Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SHI TO SPONSOR FALL LECTURE SERIES

Free event to be offered in-person, virtually

Aug. 31, 2022

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a free fall lecture series on topics ranging from clan crests, lost Alaskans, historical trauma in Alaska Native peoples and whether there should be a constitutional convention.

All lectures will be at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau and live streamed on SHI’s YouTube channel at noon Alaska time and saved to the institute’s channel immediately after.

September 8

Lecture: An Alaska Native Memoir: Our Lives Are Stories Telling Themselves by Ernestine Hayes
September 13

Lecture: How the Chookaneidí Clan Earned the Rights to Use the Devilfish/Octopus as a Crest by Fred Saat-Kaa Fulmer
September 15

Lecture: T’ak Ḵdeintaan Clan and Origin of Crests by Ken Grant
September 20

Lecture: Shall There Be a Constitutional Convention? by Bruce Botelho
September 22

Lecture: Language Revitalization by Lance X̱’unei Twitchell
September 27

Lecture: Sukteeneidí Totem Poles by Ed Thomas
September 28

Lecture: Voices of the Ancestors: Inquiries Concerning Tlingit Singing at Yakutat in 1791 by Steve Langdon, Maria Williams, and Judy Ramos
October 4

Lecture: Epigenetics and Historical Trauma in Alaska Native Peoples by Riphan Malhi
October 6

Lecture: Morningside Hospital: The Lost Alaskans by Niesje Steinkruger and Eric Cordingley
October 13

Lecture: Yanyeidí Clan Origin and Crests by Lillian Petershoare
October 25

Lecture: Traditional Ecological Knowledge of the Wolf by Steve Langdon
October 27

Lecture: The National Academy of Sciences by Thomas Thornton
Date TBA

Lecture: History of TeiḴweidí Clan by Dan Brown

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 Media and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636, 

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SHI HAS CHOSEN DOCTORAL STUDENT IN ALASKA NATIVE STUDIES WINS JUDSON BROWN SCHOLARSHIP

Program honors students with academic achievement, leadership skills

Aug. 3, 2022

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has chosen a Ph.D. student with a focus on Alaska Native sovereignty as the recipient of its 2021 Judson L. Brown Leadership Award.

The honor was given to Tlingit scholar Breylan Náajeyistláa Martin, who holds a master’s degree from Brown University and is pursuing her doctorate in ethnic studies with a focus on Native American studies at the University of California, Berkeley.

The $5,000 award goes to students who have demonstrated academic achievement and leadership skills, said SHI President Rosita Worl.

“Breylan at a young age has shown a remarkable dedication to the Native community and to the furtherance of Indigenous rights. We believe she will make a difference as a Tlingit leader and a scholar of colonial oppression of Native people,” Worl said.

Martin began her higher education journey at Emory University, majoring in religion and anthropology and minoring in dance and movement. She was awarded the Eugene Bianchi Prize for commitment to the community following her senior thesis that explored the spiritual implications of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

Martin also held key leadership roles in a multicultural dance troupe, AHANA Dance, serving as the fundraising chair, vice president, and eventually the president.

“These roles helped prepare me for my leadership positions during my master’s degree work at Brown,” Martin explained of her rise to elected positions. These allowed her to advocate for formal recognition of Narragansett land that the university operates on. Her work as the master’s advocacy chair culminated in the creation of a program that provided weekly produce to the student community during the pandemic, established a community pantry and ultimately secured permanent funding for the program in the spring of 2021.

“I believe in building supportive and interconnected communities because of the generosity that has sustained me,” Martin said of the reciprocal relationships she views as transformative.

Martin, who is Raven of the T’akdeintaan clan and the X’áakw Hít, looks for ways to serve her local community when she is in school and away from her own people. She has recently been elected as the co-chair of the American Indian Graduate Student Association at Berkeley, which was established to aid the social and academic well-being of Indigenous students on campus.

“I hope to continue to translate my professional skills and cultural heritage knowledge into work that is centered on and in service to my Native community,” Martin explained.

Martin is focused on uncovering how the Tlingit have subversively navigated legislative encroachments onto the land and hopes to glean ideas from Tlingit cultural values that clearly trace a path forward by asking a guiding question: how have the Tlingit implemented a unique instance of counter-governance that has become increasingly friendly towards the environment?

“Breylan’s record of serving and giving back to the community, no matter where she resides, is admirable and one of our core cultural values that stresses reciprocity and obligation to those who help you,” Worl said.

Martin hopes to glean ideas from Tlingit cultural values that clearly trace a path forward by asking a guiding question: how have the Tlingit implemented a unique instance of counter-governance that has become increasingly friendly towards the environment?

In the future, Martin intends to “return home filled with ideas of transformation” and to teach within the University of Alaska system where she can infuse more tools and knowledge. “I look forward to the futures we are creating and am excited to be contributing to them.”

Chris and Mary McNeil established the scholarship fund in 2006 in honor of Chris’ uncle, Tlingit leader Judson Lawrence Brown, who was the first chair of the Sealaska Heritage Foundation, now known as the Sealaska Heritage Institute, and a forceful advocate for education and leadership development. The endowment is administered by Sealaska Heritage Institute.  

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: Tlingit Breylan R. Martin. Note: Media outlets are welcome to use this image for coverage of this story. For a high-resolution version, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SHI TO KICK OFF FIFTH CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE EDUCATION CONFERENCE NEXT WEEK

Registration for online participation still open

Aug. 1, 2022

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will kick off its fifth annual culturally responsive education conference next week and welcome more than 650 in-person and online participants from Alaska, the Lower 48 and as far away as Australia.

The conference will feature two keynote speakers, 60 breakout sessions and 9 immersive learning workshops. The goal of the conference is to provide a deep understanding of culturally responsive, place-based education and to equip educators and school administrators with the skills needed to reach all students, especially those who have been historically underserved, disenfranchised and marginalized. The 2022 theme is Haa Ḵusteeyí Yatsáakw: Our Way of Life Persists.

About 550 in-person and more than 100 online participants are expected, making it the largest cultural conference SHI has ever organized.

“We are thrilled to see the momentum and popularity this program has gained with teachers and the education community. Our evaluations have shown the conference has had a profound impact on our participants,” said SHI President Rosita Worl. “We are also indebted to the educators who have taken time to get a deeper understanding of the Native world view so they can better serve Indigenous students.”

Space is filling up for in-person participants, but educators who cannot attend are welcome to register as online participants for some of the events.

The in-person component is scheduled Aug. 11-13 at Juneau-Douglas High School. 

Keynote Speakers

The conference will feature two keynote speakers.

Dr. Dolly Garza, who earned her Ph.D. in marine policy and is the author of Common Edible Seaweeds of the Gulf of Alaska, will provide a review of gathering traditional foods and materials and a glimpse into the lessons that are learned through participation in these activities. She will build on our understanding that science and culture are intertwined as we learn when and where and why we gather foods and material throughout the year. Garza, who is Haida from Ketchikan, is a retired professor from the University of Alaska. She is now a full-time artist and is well-known for her weaving. She continues to teach seaweed identification and sustainable harvesting workshops.

Dr. Matthew Wappett, who is a researcher, a writer, and an educator in stress management, leadership and inclusion, will review the most recent science on the physical, psychological, and social impacts of chronic stress and will introduce participants to the science of laughter. This presentation will help participants understand the correlation between stress and mental health and will provide a brief overview of why poor mental health is the next epidemic. Participants will engage in a short laughter “practice” and Dr. Wappett will provide several simple self-care strategies that participants can use to manage stress and promote mental health in their personal lives and in the classroom. Dr. Wappett is the executive director of the Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice at Utah State University. Matt grew up living a semi-subsistence lifestyle and dip netted for salmon on the Copper River every summer and went moose and caribou hunting every fall to ensure that his family had meat for the winter. Matt’s family still runs a set-net operation for salmon in Bristol Bay every summer. His family is also deeply involved in dog mushing in Fairbanks, and his nieces and nephews have competed in the Willow Jr 100 and the Jr. Iditarod.

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

SEALASKA HERITAGE TO BRING MARC BROWN & THE BLUES CREW TO NEW ARTS CAMPUS PLAZA FOR JULY 4TH WEEKEND

Public invited to free inaugural performance at the campus, SHI to livestream

June 28, 2022

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has hired noted Fairbanks musicians Marc Brown & The Blues Crew to play at its newly-opened arts campus at Heritage Square in Juneau for the Fourth of July holiday.

The free event will mark the inaugural performance at the campus, which opened on June 8 of this year. The plaza was intended to be a hub for gatherings and performances.

“Our plaza was built with performing arts in mind, and we are kicking off the use of this new space with one of the state’s best Alaska Native bands,” said SHI President Rosita Worl. “We hope the plaza will become the new heart of Juneau, where residents will come together to share their art with the public.”

Brown is a Koyukon Athabascan who was raised within a large family of musicians in the small village of Huslia, Alaska. After picking up his first guitar at the age of 4, Brown began taking lessons from his late grandfather, Tony Sam Sr., at age 12. Within two years he was playing rhythm guitar for Sam Sr.’s band, which focused on country and gospel music. Brown would later attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music.

Listeners may remember the group most recently when they performed in the Áak’w Rock fest held in Juneau in 2021. Their 20-plus-year career has come with many significant milestones: opening for well-known bands like ZZ Top and Jethro Tull, winning a 2011 Native American Music Award for Best Blues Recording with their 10th album Indian Rock’n’Roll, and a nomination with that album for Group of the Year.

Their 15th and latest album, Open Your Eyes, is currently in the works and will feature what they’re known for: blues you can dance to!

The band will take the stage at 5 pm, Saturday, July 2. SHI will livestream the performance on its YouTube. The plaza is located at the Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus across from SHI, which is at 105 S. Seward St. in downtown Juneau. This is a family event that is free to the community. Alcohol is not permitted at the concert. 

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 Media and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636,  kathy.dye@sealaska.com; Marc Brown, marcanthonybrown@hotmail.com.
  

Caption: Marc Brown & The Blues Crew. Photo courtesy of Marc Brown. Note: news outlets are permitted to use this photo in association with coverage of this story.

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SHI AND CITY MUSEUM TO HOST LECTURE ON JUNEAU “FOUR STORY POLE”

Free event to be offered virtually, in-person

July 5, 2022

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI), in partnership with the Juneau-Douglas City Museum (JDCM), will co-sponsor a lecture by Native art scholar Dr. Emily Moore next week on a shaman totem pole in Juneau.

Through the lecture, Reevaluating the “Four Story Pole” by John Wallace, Moore will examine recent research that suggests Kaigani Haida carver John Wallace intended the pole to be read as one story, rather than four separate stories. The account tells of a Tlingit shaman named Sa’wan who obtained knowledge of halibut hooks from the Land Otter People.

The federal government commissioned Wallace, who lived in Hydaburg, to carve the pole in 1940 through the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a government work relief program that employed Tlingit and Haida men from 1938 to 1942. Through her lecture, Moore will present the original 1940s interpretation of the pole, as recorded in the unpublished notes of Viola Garfield, an American anthropologist best known for her work on the social organization and art of the Tsimshian nation in British Columbia and Alaska.

Moore will also explore how the “Four Story” narrative emerged in the 1960s alongside strained tensions between the Tlingit and non-Tlingit communities in the Juneau-Douglas area, caused in part by the 1962 burning of the Douglas Indian Village.

The Juneau Chamber of Commerce purchased the pole in 1962, and the Juneau Rotary Club paid to transport and erect it in 1963. In 1994, the pole was moved to its current location in front of the city museum.

Out of proper protocol and respect, Moore endeavors to discuss her research findings on poles with clan leaders before sharing them publicly. However, as with several poles commissioned through the CCC period, Wallace’s pole is not discernably associated with any clan, but research is ongoing about which the clans might be associated with the totem.

Moore is an associate professor of art history and associate curator of North American Art at the Gregory Allicar Museum at Colorado State University, where she teaches courses in Native American and American art history. Raised in Ketchikan, she has focused her research on Tlingit and Haida arts of the twentieth century and is the author of the book Proud Raven, Panting Wolf: Carving Alaska’s New Deal Totem Parks, published by the University of Washington Press in 2018. Moore has twice been a visiting scholar with SHI.  

The lecture is scheduled at 12 pm, Tuesday, July 12, in the clan house at Sealaska Heritage Institute. A question-and-answer session will follow. After the talk, Moore will invite her audience to accompany her up the hill to view the totem pole, which is on display in front of JDCM. SHI will livestream the lecture on its YouTube.

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: Chuck Smythe, SHI Senior Ethnologist, 907.586.9282, chuck.smythe@sealaska.com; Beth Weigel, JDCM Director, beth.weigel@juneau.org, 907.586.3572

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SEALASKA HERITAGE’S TRUSTEES NAME LEAD DANCE GROUP FOR CELEBRATION 2024

Group hails from Whitehorse, Canada

June 23, 2022

The Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) Board of Trustees has named Dakhká Khwáan Dancers (People of the Inland) as the lead dance group for Celebration 2024.

Dakhká Khwáan Dancers, a Tlingit group based in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, will lead all dancers for the first time since the group initially performed at Celebration in 2008.

The honor is given to one dance group every two years. The lead dance group is responsible for leading the Grand Entrance and Grand Exit songs, during which every participating dance group dances across the stage to mark the beginning and end of Celebration. That requires the lead group to drum and sing for up to three hours straight during both processions. 

“It means the world to us, we are very honored and humbled to have such a great responsibility upon us,” wrote group leader Marilyn Jensen. “We are also thinking about our ancestors and all of our elders who helped us along the way to be able to prepare for this great honor. We plan on taking it to the next level and cannot wait to dance with our friends and families in 2024!”

Celebration is a major, four-day event organized by Sealaska Heritage every two years. First held in 1982, it has become one of the largest events in the state, drawing thousands of people and millions of dollars to the capital city of Juneau.

It’s a time when Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people come together to celebrate their cultural survival and also to share their cultures with the public.

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 Media and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636, kathy.dye@sealaska.com; Marilyn Jensen, leader of the Dakhká Khwáan Dancers, 867.334.9886, marilynajensen@gmail.com.  

Caption: Dakhká Khwáan, Dancers (People of the Inland) at Celebration 2022. Photo by Nobu Koch, courtesy of Sealaska Heritage Institute. Note: Media outlets are welcome to use this photo for coverage of this story. For a higher resolution image, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

NATIVE FOOD CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED BY SHI

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has announced the winners of its popular traditional food contests, held as part of Celebration 2022

June 9, 2022

The winners are as follows:

Back Seaweed Contest

Mike Allard, first place
Theresa Wellington, second place
Christina Weber, third place

Dry Fish Contest

Donna James, first place
Kenneth Willard Jr., second place
Mike Allard, third place

Seal Oil Contest

Sharon Olsen, first place
Sally Joseph, second place
Diane Carrier, third place

Olsen says the secret to good seal oil is that she’s tender, patient and picky about her craft, and she is careful to ensure that no blood, hair or fat remain in her prize-winning oil.

“I know I’ve been successful when I can see clearly through the jar,” she said.

Allard said he learned how to prepare black seaweed from his parents and that he made small adjustments.

“My motto is – dry with love,” he said.

Winners were announced onstage at Centennial Hall on Thursday afternoon. The institute sponsors the contests to introduce young people to traditional Native foods and to highlight the health benefits of traditional Native cuisine. Names of contestants were kept secret from the judges prior to the judging.

Celebration is a major, four-day event organized by Sealaska Heritage every two years. First held in 1982, it has become the one of the largest events in the state, drawing thousands of people to the capital.

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 Media and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636, kathy.dye@sealaska.com.

Caption: Awards ceremony for SHI’s Native food contests, held during Celebration 2022. Photo by Stacy Unzicker, courtesy of Sealaska Heritage Institute. Note: News outlets are welcome to use these images for coverage of this story. For higher resolution images, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SEALASKA HERITAGE ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 2022 JURIED ART COMPETITION, YOUTH ART EXHIBIT

Juried Art Show and Competition

June 8, 2022

Thirteen artists have taken top prizes and one honorable mention at Sealaska Heritage Institute’s eleventh biennial Juried Art Show and Competition, and three young artists also placed in SHI’s fourth biennial Juried Youth Art Exhibit.

Tlingit artist Káakaxaawulga Jennifer Younger won Best of Show and Best of Carving and Sculpture Division for her piece Mussel.

“The creativity of this piece is extraordinary,” commented co-juror Shgendootan Robyn Kay George. “The varying lines on the outer shell show knowledge of real mussel shells. Beautiful, creative and excellent craftsmanship.”

 “Different textures, different forms ‘ it all works,” added co-juror Mick Beasley.

Tlingit artist James Johnson won the Best of Formline Design award for his Transforming Raven Box.

Other winners in the Juried Art Show by division and category:

Carving and Sculpture Division (wood and metal categories): Tlingit artist KaaX̱ Tséen Herb Sheakley won the Best of Wood Category for LukakuwóoX̱’ and Tlingit artist William (Lee) Burkhart won the Best of Metal Category for his piece Ke╠üet, as well as an Honorable Mention for Eye of The Beholder.

2D and Relief Carving Division: Haida and Aleut artist Gregory Frisby won Best of Division for Wasco Cloak, which was also awarded second place in the Best of Formline awards.

Sewing Division (skin and fur, beadwork and vest categories): Tlingit and Haida artist Aanchgwanutk’ Janice Jackson won Best of Division and Best of Skin & Fur for her piece Great Grandmother’s Spirit; Tlingit artist Jill Kaasteen Meserve won Best of Beadwork for her piece Resiliency in Connections: Mini Cellphone Octopus Bag; and Tlingit artist Kooseen Janice Hotch won Best of Vest Sewing for her Tlingit Seal Hide Vest.

Weaving Division (Chilkat inspired, Ravenstail and basketry categories): Tlingit artist Gunashaa Lisa Fisher won Best of Division for her piece The Fishing Grounds; Tlingit artist Wooshkindein Da.áat Lily Hope won Best of Chilkat-Inspired Weaving for her piece Clarissa’s Feast Dish; Tsimshian artist Ksm Lx’Sg̲a̲n Ruth Hallows won Best of Ravenstail for Our Sisters Dance With Us; Haida artist Kung Káayangs Marlene Liddle won the Best of Basketry Category for her piece Golden Glow; and Tlingit, Haida and Aleut artist Ḵaatuwdu.oo Nicole Carle won an Honorable Mention for Destination.

Endangered Arts Division (spruce root basketry category): Haida artist Xay Kuyaas Ariane Medley took Best of Division in Endangered Arts for her piece Ancestral Style Spruce Root Lidded Basket.

Other pieces selected for exhibit included: Sgaan ts’al tl’asdang (Double finned killer whale) by Kún Kuyáang Karl Hoffman, In Time by Alison Bremner and Cole Speck, Raven Bringing Light to the World by Jeffery Sheakley, Giving Wealth by ShkáX̱ Kawdulaak Andrew Tripp, Ch’iyáash by KaaX̱ Tséen Herb Sheakley, T’aawáḴ by KaaX̱ Tséen Herb Sheakley, Eagle Bowl by James Johnson, Sea Lion Helmet by James Johnson, Raven Bowl by Naa k’ool dzaaz eesh William Pfeifer, Raven Transformational Mask by Naa k’ool dzaaz eesh William Pfeifer, and Enchanted by Ḵaatuwdu.oo Nicole Carle, Memorial Beats by Wooshkindein Da.áat Lily Hope, Women’s Leggings by Gunashaa Lisa Fisher, Our Ravenstail Face Mask by Xay Kuyaas Ariane Medley, and Basket by Merle Andersen.

Jurors Shgendootan Robyn Kay George and Michael “Mick” Beasley reviewed the pieces blindly, meaning the names of artists who submitted pieces were not disclosed.

Juror George said SHI’s Juried Art Show provides an amazing opportunity for artists to reach a wider audience with their work, noting that it has launched the careers of many up and coming future artist stars.

“This year we saw an expansive range of art, from drums to sculptures to headbands–from functional regalia to purely artistic stand-alone pieces. It was an honor to serve this year as a juror and especially exciting to get to see all the work before the rest of the world.”

SHI’s Juried Youth Art Exhibit includes 20 objects made by 15 high school students from Anchorage, Angoon, Craig, Haines, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Metlakatla. Haida artist Git Kuyaa Kinsie Young of Anchorage won first place for Lightning Apron, Tsimshian artist Alicia Feak-Lent of Metlakatla won second place for Gertie, and Tlingit and Tsimshian artist Sean Guthrie of Ketchikan won third place for Northwest Coast.

The Youth Art Exhibit juror was Jackson Polys (Stephen Paul Jackson), a Tlingit artist and educator. In a statement, he addressed the young artists: “Seeing your work submitted for the exhibit is incredibly encouraging and inspiring. The artworks reveal exciting developments of your artistic voice, as you experiment and refine through drawing, painting, carving, sewing, and weaving to create works that surprise usΓǪ Overall one can sense that your growing skill is giving you freedom to express both individually and to contribute to our cultural resurgence.”

The youth exhibit will be on display at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center through June 24. The Juried Art Show exhibit will be on display in the Nathan Jackson Gallery at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau through Dec. 3. The gallery also features SHI’s exhibit, Our Grandparents’ Names on the Land, which explores ancient place names and the innovative inventions that were used to catch halibut and salmon.

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 Media and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636, kathy.dye@sealaska.com.

Caption, from top: “Mussel” by Tlingit artist Káakaxaawulga Jennifer Younger, Best of Show and Best of Carving and Sculpture Division; “Transforming Raven Box” by Tlingit artist James Johnson, Best of Formline Design;”Lightning Apron” by Haida artist Git Kuyaa Kinsie Young, first place, Juried Youth Art Exhibit. Note: News outlets are welcome to use these images for coverage of this event. For a higher resolution imagea, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

CELEBRATION 2022 TO KICK OFF NEXT WEEK!

Event to be broadcast, streamed live

June 1, 2022

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will kick off its biennial Celebration next week, marking the 40th year since the inception of the popular dance-and-culture festival.

Celebration is a major, four-day event organized by Sealaska Heritage every two years. First held in 1982, it has become the one of the largest events in the state, drawing thousands of people and millions of dollars to the capital city.

It’s a time when Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people come together to celebrate their cultural survival and also to share their cultures with the public, said SHI President Rosita Worl.

“We have a lot to celebrate this year. This is the first time we’ve come together in-person for Celebration in four years because of Covid-19, and it’s the 40th anniversary of the event. It will be a joyous reunion and celebration,” said Worl, adding the general public is welcome to attend.

Nearly 1,200 dancers from 28 dance groups will participate this year. Along with dance performances, Celebration features associated events, including a Juried Art Show and Competition, a Juried Youth Art Exhibit, a Northwest Coast Art Market, Native food contests, a Toddler Regalia Review, and a parade through downtown Juneau.

Events will be held in numerous venues, including Centennial Hall, the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall, Sealaska Heritage’s Walter Soboleff Building, and the Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus.

Celebration 2022 will feature two lead dance groups, both of Wrangell: Shx’at Kwáan (People Near the Mainland) and Kaasitlaan Dancers. The 2022 theme is Celebrating 10,000 Years of Cultural Survival.

“The theme is fitting in that forty years ago we came together for the first Celebration to celebrate our cultural survival. Here we are now, four decades later, and in the aftermath of a pandemic, and our cultures are thriving,” Worl said.

The Celebration 2022 art was designed by Haida and Tlingit artist Kimberly Fulton Orozco, who won SHI’s first ever Celebration art competition with her piece The Energy That Moves Us, which was inspired by the 2022 theme.

SHI will also hold a grand opening for its Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus, which will include a ceremony for the new Sealaska Cultural Values Totem Pole, a rare and massive piece carved on all sides and the first one of its kind in Alaska. The totem, made by Haida artist TJ Young with assistance from Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian carvers, will represent all three tribes of Southeast Alaska and the four core cultural values that guide SHI programs.

The event will mark a huge milestone in SHI’s quest to make Juneau the Northwest Coast arts capital and to declare Northwest Coast arts a national treasure.

The Juried Art Show will open at 4:30, June 3, for First Friday at SHI’s Walter Soboleff Building. The campus opening is scheduled at noon, Wednesday, June 8, and will be followed at 4 pm by the Juried Art Show and Competition awards ceremony in the clan house at Sealaska Heritage. The Grand Entrance is scheduled for 6 pm at Centennial Hall, and the event runs through Saturday, June 11.

SHI will sponsor a live, statewide broadcast of Celebration on public television’s 360TV over the air, on cable, on the web and the KTOO Roku App. Live coverage will begin with the campus opening on Wednesday. News media outlets are welcome to cover the event. Reporters are required to sign in at the information booth in Centennial Hall and wear a media pass. 

Tickets

SHI will begin early ticket sales for Celebration and distribute dancer wristbands starting on Monday at the following times and locations:

Monday, June 6, 1-4 pm, lobby of Sealaska Heritage (105 S. Seward St.). Credit card payment only.
Tuesday, June 7, 1-4 pm, lobby of Sealaska Heritage (105 S. Seward St.). Credit card payment only.
Wednesday, June 8, noon-9 pm, Centennial Hall. Cash and credit cards accepted.

Attendees will be required to wear masks and show proof of vaccination for access to all indoor venues. SHI’s Covid mitigation plan, which also includes other measures, is intended to ensure the safety of participants.

Four-day passes are $35 for adults and $15 for Elders and youth (ages 7-12). One-day tickets are $18 for adults, and $10 for Elders and youth (ages 7-12). Children ages 6 and under are admitted at no charge. Dance group schedules will be published in the program, which will be available at the SHI Store beginning Monday, June 6, and at the admissions tables at Centennial Hall and the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall.

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 Media and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636, kathy.dye@sealaska.com.

Caption: Celebration 2022 art “The Energy That Moves Us” by Haida and Tlingit artist Kimberly Fulton Orozco. Note: Media outlets are welcome to use this photo for coverage of this story. For a higher resolution image, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com

Sealaska Heritage Institute Press Release

SEALASKA HERITAGE ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 2022 JURIED ART COMPETITION, YOUTH ART EXHIBIT

Juried Art Show and Competition

June 8, 2022

Thirteen artists have taken top prizes and one honorable mention at Sealaska Heritage Institute’s eleventh biennial Juried Art Show and Competition, and three young artists also placed in SHI’s fourth biennial Juried Youth Art Exhibit.

Tlingit artist Káakaxaawulga Jennifer Younger won Best of Show and Best of Carving and Sculpture Division for her piece Mussel.

“The creativity of this piece is extraordinary,” commented co-juror Shgendootan Robyn Kay George. “The varying lines on the outer shell show knowledge of real mussel shells. Beautiful, creative and excellent craftsmanship.”

 “Different textures, different forms ‘ it all works,” added co-juror Mick Beasley.

Tlingit artist James Johnson won the Best of Formline Design award for his Transforming Raven Box.

Other winners in the Juried Art Show by division and category:

Carving and Sculpture Division (wood and metal categories): Tlingit artist KaaX̱ Tséen Herb Sheakley won the Best of Wood Category for LukakuwóoX̱’ and Tlingit artist William (Lee) Burkhart won the Best of Metal Category for his piece Kéet, as well as an Honorable Mention for Eye of The Beholder.

2D and Relief Carving Division: Haida and Aleut artist Gregory Frisby won Best of Division for Wasco Cloak, which was also awarded second place in the Best of Formline awards.

Sewing Division (skin and fur, beadwork and vest categories): Tlingit and Haida artist Aanchgwanutk’ Janice Jackson won Best of Division and Best of Skin & Fur for her piece Great Grandmother’s Spirit; Tlingit artist Jill Kaasteen Meserve won Best of Beadwork for her piece Resiliency in Connections: Mini Cellphone Octopus Bag; and Tlingit artist Kooseen Janice Hotch won Best of Vest Sewing for her Tlingit Seal Hide Vest.

Weaving Division (Chilkat inspired, Ravenstail and basketry categories): Tlingit artist Gunashaa Lisa Fisher won Best of Division for her piece The Fishing Grounds; Tlingit artist Wooshkindein Da.áat Lily Hope won Best of Chilkat-Inspired Weaving for her piece Clarissa’s Feast Dish; Tsimshian artist Ksm Lx’Sg̲án Ruth Hallows won Best of Ravenstail for Our Sisters Dance With Us; Haida artist Kung Káayangs Marlene Liddle won the Best of Basketry Category for her piece Golden Glow; and Tlingit, Haida and Aleut artist Ḵaatuwdu.oo Nicole Carle won an Honorable Mention for Destination.

Endangered Arts Division (spruce root basketry category): Haida artist Xay Kuyaas Ariane Medley took Best of Division in Endangered Arts for her piece Ancestral Style Spruce Root Lidded Basket.

Other pieces selected for exhibit included: Sgaan ts’al tl’asdang (Double finned killer whale) by Kún Kuyáang Karl Hoffman, In Time by Alison Bremner and Cole Speck, Raven Bringing Light to the World by Jeffery Sheakley, Giving Wealth by ShkáX̱ Kawdulaak Andrew Tripp, Ch’iyáash by KaaX̱ Tséen Herb Sheakley, T’aawá Ḵ by KaaX̱ Tséen Herb Sheakley, Eagle Bowl by James Johnson, Sea Lion Helmet by James Johnson, Raven Bowl by Naa k’ool dzaaz eesh William Pfeifer, Raven Transformational Mask by Naa k’ool dzaaz eesh William Pfeifer, and Enchanted by Káatuwdu.oo Nicole Carle, Memorial Beats by Wooshkindein Da.áat Lily Hope, Women’s Leggings by Gunashaa Lisa Fisher, Our Ravenstail Face Mask by Xay Kuyaas Ariane Medley, and Basket by Merle Andersen.

Jurors Shgendootan Robyn Kay George and Michael “Mick” Beasley reviewed the pieces blindly, meaning the names of artists who submitted pieces were not disclosed.

Juror George said SHI’s Juried Art Show provides an amazing opportunity for artists to reach a wider audience with their work, noting that it has launched the careers of many up and coming future artist stars.

“This year we saw an expansive range of art, from drums to sculptures to headbands–from functional regalia to purely artistic stand-alone pieces. It was an honor to serve this year as a juror and especially exciting to get to see all the work before the rest of the world.”

SHI’s Juried Youth Art Exhibit includes 20 objects made by 15 high school students from Anchorage, Angoon, Craig, Haines, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Metlakatla. Haida artist Git Kuyaa Kinsie Young of Anchorage won first place for Lightning Apron, Tsimshian artist Alicia Feak-Lent of Metlakatla won second place for Gertie, and Tlingit and Tsimshian artist Sean Guthrie of Ketchikan won third place for Northwest Coast.

The Youth Art Exhibit juror was Jackson Polys (Stephen Paul Jackson), a Tlingit artist and educator. In a statement, he addressed the young artists: “Seeing your work submitted for the exhibit is incredibly encouraging and inspiring. The artworks reveal exciting developments of your artistic voice, as you experiment and refine through drawing, painting, carving, sewing, and weaving to create works that surprise us… Overall one can sense that your growing skill is giving you freedom to express both individually and to contribute to our cultural resurgence.”

The youth exhibit will be on display at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center through June 24. The Juried Art Show exhibit will be on display in the Nathan Jackson Gallery at the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau through Dec. 3. The gallery also features SHI’s exhibit, Our Grandparents’ Names on the Land, which explores ancient place names and the innovative inventions that were used to catch halibut and salmon.

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 Media and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636, kathy.dye@sealaska.com.

Caption, from top: “Mussel” by Tlingit artist Káakaxaawulga Jennifer Younger, Best of Show and Best of Carving and Sculpture Division; “Transforming Raven Box” by Tlingit artist James Johnson, Best of Formline Design;”Lightning Apron” by Haida artist Git Kuyaa Kinsie Young, first place, Juried Youth Art Exhibit. Note: News outlets are welcome to use these images for coverage of this event. For a higher resolution imagea, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com