What is important is that travelers know ‘we are still here’ and come to know more about our Native cultures.
I had only been in Alaska for a few days when I realized how little I had learned about Alaska Native culture and history in school, despite the fact that, as Aaron Leggett, President of the Native Village of Eklutna, says, “Alaska represents one fifth the size of the entire continental United States and is home to more than half of all the federally recognized tribes.”
During my trip, I learned that the history and culture of the Alaska Native peoples are what make the state special, and the tourists who seek that out will have a more memorable trip. To help travelers plan their visit to Alaska, I spoke with eight Alaska Native people from across the state who represent a wide range of cultures and communities. Through their firsthand knowledge and insight, travelers can more responsibly explore the state and do so in a way that is uplifting and respectful of Alaska Native communities.
“Alaska Native culture describes the statewide community, which is comprised of five regional cultural groups with distinct characteristics. Those five regional cultural groups are subdivided into 11 unique cultures, which then have unique variations on a village-to-village level,” explains Kelsey Cigun Wallace, the Yup’ik Director of Development & Communications at Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage.
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As Cigun Wallace says, “Alaska Native people naturally love to share, whether that be through sharing experiences, stories, food, and more. Visitors will come away from their experiences feeling good about having supported a community that, even despite the historical erasure, is welcoming visitors to traditional homelands.”
Learn About Alaska Native History
“I believe it is important and impactful for travelers to Alaska to learn about the rich and diverse histories of the 22 Alaska Native languages spoken in Alaska. By educating [yourself] before [you] arrive in Alaska, [you] will come to understand more about each of the unique tribal groups and their geographies and environments, which will provide for a more complete picture during [your] trip.
“There are a number of wonderful museums and cultural centers in Alaska, including the Anchorage Museum and the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage, the Alaska State Museum and the Sealaska Heritage Institute in Juneau, the University of Alaska Museum of the North, and the Morris Thompson Cultural Center in Fairbanks, and many other smaller museums located in various communities across the State.”
— Aaron Leggett, President of the Native Village of Eklutna
Take a Cruise With the Only Alaska Native-Owned Cruiseline
“It’s incredibly important to me and my family that Alaska visitors learn about our Alaska Native communities while they’re in the state. We [at Alaskan Dream Cruises] have a relationship with the community leaders in these places that allows us to bring guests in because they know we’re here to share our culture and way of life so that visitors can learn about it and celebrate it with us. We want to take them to the small villages to meet local artists, walk among historic totem poles, see a local dance performance, have a campfire on the shoreline, and trade stories. It’s one thing to read about a culture or see artifacts in a museum, it’s an entirely different thing to meet Alaska Native people, talk to them and see our cultures in the light of modern day.”
— Jamey Cagle, Tlingit Tribe, owner of Alaskan Dream Cruises
What It Means to Buy Alaska Native Art
“For a time, Alaska Native artwork was hard to come by because of the generational gaps in passing down traditional knowledge. As more young people take up the arts, a traveler can find authentic artwork in museum gift shops, fairs, and on social media. I sell my art online and will soon have a store at the Sitka cruise ship dock. My art is also carried in stores in Sitka, Juneau, and Ketchikan like the Sealaska Heritage Store.
“Your purchase of Alaska Native art supports the artist’s way of life…typically their subsistence lifestyle. It also celebrates Alaska Native culture, like the Northwest Coast Formline design.
“As an Alaskan Native artist, I like to make it clear that it is not cultural appropriation to wear Alaska Native art, jewelry, or designs, rather it is seen as a passing on knowledge and celebrating culture. It would be inappropriate, however, to wear traditional regalia with specific clan crests and designs meant for ceremonies.”
— Mary Goddard; Alaska Native, Tlingit, Kaagwaantaan, Eagle, Brown Bear, and the Drum House; Artist
Fish With Respect to Alaska Native Peoples
“Fishing is a way of life for our people, and these resources have been stewarded by Alaska Natives since time immemorial. Tlingit people are the “People of the Tide” and, as such, have relied on the ocean as their main food source since time immemorial. Our lives have revolved around fishing—timing fish camps to align with salmon runs, meticulously preparing harvests, and enjoying the bounty our waters provide.
“The same salmon runs that my grandparents, great-grandparents, and their great-grandparents fished are available to me today. There is something special about booking a trip with a guide who has a connection to the resources and knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation.
“Booking with Alaska Native fishing guides provides experiences that are built upon thousands of years of expertise, a passion that transcends a single fishing trip and allows these fishermen to make a living doing what their people have done since time immemorial. Practice proper stewardship and be aware this resource has more value to Alaska Natives than words can describe. For my people, fishing is so much more than providing a meal—it is a way of remembering who we are.”
— ShaaL’anee, or Fishtrap (Tlingit name), Brandon Ware (English name); Eagle moiety of the Naanyaa.aayí clan from the X’atgu Hít (Dogfish House)/father’s people are the T’akdeintaan clan; owner of Indigenous Adventures Charter
How to Interact With Alaska Native Cultural Experiences
“Alaska’s cultural heritage offerings throughout the state affords a traveler the opportunity to learn about the rich history of the Alaska Native community. These range from the iconic Totem Park in Sitka to the riveting cultural performances in the Gathering Place at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. We offer visitors opportunities to participate in an invitational dance, partake in a listening session with an Indigenous storyteller, and witness and join traditional Alaska Native games. Travelers can also learn through tours of our replicated village sites and robust museum exhibitions.
“We expect visitors who are unfamiliar with how to interact with Alaska Native peoples to spend time watching quietly to understand the teachings being shared. It is imperative that guests are attentive and respectful while having grace and compassion for receiving answers and information.
“People should be mindful of the cultural objects they can and cannot touch and what is appropriate when asking questions to staff, especially if staff are youth. At ANHC, a majority of our summer season programming staff is led by Alaska Native youth who are culture bearers learning under the guidance of Elders. This transfer of knowledge is happening in real-time, and youth may be at varying places of understanding their individual culture in relation to all Alaska Native cultures.
“Visitors should not utilize language that is offensive, and if they are uncertain about whether or not a word is offensive, they should politely ask. There are also certain subjects in relation to family or community practices, lineage, history, personal experiences, and more that Alaska Native people do not need to share. Understand and respect when an Alaska Native person chooses to keep intimate or sacred experiences to themselves.”
— Kelsey Ciugun Wallace, Yup’ik, Director of Development & Communications at Alaska Native Heritage Center
Stay at Alaska Native-Owned Hotels
“Staying at an Alaska Native-owned hotel helps the traveler gain an understanding of the cultural significance of the Alaska Native homelands in the most authentic way. We know our culture best and can provide the most authentic experience–giving the traveler the opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation of local traditions and ways of life.
“Travelers are more exposed to the Alaska Native perspective at Kantishna Roadhouse. Not only are we Indigenous-owned, but we are Indigenous-operated as well. Travelers are immersed amongst Alaska Native staff. Alaska Natives have strong oral traditions and stories. Staff share their way of life with guests. It is healing and gives us the opportunity to share an accurate representation of our history and people. It is also a space for our people to share and learn more about our own culture while preserving and strengthening our way of life.”
— Jordan Sanford, Upper Tanana Athabascan, General Manager of Kantishna Roadhouse
Experience Wildlife With Alaska Native Guides and at Alaska Native-Owned Places
“The Kodiak Brown Bear Center and Lodge provide an intimate experience with our wildlife on private Alaska Native corporation land. Bears, eagles, deer, and other animals can often be seen right from the cabins or gathering room at the lodge. Alaska Native people, including the Sugpiaq /Alutiiq community, inherently respect and understand that protecting our land and our wildlife is imperative. Our values emphasize a deep connection to the land and its inhabitants.
“Visitors to Alaska, particularly to places like our lodge, have the opportunity to learn about this mindset. It fosters an appreciation for sustainable tourism and encourages our guests to engage with our environment respectfully. Sharing and embracing these values maintains that we can continue to share our beautiful home with our guests for years to come.
“We are very proud to be an Alaska Native Corporation-owned lodge. Any revenue we generate goes to things like youth scholarships, Elder distributions, or to support cultural programs like music and language.”
— Stacey Simmons, Sugpiaq of the Native Village of Afognak and Port Lions, Director of Operations at Kodiak Brown Bear Center and Lodge (owned by Koniag)
See the Sights Through the Perspective of Alaska Native People
“By learning about and acknowledging the Indigenous place names and the people of the specific lands they are visiting while they tour our great state, travelers can gain more context and understanding of what they are looking at beyond how beautiful it is. It is important that travelers understand how significant these areas are because there is a cultural story and a history behind all these ‘points of interest.’
“While I would like to encourage people to utilize Alaska Native guides and tour operators when possible while seeing notable sights or landmarks around Alaska, I don’t think that is always possible at scale. I think we have many allies in the travel and tourism industry in Alaska that just want to make sure they are telling the ‘right’ story that Alaska Native people want told. What is important is that travelers know ‘we are still here’ and come to know more about our Native cultures.”
— Alyssa London; Tlingit tribal member, Sealaska shareholder, Shee Atika shareholder, Ketchikan Indian Community tribal member; NBC/ MSNBC Contributor, Founder & CEO of Culture Story, and Miss Alaska USA 2017