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Click here to visit SHI's online Language Resources!
See photos of the Eagle totem pole project at UAS

SHI 2009 Annual Report Now Available Online
View a pdf version of its 2009 annual report or, to request a hardcopy, contact Kathy Dye, kathy.dye@sealaska.com (Video)


 
Featured Video    
 

Being Successful is no Accident: The Business of Art by Robert Davidson from Kathy Dye on Vimeo.

 
Internationally-acclaimed Haida artist Robert Davidson gave a talk during Celebration 2010. His lecture--Being Successful is no Accident: The Business of Art--is not only for artists; He incorporates important life lessons that can be appreciated by people from all walks of life. June 5, 2010. (TRT: 1:30:00)

(Video Library)

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Guitar jam session draws crowd
SHI's Haa
Aaní: Guitar Jam Session drew about eighty people to the Juneau Arts & Culture Center on Aug. 30. The program included performances by old timers Betty Marvin, Cyril George, Arnold Haube, Andy Cadiente, Ben Quick, and George and Velma Paul plus new talent Rick Huteson. Hosted by Sealaska Heritage Institute. (Photos)

Button Blanket Project
SHI Visiting Scholar Fiona McDonald is conducting a research project in which she will investigate how button blankets are made, how they are used today and how they become at.óow. She will interview and record and/or film button blanket markers and those who receive the blankets.  She will provide those she will interview the questions she will ask one week in advance of the scheduled interview. We think this is an important project that will record the continuing importance of button blankets.  If you are interested in being interviewed or know of someone who could make a contribution to this project, please contact fiona.mcdonald@sealaska.com. Copies of the recordings will be held in SHI Archives and available for educational purposes. Fiona will also make her written work available to SHI.    

SHI to host guitar jam session, public invited
Sealaska Heritage Institute on Monday, Aug. 30, will host “Haa Aaní: Guitar Jam Session”—a celebration of Native guitar players, including old timers Betty Marvin, Cyril George, Arnold Haube, Andy Cadiente, and George Paul plus new talent Rick Huteson. It’s free of charge and open to the public. Please pass this invitation along to anyone who might be interested! The event is scheduled 5 pm-7 pm at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center (JACC). (flyer)

Sealaska officially owns 'the pit'
Sealaska Corp. has officially bought the downtown lot at 213 Front St. knows as "the pit." While a deal was reached in June, the transfer of ownership became official Monday...The Native corporation's nonprofit sister company, the Sealaska Heritage Institute, will use the land to construct a Native archival and cultural center...(more)

SHI sponsors annual Latseen Leadership Camp
SHI in July sponsored its annual Latseen Leadership Camp in Juneau. This year, it was held out the road at the Boy Scout Camp. Fifty students from across Southeast Alaska participated. It included many activities, including Tlingit and Haida language lessons, drum making, spruce root weaving and subsistence activities. The camp was held for kids in grades 7-9 and was designed to provide engaging culturally-based education and activities for youth in support of their future academic and personal success. The program was supported by a grant from the Alaska Native Education Program (ANEP). (Photos)

Celebration 2012 dates announced
SHI will sponsor the next Celebration June 6-9, 2012 in Juneau. Hotels sometimes fill up soon after this date is released, so SHI encourages people to book rooms early.

Hydaburg basketball camp draws twenty-five students
SHI's Latseen Hoop Camp in Hydaburg drew twenty-five students. The camp was held in July for students in grades 2-12. The camps are designed to teach Native languages through a fun activity--basketball! The coaches included Carmaleeda Estrada and Ben Young. Ben also taught the language segments. Linda Schrack and her daughter, Starla, also helped with the language component. The program was supported by the American Association on Indian Affairs, and Sealaska Corporation.

Hoonah basketball camp draws eighteen students
SHI's Latseen Hoop Camp in Hoonah drew eighteen students. The camp was held in July for students in grades 2-12. The camps are designed to teach Native languages through a fun activity--basketball! The coaches included Carmaleeda Estrada, Mischa Plunkett and Joshua Jackson. Jessica Chester was the language instructor. The program was supported by the American Association on Indian Affairs, and Sealaska Corporation.

Angoon basketball camp draws record number
SHI's second Latseen Hoop Camp in Angoon drew thirty-seven students--a record for the program. The camp was held in June for students in grades 2-12. The camps are designed to teach Native languages through a fun activity--basketball! The camp received a large amount of community support with the school providing lunches, supplies and staff time. The coaches included Carmaleeda Estrada, Mischa Plunkett, Ralph Wolfe and Joshua Jackson. Jessica Chester was the language instructor. The program was supported by the American Association on Indian Affairs, and Sealaska Corporation.

Lecture by Robert Davidson now available online
Robert Davidson's lecture drew a huge crowd at Celebration 2010 and some people weren't able to get in. You can now watch it online! Robert Davidson is an internationally-acclaimed Haida artist and one of Canada's most respected and important contemporary artists. His lecture--Being Successful is no Accident: The Business of Art--is not only for artists. In his talk, he incorporates important life lessons that can be appreciated by people from all walks of life. (Robert Davidson's Lecture) (Video Library)

Dr. Brian Kemp giving talk at Celebration 2010. Photo by Brian WallaceLecture by Dr. Brian Kemp now available online
If you missed Dr. Brian Kemp's lecture on DNA samples collected during Celebration 2008, you can now watch his talk in its entirety online. Dr. Kemp summarized his findings at Celebration 2010 in a talk sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute. Researchers screened participants' mitochondrial DNA for the genetic markers that define haplogroups A, B, C, and D--if you participated in the study, click here to view your results. The results from the first phase of the study were released in December 2008. Kemp's lecture in June emphasized the second phase of the study, which focused on genetic variation among Alaska’s Natives and other indigenous populations, genetic continuity of populations in Alaska and their relationships to other indigenous populations, and reconstruction of population history.(Dr. Kemp's Lecture) (Video Library)

Digital Cultural Objects Collection
This link routes researchers to a selection of online photographs showing the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian art held by SHI Special Collections. SHI’s cultural objects collection contains materials of various genres and of a wide date range, from ancient stone items to modern art created by practicing Native artists. This web album will continue to grow as materials are added by Special Collections staff. (Cultural Objects Collection)

Sealaska Corporation buys land for cultural center
Center slated for downtown site razed by 2004 fire
Sealaska Corporation has purchased a downtown lot and plans to donate the site to the nonprofit Sealaska Heritage Institute for a planned Southeast Alaska Native Cultural and Visitors Center. The lot, known locally as "the pit", was the former site of the Skinner Building, which was destroyed by fire in 2004. The property, located across the street from Sealaska’s headquarters, was purchased from a private owner and will be turned over to the institute for a cultural center...(more)

Historical audio recordings donated to SHI
A public radio station has donated to Sealaska Heritage Institute a major collection of audio recordings that include a treasure trove of interviews with notable Elders, clan leaders and other Native people. The collection includes approximately 350 recordings made for the award-winning program Southeast Native Radio, which was broadcast by KTOO-FM in Juneau from 1985 to 2001...(more)

SHI's 2009 annual report available
SHI''s annual report shows highlights of accomplishments in 2009. It includes lots of photos and features graphics of core cultural values made by Robert Davis Hoffmann. View a pdf version of its 2009 annual report or, to request a hardcopy, contact Kathy Dye, kathy.dye@sealaska.com. Check out the video too! (Video)

SHI Accepting Applications for Latseen Leadership Camp
SHI is accepting applications for its annual Latseen Leadership Camp in Juneau. This year's camp is for incoming 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students who are Sealaska shareholders or shareholder descendants. Camp is July 18-24. Application deadline is June 28.

Miss Dr. Brian Kemp's lecture on his DNA study at Celebration?
Link to his powerpoint presentation is now posted here.

Winners of soapberry, seaweed contests announced
Two people have taken top prizes for traditional-food contests at Celebration 2010. Ivan David Williams of Angoon won first place in the biennial black seaweed contest. Doris McLean of Yukon, Whitehorse, took first place in the institute’s second soapberry contest. McLean collected the berries last fall and preserved them over the winter to compete in the contest. “I cooked them and jarred them and put them away for this,” McLean said. “I’m just beating it with sugar and water and smashing it up and putting a little other juices in there.”...(more) (Video)

Winners of Juried Art Competition Announced
Seven artists have taken top awards at the fifth Sealaska Juried Art Competition in Juneau for best contemporary and traditional Native art. The winners, chosen by juror David Boxley, an internationally recognized Northwest Coast Native artist, are...(more) (Watch Video)

Photo by Bill HessCelebration 2010 to kick off next week
SHI will kick off its biennial Celebration next week, marking the 28th year since the inception of the popular dance-and-culture festival. The institute anticipates up to roughly 5,000 people, including 51 dance groups and more than 2,000 dancers from Alaska, Canada and the Lower 48, will attend Celebration 2010, held in Juneau at Centennial Hall, the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall, and the Juneau Arts and Culture Center...(more)
(Radio Actualities) (Schedule) (News Article)

Juried Art Show, 2008. Photo by Brian WallaceWinners of Juried Art Competition to be announced
SHI will open its fourth Juried Art Show on Wednesday and announce winners of its biennial Native art competition. SHI received applications from 33 Native artists who submitted 69 pieces for consideration. Forty-two pieces by 27 artists were chosen for inclusion in the show. The awards ceremony is scheduled 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm, Wednesday, June 2, at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center. The show will run through June 27.
The winning artists will attend the reception to meet the public and to talk about their art, some of which is for sale. The winners were chosen by David Boxley, an internationally recognized Northwest Coast Native artist who competed in two of the institute’s previous juried art competitions and was awarded best of show and two first place prizes...(more)

Register for the ST.A.R. program
It’s time to register for Perseverance Theatre’s Summer Theatre Arts Rendezvous! Work with local and out-of-town professional directors and designers on one of three exciting shows. Rehearsals and classes begin July 12. This five-week program is perfect for students who are excited about theatre and performance. As a theatre training program, STAR is also a great opportunity for young people with little to no experience. In addition to rehearsals, students will participate in daily workshops on voice, movement and acting technique. Students ages 10-18 will perform one of three tales: the classic musical The Wizard of Oz; One Hundred Thousand Drops of Rain, a new play based on the Tlingit stories about Shamanism; or The Hobbit. STAR runs July 12 through August 15. Tuition is $400. Scholarships for Alaska Native students are available through Sealaska Heritage Institute. Call today to sign up, or for more details, contact Shona Strauser at 364-2421 ext. 232. Space is limited, so be sure to sign up soon!

SHI to hold Native Artist Gathering
SHI will hold a Native Artist Gathering for Native artists right before Celebration. The gathering will be an informal meeting where Native artists can meet each other and talk about art. The gathering is scheduled 2:30, June 2, at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center (formerly known as the Armory). Refreshments provided. It will be followed by a Juried Art Show awards ceremony at 4:30. For more information contact Carmaleeda Estrada at 907-586-9280 or carmaleeda.estrada@sealaska.com

Joe opening at SHI
Sealaska Heritage Institute is recruiting for a Retail Sales Associate to promote sales of authentic Native arts at SHI's retail store, Jinéit...(more)

SHI releases landmark dictionaries for Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian
First-Ever Alaskan Haida Phrasebook Also Released
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has published a new series of learners’ dictionaries for the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian languages and the first-ever Alaskan Haida phrasebook. The dictionaries are the product of years of documentation with assistance from Elders fluent in Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian. The phrasebook was written by Dr. Erma Lawrence, one of the few remaining fluent speakers of Alaskan Haida. “We’ve been working on language restoration for nearly 10 to 12 years, and I would say for a greater part of this we’ve been working on these dictionaries. So, they’re pretty broad in scope, and to have three of them released all at the same time I think is fairly significant,” said SHI President Rosita Worl...(more) (News Article)

Three-day passes now available
Celebration 2010 3-day passes are available for purchase at the institute's Juneau office in Sealaska Plaza, Suite 301. $30; Elders and Youth (12 and under) $15. For more information contact Sarah Dybdahl at sarah.dybdahl@sealaska.com or 586-9234.

Celebration 2010 schedule now online
(Schedule)

Entry forms available for soapberry, seaweed contests
Entry forms are available for the soapberry contest and the seaweed contest, which will be held during Celebration 2010. (Seaweed Entry Form & Rules) (Soapberry Entry Form & Rules)

"All Things Eagle and Raven" exhibit opens
The Juneau-Douglas City Museum will open its summer exhibit, "All Things Eagle & Raven," on Juneau Museum Day, May 15 with a free public reception from noon to 5 p.m. This exhibit is a celebration of these two birds and their connection to our lives...A life-size replica of an eagle and raven's nest will be on exhibit with information about mating, nesting and parenting habits. Eagle and Raven Tlingit phrases supplied by Sealaska Heritage Institute will also be displayed...(more)

Get Celebration updates via twitter!
Follow us on twitter to get real-time announcements about Celebration 2010 (link)

New art posted on AlaskaNativeArtists.com
SHI has posted a Thunderbird Bear totem by Leo Marks on its art web www.alaskanativeartists.com. The totem is carved in yellow cedar in the Marks family style. Sealaska Heritage Institute operates the site to give Native artists a virtual venue for their work and to guarantee buyers are getting authentic Native art. For more information about the art web, contact Donald Gregory at donald.gregory@sealaska.com or 907-463-4844.

Sealaska Heritage recruiting Celebration 2010 volunteers
Sealaska Heritage Institute will hold a meeting to recruit volunteers for Celebration 2010. The meeting is scheduled 5 pm to 7 pm, Thursday, May 13, at Centennial Hall, Egan Room. The institute needs 200 volunteers for the three-day event. People who volunteer at least four hours get a free one-day pass to Celebration.
For more information contact Liz at 586-9264 or elizabeth.perry@sealaska.com

SHI sponsors Native culture classes for tour operators
SHI Tlingit Language Specialist Linda Belarde is giving classes to tour operators to familiarize them with Native cultures of Southeast Alaska. Linda's class--"Contemporary Expressions of Traditional Tlingit Culture"--provides general information about Tlingit and Haida people today. The course is offered through the City Museum's Tour Guide Information program. Anyone interested in this type of service should contact Linda at linda.belarde@sealaska.com (services provided as resources allow).

Hoonah teacher Daphne Wright (left) holds a Tlingit Verb Dictionary presented by SHI Tlingit Language Specialist Linda BelardeSHI donates Tlingit verb books to Hoonah
Sealaska Heritage Institute has donated three dozen Tlingit Verb Dictionary books to Hoonah City Schools. The donation was made because the students and staff in Hoonah have been leaders over the years in learning the Tlingit language, said SHI President Rosita Worl.

Photo by Dixie HutchinsonEagle totem raised at UAS
The Eagle totem pole was raised at the University of Alaska Southeast on April 24, 2010 before an enormous crowd. The Eagle totem was carved by Joe and T.J. Nelson to balance the Raven totem raised on campus in 1993. In 2009, Sealaska donated a 45-foot cedar log for the project, which was managed by Sealaska Heritage Institute. The Native student group Wooch.éen worked with Elders of the Aak’w Kwáan to identify the Eagle clan crests to be featured on the totem. They wanted to give special recognition to the Wooshkeetaan, an Eagle clan from the Juneau area. The pole features Eagle to represent all Eagle clans plus Shark, Wolf and Thunderbird, with Shark representing the Wooshkeetaan. (News Article) (Slideshow) (Press Release) (Video)

Sealaska Heritage Institute Awards $356,000 in Scholarships
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has awarded approximately $356,000 in scholarships to Sealaska shareholders and descendants. The awards, funded by Sealaska Corporation, will help students pursuing graduate and undergraduate degrees and voc-tech training for the 2010-2011 school year. A portion also will fund heritage studies, language studies and culture camps. The scholarships for university and voc-tech studies went to 386 Alaska Natives, said Rosita Worl, president of SHI, which administers the scholarship program for Sealaska...(more) (News Article)

Job openings at Sealaska Heritage Institute
SHI is recruiting for an education director, a curriculum specialist and an archival assistant...(more)

Looking for a hotel room for Celebration week?
The Juneau Convention and Visitors Bureau is keeping a log of hotel and B&B rooms that are available during the week of Celebration. For information on accommodations, contact the JCVB at 586-2201 or info@traveljuneau.com.

Most results from DNA testing available online
Washington State University has screened most DNA samples collected from people at Celebration 2008 and posted their findings online. Researchers screened participants' mitochondrial DNA for the genetic markers that define haplogroups A, B, C, and D--if you participated in the study, click here to view your results. The results from the first phase of the study were released in December 2008. Lead researcher Dr. Brian Kemp will present a summary of his findings at Celebration 2010 with an emphasis on the second phase of the study, which focused on genetic variation among Alaska’s Natives and other indigenous populations, genetic continuity of populations in Alaska and their relationships to other indigenous populations, and reconstruction of population history.

Sealaska Heritage recruiting Celebration 2010 volunteers
Sealaska Heritage Institute will hold its first meeting to recruit volunteers for Celebration 2010. The institute needs 200 volunteers for the three-day event. The meeting is 5 pm to 7 pm, Friday, April 23 at Centennial Hall, Egan Room. People who volunteer at least four hours get a free one-day pass to Celebration, which is scheduled June 3-5. For more information contact Liz at 586-9264 or elizabeth.perry@sealaska.com

Eagle totem to be raised at University of Alaska Southeast
Eagle to balance Raven totem
An Eagle totem pole will be raised at the University of Alaska Southeast this month, bringing an end to a quest to balance an existing Raven pole on campus. The Eagle will bring social and spiritual harmony to the Juneau campus, said SHI President Rosita Worl, noting in Tlingit society, people belong to either the Eagle or Raven moiety, and in ceremonies and at secular events both moieties are represented for balance. “I think it’s going to be very exciting for Juneau--I hope all of Juneau will come out to see the ceremony when the pole is raised,” said Worl, adding the Native words for balance are Wooch Yax (Tlingit),  Íitl’ Tlagáa (Haida), and Na Yuubm (Tsimshian or Shm’algyack, as the Tsimshian language is called)...(more) (Radio Actualities) (Video) (Photos)

Old Tlingit tool donated to Sealaska Heritage Institute
Piece may have been used to split wood
A Juneau woman has donated a rare Tlingit tool that may be several thousand years old to Sealaska Heritage Institute. The donor, who asked to remain anonymous, donated it this week to the institute, which operates a Special Collections Research Center for archives and ethnographic collections. Archivist Zachary Jones was amazed when he first saw the piece. "I thought 'this piece is fantastic--really a beautiful work of Tlingit craftsmanship,'"...(more)
 

Old audio and visual recordings digitized
Change means public can now view and listen to recordings
Sealaska Heritage Institute has transferred forty audio and visual recordings dating to between 1965 and 1975 to CD and DVD. The change means the public may now peruse the recordings, which had previously been off limits due to their obsolete format. “Since we’ve been able to reformat them and make them available in DVD or CD, it makes them accessible for the public,” said Zachary Jones, archivist at the institute’s Special Collections Research Center. “People can now learn from these and use them, and they can be great educational tools"...(more) (Video Excerpt)

Wooden warrior's helmet. Photo by Brian WallaceThirty-three cultural objects repatriated
Sealaska Corporation has repatriated thirty-three cultural objects from a Massachusetts museum on behalf of Tlingit clans in Southeast Alaska. Most of the objects were repatriated on behalf of the Yakutat Tlingit and title will be officially transferred to them at a future ceremony, said Rosita Worl, president of Sealaska Heritage Institute and an anthropologist who assisted in the repatriation. The collection underscores the creativity and talent of our ancestors, Worl said. “I mean the pieces are extraordinary,” Worl said. “It demonstrates the sophistication and the uniqueness of our art--but more than that--really the cultural values that gave rise to this artistic tradition"...(more) (News Article)

SHI Trustees, Dauenhauer Make Alaska Women's Hall of Fame
SHI Trustees Ethel Lund and Marlene Johnson were inducted into the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame in March. The accomplished author, poet and Tlingit scholar Nora Dauenhauer also was among those inducted, as was Native leader Georgianna Lincoln, a former state senator. Congratulations!

Are You Ready for a Throwdown?
Sealaska Heritage will hold contests for best soapberries and black seaweed during Celebration 2010. Materials must be gathered and prepared by participants. Prizes will be awarded for the top three ($500; $250; and $100). For more information contact Linda Belarde, 907-586-9187, linda.belarde@sealaska.com

SHI Recruiting Celebration Volunteers
Sealaska Heritage is recruiting volunteers for Celebration 2010. We have openings at all venues. To volunteer, contact Liz Perry at 907-586-9264, elizabeth.perry@sealaska.com or attend a recruitment scheduled 5-7pm Friday, April 23, at Centennial Hall, Egan Room. We rely on volunteers to help make Celebration happen! People who donate four hours will earn a free one-day pass! (Last day to sign up to be recognized in the Celebration program is May 20).

Celebration 2010 Deadlines Approaching
Approaching deadlines for Celebration 2010 are as follows: Dance group applications are due by March 26; Juried Art Show and Competition applications are due by March 31; and, Toddler Regalia Review applications are due by May 14. For more information, contact Sarah Dybdahl at sarah.dybdahl@sealaska.com or 907-586-9234.

New Online Verb Resource Now Available
A new searchable, online Tlingit verb database is now available. The database features more than 575 Tlingit verbs and is proving to be an invaluable tool for students of the Tlingit language. The project was initiated by Richard and Nora Dauenhauer in the 1990s. In recent years, it was further developed by linguist Keri Edwards through Sealaska Heritage Institute and the Goldbelt Heritage Foundation. Edwards was assisted by numerous fluent speakers (see Acknowledgements). The project was funded through grants from the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Administration for Native Americans. A link to the database is available in SHI's Language Resources section. (Tlingit Verb Tool)

From left: ANS Grand President Micalyne Kunz-McGhee, Sen. Linda Menard, and SHI President Rosita WorlFor the Rights of All Screened at Capitol
SHI President Rosita Worl spoke at a screening of For the Rights of All: Ending Jim Crow in Alaska at the state capitol. The screening was hosted by Sen. Linda Menard and organized by Nancy Barnes, SHI trustee. This video reveals one of the great, untold chapters of the American civil rights movement -- when Alaska Natives peacefully won a civil rights bill decades before the issue became a violent focal point in the rest of nation. The video, released in 2009, highlights activists, such as Elizabeth Peratrovich, William Paul, Sr., and Alberta Schenck Adams, who in 1944 stood her ground in a theater years before Rosa Parks refused to leave a bus.

Students Complete Native Art Class
Students at Juneau Douglas High School completed a Native art course taught by SHI's Donald Gregory. The students carved dance paddles as part of the program, offered through Choosing Healthy Options in Cooperative Education (CHOICE). It was the six year SHI has taught students enrolled in CHOICE. Students presented their carvings in February to other CHOICE students.

A look back to the early 1900s
SHI has posted a Certificate of Citizenship for John M. Tlunaut which shows the lengths to which Native people had to go to gain citizenship in the early 1900s. In the document, Tlunaut attests to his abandonment of tribal practices and relationships and adoption of civilized life. Additionally, five non-Natives had to affirm he had given up tribal customs and relations and qualified for the rights of citizenship. Ironically, he is the grandfather of Rosita Worl, president of SHI, whose mission is to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures. (Certificate of Citizenship)
 

Relive the Raven Spirit Canoe Project
The Smithsonian Institution has posted edited video of the Raven Spirit canoe project. It includes programs of the tree ceremony, carver Doug Chilton working on the canoe and the official launch on the Potomac River in 2008. SHI partnered with the Smithsonian to create the canoe, which is on permanent display at the museum's new Ocean Hall in Washington, D.C. (Photos) (Blog)

Job Opening
SHI is recruiting for a Administrative Assistant for the Education Department. This position will perform varied data entry, correspondence, receptionist and support duties...(more)

SHI releases unique carving book series to perpetuate Native art
Artist Richard Beasley reveals how to carve a Tlingit tray, hat and mask
SHI has released a series of books that reveal how to carve Tlingit objects in its ongoing effort to perpetuate Native art forms.The Tlingit Wood Carving series includes three volumes: How to Carve a Tlingit Tray; How to Carve a Tlingit Hat; and How to Carve a Tlingit Mask. The books, written by the accomplished Tlingit artist Richard A. Beasley, also include projects that show how to make Tlingit paint and paintbrushes and how to inlay operculum and abalone.The books are unique because the projects are broken down into detailed steps and each step includes a color photo, said SHI President Rosita Worl, noting the series will be invaluable to students who don’t have access to a teacher...(more) (News Article)

Art Applications Now Available
Applications for the 2010 Juried Art Show and Competition and the Native Artist Market are available online. Both events will be held during Celebration 2010.

SHI Accepting Applications for College, Voc-Tech Scholarships
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is accepting applications for the 2009-2010 school year. Scholarship awards will be made to Sealaska shareholders and descendants enrolled in accredited college, university and voc-tech schools. The deadline is March 1...(more) (Applications)

SHI releases book series on language development
Staff to hold training sessions around Southeast
SHI has released a series of books to help students overcome a common problem in schools today: a delay in academic language development. The series includes books on science, math and literature for high school students, plus books on Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian for all grades. The books outline a method called the Developmental Language Process, which was pioneered by SHI Education Director Jim MacDiarmid, a longtime educator in Canada and Alaska and author of Replacing Thinga-ma-jig: the Developmental Language Process...(more) (Radio Actualities) (News Article) (Listen to a Radio Story)

Job Opening at SHI
SHI is recruiting for a Curriculum Specialist. The incumbent will have primary responsibility for development, evaluation and dissemination of secondary level curriculum. Qualifications include Bachelor’s degree in secondary education, two years experience in a Native culture or education program and two years managing a program or project...(more)

Celebration 2010 dance group application now available
Application deadline March 26, 2010. Invitation notifications will be sent by April 5, 2010. (Application)

"For the Rights of All" now available (limited supply)
The DVD "For the Rights of All: Ending Jim Crow in Alaska" is now available through SHI. This video reveals one of the great, untold chapters of the American civil rights movement -- when Alaska Natives peacefully won a civil rights bill decades before the issue became a violent focal point in the rest of nation. The video highlights activists, such as Elizabeth Peratrovich, William Paul, Sr., and Alberta Schenck Adams, who in 1944 stood her ground in a theater years before Rosa Parks refused to leave a bus...(more) $30.00  (
Place Order)

SHI encouraging donations of old documents
The SHI Special Collections library and archive is working to collect historical records through donation that document Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian history and culture. SHI is looking for old diaries, correspondence, and organizational records, such as Alaska Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood minutes and resolutions. At a recent lecture on Native history held in the Sealaska building for Native American History month, presenter Jeane Breinig, who is also a SHI Trustee, discussed the need for certain groups to ensure that their historical records are preserved and made available to researchers to further education. Breinig had recently conducted research on Native views of statehood at SHI and elsewhere, but had largely been unable to find substantial Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS) historical records for her research, and she encouraged individuals to make an effort to ensure that ANS and other records are preserved. If you are interested in helping SHI Special Collections obtain additional historical records that document the Tlingit, Haida, or Tsimshian or are willing to donate old records in your possession, please contact SHI’s archivist at 907-723-4076 or at
archivist@sealaska.com.

Christmas Sale!
SHI is having a Christmas sale on the following items:
     Chilkat denim jackets: $25
     Kusteeyi denim shirts: $5 (long sleeve) (short sleeve)
     Sweatshirts: $20 (adult), $10 (youth)
     Celebration panoramic photos:$5 (any year)
     Celebration: Dancing on the Land book: buy one, get second 50% off

(Shop)

Ethel Lund and Selina Everson give a lecture on the Alaska Native Sisterhood, Nov. 24, 2009Everson, Lund to speak about Alaska Native Sisterhood
Selina Everson and Ethel Lund will give a joint lecture on Monday, Nov. 30, on the Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS). The talk is part of a brown-bag lecture series sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute to celebrate Native American Month. Everson serves on the executive committee of the ANS and has a long history of public service, especially in Juneau schools, where she is known as Grandma Selena. Lund also serves on the ANS executive committee and is visionary in the field of Native health care. The lecture is scheduled from noon-1 pm in the 4th floor boardroom in the Sealaska building in Juneau. It’s open to the public and free of charge. (Lecture Series Schedule)

Dauenhauers to Speak About Russians in Tlingit America
Richard and Nora Marks Dauenhauer will give a lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 24, on relations between Russians and Tlingit from the 1790s through 1818, an era when Russians expanded into Southeast Alaska to take control of the Northwest Coast fur trade. The talk is part of a brown-bag lecture series sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute to celebrate Native American Month. The Dauenhauers have written numerous award-winning books on Native culture and history, including Anóoshi Lingít Aaní Ká: Russians in Tlingit America, The Battles of Sitka 1802 and 1804, winner of the American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation. The lecture is scheduled from noon-1 pm in the 4th floor boardroom in the Sealaska building in Juneau. It’s open to the public and free of charge. (Lecture Series Schedule) (Watch Video)

Dr. Walter A. Soboleff speaks during Celebration 2008 at Centennial Hall. Brian Wallace / Juneau EmpireCelebrating 101 Years
Tlingit elder's wishlist includes world peace and the wild game stews of his youth
Walter Soboleff has done a lot in his 100-plus years on Earth, but his family's gift of a cruise through the Panama Canal is something new. "I've never been on a vacation cruise," Soboleff said last week before leaving town for the trip. "Never out on the ocean in warm weather. I think I will just be taking a rest, seeing the canal and the gates open and the ships passing through. I know I will be leaving my wool shirt at home."...(more) (Radio Story)

 

Author to Speak About Early Encounters
Daniel Lee Henry will give a lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 17, on nineteenth century encounters between Natives and non-Natives in Chilkat country. The talk is part of a brown-bag lecture series sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute to celebrate Native American Month. Henry is an award-winning author, teacher and journalist based in the Haines area. He has recorded numerous oral histories of Chilkat/Chilkoot Tlingit Elders and is currently working on a rhetorical history of land use confrontation in the communities of the Northern Lynn Canal. The lecture is scheduled from noon-1 pm in the 4th floor boardroom in the Sealaska building in Juneau. It’s open to the public and free of charge. (Lecture Series Schedule) (Watch Video)

SHI Sponsors Video Workshop
SHI sponsored a workshop on language documentation and videography in November. The class was taught by award-winning Haida cameraman and teacher Frederick Olsen. The three-day workshop included instruction on camera operation, lighting concepts, interview setups and audio troubleshooting.

Linguist to Speak About Origins of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian Languages
Dr. Jordan Lachler will give a lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 10, on Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian linguistic origins and relationships. The talk is part of a brown-bag lecture series sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute to celebrate Native American Month. Lachler is a linguist at Sealaska Heritage Institute who specializes in Haida. He is the editor of an upcoming Haida dictionary and phrasebook to be published by Sealaska Heritage Institute. The lecture is scheduled from noon-1 pm in the 4th floor boardroom in the Sealaska building in Juneau. It’s open to the public and free of charge. (Lecture Series Schedule) (Watch Video)

For the Rights of All: Ending Jim Crow in Alaska on Public TV
Alaska public television will broadcast the new documentary about the Alaska Native rights movement Tuesday, Nov. 3, statewide. According to the Anchorage Daily News, it will air at 6 pm on KYUK (Bethel) KTOO (Juneau), KMXT (Kodiak), and KUAC (Fairbanks). The documentary will appear on KAKM (Anchorage) on Dec. 1 at 8 pm.

Klas Stolpe / Juneau EmpireHaida Educator to Speak About Native Perspectives on Statehood
Haida educator Jeane Breinig will give a lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 4, on Southeast Native perspectives on statehood. The talk is part of a brown-bag lecture series sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute to celebrate Native American Month. Breinig is an associate professor of English at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Her teaching and research areas include American Indian and Alaska Native literature, American literature, and American ethnic literature. She is Haida, originally from Kasaan, TáasLáanas, Raven Brown Bear. The lecture is scheduled from noon-1 pm in the 4th floor boardroom in the Sealaska building in Juneau. It’s open to the public and free of charge. (Lecture Series Schedule) (News Article) (Watch Video)

Tlingit Leader Byron Mallott to Speak About ANCSA, Native Corporations

Tlingit leader Byron Mallott will give a lecture on Monday, Nov. 2, on the Native corporations formed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The lecture will focus on efforts by Alaska Natives to transform the corporations into Native institutions in the face of Congress’ competing intent to assimilate Native people economically through profit-making corporations. The talk is part of a brown-bag lecture series sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute to celebration Native American Month. The lecture is scheduled from noon-1 pm in the 4th floor boardroom in the Sealaska building. It’s open to the public and free of charge. (Lecture Series Schedule) (Watch Video)

SHI to Sponsor Lecture Series for Native American Month
SHI will sponsor a noon lecture series in November to celebrate Native American Month. The brown-bag lunch series will focus on topics such as Native history and languages, Native art and the statehood movement. “Native people have such a rich history in Alaska, but much of it is not taught in schools,” said SHI President Rosita Worl. “We hope to highlight our history in November in honor of Native American Month"...(more) (Schedule)

New Display Showcases SHI Collections
SHI has installed a new display case in its public reading room to showcase the institute's collections. The case, purchased through a grant from the Rasmuson Foundation, currently features a small display on the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood. Inside the case is an original ANB Camp 2 meeting minutes ledger dating from 1935-1945, William L. Paul Sr.'s original ANB cap, a letter by Elizabeth Peratrovich and two rare books on the ANB and ANS. Read more at a blog written by SHI Archivist Zachary Jones.

Discount on Airfare Available for Celebration
SHI has set up a convention rate for people traveling on Alaska Airlines to Celebration 2010. The rate gives a 5 percent discount for those traveling between May 31-June 8. It applies to travel between Juneau and any U.S. or Canadian city. The code is ECCMB1204 and will be available to use online by the week of Oct. 12. (www.alaskaair.com)

Workshop instructor Frederick Otilius OlsenSHI, UAS Sponsor Video Workshop
SHI and the University of Alaska Southeast will sponsor a workshop on language documentation and videography 9 am-5 pm, Nov. 9-11. Frederick Otilius Olsen, an award-winning Haida cameraman and teacher, will be the instructor. The workshop will be hands on and limited to twenty people. For more information contact Linda Belarde at linda.belarde@sealaska.com. (Flyer)
 

Photo taken by Richard Dauenhauer in 1980 at a Chilkoot koo.éex' (a memorial ceremony held in Haines, Alaska)SHI Says Goodbye to John Marks
Fluent Tlingit speaker John Marks passed away on Monday, Sept 28. “Our beloved Johnny has Walked into the Forest,” said SHI President Rosita Worl. Johnny had a deep knowledge of traditional culture, especially songs and names, and he was an integral part of the institute’s efforts to document and revitalize the Tlingit language. He has assisted linguists, researchers, and language students for years, and many of the Tlingit materials and language tools produced by the institute feature recordings of Johnny saying words and phrases. He also transcribed songs and translated Macbeth into Tlingit. Kooteixtéek was of the Lukaax.ádi Clan and was a child of the Chookaneidí.

Worl Gives Overview of ANCSA to U.S. Senate
SHI President Rosita Worl gave an overview of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to U.S. Senate staff in September 2009. The presentation is a powerpoint and has a lot of historic information about the settlement. (presentation) (3 MB)

SHI Acquires Audio Recordings of Tlingit and Haida Histories
SHI has acquired three audio recordings of Tlingit and Haida stories and histories. The recordings were made by Wallace Olson, UAS emeritus anthropology instructor and author of numerous books about Alaska. Two of the cassettes had recordings of stories about Glacier Bay told by Tlingit Walter Williams of Juneau. A third cassette had a recording of Haida history told by David and Annabell Peele of Ketchikan. For more information, see a blog by SHI Archivist Zach Jones...(more)

SHI Wraps 2009 Basketball Camps
SHI held its last basketball camp in Juneau Aug. 21, 2009. The institute sponsored free basketball camps in Juneau, Kake and Yakutat this year for kids in grades 2 to 12. The Latseen Hoop Camps are open to all youth of all skill levels. The purpose is to provide a week of fun but intensive instruction in the fundamentals of basketball while incorporating Tlingit language and culture. The camps drew an average of 24 kids in Yakutat, 30 kids in Kake, and 20 younger kids
and 22 older kids in Juneau.  (Photos)

Cast of Kóoshdaa kaa Takes Final Bow
The cast of Kóoshdaa kaa took a final bow on Saturday, August 15, ending a summer run of the play, which was based on a Native story. The original theater piece was commissioned by the Sealaska Heritage institute in partnership with Perseverance Theatre. Sealaska has commissioned and funded a play for the past five years through the Summer Theatre Arts Rendezvous (STAR) program. This year's story was chosen by Sealaska President Rosita Worl and is being written by Perseverance's Associate Managing Director Merry Ellefson...(more) (News Article) (STAR Web)

Totem Carvers Apply Final Touches, Paint to Eagle Pole
See new photos of brothers T.J. and Joe Young, who are carving an Eagle totem pole for the University of Alaska Southeast. The project is sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute and Sealaska Corporation, which donated the 15-ton, 45-foot, red-cedar log. The artists are Sealaska shareholders who live in Hydaburg on Prince of Wales Island. They have carved other totems, including a 40-foot pole for the Sitka National Historical Park and a 32-foot crest pole for the Hydaburg Totem Park...(more) (Photos)

A potato revival
Tuber cropping up in community gardens probably several hundred years old
A potato that Native Alaskan communities grew hundreds of years ago is making a reappearance in Juneau. The heirloom Tlingit potato takes almost too well to Southeast Alaska's moist climate, said Merrill Jensen, manager of the Jensen-Olson Arboretum. He expects as many as 1,500 pounds of the vegetable to be harvested next month from four rows of plants sprouting in the city-owned garden...(more) (Click here to hear the Tlingit word for potato and other items)

Carlos Boozer Basketball Camp in Juneau
Juneau's Carlos Boozer, famed Utah JAZZ player, is hosting a basketball camp in Juneau Aug. 3-7. He's offering 50 scholarships. The deadline to submit a scholarship application is Thursday, July 30. The scholarship covers the $150 fee. (Application) (Website)

Eagle Totem Almost Done
See new photos of brothers T.J. and Joe Young, who are carving an Eagle totem pole for the University of Alaska Southeast. The project is sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute and Sealaska Corporation, which donated the 15-ton, 45-foot, red-cedar log. The artists are Sealaska shareholders who live in Hydaburg on Prince of Wales Island. They have carved other totems, including a 40-foot pole for the Sitka National Historical Park and a 32-foot crest pole for the Hydaburg Totem Park...(more) (Photos)
 

SHI to Sponsor Free Basketball Camps in Juneau
SHI will sponsor free basketball camps in Juneau for kids in grades 2 to 12. The Latseen Hoop Camps will be held at DZ Middle School and are open to all youth of all skill levels. The purpose is to provide a week of fun but intensive instruction in the fundamentals of basketball while incorporating Tlingit language and culture. A camp for grades 2-6 will be held Aug. 10-14 in the afternoon, and a camp for grades 7-12 will be held Aug. 17-21 from 9 to 5. For more information, contact Mischa Plunkett at 586-9260.
(Flyer) (Application)

SHI Posts Guide on Genealogy Research
SHI gets many requests from people who want to trace their family roots. In July, the institute posted a guide on how to conduct such research and links to resources. The paper was compiled by SHI Summer Intern Whitney Schaeler, a Lower 48 college student who is donating her time.

Interior of Capt. Jake's house, Killisnoo, circa 1900Two Historical Photo Collections Acquired by SHI
SHI has acquired two photographs documenting Southeast Alaska Native cultures from circa 1883 to the 1990s.Longtime photojournalist Brian Wallace donated several hundred images, including photos of the founding fathers of the Alaska Native Brotherhood (circa 1912) and past Alaska Native Sisterhood presidents. He also donated several hundred images of the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood taken from 1965 to 1995, with the majority taken by Wallace in the 1980s. He made the donation in memory of his late parents, Dorothy (Natstklaa) and Amos L. (Jeet Yaaw Dustaa) Wallace...(more) (Brian Wallace Collection) (Richard Wood Collection) (Radio Actualities) (News Article) (News Article)

Inland Tlingit Celebration to be held July 22-28
B

TESLIN, Yukon - Just because there's no Celebration in Juneau this year doesn't mean there's no Celebration this year. The Teslin Tlingit Council is planning the first ever Ha Kus Teyea Celebration in the small community of Teslin, Yukon Territory, for July 22-28. "Has Kus Teyea" means "our culture" or "the Tlingit way." The event will be the largest Inland Tlingit gathering ever held in Canada...(more)

Eagle Totem Takes Shape
See new photos of brothers T.J. and Joe Young, who are carving an Eagle totem pole for the University of Alaska Southeast. The project is sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute and Sealaska Corporation, which donated the 15-ton, 45-foot, red-cedar log. The artists are Sealaska shareholders who live in Hydaburg on Prince of Wales Island. They have carved other totems, including a 40-foot pole for the Sitka National Historical Park and a 32-foot crest pole for the Hydaburg Totem Park...(more) (Photos)

Learn Tlingit Basketball Terms Interactively!
Click here to learn more than eighty Tlingit words and phrases related to basketball. These are phrases students will also learn at the Latseen Hoop Camps scheduled in Kake, Juneau and Yakutat in summer 2009. (Download Flash Player) (Flyer) (Application)

Transformation Masks Coloring Book Now Available
Transformation Masks coloring book is now available through SHI. The book by Pamela Huteson celebrates masks of both past and present, and honors the lives and dances of the indigenous people of the Northwest Coast. It features twenty-eight illustrations that include information about what is depicted in the designs...(more)

SHI Commissions Play for Summer Theater
"Kóoshdaa kaa" is an original theater piece commissioned by the Sealaska Heritage institute in partnership with Perseverance Theatre. Sealaska has commissioned and funded a play for the past five years through the Summer Theatre Arts Rendezvous (STAR) program. This year's story was chosen by Sealaska President Rosita Worl and is being written by Perseverance's Associate Managing Director Merry Ellefson...(more) (News Article) (STAR Web)

SHI Job Opportunity
SHI is recruiting for a Finance Associate to assist in the Finance Department. This position will perform varied finance duties with minimum supervision...(more)

Unique Haida Curriculum Series Distributed
Series Includes Haida Audio CDs
SHI has produced a unique collection of Haida curriculum for distribution to schools with Haida language programs, in hopes of weaving more Native lessons into the public school system. The curriculum, a series of elementary-level, thematic units, features Haida language, culture and history...(more)
(Radio Actualities) (Online Version) (News Article) (News Article)

New Book Review on Celebration Book Published
Karen Duffek wrote a review for the University of British Columbia on SHI's photo book of Celebration. The review was written for BC Studies, The British Columbian Quarterly, spring 2009 edition. Celebration: Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian Dancing on the Land is on sale now for $20. (Read Review)

Photo: Uncovering an eagle
See a photo in the Juneau Empire of Joe Young and his brother TJ working on an Eagle totem pole at the University of Alaska Southeast. The project is sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute and Sealaska Corporation, which donated the 15-ton, 45-foot, red-cedar log. (News Photo) (more photos)

SHI Acquires Rare Books About Southeast Native Cultures
SHI Archivist Zachary Jones wrote a blog this week about some of the rare, old books the institute has acquired. Some of them were written and illustrated by tourists in the 1800s, when it was common for visitors to publish their travel accounts as books. Some of the books also include old photos taken in Southeast Alaska. The oldest dates to 1798. Zachary notes in his blog that he also looks for books in European languages since "Europeans visited Alaska regularly before and after it became an American territory. Often these non-English language books go unstudied, but a careful observation shows that they can yield interesting information for those not fluent in European languages." Check out his blog for more information and to see photos! (blog)

Carvers Begin Work on Eagle Totem!
Brothers T.J. and Joe Young are in Juneau carving an Eagle totem pole for the University of Alaska Southeast. The project is sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute and Sealaska Corporation, which donated the 15-ton, 45-foot, red-cedar log. The artists are Sealaska shareholders who live in Hydaburg on Prince of Wales Island. They have carved other totems, including a 40-foot pole for the Sitka National Historical Park and a 32-foot crest pole for the Hydaburg Totem Park...(more) (Photos)

Application for 2009 Latseen Hoop Camps Available
SHI is accepting applications for its 2009 Latseen Hoop Camps. The program is designed to integrate the Tlingit language into an intensive week of basketball camp. It's a fun and supportive learning environment where students can participate in a basketball camp that emphasizes fundamental skills, language acquisition, character development, teamwork, and cultural heritage. (Flyer) (Application)

SHI Acquires Old Photos of Cape Fox Village, Capt. Jack's House
SHI has obtained two historical photos of Cape Fox Village circa 1899 and another of a scene at Killisnoo, circa 1900. The Cape Fox photo (right) was likely from the Harriman Expedition in 1899. The second image shows an interior view "Capt. Jack's" house at Killisnoo. Kitcheenault or Kichnaalx was Jake's Tlingit name. He was from the Deisheetaan Clan of Angoon...(more)

Juneau School Students Learn About Ku.éex
SHI in May sponsored a ku.éex at Glacier Valley Elementary School. The event is spearheaded by semi-fluent Tlingit speaker Hans Chester, a teacher at the school. The goal is to teach Native and non-Native students about some of the events that take place at formal ku.éex (a ceremony sometimes called a potlatch). Nearly 90 children participated, including students from Harborview Elementary.

A delegation from Teslin met with representatives from SHI in 2008 to learn more about how the Juneau Celebration is organizedCanadian Tlingits to Sponsor Their Own Celebration!
The Teslin Tlingit Council is sponsoring its first Celebration in 2009. Ha Kus Teyea Celebration, Part of the Land, Part of the Water is set for July 22-28 in Teslin. They were inspired by the biennial Celebration organized by Sealaska Heritage Institute, and a delegation from Teslin met with representatives from SHI in 2008 to learn more about how the Juneau Celebration is organized. The Teslin event will be similar to the Alaska festival and offer ceremonies, language nests, traditional harvests, an artists' market and a juried art show. Check out their website to learn more! (Website) (News Release)

SHI Participates in Field Trip to Glacier Bay
SHI participated in a field trip to Glacier Bay designed to give Hoonah students a first-hand look at their ancestral home. SHI's Tlingit Language Specialist Linda Belarde introduced the institute's language and education resources to the students and community members. Many of these language resources are available online. The field trip, known as "Bridging the Knowledge Gap Between Huna Tlingit Elders and Youth," was sponsored by Huna Heritage Foundation and Hoonah City Schools. (Photos)

Photos of Log Delivery and Acceptance Ceremony Posted Online
See photos of Tee Harbor Construction delivering a 45-foot, 15-ton log to the University of Alaska Southeast for an Eagle Totem. Delivery is followed by an acceptance ceremony organized by Wooch.een, a Native student club on campus. The log will be carved into an Eagle totem pole, which was commissioned to balance the Raven totem pole already on campus...(more about this project)

SHI Education Director Jim MacDiarmid teaching a segment of the Ketchikan workshopSHI, KIC Sponsor Language Workshop
SHI and Ketchikan Indian Community (KIC) sponsored a workshop for language teachers and curriculum developers in Ketchikan. Almost 30 people from Ketchikan, Saxman, Hydaburg and Metlakatla participated. The workshop introduced participants to both long and short term planning for second-language teaching.  Practical, hands-on activities based on a developmental language process were also introduced. The training included language teaching for kindergarten through high school grades and presented a format for using already developed classroom materials. 

Artists Chosen to Carve Eagle Totem Pole for SHI, University
Ceremonial Acceptance of the Log Scheduled Thursday at UAS
Artists Joe and TJ Young have won a contract to carve a totem pole for Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) on behalf of the University of Alaska Southeast. A selection committee comprised of SHI and UAS representatives chose the brothers from a pool of applicants last week. “I’m very pleased we did have a number of artists who submitted bids and I will say it was a difficult decision because we had some really very exciting designs from the different artists,” said SHI President Rosita Worl. "I really want to thank Sealaska, the Aak’w Kwáan and our student group Wooch.éen for working with the university on this project,” said UAS Chancellor John Pugh. “I am pleased this is taking place on the UAS campus so students can observe the carving process...(more) (News Article) (Photos)

Hear Clan Names in Tlingit!
SHI has posted audio of Tlingit speaker John Marks and June Pegues reciting Clans on the Raven and Eagle sides. See Language Resources.

Audio Component of Tlingit Curriculum Now Online!
The audio component of Tlingit curriculum released in 2007 is now available online. Scroll down the curriculum page and use the audio tools in conjunction with the pdf documents. The audio component was formerly available only on CD. SHI posted the audio tools to make the materials more accessible. Teachers are encouraged to use SHI's curriculum and other teaching tools.

Native Thinkers, Writers, Eligible to Win $10,000 Awards
The Alaska Federation of Natives, in a partnership with the National Congress of American Indians and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, have launched a new economic essay contest entitled Native Insights on the Economy & Recovery. This is a national competition for Alaska Native thinkers & writers, Native Hawaiians and American Indians. Six cash prizes of $10,000 each will be awarded in October. The contest is open now and will close on September 15.  (Website)

Deadline for Proposals for Totem Extended to April 24
Sealaska Heritage Institute has extended the deadline for proposals to carve and paint a 36 foot traditional style totem pole.  The pole will include the following Eagle crests: Eagle, Shark, Wolf, and Thunderbird. Proposals must be postmarked no later than April 24. (Request for Proposals) (News Article)

SHI Awards $446,000 in Scholarships
SHI has awarded approximately $446,000 in scholarships to Sealaska shareholders and descendants. The awards, funded by Sealaska Corporation, will help students pursuing graduate and undergraduate degrees and voc-tech training for the 2009-2010 school year. A portion also will fund heritage studies, language studies and culture camps...(more) (News Article)

SHI, KIC to Sponsor Language Workshop for Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian
SHI's Education Director Jim MacDiarmid will conduct a workshop for Native language teachers and curriculum developers in Ketchikan April 30-May 1. MacDiarmid, author of the well-known publication “Replacing Thing-a-ma-jig – the Developmental Language Process,” will demonstrate practical, hands-on activities for teaching second languages and present a format for using already-developed classroom materials. SHI is co-sponsoring the workshop with the Ketchikan Indian Community. Space is limited. Contact Cara Wallace at 228-5162 or cwallace@kictribe.org to reserve space...(more) (News Article) (Read a News Article about his recent class in Juneau)

Application for Latseen Leadership Camp Now Available
SHI is accepting applicants for its annual Latseen Leadership Camp. The camp is for high school students who are Sealaska shareholders or shareholder descendants. The goal is to cultivate the art of leadership through camp activities and coursework which are based on traditional and scientific knowledge. Students will earn high school and college credit. The camp runs July 12-24 in Juneau at UAS. Scholarships will be awarded to cover the cost of tuition, meals, transportation and campus housing.  
Application must be postmarked no later than May 22, 2009. For more information contact Sarah Dybdahl at 586-9234...(more) (Application) (Required Documents) (Recommendation Form) (Student essay about Latseen) (News Article)

SHI Seeks Artist to Carve Totem Pole
Sealaska Heritage Institute is soliciting Requests for Proposals to carve and paint a 36 foot traditional style totem pole.  The pole will include the following Eagle crests: Eagle, Shark, Wolf, and        Thunderbird. Deadline to apply is April 20. (Request for Proposals)

SHI Clothing Marked Down

SHI has slashed prices for its Celebration 2008 t-shirt, We Who Are (Tlingit, Haida or Tsimshian) hoodies (also available in chocolate). See also SHI's Sun t-shirt. Sale is limited to stock on hand.

Celebration Video Half Off!
The documentary "Celebration 2000: Voices of Our Ancestors" is marked down to $10. The video offers an historical perspective of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian culture and explains the meaning of songs, crests, dances and regalia featured at Celebration, the largest gathering of Southeast Natives. The documentary, produced by Sealaska Heritage Institute, includes comments from Elders on traditions and the importance of perpetuating the culture...(more)

Language summit participants. Photo by Fred Olson, Jr.Summit Brings Together Language Students, Teachers
Sealaska Heritage Institute's language team participated in a language summit that united teachers and students from Alaska and Canada. The summit, sponsored by Cape Fox Heritage Foundation and Ketchikan Indian Community, registered more than 70 people dedicated to revitalizing Native languages.. (Summary)

SHI's First Photo Book of Celebration Half Off!
SHI's first coffee-table style photo book of Celebration is available at half price ($20). The hardcover book Celebration: Tlingit Haida Tsimshian Dancing on the Land features color and black-and-white images from the first Celebrations to the present. Most of the photos were taken by the noted photographer Bill Hess and have never been published...(more) (Place Order) (Read a Review)

SHI Accepting Applications for College, Voc-Tech Scholarships
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is accepting applications for the 2009-2010 school year. Scholarship awards will be made to Sealaska shareholders and descendants enrolled in accredited college, university and voc-tech schools. The deadline is March 1...(more) (Applications)

Language Workshop Attracts People Far and Wide
Approximately 50 language teachers and curriculum developers from across the state and Canada attended the institute's language workshop in Juneau.
The 2-day workshop was presented by the institute’s new Education Director Jim MacDiarmid, author of the well-known publication “Replacing Thing-a-ma-jig – the Developmental Language Process.” (News Article) (Blog)

Pictured L to R George Davis, Lisa Phu and Anita LaffertySealaska Shareholders Participate in StoryCorps
Sealaska shareholders Anita Lafferty and George Davis are among a few Native people in Juneau participating in the program StoryCorps. In partnership with KTOO, Sealaska Heritage Institute and the Juneau Public Library, StoryCorps is recording stories of Alaskans in three locations throughout Juneau from January 5 through January 29, 2009. StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit project. Its mission is to honor and celebrate one another’s lives through listening.

Five Students Complete Native Art Class
Five students at Juneau Douglas High School completed a Native art course taught by SHI's Donald Gregory. The students carved either an Eagle or Raven Dagger and dance paddles as part of the program, offered through Choosing Healthy Options in Cooperative Education (CHOICE). It was the fifth year SHI has taught students enrolled in CHOICE. Students presented their carvings in January to other CHOICE students and explained what they learned about Native form line. The students said they would give back to their community by passing on what they had learned and displaying their work to the public at the Sealaska building lobby.

Learn Tlingit Words of Endearment for Valentine's Day!
Thanks to Roby Littlefield for this updated list of terms of endearment.

Sealaska Heritage to Sponsor Language Workshop
Sealaska Heritage Institute will sponsor a workshop for language teachers and curriculum developers next month. The workshop will be presented by the institute’s new education director Jim MacDiarmid, author of the well-known publication “Replacing Thing-a-ma-jig – the Developmental Language Process.” The workshop is 9 am-5 pm, Feb. 4-5 in the Hickel Room at Centennial Hall. College credit is available and there is no registration fee. For more information contact Linda at 586-9187. (Flyer)

Sealaska Heritage Added to Nonprofits Eligible for PFD Contributions
People who wish to make a tax-deductible contribution from their permanent fund dividend to Sealaska Heritage may now do so. The institute has been added to the state's list of nonprofits eligible for charitable contributions. Make the donation while filling out the application for the dividend. If doing so online, click the text "do you want to make a charitable contribution" toward the end of the application. Choose Judicial District 1. We are listed about halfway down the list as Sealaska Heritage Foundation. All donations help fund our programs. Thank you!

Sealaska Heritage Institute's Archival Collections, Books, Go Online
SHI has posted a searchable catalog of its archival collections on the Internet, a major breakthrough that will help researchers easily sort out what types of materials the institute houses. The institute also has just started to add its book collection to the local library consortium’s searchable database, making it the only private library to do so. The projects are part of an effort to foster greater scholarship on the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska, said SHI Archivist Zachary Jones...(more) (Radio Actualities) (News Article)

Scholarship Applications Now Online
SHI is accepting applications for the 2009-2010 school year. Scholarship awards will be made to Sealaska shareholders and descendants enrolled in accredited college, university and voc-tech schools. Applications are posted online for new applicants and current recipients.

Preliminary Results: No Link Yet to Ancient Human Remains
More research needed to find living descendants of Shuká Kaa in Southeast Alaska
Preliminary results from DNA research on ancient human remains discovered in Southeast Alaska did not establish a genetic connection to potential living descendants from the region. However, scientists are not ruling out eventually finding a genetic link between Southeast Natives and the 10,300-year-old man, who was given the name Shuká Kaa (Man Before Us) by Native people in September at his burial...(more)
(Radio Actualities) (News Article)

Dauenhauers Win American Book Award
Authors Richard and Nora Dauenhauer have won the 2008 American Book Award for "Anóoshi Lingít Aaní Ká: Russians in Tlingit America - The Battles of Sitka 1802 and 1804" -- published by Sealaska Heritage Institute and the University of Washington Press in 2008. The award, given by the Before Columbus Foundation, was created to provide recognition for outstanding literary achievement from the entire spectrum of America's diverse literary community. The purpose is to recognize literary excellence without limitations or restrictions. More than a dozen authors this year received the award, which was formally given Dec. 28 in Berkeley, California. (Announcement) (News Article) (News Article About This Book) (Book Review)

Artist Della Cheney at the 2007 art fairYou're Invited to the Annual Native Arts & Crafts Fair!
SHI is co-sponsoring the annual Native Arts & Crafts Fair at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum on Dec. 5 from 4:30-8 p.m. and Dec. 6 from 12-4 p.m. Meet local Alaska Native artists and learn as they demonstrate techniques and sell their wares...(more)

Half Off on all SHI Merchandise!
All SHI merchandise is 50% off through December 31, 2008! Includes SHI's highly popular Celebration 2008 t-shirts featuring art by Robert Hoffmann plus all books, videos and other items in SHI's retail store...(shop)

Dr. Soboleff at SHI's November 2008 trustees meeting, which he chairedHappy 100th Birthday Dr. Soboleff
SHI Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Walter Soboleff celebrates his 100th birthday Nov. 14, 2008 in Juneau. At its Nov. 6 trustees meeting, SHI recognized him for his many years of service to Native people and for his guidance on the institute's language and culture programs. Trustee Clarence Jackson called Soboleff a national treasure who has honored Sealaska Heritage with his presence. "We’ve been blessed with your presence it seems like all our lives," Jackson said. "Sometimes good things happen to people. Walter happened to us 100 years ago." (News Article) (Radio Story)

SHI Hosts Teslin Tlingit Delegation
SHI hosted a delegation of Tlingit from Teslin, Yukon, Canada Nov. 13 at its Juneau offices. The group is learning about how SHI organizes its biennial dance and culture festival Celebration, one of the largest events in the state.

SHI Recruits Shareholders to Record Stories
Project is part of StoryCorps Alaska
SHI is recruiting shareholders who want to tell their stories of love, endurance, resilience, achievement and hope. The activity is part of StoryCorps Alaska – a nonprofit project that aims to bring families, friends, and neighbors closer together by listening to each others’ stories. A StoryCorps interview is a 40-minute conversation between two people who know each other. A trained facilitator will be present with you and your partner throughout the interview to help you have a comfortable and meaningful experience, and to handle all technical aspects of the recording.  You’ll take home a broadcast-quality audio CD, and with your permission, copies will go to the Library of Congress, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Rasmuson Library Oral History Program, and local Juneau archives.  Interviews may also air on public radio. If you want to participate and you will be in Juneau on January 9, 16 and 23, contact Kathy Dye at kathy.dye@sealaska.com or 586-9189 for more information. (more about StoryCorps)

Worl Chosen for Humanities Award by Palin
SHI President Rosita Worl is one of two Alaskans chosen by Gov. Sarah Palin for the annual Distinguished Services to the Humanities awards. The honors will be presented at 6 pm, Thursday, Oct. 23 during the 2008 Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities at the Anchorage Downtown Marriott Hotel. The other recipient is Dr. James Muller, a political science professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Contact: Alaska State Council on the Arts, 269-6610...(more) (Photo)

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