and creates instructional videos of her own. In 2022, Anna completed her Indigenous Teaching Certificate in Tlingit as an SHI Language Scholar.

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.