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Strengthening Ties Community Gathering Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida) invites the general public to a Strengthening Ties community gathering the evening of June 5, 2018 in Juneau, Alaska. The event will take place at the future site of the Tribe’s Cultural Immersion Park located (4400 Thane Road). There will be a lot of great activities during the event including repatriation and gifting ceremonies, dance group performance, community potluck, and a documentary series premiere of “RISE” by VICE with a short panel discussion on the Standing Rock movement. The event will be emceed by Tlingit & Haida’s Cultural Heritage & Education Manager Sarah Dybdahl. Each guest will receive a door prize ticket upon entrance for a chance to win an Alaska Airlines round-trip mileage ticket and other great prizes. Join us for an evening in celebration of our cultures! Facebook Event Page: www.facebook.com/events/170862023580928 For more information on the event, please call 907.463.7139 or email communications@ccthita-nsn.gov.

Schedule of Activities:

Teikhweidí Song Leader Staff Repatriation Ceremony In 2018, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts couriered a ceremonial song leader staff ( Kéet Gooshi or Killer Whale Dorsal Fin) back to Alaska. It was said to be 100 years old when collected around 1932 by Axel Rasmussen, a Bureau of Indian Affairs superintendent of schools in Skagway, Alaska. Tlingit & Haida and representatives of the Teikweidi clan identified that the staff depicts a representation of the Xoots (Bear) crest and is owned by the Teikweidi clan of Angoon, Alaska. This crest is an object of cultural patrimony and has historical, traditional and cultural importance to the Tlingit people and their culture. It is also a sacred object vital to the ongoing cultural and religious practices that are unique to the Tlingit.

Return of Chilkat Blanket Tlingit & Haida is honored to welcome home a Chilkat blanket from the late Frances Lambert Allen and her children Dawn-Marie Dunn and Allen Seth Dunn. Rex Whitaker Allen discovered the blanket among items from his father’s estate and he later passed the blanket on to his daughter Frances in the early-mid 1960s. During the summer of 2017, Frances and her daughter Dawn-Marie agreed the blanket should be returned to the Tlingit people upon Frances’ death. Dawn-Marie Dunn and a few of her family members will be present at the returning ceremony. Please b ring a Chilkat weaving to help us welcome back the Chilkat blanket!

Yaw Tei Yi Dance Group Performance  The Yaw Tei Yi dance group will provide a dance performance to help celebrate the return of the song leader staff and the Chilkat blanket.

One People Canoe Society Welcoming Potluck Join Tlingit & Haida in welcoming the One People Canoe Society back from their journey to Celebration. Refreshments along with grilled hamburgers and hot dogs will be provided. All attendees are encouraged to bring a side dish or dessert and will receive an extra door prize ticket at the potluck.

“RISE” Documentary Episodes Premiere by VICE RISE is an episodic documentary by VICE that examines the struggles of Indigenous communities in the 21st century. A special screening of the series' first two episodes ( Sacred Water: Standing Rock Part I and Red Power: Standing Rock II) will be held during the community gathering. The two episodes chronicle the Standing Rock Sioux's resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline and the indigenous-led resistance that became the largest gathering of indigenous people in more than a century . Panel Discussion with Standing Rock Movement Leaders President Richard Peterson will moderate a panel discussion on the Standing Rock movement to close out the evening. Panelists include LaDonna Brave Bull Allard (Lakota/Dakota), Bobbi Jean Three Legs (Standing Rock Sioux), Sarain Carson Fox (Anishinabe), Miciana Hutcherson (Tlingit) and DeAndre King Jr. (Tlingit).

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