TLINGIT

Centuries-old rattle carved by Tlingit artist sells for $500,000

By Henry Leasia (KHNS) • Jan 23, 2019

A rare wooden rattle attributed to a famous Tlingit artist sold at an art auction in California last month. The 230-year-old piece came from a private collector and sold for a half-million dollars.

When Sealaska Heritage Institute Native arts curator Steve Brown first laid eyes on the shaman’s rattle, he was amazed by the piece’s excellent condition.

“Nobody had ever seen this before,” Brown said. “It had just kind of come out of the woodwork.”

Summit invites fluid speakers of Southeast Alaska Native languages

By Tripp Crouse • Sep 14, 2018

About 100 fluent speakers of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian languages are left in Alaska and Canada’s Interior. And a Southeast Alaska cultural center invites them to Juneau for an Alaska Native language summit.

“Voices of Our Ancestors” will invite fluent speakers of Lingit, Xaad Kil and Sm’algyax. The three-day regional summit will be Nov. 13-15.

Sealaska Heritage Institute will cover transportation and hotel costs for fluent speakers living in Alaska.

As Heard on Morning Line: Shaawatke’é’s Birth now on YouTube

By Frank Chythlook • Jan 3, 2018

Our Guest today on Morning Line was Ronald Spatz, editor of the Alaska Quarterly Review. He shared that Shaawatke’é’s Birth, a short film produced for Alaska Quarterly Review's 35th anniversary celebration, is now available on YouTube.

"Shaawatke'é's Birth is the film version, in Tlingit and English, of a poem published Alaska Quarterly Review by Emily Wall and X'unei Lance Twitchell. "Shaawatke’é’s Birth" is about the birth of a Tlingit child as well as an origin story. It is ultimately a story about how important language is to sustaining a culture and cultural identity."

Interview - Tlingit linguist says language carries wisdom of elders

By Joaqlin Estus • May 2, 2016

Knowing Tlingit makes possible a life of understanding the ways of our elders

By Johanna Eurich

Most of Alaska’s twenty Native languages are going extinct. However, a Native languages assistant professor at the University of Alaska Southeast is bucking that tide. Lance X’uneit Twitchell worked hard to learn Tlingit, a language used by his family for thousands of years. Tlingit people have a rich and complex high civilization along the Pacific coast in Southeast Alaska famous for its totem poles, clan system, regalia, rich poetry and formal rhetoric.

KNBA News - "My prayer is that Tlingit is going to live forever"

By Joaqlin Estus • Apr 27, 2016

By Johanna Eurich, Independent Producer

Many if not most of Alaska's rural schools are not working. Low student performance and high teacher turnover are just two of more obvious indicators of problems in these mostly Native school districts. Those working in the schools say it's time for radical changes.

Paul Berg has taught in Alaska for more than 40 years -- ten of them in villages.

KNBA News - Legislators consider buying out LNG gasline partner

By Joaqlin Estus • Oct 29, 2015

Oct. 29, 2015

Buyout of LNG pipeline partner getting close look by Legislators

KNBA News - Lawmakers seek info on LNG pipe partner buyout; Strength of antiquities law questioned

By Joaqlin Estus • Oct 26, 2015

Oct. 26, 2015

Risks, rewards at issue

By The Associated Press

Republican legislative leaders say they want to know more about the potential risks and rewards of the state buying out gas pipeline project partner TransCanada Corp.

They also want to know how the state would pay for its share.

The Legislature opened a special session Saturday to consider buying out TransCanada's share in the project. As it is now, TransCanada would hold the state's interest in a gas treatment plant and pipeline.

KNBA News - Alaska press frustrated over inaccessible President; Tribal house rises in Glacier Bay

By Joaqlin Estus • Sep 4, 2015

President Obama takes no questions from Alaska media

Sept. 4, 2015

By Zachariah Hughes, APRN

During his visit to Alaska, President Obama did not take a single question from Alaskan reporters. KNOM news director Matthew Smith traveled with the press pool to Kotzebue.

KNBA News - Shell Arctic drilling okayed; Diomede villagers to renew ties with Russian relatives

By Joaqlin Estus • Aug 18, 2015

Aug. 18, 2015Arctic offshore drilling gets federal approvalThe federal government has given Royal Dutch Shell the final permit it needs to drill for oil in the Arctic Ocean off Alaska's northwest coast for the first time in more than two decades.

KNBA News - Tlingit civil rights leader nominated for $10 bill; Climate change endangers artifacts

By Joaqlin Estus • Aug 17, 2015

Aug. 17, 2015

Civil rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich nominated to be on new $10 bill

By Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska

The Walker-Mallott administration has nominated Tlingit civil-rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich to be on the new $10 bill.

The U.S. Treasury is collecting nominations of women who were champions for democracy to put on the redesigned note. The governor and lieutenant governor say Peratrovich fits the description well.

Walker Press Secretary Katie Marquette says Peratrovich is an obvious nominee.

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