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On May 30, 2006, our daughter, Anastasia (Annie) ...

Heen Kweix' — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 04:37:00 +0000

On May 30, 2006, our daughter, Anastasia (Annie) Jean Gamble was born. She is our first child and we feel so blessed to have her with us, healthy and happy. At 9 lbs. 4ozs. and 21 inches long, I don't think my wife or I expected her to be so big. You might agree with us, she's a beautiful baby.

Since my wife is adopted Chookenshaw, our daughter is also Chookenshaw. She is also a child of Kiksadi, which makes her Kiksadi yadi. Her Tlingit name will be determined at a later time and will be given by the Eagle clan.

Much of my time in the last two months has been spent preparing for Annie to arrive and then caring for her once she did arrive. We are very happy. As time goes on and we learn how to care for her most efficiently, I will have more time to update this blog and my site. For now, small changes will suffice. There is much happening in the Tlingit community in Sitka that I hope to document as time allows.

It was a little over a month ago since I last wrot...

Heen Kweix' — Sat, 27 May 2006 21:22:00 +0000

It was a little over a month ago since I last wrote on this blog. I have been updating my main website making some major changes there. I figured for now, it would be best to write a short note here about things that have happened the last month and what is coming up in Sitka.

For starters, I was jogging through Totem Park one day and ran across some people from Lincoln, Nebraska who are here doing an archaelogical dig in the park. They are looking for remnants of the Battle of 1804. This the park's main attraction for many because it has alot of history important to Sitka's Tlingit people. The battle was between Russian fur traders and Tlingit's from Sitka and nearby villages.

Also at the park, a totem pole carving has begun. The pole was commissioned by the Sitka National Historical Park and is being carved by a couple young artists from Hydaburg. Another totem is being carved on Japonski Island by Wayne Price and was commissioned by Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC).

Celebration 2006 is happening this week in Juneau. Unfortunately the timing is bad for me and I won't be able to attend, but I will provide pictures of the Native festivities. This is a bi-annual event primarily where Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimpshians from all over Southeast and parts of Canada congregate.

There is much activity in the Tlingit community right now and once our child is born and we're settled I hope to update this blog with all this information.

Sitka is a small town. Visitors might think ther...

Heen Kweix' — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 07:00:00 +0000

Sitka is a small town. Visitors might think there isn't much to do here if they are passing through. But locals know better. It's a rare day when I have nothing to do. The City and Borough of Sitka actually covers the largest area of any city in the United States. That's because the limits span Sitka Sound. There are many opportunities to explore the area by boat and often times, be the only person or group in a particular part of Sitka. Recently, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) took part of our town away from us. They ruled in favor of allowing Geoduck farming in Mielkoi Cove, which is about 7 miles south of Sitka (picture courtesy of Sitka Conservation Society). Last week, the Sitka Tribe, Sitka Conservation Society, and the City of Sitka appealed the decision.

Geoduck (pronounced "gooey duck") is a Nisqually native word for "dig deep." They are the largest burrowing clam in the world and are a delicacy in Japan and China. The industry is relatively young; commercially it's less than five years old. Found along the West Coast, there are harvestable amounts in Washington State, British Columbia, and Southeast Alaska. Geoduck are an odd looking shellfish, having a neck that can get up to three feet long and they may live to be over 100 years old (they are measured by the rings in the shell). They are eaten raw or lightly cooked. There is even a documentary about them.

The Sitka Tribe's main concern, according to my brother (he's on the tribal council), is the cultural impact to its citizens at the selected clam farm sites. These include traditional harvesting of native foods, historical or ongoing ceremonial use, and historical clan ownership of the area. Financial impacts will be brought to tribal citizens who commercially harvest geoduck in the form of direct competition from such farms as proposed for the Mielkoi Cove site and the restriction to the area as a result of DNR's decision to lease the area for farming. Additionally, public use of the area will be limited or restricted and will impact its general use.

The City of Sitka and Sitka Conservation Society's concerns in addition to the above include the impacts to commercial and sport fishing, recreation, and tourism, among others. On their website, they mention the expansion of a current farm in the Sitka area as well as Mielkoi Cove. But most alarming are the applications for 140 new sites around Southeast Alaska.

To be fair, in tonight's local newspaper, the applicant for the Mielkoi Cove site defends his position in a letter to the editor. He explains how the impacts may be exaggerated because his farm is at depths of forty feet, the buoys won't be an obstruction to navigation, and each permit application costs $5,000 to process (even if it's turned down). The details of the application process and current status are outlined here.

No matter the outcome, this is another example of Native resources in jeopardy. It is an ongoing struggle throughout Tlingit/Native Country. Under the guise of "no evidence the proposed farm's location is in a heavily used area," the DNR has ruled favorably for the applicant. But as my uncle likes to say in response to those types of arguments, "I have an old boat in my yard that I don't use very much anymore, but that doesn't mean anyone can just come and take it."

After the hard winter comes spring. Sometimes i...

Heen Kweix' — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 05:07:00 +0000

After the hard winter comes spring. Sometimes it's a little more harsh than others. But it always starts with the herring spawn in Sitka. During this time, the whole area becomes a wildlife wonderland. Seagulls, eagles, seal, sea lion, and humpback whales are seemingly everywhere you look. And though the commercial fishing boats are a threat to the subsistence fishery, it's still an amazing sight to see. It's all a part of the beginning of spring. The whole town is brought back to life by the arrival of the herring; the start of the food chain in Sitka Sound.

This year was a very good year for subsistence as opposed to last year (I blogged a couple months ago about last year's harvest). My brother, his girlfriend, and our cousin took turns gathering hemlock trees, tying rocks, and setting the branches over a period of several days during the first week of spring. The weather was amazing, which is unlike what locals call "herring weather," when we can experience what feels like four seasons in the span of a couple hours. It usually rains, hails, snows, then sunshines, all along with gusting winds for the duration of the spawn. However, this year was an exception with clear skies, little wind, and calm waters.

Nevertheless, getting herring eggs is a lot of work. It starts with finding some good-sized rocks off the beach to tie up with twine. Then cutting some hemlock trees near the ocean and dragging them to the boat. There, the trees are tied together, spaced out several feet apart and laid in the boat. The rocks are then tied to the branches in a couple places to weight them down.

Scouting for herring spawn is next. It's easy to tell where a good spawn is happening because the water turns a milky color. This is because the female herring have laid their eggs and the males are fertilizing them. They spawn near land in water of various depths, but mostly in shallow water. It's important to find a spawn where the bottom is rocky vs. sandy. If you lay the branches in a sandy area, the eggs will be sandy.

Once satisfied with the area, the trees are let out of the boat one-by-one. The number of trees used are determined by the amount of spawn in the area. They are set several feet off the beach. After a couple days, if the spawn is good, the herring will have laid thick eggs, or roe, on the hemlock branches. The roe are also deposited on macrothisis; called ne in Tlingit (soft e like in Nebraska).

This is where the hard work comes in. The trees can be heavily weighted from the eggs. The branches near the surface are clipped off and put into a container. When the tree is light enough, it can be drug back into the boat. It is possible to have your branches "robbed" by someone else, so it's important to check them often. After about three days, the spawn on the set is done and the branches must be pulled.

The eggs are usually bagged in freezer bags for preservation. They can also be dried if the sun shines and it gets warm enough. But for the first fresh harvest of the year, we simmer some water with a little seal oil mixed in and dip the eggs, still on the hemlock branches, into the water several times until they're hot. Ideally, you avoid cooking them too long. At their best, if they're cooked just right, they're translucent in color. If they're cooked too long, the eggs turn white.

Some people like dipping the eggs in butter and garlic. Our family likes dipping them in soy sauce and maybe a bit of seal oil. What do the eggs taste like? Since it's seafood, they have a salty taste to them. The seal oil adds a richness to the flavor. Seal oil, Tlingit style, is derived from boiling seal fat that is cut into small pieces, then filtering out the oil. It is a delicacy like herring eggs are a delicacy. The spring is also the best time to harvest seal because they are fatter this time of the year.

The subsistence herring fishery provides a time for Sitkans, not just Tlingits, to share the wealth of the land. Those with open boats and skiffs flock to the ocean. Of all the communities in Alaska that have a herring spawn, Sitka's is the largest harvest and most anticipated. Much bartering and sharing of the eggs takes place throughout the year. People often stock their freezers full of eggs to share at large parties like the Koo.eex' I talked about in my previous blog. Those who don't have boats or elders who cannot make it to get their own are usually provided for in one form or another.

There are other ways to harvest the eggs too. Some like getting roe on kelp. There is a fishery based on this type of harvest. In some southern villages, they use spruce branches to get the roe instead of hemlock. Commercially, the whole herring are taken and the eggs are squeezed out of them. No matter how they're harvested, the eggs provide a welcome transition to spring. After months of short, cold days and long nights, the activity brought by the herring turns Sitka into a thriving community that extends through the spring and summer. For Tlingit people, it is a very spiritual time of the year when everything comes back to life.

Over the last several years I've noticed a soberi...

Heen Kweix' — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 05:12:00 +0000

Over the last several years I've noticed a sobering trend as the wintertime ends. It seems many elders hang on until the very end of the season and over the course of a few weeks, one by one, the news comes that someone else in Sitka has passed on. This year has been no exception. It prompts me to write about how death in the Tlingit family is handled.

Keep in mind, there are many variations on what is done when a death occurs. Briefly, Tlingit are a matrilineal society meaning we follow our mothers bloodline. There are two clans, the Raven and the Eagle. My mother is Raven and so I am too. It is customary to marry the "opposite" clan to keep our bloodlines separate. So my wife must be from the Eagle clan, or she is adopted into the Eagle clan if she is not Tlingit.

When a death occurs in the Tlingit family, it is tradition for the opposite clan to come forward with support. Various forms of support include comforting the family with speeches. Also, help in planning and supporting ceremonies for the deceased are provided by the opposite clan. Present-day practice commonly sees the opposite clan giving money to the family experiencing the loss to help pay funeral, burial and other costs.

Some families call on the caretakers of their respective clan houses (Coho House pictured) to have the body lie in state for 24 hours prior to the funeral. The Naa Kahidi House (Community House) in Sitka is sometimes used to host a traditional ceremony prior to the body being transported to the clan house. It is also used for the funeral itself particularly when a non-denominational ceremony is desired.

A Forty Day party has been held more frequently in recent decades in memorial of the deceased. It is arguable this was not a long-time Tlingit custom, but one brought by the Russian Orthodox Tlingit. There are opposing opinions of its origins because some non-Orthodox communities hold the party. In Sitka, it is a common ceremony.

A party usually lasts only a few(2-3) hours and consists of the favorite foods of the deceased put on by his/her family for the opposite clan. Speeches are given starting with the hosts, then the guests follow. Sometimes humor is used but only in good taste to cheer up the host family. The Forty Day party symbolizes the departure of the spirit from the material world. At times families will leave a plate of food for the deceased on the eve of the fortieth day.

The Koo.eex takes place usually a year after the death, but may be held up to several years (or not at all) after depending on a number of factors. It may also be called a potlatch or payoff party, and is one form of Koo.eex. The ceremony is meant as repayment to the opposite clan for their support at the time of the death. Today, this party lasts about 20-24 hours. In traditional days it could go on for several days.

Invitations are sent to the opposite clan to attend this large memorial. The Koo.eex takes place in the fall after the hosts have had time to hunt, fish, pick berries, and do other harvesting in preparation for the party. It also gives the family time to save money to give to the guests as part of repayment.

There are four main transitions in a memorial of this type (I cannot cover them in great detail in this blog but will go in depth on my main site at which time I will add a link from here). The following information is taken from Nora Marks Dauenhauer and Richard Dauenhuaer and their excellent book Haa Tuwunaagu Yis, for Healing Our Spirit.

Preliminary Activities - Typically, at the start of the party, the guests arrive over a span of a couple hours. At this time, money is discreetly given to the hosts to help them pay the opposite clan back and much socializing takes place during this time. The walls are lined with the gifts to be distributed during the party. Reserved seating is given to honored guests and the hall is arranged to optimize the space necessary for speeches, dancing and passing of gifts. The host family is usually positioned in front either sitting or standing. Their at.oow (Tlingit regalia) is removed from chests and arranged on tables at the front of the hall. In Sitka, the ANB Hall most often hosts the party.

The Cry - Once underway, the hosts start with speeches and four mourning songs. The guests then respond with a ceremony to remove the grief of the hosts. Then, the floor is returned to the hosts at which time there are speeches to the guests thanking them for their support. A complex sequence takes place involving at.oow. I must skim by this portion to save the risk of dishonoring the ceremony. As I said, it is best covered in much more detail on my main website.

Food, Gifts, Songs and Dances - These are all very important to Tlingit culture. During this ceremony, two meals are usually served to the guests. The evolution of the ceremony over the years seems to indicate the first meal will be non-native foods while the second consists soley of traditional foods.

Much food is passed to the guests including "fire dishes." Originally, "fire dishes" meant the burning of food to feed the spirits. Now it is a collection of foods that fit in a bowl for the guest to take with them. In addition, jars of salmon, deer meat, berries, fruits, sodas, candy, crafts and clothing are typically passed to the guests.

Money - Toward the end of the party, after all the money is counted, it is handed out according to who helped the most during the hosts time of grieving. Before it is passed, announcements are made to give credit to those who gave money to help the hosts "payoff" the opposite clan. In my experience, this proves to be a very touchy situation for both sides as managing money often is.

The Koo.eex is the last step in memorial of a deceased Tlingit. This article cannot cover the many complex aspects of the memorial. The way in which a death is handled can vary greatly from family to family.

It is difficult to portray death in the Tlingit family in a broad manner. Until now, I didn't even introduce the topic of cremation. Cremations took place in the not-so-distant past and were part of the opposite clan's responsibility. This is another topic I'd like to explore more deeply, again, on my website where it can be better organized.

Lastly, Tlingit belief includes reincarnation. When someone passes, they are reborn into the same clan. When Tlingit children are given their name, it is the name of a deceased member and that child becomes that person. For instance, a second cousin of mine was recently born and given the same name as my grandmother. Now, our customs say, she is my grandmother.

There are many complex aspects of death among Tlingits. Though we are saddened by the number of recent deaths in our families, we can take comfort the deceased will be honored the way they have always been honored and they will return to us in our newborn children.

It has been over two weeks since my last post. Th...

Heen Kweix' — Sun, 26 Feb 2006 07:44:00 +0000

It has been over two weeks since my last post. Though I try to post weekly about Sitka and Tlingit history, I found it difficult to narrow this next topic down. There will be a number of topics to come relating to Mt. Edgecumbe.

Mt. Edgecumbe High School celebrated Founders Day the week of February 20, 2006, and does so annually. One of the highlights had to have been the "Gathering of Cultures" night on Wednesday, February 22. Along with all the Tlingit dance groups in Sitka, the Aleut, Yupik, Inupiat, and Athabaskan dancers performed that night. The historic B.J. McGillis Gymnasium was filled to near capacity as the basketball court was turned into a traditional stage for the dancers, many of them Edgecumbe students.

Edgecumbe is a boarding school run by the State of Alaska. It's name comes from a dormant volcano near Sitka (Actually, when a local hears the name Mt. Edgecumbe, they might identify it with the school, the mountain, or Japonski Island). The majority of its students are Alaska Native from all over the state. However, until about 1982, it was a federally run facility specifically for Natives. The federal funding was cut that year and it shut down for 2 years. In 1985, the state reopened the school with an aggressive and innovative curriculum based on Pacific Rim studies. Enrollment is competitive due in part to its acclaimed focus on Total Quality Management.

At its peak, Edgecumbe High School's largest enrollment was around 700 students. Located on Japonski Island (future topic), it is one of three high schools in the Sitka area. In its early days, there were many federal employees housed on the island, and there were many more houses than there are now. The facility was built during World War II as a naval military base.

After the war, the facility was vacated by the military and the Alaska Native Service (ANS) took over its management. Later, the ANS turned into the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). And in 1947, it was opened to educate Native students from all over Alaska whose villages didn't have high schools. When the school filled up quickly, other schools were opened in the states such as Chemawa, Oregon and Chilocco, Oklahoma. Issues arose about the schools stemming from loss of contact with the family and culture. As a result, another regional vocational school opened in Nome; the William E. Beltz school. Further opposition to the expansion of Mt. Edgecumbe school in 1968 led to other regional schools opening in Kodiak (1968) and Bethel (1972).

Edgecumbe has played a large role in many of the elder members of my Tlingit family. My parents met at Edgecumbe. My father transferred from Wrangell Insitute and was part of the only eighth grade class at Edgecumbe. He graduated from and also learned how to make dentures there. My mother earned her LPN certification from the nursing program it offered. Both of them made a living either at the school or at the nearby health care facility. Other traditional vocations were offered by the school ranging from carpentry to automotive.

My aunt took advantage of an opportunity to become a teacher through a program offered at Edgecumbe, and during her subsequent teaching career, was named Teacher of the Year for Alaska. Her brother also graduated from the school and went on to be a legislator and leader of Sealaska, the regional Native corporation for Southeast Alaska. As a matter of fact, ANCSA was built on the mindshare of the Alaska Federation of Natives, to which many boarding schools' alumni belonged.

Edgecumbe has expanded its enrollment from 370 students in 2004, to 420 students in 2005. The growing number of students moves them from the 3A category to the 4A category in the interscholastic statewide status. This becomes interesting because their sports teams, a whole topic in itself, may be competing with the state's best. It can be said that the Mt. Edgecumbe Braves are again the envy of the state. There will be more to come later on the rest of Japonski Island's treasures.

In the late 1990s, I watched a documentary called ...

Heen Kweix' — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 07:39:00 +0000

In the late 1990s, I watched a documentary called The Land is Ours. It focused on Sitka and the Tlingit people's civil rights struggles in the early 1900s. The key figure in this film was William Paul. He was the first Tlingit lawyer in the United States. He and his brother, Louis, were instrumental in growing the Alaska Native Brotherhood into a political force. They used this along with William's power in Alaska politics to desegregate Natives in Alaska's public schools. His story, as portrayed in the documentary, was very influential to me. After seeing it, it lit a fire that drove me back to school to get a bachelors degree.

William Paul's legacy paved the way for other Natives to combat racism. He deserves, and will get, his own entry on this blog. However, today, I want to focus on Elizabeth Peratrovich. Her story has been told on numerous websites on the Internet, but I would like to dedicate today's post to this great woman.

She has been described as a beautiful, educated, strong-willed Tlingit woman. In 1941, she and her husband were president of the Alaska Native Sisterhood and Brotherhood Grand Camps, respectively. They had moved from Klawock, where her husband, Roy, was from, to Juneau; thinking there was a better life to be had for their kids.

When they found a home they liked, they were told they could not lease the home because they were Native. Other discrimination was found all over the city, including schools, restaurants, theaters, etc. The Peratrovichs decided to use their power as officials of the ANB/ANS to write a letter to the Governor. Because then Governor Ernest Gruening had already been alarmed by the discrimination he saw throughout Alaska, gaining his alliance took little effort. He knew, however, that he could only stand by the Natives. It was the Natives' fight to win.

And this is where Roy and Elizabeth Peratrovich excelled. They both lobbied other Natives to join the battle against discrimination. Together with the Governor and other allies, they began crafting legislation to be voted upon by the legislature. It had been turned down in a fierce battle in 1943.

But the Governor was able to get the house and senate enlarged. After doing this, he urged the ANB/ANS to go to the polls and elect Native leadership. They did, and in the fall of 1944, they passed Resolution Number 2 to battle discrimination. Many Alaska Natives know this story well.

In February, 1945, on the day the anti-discrimination bill was to be voted on, it drew a standing room only crowd. The House of Representatives passed the bill with little opposition. However, the Senate debated for two hours. One senator, Allen Shattuck, was quoted as saying: "Who are these people, barely out of savagery, who want to associate with us whites with 5,000 years of recorded civilization behind us?" Another said he did not want to sit next to an Eskimo in the theater because "they smelled."

Roy Peratrovich was invited to speak on behalf of the Natives. He noted how the Governor had recognized the existence of discrimination in a report to the Secretary of the Interior. He also pointed out present members of the Senate from Fairbanks who supported a program for action on behalf of Natives. He said, "Only Indians can know how it is to be discriminated against. Either you are for discrimination or you are against it accordingly as you vote on this bill."

When he was done, a call was made to anyone present to voice their views. Elizabeth Peratrovich came forward. Her presence was met with a tense silence. She spoke these words:

"I would not have expected that I, who am barely out of savagery, would have to remind gentleman with 5,000 years of recorded civilization behind them of our Bill of Rights. When my husband and I came to Juneau and sought a home in a nice neighborhood where our children could play happily with our neighbors' children, we found such a house and arranged to lease it. When the owners learned that we were Indians, they said 'no.' Would we be compelled to live in the slums?

There are three kinds of persons who practice discrimination. First, the politician who wants to maintain an inferior minority group so that he can always promise them something. Second, the Mr. and Mrs. Jones who aren't quite sure of their social position and who are nice to you on one occasion, and can't see you on others depending on who they are with. Third, the great superman who believes in the superiority of the white race."

She continued that discrimination suffered by herself and her friends had "forced the finest of our race to associate with white trash." When asked by Senator Shattuck if passing the anti-discrimination bill would end discrimination, she replied: "Do your laws against larceny and even murder prevent those crimes? No law will eliminate crimes but at least you as legislators can assert to the world that you recognize the evil of the present situation and speak your intent to help us overcome discrimination."

The crowd roared their approval, and history was made on that day, February 8, 1945. The anti-discrimination bill was passed by the Senate, 11-5. In 1998, the Alaska Legislature declared February 16 as Elizabeth Peratrovich Day, making it a state holiday.

Elizabeth and Roy's fight for equality continues to resonate in Alaska's history. With strong Native leaders like them and William Paul in our past, many of us are compelled by their stories. Surely they have influenced people of all races with their courage to stand up for what is right. In a small way, I do my best to honor them by learning as much as I can about what they fought for and how I can make a difference. Stories like this drove me to a college education and prompted me to make a website dedicated to Tlingit people.

Subsistence. This is a re-occurring theme you wil...

Heen Kweix' — Sun, 12 Feb 2006 06:09:00 +0000

Subsistence. This is a re-occurring theme you will see on this blog. In the Tlingit sense, it is the way we have lived off the land for thousands of years. Today, it is easy to go to the grocery store and load our pantries up. But most of us still enjoy living off the land as much as possible. It's important for us to keep that aspect of our past alive.

Sitka is on an island in Southeast Alaska. We are surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. Opportunities to live off the land are many. Tlingit people are well known for being fish lovers. However, there are many other foods we harvest throughout the year.

For instance, this time of the year, as we wait for the high-profile herring roe I talked about in my previous post, we might do some clam digging. We've noticed the trollers fishing in the channel, and that usually means there are king salmon to be caught. Deer season just ended. We can drop shrimp and crab pots nearby. And this is just the slow winter season.

Yet, as I said before, these things we've done for thousands of years are things we constantly have to defend. Recently we were in danger of losing our "rural" status for Sitka. The argument is that a town of almost 10,000 people with all the modern amenities a large city has shouldn't be considered rural. But there are barely 2,500 Natives in this town. The Federal Subsistence Board fortunately voted 3-3 to not review Sitka's status. Since a majority vote was needed, we are able to keep this status for another 10 years.

As part of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, promises were made to Alaska Natives stating that the Alaska Constitution and US Department of Interior would protect our subsistence practices and subsistence lands. In 1980, ANILCA was passed by Congress to fulfill those promises. In a nutshell, ANILCA required the state to give preference to rural (there's that word again) residents on federal land. If this was not done, the feds would take over management of the lands.

Well, the State of Alaska contended it was against the state constitution to grant rural preference. Consequently, the federal government took control of management of federal lands in 1990. There have been attempts by the state to regain management, but those efforts have come up short. A court decision in 1995 by the US Court of Appeals helped extend the feds' control to freshwater bodies alongside federal public lands. This ruling led to their management of subsistence fisheries.

My uncle talks about our respect for the resources we use in this audio clip. This recording was taken a few days ago during his "All Things are Connected" presentation in my wife's high school class. Subsistence is important to us. It connects us with our past in ways nothing else in today's world can.

Here is a picture of my brother Tom working hard ...

Heen Kweix' — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 07:07:00 +0000

Here is a picture of my brother Tom working hard during the herring spawn a couple of years ago. This is a subsistence harvesting method that has been practiced by Tlingits and other Alaska Natives for generations upon generations. The herring roe are collected on hemlock branches weighted down with rocks in various inside waters of Sitka Sound. Herring lay their eggs on the branches. They usually spawn in Sitka in the early Spring. The eggs are a traditional food cooked with light seal oil that Tlingits have enjoyed for thousands of years.

An issue that has been and will continue to be hotly debated is that of the Sitka Sound Herring Fishery. This is a multi-million dollar fishery shared by 51 permit holders yearly. The first commercial fishery was held in 1878. Initially, the herring were mostly prepared for consumption. Then a plant near Angoon started selling the product as a "reduced" version of meal and oil. This industry grew in the 1920's and 1930's and threatened the herring population from overfishing. Competition from other markets eventually closed the plants in Alaska. Then Japan helped spark demand once again for Alaska's herring fishery because the herring roe is a delicacy in their country.

The controversy surrounds the shortage of herring eggs collected for subsistence in last year's harvest. It has showed signs of decline in recent years. According to surveys for 2005, only 72,000 pounds of herring were taken for subsistence from a target range of 105,000 to 158,000 pounds. This range has been set by Natives as the acceptable "quota" for a successful subsistence harvest. The Board of Fisheries has been meeting for the past week in Ketchikan to discuss and vote on proposals. Their decisions are important because they only meet every three years.

As stated in this document, Proposal 81 would "create a susbistence-only zone" that restricts the inside waters from the commercial fishery, thus protecting traditional harvest areas for subsistence. The proposal was voted down unanimously. The Board of Fisheries contends that reasonable opportunities were given to us for subsistence.

Another proposal was to make the commercial fishery an equal share model vs. the competitive model that it is now. Under current conditions, the fishery is opened for short periods of time to reach a certain quota. So conceivably out of the 51 permit holders, a small number of boats can take the majority of the quota and the rest are out of luck. Proponents of the equal share model say there is less chance of accidents and a better chance at higher quality roe if the equal share model proposal passed. And none of the permit holders gets left out. Approximately 80% of the fleet were in favor of the proposal, however it too was voted down by the board.

Proposal 81 represents a common battle between Alaskan Natives (in this case, Tlingit people) and commercial interests. The issue of subsistence has been ongoing since the first European entrepreneurs arrived in Alaska. In many cases, if an agreement cannot be reached between Native governements and the State of Alaska, the federal government threatens to step in to manage the issue.

The herring harvest is one of many traditions threatened by commercial interests. Alaska has become a popular tourist destination in large part because of the abundance of fish and game available. Nearly every tradition is affected by the growing numbers of people wanting a piece of the action. Though subsistence, by law, is not just for the Native people, it has been our way of life since time immemorial. I will continue to document our plight on these pages.

I heard on the news this morning the Sitka Tribe i...

Heen Kweix' — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 07:32:00 +0000

I heard on the news this morning the Sitka Tribe is working toward repatriation of Native Alaskan cultural material sold to Harvard's Peabody Museum. They were given $75,000 by the National Park Service toward beginning this process.

If successful, the Tribe will document its origins and cultural significance of the artifacts. They were housed at the Baranof Castle at their Museum and Archive of Russian American. When the transfer of Alaska took place in 1867, much of the Tlingit artifacts were taken by the Russians. Those that were left were claimed by Edward G. Fast. He then sold his collection to the Peabody Museum. This collection comprised of his own personal purchases from Sitka as well as the remnants from Baranof Castle.

The hope is the collection will be reclaimed under the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act and returned to Sitka. Ultimately, they would like to house the artifacts in a new museum. One tribal employee (click link for audio) mentioned the idea of having a museum on Castle Hill, which is one of the most prominent landmarks in Sitka. Thanks to Raven Radio for the story they ran this morning.

Last Thursday night, I sat in on a Beginning North...

Heen Kweix' — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 05:42:00 +0000

Last Thursday night, I sat in on a Beginning Northwest Carving class, which started that night. The class is being taught by Tommy Joseph, a well-known Tlingit carver residing in Sitka. This picture was taken at that first class and I thank Tommy as well as the class participants for allowing me to mingle with them.

I do have relatives in the class, which kind of provided inroads for me, but Tommy also knows my family and was nice enough to put up with my quizzing. I took several pictures as well as recorded some audio. The class is offered by one of our local colleges, UAS, and will run until May 6th.

Tommy Joseph is a great carver. He, along with Edward Beltran, was commisioned in 1998-99 to carve the Kiks.adi K'alyaan Memorial Pole which stands in Sitka's Totem Park at the Battlefield Site. As stated at that website, there are generally four purposes of totem poles:

Crest poles give the ancestry of particular family.
History poles record the history of a clan.
Legend poles illustrate folklore or real life experiences.
Memorial poles commemorate a particular individual.

I will follow the progress of his class to its conclusion.

So yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The ...

Heen Kweix' — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 09:03:00 +0000

So yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The picture here shows Sitka's Peace Rally in honor of the great man. I meant to post this quite a few hours ago, referencing the Tlingit civil rights leaders. However, I got so caught up researching one in particular, Elizabeth Peratrovich, that time got away from me.

Another important Tlingit leader in this area is William Paul. I want to forgo a lengthy post on my research for these two people. Instead, I will post my research on February 16. That is officially Elizabeth Peratrovich Day. I will honor her as well as William Paul with much research at that time as they are very important to present day Alaska Natives.

This town, Sitka, can be a challenging place to l...

Heen Kweix' — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 08:07:00 +0000

This town, Sitka, can be a challenging place to live. This is especially true in the late Fall and early Winter time. The days are very short; it doesn't get light until around 9am and gets dark as early as 2:30pm on some cloudy, rainy days.

But that's the sacrifice we're willing to make for the abundance of wildlife, pureness, culture, and character we get for living here. Those are only a few things to describe where we live. It is a peaceful and comforting lifestyle that is rare to find anywhere.

And so, being Kiksadi and living here I feel is an honor and a priviledge. If you are Kiksadi, that means you are Tlingit, from the Raven clan, Frog sub-clan, and are from the Clay House. We are the Tlingit people of Sitka (Shee Atika).

Hello again from Sitka, Alaska. We made Good Mor...

Heen Kweix' — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 07:42:00 +0000

Hello again from Sitka, Alaska. We made Good Morning America this morning. What a surprise. This is at least the second time we've made that show.

The topic this time was Barbara Corcoran's take on investing in real estate. Sitka was ranked number 5 and she described it as one of the most beautiful places in America. I'd have to agree.

Still, it's sad to see no mention of the Tlingit culture here or of the Russian history. The misrepresentation of the Tlingit people in Sitka is precisely the reason why I started my website and called it kiksadi.com. This town is part of the Tlingit Nation. I'll be citing this fact on my website in the future.

Next topic. I'm trying to be nice. I deleted a previous post where I cited Alaska Airlines. I thought, 'Maybe I'll advertise for them on my site.' But hours after editing them out of my blog, I hear of yet another safety issue concerning the company. Now, I hate bashing businesses (mostly). But this is getting to be alarming. This may be a minor incident regarding the lights, but there seem to be more frequent occurrences involving their safety issues. It would be nice to see them get back to their position as one of the top carriers in the world. Mostly, it would be nice to feel safe with them again as we used to.

Continuing from my previous post, the Sitka Hotel...

Heen Kweix' — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 04:17:00 +0000

Continuing from my previous post, the Sitka Hotel caught fire early this morning. As of this post, the cause is unkown. It is believed to have started in the basement of the building. Of the approximately 30 occupants of the hotel, noone was injured and they were all evacuated to a nearby hotel owned by Shee Atika, Inc.

Sitka Hotel was built in 1939. The original structure had been expanded over the years, and it was this expansion that was destroyed as seen in this picture. Apparently two-thirds of the building survived the fire, albeit with much smoke and water damage. Nevertheless it is salvageable thanks to the Sitka Fire Department, volunteers, and a local construction company who helped contain the fire with an excavator. Neighboring buildings suffered little if any damage.

This hotel is located in downtown Sitka. It reminds me of the fire of 1966 that destroyed the Russian Orthodox Church and several other structures. Though I was only a toddler at the time, I grew up hearing about the devastating fire and how the church was rebuilt with an outpouring of donations.

Unfortunately, on my way to work this morning at ...

Heen Kweix' — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 16:41:00 +0000

Unfortunately, on my way to work this morning at 7am, I saw the old Sitka Hotel was on fire. I was hoping it was a false alarm but there was definite smoke coming from the historic building. I took a few pictures, it appeared to be a room on the second or third floor. I'll post more later today when I have some details.

Rose and I have been in Anchorage the last two day...

Heen Kweix' — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 17:31:00 +0000

Rose and I have been in Anchorage the last two days. It's cold here. Alot colder than Sitka usually is since we live in a rain forest on an island in the Pacific. Anchorage is further north and you can tell. Things are pretty frozen out here. Alot of locals here would like to see more snow. I guess they kind of rely on it for their economy.

We'll be back in Sitka late tonight. I hope to get the latest from the grapevine this weekend and will post anything interesting. This will be my ongoing effort to give the visitor a taste of Sitka. Plus, I'll find some good photos to show on this page. As I said before, feel free to comment on something you might want to know or see.

Happy New Year to everybody! Along with the new l...

Heen Kweix' — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 00:14:00 +0000

Happy New Year to everybody! Along with the new look of my site, I wanted to add a blog to it since that's basically what my old site was. This should make it easier to update for me too.

What I've decided to do with this space is keep people updated on what's happening in Sitka. Not necessarily with Rose and I, but with what the community is doing. This is a great way to do it without being too formal about it. But, I can't say everything posted here will be 100% accurate. I'll be as truthful as possible. Also, I will miss some important things so feel free to send me some email about important events happening in Sitka or in the general area.

I'll post stories as often as I can with my work schedule and everything else going on. Right this moment, I can only summarize the things that come to mind.

Regionally, I can site the big win (or loss depending on who you are) by those opposing drilling ANWR. George W has been unsuccessful so far in winning this for his oil buddies. I guess I sound like I'm against it. I have mixed feelings about it. I think it's good for Alaska in general. For the Gwichin people, they must be happy their livelihood will be undisturbed for at least a while longer. There must be a better way to make money than disturbing the natural resources. One thing we love about Alaska is it isn't overdeveloped.

Locally, one of my interests this time of year is high school basketball. Mt. Edgecumbe Braves basketball to be specific. They had a tournament to begin the year up in Anchorage last week. I don't know the outcome, but they lost to powerhouse Juneau by only one point. Edgecumbe is a boarding school with students from all over Alaska which makes their competitiveness even more surprising. That's a great way to start the season off. Hopefully by the end of the season they will be able to win it all. Last year, they had a good showing at the State tournament. One person to watch is Damen Bell-Holter. He's the big guy for Edgecumbe and I believe he's only a sophomore.

So, in the future, I will try to post what's going on here to give the out-of-towners a feel for life in Sitka. It's a small, isolated town with a large Tlingit population. We locals love it here. If you're a local reading this, once again, please let me know about current events you'd like to see here.