Historic Ketchikan Photograph

Today Sealaska Heritage Institute Board of Trustee Chairperson Marlene Johnson generously donated a historic photograph to Sealaska Heritage Institute’s archival collection. The photograph, previously held by Johnson’s late mother, captures a funeral scene in Ketchikan, undated. Photographer text on the bottom right-hand corner reads “Indian funeral.” In effort to document the photograph more fully, Sealaska Heritage Institute would welcome any community knowledge about this photograph, including the individuals present and the clan regalia shown in the image (such the clan hat).

Note: Edward Marsden (1869-1932) is identified as standing directly behind the top coffin, and on the right (wearing glasses, with mustache). 

Wallace donates recordings to SHI

Today Brian Wallace donated five reel recordings to our Institute, originally recorded in the 1960s by his late father Amos Wallace. Brian has been placing his father’s historic papers, art, and recordings in our collection to use for educational purposes. Gunalchéesh, Brian!

New Zealand Fulbright Scholar Visits SHI

SHI welcomes Eruera Tarena of New Zealand. Eruera is visiting on a Fulbright scholarship to study and better understand how Sealaska Corporation and SHI operates. He is studying how his own indigenous community’s Corporation (implemented with a New Zealand land claims settlement legislation circa 1998) functions and what other indigenous groups with similar situations have done to implement cultural values within a Western imposed corporate structure.

Welcome to a volunteer

Jaleen Herron of Bethel, History emphasis undergraduate from Gonzaga University, is visiting SHI this week to volunteer and research with the Archives Department. Welcome, Jalene!