<span class='IDappliedStyle' title='InDesign: Demi'>VIVIAN FAITH PRESCOTT </span>| COURTESY PHOTO                                Tlingit language coloring lessons.

VIVIAN FAITH PRESCOTT | COURTESY PHOTO Tlingit language coloring lessons.

CCW news briefs: Cedar posts to be unveiled downtown

Three new bronzed cedar house posts will soon be part of the downtown Juneau streetscape.

Sealaska Heritage Institute announced on Thursday that the posts — carved by renown Southeast Alaska Native artists — will be displayed prominently outside on the corner of Front and Seward Streets near the SHI Walter Soboleff building.

SHI President Rosita Worl called the posts exquisite and “stunning.”

“I could not believe it when I first saw photos of the posts at the foundry — the pieces have exceeded my hopes and expectations,” Worl said in a release. “It’s exciting to see these posts carved in a traditional way in wood and then cast in a contemporary material. These pieces demonstrate that our cultures and our art are alive, thriving and evolving through our younger generations.”

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Tlingit Stephen Jackson, Haida TJ Young and Tsimshian David R. Boxley each carved one of the three posts.

The post by Young depicts the image and story of Wasgo, a supernatural figure in the Haida culture known for having the power to successfully hunt killer whales. Boxley’s post depicts Txeemsm (Raven), the mythical hero of ancient Tsimshian stories. Jackson’s post highlights aspects of the feminine and maternal character not as often depicted in carved form. The post depicts the complexity of the way in which Tlingit culture places value on feminine strength, he said.

The posts will be unveiled in a public ceremony at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 26. Everyone is welcome.

​Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska.

Program aims to immerse children in Tlingit language

Thanks to a grant, Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska is on its way to establishing a program to teach Alaska Native languages to young children.

The Administration for Children and Families, Administration for Native Americans (ANA) granted CCTHITA a $1 million, three-year grant, according to a news release Friday. The grant will help the tribal organization operate a Tlingit Language Immersion Nest (Haa Yóo Xatángi Kúdi), a program that will find ways to immerse children ages 3-5 in Tlingit language.

The program, according to a CCTHITA release, will train language instructors and provide language services for families as well as the children. The “nest” name in the title comes from the program’s mission statement, which reads, in part, “Our language is like a tree root, and upon it Our Language Nest was built.”

CCTHITA Cultural Heritage & Education Manager Sarah Dybdahl will oversee the development of the program.

CCTHITA President Richard Peterson said he hopes the program is the start of even larger endeavors.

“Our languages are in a state of emergency and it’s undeniable that the health of our children is directly tied to our languages,” Peterson said in the release. “We must do everything we can to perpetuate our languages and cultures, and I hope to one day have a full language immersion tribal school for all Southeast indigenous languages.”

SHI offering horn spoon carving workshops

Sealaska Heritage Institute is offering horn spoon carving workshops in Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan in an effort to ensure the endangered art of goat horn spoon carving are passed on to future generations.

The workshop is a four-day course, that teaches technical skills and techniques required to create the goat horn spoon. It’s a complex process, so the course will touch on the basics of carving the horn, but will focus primarily on molding the horn into the traditional horn spoon shape. Also, because of the rarity of goat horns, SHI wll use similar horns from bulls and sheep as well.

The Juneau workshop will be held from Aug. 31-Sept. 3, with teacher Steve Brown; the Sitka workshop will be from Sept. 7-10, with teacher Tommy Joseph; and the Ketchikan workshop will be held from Sept. 21-24 with teacher Steve Brown. Applications deadline for the Juneau course is Aug. 16; Sitka, Aug. 23; and Ketchikan, Sept. 6.

To apply, visit the Sealaska Heritage Institute website, www.sealaskaheritage.org.

Tlingit & Haida hosts naming contest

Pick the name of Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s new catering service, and you could win free prizes.

The tribal government said it is crowdsourcing names for its new catering company, to be located at 320 W. Willoughby Avenue (Andrew Hope Building) in Juneau.

The winner will be announced at the catering company’s official grand opening (date to be determined).

Submit name suggestions via SurveyMonkey (link: https://surveymonkey.com/r/THDTDSX) by close of business Friday, Aug. 10 for a chance to win prizes, including $100 cash, $50 coffee card and a gift bag.

More in Neighbors

Just-baked cinnamon rolls ready to serve. (Photo by Patty Schied)
Cooking For Pleasure: Easy cinnamon rolls

My father really loved cinnamon rolls. In his later years I would… Continue reading

The Rev. Tim Harrison is the senior pastor at Chapel by the Lake. (Courtesy photo)
Living and Growing: The numbers tell the story

I love numbers and math. One of my first career aspirations was… Continue reading

Page Bridges of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Juneau. (Photo courtesy of Page Bridges)
Living and Growing: Spiritual self defense

True spiritual power is quiet, under the radar. One beautiful thing about… Continue reading

A bowl of gumbo. (Photo by Patty Schied)
Cooking For Pleasure: Shrimp gumbo for Mardi Gras

I love gumbo. Several years ago I was lucky enough to go… Continue reading

Nuns wait for a seating area to be opened before a recitation of the rosary for Pope Francis’ health at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, on Monday night, Feb. 24, 2025. (James Hill/The New York Times)
Living and Growing: Let us journey together in hope

Friends, we are a little over a week away from the beginning… Continue reading

Fresh rainwater sits on top of the ice at Auke Lake. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Gimme A Smile: Looking for spring in all the wrong places

Is it spring yet? Is it spring yet? We’re through Valentine’s Day,… Continue reading

Tari Stage-Harvey is the pastor of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. (Photo courtesy of Tari Stage-Harvey)
Living and Growing: Seeing is believing

Christians are nearing the time of Lent, 40 days of repentance and… Continue reading

Cooked Chinese-style fried rice. (Photo by Patty Schied)
Cooking for Pleasure: Chinese-style fried rice

At most of the Chinese restaurants I’ve eaten at over the years,… Continue reading

Adam Bauer of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís of Juneau. (Courtesy photo)
Living and Growing: Gathering to share ‘Faith in the Future’

First, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge that we… Continue reading

Guided by generations of traditional knowledge, Indigenous harvesters carefully dry black seaweed along the shoreline, demonstrating how cultural values and sustainable practices ensure these vital marine resources thrive for future generations. (Photo by Bethany Goodrich)
Woven Peoples and Place: A conversation with regional catalysts for economic development and mariculture

A growing contingent of Southeast Alaskans are driving local economic transformation toward… Continue reading

Page Bridges of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Juneau. (Photo courtesy of Page Bridges)
Living and Growing: The light of the world

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the… Continue reading

Orange apricot muffins ready to eat. (Photo by Patty Schied)
Cooking For Pleasure: Orange apricot muffins for breakfast

A few years ago when I had a bag of oranges and… Continue reading