Alaska Natives

The Dakhká Khwáan Dancers, who were named lead dance group for Celebration 2024. (Photo by Nobu Koch courtesy of Sealaska Heritage Institute)

Neighbors: SHI launches contest for Celebration 2024 art design

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is holding a contest to solicit a design for next year’s Celebration, a biennial dance and culture festival that celebrates Tlingit,… Continue reading

The Dakhká Khwáan Dancers, who were named lead dance group for Celebration 2024. (Photo by Nobu Koch courtesy of Sealaska Heritage Institute)
This view is from Wrangell on Sept. 11, 2022. (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT)

Conservation group supports formation of new Alaska Native corporations

The conservation group the Wilderness Society has changed its position and now supports a bill that would create five new Alaska Native corporations in Southeast… Continue reading

This view is from Wrangell on Sept. 11, 2022. (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT)
People gather for a newly organized communal Friendsgiving celebration at the log cabin at Savikko Park on Thursday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Communal Friendsgiving allows some a day of thanks without observing Thanksgiving

Many Alaska Natives, other Indigenous peoples in U.S., disagree with holiday’s traditional narrative.

People gather for a newly organized communal Friendsgiving celebration at the log cabin at Savikko Park on Thursday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A 30-foot-tall totem pole, seen in the photo at left, was removed from Michael J. Burns Building on Friday, as seen in the photo at right taken Sunday. The totem pole, plus two others already removed from the interior of the building that houses the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp., are scheduled to be placed at Goldbelt Inc.’s headquarters for its 50th anniversary celebration. (Left photo courtesy of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp.; right photo by Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Totem poles removed from Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. headquarters building

Goldbelt Inc. plans to place the three totems at its headquarters for 50th-anniversary celebration.

A 30-foot-tall totem pole, seen in the photo at left, was removed from Michael J. Burns Building on Friday, as seen in the photo at right taken Sunday. The totem pole, plus two others already removed from the interior of the building that houses the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp., are scheduled to be placed at Goldbelt Inc.’s headquarters for its 50th anniversary celebration. (Left photo courtesy of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp.; right photo by Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Fog drifts through the trees in the Tongass National Forest on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

My Turn: A response to ‘There are no Landless Natives in Southeast Alaska’

Where to begin? Rebecca Knight’s — at best implicitly xenophobic and factually incorrect – opinion piece published Sept. 20 not only misconstrues the present legislation’s… Continue reading

Fog drifts through the trees in the Tongass National Forest on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
A cultural learning center operated by the Douglas Indian Association in South Douglas, seen here in an illustration, received a conditional use permit from the Juneau Planning Commission on Tuesday. (Illustration by NorthWind Architects)

Douglas Indian Association cultural center near Treadwell trail gets planning commission OK

Some neighbors, commissioners concerned about traffic, other impacts of 4,000-square-foot building.

A cultural learning center operated by the Douglas Indian Association in South Douglas, seen here in an illustration, received a conditional use permit from the Juneau Planning Commission on Tuesday. (Illustration by NorthWind Architects)
Stacked logs are seen in Yakutat on June 3. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

Yakutat ousted its village corporations’ leaders. Here’s what’s next.

The saga in the Southeast Alaska village of Yakutat is over. Or, it’s just starting. After years of conflict, Anchorage Superior Court Judge Laura Hartz… Continue reading

Stacked logs are seen in Yakutat on June 3. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)
The frame of a house waits further construction in Yakutat with the assistance of the Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority. On Monday the housing authority received a $2 million grant intended to help more than 100 families in Southeast Alaska with loans and other housing assistance. (Photo courtesy of the Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority)

$2M grant for Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority seeks to help more than 100 Southeast families

Agency among six nationwide winners for programs “making homes more accessible and affordable.”

The frame of a house waits further construction in Yakutat with the assistance of the Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority. On Monday the housing authority received a $2 million grant intended to help more than 100 families in Southeast Alaska with loans and other housing assistance. (Photo courtesy of the Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority)
Jennifer Kirk, left, and Susanna “Sue Sue” Norton both died, two years apart, in homes owned by a former mayor and often occupied by his adult sons. Credit:Left photo: Facebook; right photo: courtesy of Lesley Sundberg

One woman died on an Alaska mayor’s property. Then another. No one has ever been charged.

Ex-mayor’s sons faced few consequences despite history of similar allegations.

Jennifer Kirk, left, and Susanna “Sue Sue” Norton both died, two years apart, in homes owned by a former mayor and often occupied by his adult sons. Credit:Left photo: Facebook; right photo: courtesy of Lesley Sundberg
Sealaska Corp. CEO Anthony Mallott is departing effective Jan. 1, according to a company announcement Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of Sealaska Corp.)

Sealaska Corp. CEO Anthony Mallott stepping down effective Jan. 1

Announcement comes days after Alaska Native corporation announces lower shareholder dividends.

Sealaska Corp. CEO Anthony Mallott is departing effective Jan. 1, according to a company announcement Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of Sealaska Corp.)
A breeze lifts flags hanging outside of the Andrew Hope Building in downtown Juneau on May 8. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Tlingit and Haida household pandemic aid program ends this month

Assistance program for tribal citizens to cover economic impacts of COVID-19 started in 2021.

A breeze lifts flags hanging outside of the Andrew Hope Building in downtown Juneau on May 8. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Hundreds of people visit Sealaska’s Heritage Square in downtown Juneau for an April 22 ceremony celebrating the raising of 12 totem poles along Juneau’s waterfront. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)

Sealaska issues lower annual dividend for first time in many years, displeasing shareholders

Complaints voiced about corporation’s leadership, especially as Goldbelt dividends again rise.

Hundreds of people visit Sealaska’s Heritage Square in downtown Juneau for an April 22 ceremony celebrating the raising of 12 totem poles along Juneau’s waterfront. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)
Randal Jim (center) and Joey Ludlam replace a “Seward St.” with a “Heritage Way” sign at midday Wednesday, the day the new name became official for a two-block portion of the downtown street. About 50 local tribal leaders, city officials and others attended a ceremony at Sealaska Plaza marking the name change effort that originated in April. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Two blocks of what used to be Seward Street are now officially Heritage Way

Tribal and city leaders celebrate renaming as part of “reclaiming” area’s Alaska Native heritage.

Randal Jim (center) and Joey Ludlam replace a “Seward St.” with a “Heritage Way” sign at midday Wednesday, the day the new name became official for a two-block portion of the downtown street. About 50 local tribal leaders, city officials and others attended a ceremony at Sealaska Plaza marking the name change effort that originated in April. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Felicia Price, an employee of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, hands a copy of the Lingít-language book “Kuhaantí” to her son, Brayden, 8, while staffing the distribution table for the book with co-worker Genevieve McFadden during its release party Friday night at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Landmark Lingít-language children’s book is an ‘orphan’ with a very large family

“Kuhaantí,” first release of its kind in decades, part of nine-story collaborative tribal project.

Felicia Price, an employee of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, hands a copy of the Lingít-language book “Kuhaantí” to her son, Brayden, 8, while staffing the distribution table for the book with co-worker Genevieve McFadden during its release party Friday night at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jonathan Samuelson, chair of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, speaks Friday at the Alaska Convention of Natives convention about the effects of salmon crashes in his region. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

AFN delegates pass 28 resolutions, including plea to Congress for subsistence action

Attendees at odds with the state of Alaska on fishing and hunting issues.

Jonathan Samuelson, chair of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, speaks Friday at the Alaska Convention of Natives convention about the effects of salmon crashes in his region. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Curt Chamberlain, an attorney who grew up practicing subsistence fishing in Aniak, argues at Friday’s Alaska Federation of Natives convention for changes to federal law to protect Native subsistence harvests. Chamberlain was one of the speakers participating in a floor session on the subject. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska Native leaders at AFN call for legal overhaul to protect traditional fish harvests

The crash of salmon stocks in Western Alaska’s Kuskokwim River has sparked a bitter court fight between the federal and state governments, and now Alaska… Continue reading

Curt Chamberlain, an attorney who grew up practicing subsistence fishing in Aniak, argues at Friday’s Alaska Federation of Natives convention for changes to federal law to protect Native subsistence harvests. Chamberlain was one of the speakers participating in a floor session on the subject. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Stephanie Harold creates sketches among a crowd at the annual Traditional Food Fair in Hoonah on Sept. 9. (Photo by Ian Johnson)

Resilient Peoples and Place: ‘Our Food is Our Medicine’

Xunaa celebrates 6th annual Traditional Food Fair.

Stephanie Harold creates sketches among a crowd at the annual Traditional Food Fair in Hoonah on Sept. 9. (Photo by Ian Johnson)
U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat who became the first Alaska Native in Congress a year ago, discusses issues and adjusting to the national political scene on Sept. 8 as part of a three-day visit to Juneau. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

A year after surprising victory, Peltola a popular target in Congress

Spending 9/11 with Biden, being top target of GOP now part of job while dealing with family matters.

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat who became the first Alaska Native in Congress a year ago, discusses issues and adjusting to the national political scene on Sept. 8 as part of a three-day visit to Juneau. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Eleven of the 14 candidates seeking four seats on the Juneau Assembly in the Oct. 3 municipal election answer questions during a forum Friday night at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Assembly candidates challenged to offer plan of action, not just talk, at Tlingit and Haida forum

11 of 14 contenders for four seats get extra time to respond to some tough questioning.

Eleven of the 14 candidates seeking four seats on the Juneau Assembly in the Oct. 3 municipal election answer questions during a forum Friday night at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Recent clearcut logging on land owned by Sealaska Corp. at Cleveland Peninsula, just north of Ketchikan. (Photo by Rebecca Knight)

My Turn: ‘There are no landless Natives in Southeast Alaska’

Those are the words of Department of Interior Secretary Jim Lyons and Undersecretary Sylvia Baca regarding so-called “landless” legislation in 1996. Bureau of Indian Affairs… Continue reading

Recent clearcut logging on land owned by Sealaska Corp. at Cleveland Peninsula, just north of Ketchikan. (Photo by Rebecca Knight)