Tlingit and Haida

Tlingit and Haida
Name	Tlingit and Haida
Regions	Southeast Alaska
Languages	Tlingit; Haida
Religions	Indigenous beliefs; Christianity
Related	Haida; Tsimshian; Tutchone

Tlingit and Haida

The Tlingit and Haida are Indigenous peoples of Southeast Alaska associated with distinct Tlingit and Haida nations whose territories encompass coastal and island regions near Alexander Archipelago, Prince of Wales Island, and the Haida Gwaii area; their histories intersect with figures such as Sitka leadership, events like the Battle of Sitka, and interactions involving explorers such as Vitus Bering, George Vancouver, and Alexander Baranov. Colonial encounters brought contact with institutions including the Hudson's Bay Company, the Russian-American Company, and later agents of the United States Department of the Interior and policies like the Indian Reorganization Act and legal decisions involving the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Prominent leaders and advocates connected to these peoples include members associated with Sealaska Corporation, Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, and activists who engaged with entities such as the National Congress of American Indians, Native American Rights Fund, and cultural proponents linked to museums like the Smithsonian Institution and galleries such as the Seattle Art Museum.

History

Early histories recall migrations, clan formations, and oral traditions tied to places like Yakutat, Juneau, and Ketchikan and to ancestral elders recorded in accounts alongside individuals from Chilkat and Haines. European contact accelerated after expeditions by James Cook and Aleksandr Baranov, followed by economic shifts due to the fur trade and enterprises like the Russian-American Company and Hudson's Bay Company, which influenced interactions at sites such as Fort Wrangel and Sitka National Historical Park. Epidemics including smallpox affected populations contemporaneously with treaties and disputes adjudicated through institutions such as the United States Court of Claims and later policy frameworks exemplified by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Leadership disputes, land claims, and litigation involved organizations such as Sealaska Corporation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and advocacy through groups like the Native American Rights Fund and litigation culminating in decisions by courts including the United States Supreme Court.

Culture and Society

Social organization relies on matrilineal clans and moieties historically associated with crests, potlatch ceremonies, and hereditary leaders comparable to practices recorded among communities in Klawock, Angoon, Sitka, and Yakutat. Ceremonial exchange systems and legal customs intersected with figures and institutions such as potlatch hosts, hereditary chiefs, and anthropologists from the American Anthropological Association who documented practices alongside curators from the Field Museum and British Museum. Community life involves cultural revivalists who collaborate with entities like Sealaska Heritage Institute, contemporary educators connected to the University of Alaska Southeast, and artists who exhibit at venues including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Anthropology at UBC.

Language

The Tlingit and Haida languages are distinct families: Tlingit language (Na-Dené affiliation debated) and Haida language (isolate discussions involving linguists like Edward Sapir). Language documentation includes fieldwork by scholars such as Franz Boas and John Ritter and recordings archived at institutions like the American Philosophical Society and the Library of Congress. Revitalization efforts engage immersion programs in partnership with Sealaska Heritage Institute, university curricula at University of Alaska Fairbanks, and projects supported by agencies such as the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Science Foundation.

Art and Material Culture

Rich artistic traditions include formline design, totem poles, Chilkat weaving, and basketry exhibited in collections at Smithsonian Institution, Royal BC Museum, and the Heard Museum. Master carvers and weavers have been recognized alongside figures who worked with museums like the National Museum of the American Indian and galleries including the Seattle Art Museum and Museum of Vancouver. Artistic exchange involved trade routes reaching Aleutian Islands networks and interactions with traders tied to the Russian-American Company and Hudson's Bay Company; contemporary artists collaborate with organizations such as First Peoples' Cultural Council and exhibit in venues like the Getty Museum and the Terracotta Warriors exhibition collaborations.

Traditional Subsistence and Economy

Traditional subsistence centers on salmon fisheries, herring roe, shellfish, seal hunting, and foraging in marine and forest environments around Sitka Sound, Chilkat River, Skagway, and Prince of Wales Island with seasonal rounds documented in ethnographies by Franz Boas and field researchers affiliated with University of Alaska. Trade networks historically connected communities to the Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, and other northern Pacific Coast peoples, and engaged merchants from Russian Empire and later United States commercial interests such as the Alaska Commercial Company. Contemporary economic enterprises include regional corporations like Sealaska Corporation, community fisheries co-ops, and cultural tourism partnerships involving entities such as the Alaska Native Arts Foundation.

Contact, Colonization, and Legal Issues

Colonial contact involved episodes with Russian-American Company fur traders, military engagements such as the Battle of Sitka, missionary efforts associated with Russian Orthodox Church and later Presbyterian Church (USA), and public health crises traced to epidemics documented by physicians connected to John Muir expeditions. Legal history encompasses litigation and policy responses including the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, actions before the United States Court of Claims, involvement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and advocacy through organizations such as the Native American Rights Fund and the National Congress of American Indians.

Contemporary Governance and Organizations

Modern governance structures include tribal organizations such as the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, regional corporations like Sealaska Corporation, and cultural institutions including the Sealaska Heritage Institute and partnerships with academic centers such as University of Alaska Southeast. Political engagement extends to representatives working with federal agencies including the Bureau of Indian Affairs and lobbying through bodies like the National Congress of American Indians and legal representation by the Native American Rights Fund in matters regarding land, resources, and cultural protection. Contemporary leaders collaborate with museums such as the Smithsonian Institution, funders like the National Endowment for the Arts, and conservation groups including The Nature Conservancy on cultural heritage and resource stewardship initiatives.

Category:Indigenous peoples of Alaska