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!

The Anti-Discrimination Act

Today many Alaskans are aware of Tlingit woman Elizabeth Peratrovich (1911-1958) and the Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945, Alaska's legislation that made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of race. February 16 is a state holiday, Elizabeth Peratrovich Day, in her honor and for her work toward the Anti-Discrimination Act. It's an important day and event to remember, along with the work of many individuals of and before her day across the state, and especially those of the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood, that worked toward the legislation that was eventually passed as the Anti-Discrimination Act.

In 1988 Elizabeth Peratrovich's widower Roy Peratrovich spoke at length about his life, their work toward the Anti-Discrimination Act, and aspects of Alaska Native life. In 2011 this interview, found in SHI's archival collections, was transcribed by Ishmael Hope and placed online for educational purposes. This interview gives context and first hand information on these important events of the past. This four-part interview can be read by clicking here, with Part II, containing specific language about the Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945. A special thanks to Ishmael Hope for placing this online, furthering education, and sharing with SHI.

Elizabeth Peratrovich's high school yearbook photograph.

Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School visits Sealaska Heritage Institute

Today SHI welcomed nearly 60 teachers and staff from Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School as part of the school’s place-based, culturally relevant in-service day. This is one of several public programs SHI offers to educators and others interested in Native culture. Staff gave tours of Sealaska Plaza and SHI’s archives and an overview of our free online educational resources. 

In this photo, SHI Archivist & Collection Manager Zachary Jones shows teachers materials from SHI’s collections that document the history of Indian education in Southeast Alaska, from the historic boarding school experience to more recent Self-Determination educational reform actions by the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. To learn more about SHI’s collections see www.sealaskaheritage.org.