Indigenous Culture
RSSIndigenous Culture in Alaska is the languages, arts, ceremonies and traditions of Alaska Native peoples. It also covers language revitalization, repatriation of ancestors and artifacts, elder knowledge, dance groups, and traditional arts, known as Alaska Native culture or Native culture.
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Numbers are stories in the last 30 days.
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North Slope artists have until Monday to design the logo for Kivgiq 2027
North Slope artists have until 5 pm Monday, Nov. 16, to send the North Slope Borough a logo for Kivgiq 2027, the Iñupiat Messenger Feast set for Feb. 10-13 in Utqiaġvik.
The design has to carry the 2027 theme, Iłuanmuktuqta Qapiŋaiḷḷuta, or "Aim to do Right, Without Wavering." The borough calls it a reminder of the strength of convictions, the importance of doing what is right and providing a good foundation for future generations.
The borough describes Kivgiq as a tradition in which villages celebrate harvest, trade and renewed kinship and partnerships. In its older form, a whaling captain hosted the feast and sent messengers to invite nearby communities to gather for gift exchange, trade, dancing and storytelling, according to a 2025 research guide from the UAA/APU Consortium Library.
Those feasts faded in the early 20th century, amid the collapse of commercial whaling, pressure from missionaries, a flu epidemic and the Great Depression, the guide says.
Then-Mayor George Ahmaogak Sr. brought Kivgiq back in 1988, the first in about 70 years, after interviews with Elders about how it had been done, according to the guide. "Kivgiq, since being restarted in 1988 under the leadership of then-Mayor George Ahmaogak, is a testament to the strength of our culture," current Mayor Josiah Aullaqsruaq Patkotak said after the last one, in 2025.
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Stories on what’s next
Sauk County Historical Society may repatriate Barrow-area cultural items (additional requests due before then)
Museums in Wisconsin and Alabama plan to return 10 cultural items to Utqiagvik's tribe
Two museums, in Wisconsin and Alabama, plan to return 10 cultural items to Utqiagvik's tribal government, among them a doll, a horn ladle and harpoon points.
TKC ROOTS Beaver Mittens Sewing Class Registration Deadline
Kuskokwim Corporation will teach beaver mitten sewing over Zoom in December
The Kuskokwim Corporation will teach a three-day Zoom class in December on sewing beaver mittens lined with rabbit fur. Applications are due Nov. 16.
Steve Langdon Lecture on Tlingit Offshore Resource Rights
Juneau talk ties an 1880 sea otter dispute to Tlingit offshore rights claims
In 1880, Hoonah chiefs asked the Navy to drive off British Columbia sea otter hunters or let them do it. A Juneau talk asks what it means for Tlingit claims.
Latest
November 2026
Tlingit scholar says Southeast climate adaptation should rest on Tlingit knowledge
A Tlingit scholar argued in Juneau that Southeast should face climate change mainly at a local and regional scale, grounded in Tlingit knowledge.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2d ago3 min read
Tlingit man at Juneau lecture says Sealaska, not clans, has the say over clan land
At a Sealaska Heritage lecture, a Tlingit man said Sealaska, not clans, now has the say over clan land, and called for clan intellectual property rights.
by Melinda Communities.News2d ago3 min read
Tlingit Elder to argue culture is why Baby Raven Reads gains last
A Tlingit Elder and scholar will argue Thursday that culture is why reading gains from SHI's Baby Raven Reads hold up when many programs' gains fade.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read
Tlingit scholar to speak in Juneau on Tlingit knowledge and climate change
Tlingit scholar Aandax̱joon Sabena Allen speaks Tuesday at Sealaska Heritage Institute on Tlingit knowledge, the Raven Cycle and adapting to climate change.
by Maggie AlaskaNews6d ago2 min read
Ketchikan's Totem Heritage Center marks 50 years with a new exhibit
Ketchikan's Totem Heritage Center, home to 19th-century Tlingit and Haida totem poles, turns 50 this month and was set to open a new exhibit Friday.
by Walter AlaskaNews6d ago2 min read
Robes telling the story of the Navy's 1882 bombardment of Angoon will be danced Friday
Shgendootan George made 10 robes telling how the U.S. Navy shelled and burned her village, Angoon, in 1882. They'll be danced in Juneau Friday.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read
Fairbanks police officers start sewing beaver hats with elders at Denakkanaaga
Three Fairbanks police officers began sewing beaver hats with Native elders at Denakkanaaga on Tuesday, the newest group in the Caps for Cops program.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Pittsburgh museum plans to return Tlingit Raven Hat to Tlingit & Haida as soon as Nov. 23
A Pittsburgh museum plans to return a Raven Hat, Yéil S'áaxw, to Tlingit & Haida after nearly three decades on display in its hall of American Indian cultures.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readFrom 
More from Indigenous Culture
October 2026
An Angoon weaver tells the story of the Navy's 1882 bombardment of her village in 10 robes
Angoon weaver Shgendootan George made 10 robes telling the story of the Navy's 1882 bombardment of her village. They'll be danced, then shown in Juneau Nov. 6.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read
Tlingit & Haida brings its Juneau early learning programs under one roof
Tlingit & Haida put Head Start, Early Head Start, child care and its Lingít immersion nest under one roof in Juneau. The kids call each other "nesty besties."
by Maggie AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read
Craig council weighs putting back topics it cut from Shaan-Seet agreement
Craig's council weighed putting back two topics it cut from a working agreement with Shaan-Seet, after the village corporation said it won't sign without them.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readFrom 
Sealaska Heritage sets Celebration 2028 for June 7-10, names Kake dance group to lead
Sealaska Heritage set Celebration 2028 for June 7 to 10 in Juneau, with Kake's Ḵéex̱' Ḵwáan dance group leading. The biennial festival pumps about $2 million into Juneau's economy.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read
Iḷisaġvik College wins approval for distance-learning Unangax̂ Studies certificate
Students on St. Paul Island and in other remote towns can now earn an accredited certificate in Unangam Tunuu, the Unangan language, without leaving home.
by Maggie AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readFrom 
Kiana Traditional Council and three partners to receive 2026 Eileen Devinney Award
Kiana Traditional Council and three partners will get the Park Service's 2026 Eileen Devinney Award for documenting Kiana's ties to Kobuk Valley National Park.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
Native languages council to decide if state education employees can serve
The Council of Alaska Native Languages meets Oct. 21 to decide whether state education employees can serve on it and to approve its report to the governor.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
Connecticut museum plans to return Klukwan-woven Chilkat robe to Tlingit & Haida
A Connecticut museum plans to return a Chilkat robe woven by a Klukwan weaver to Tlingit & Haida. The transfer could happen as soon as Nov. 9.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
Coming up
Steve Langdon Lecture on Tlingit Offshore Resource Rights
Shuká Hít (clan house), Walter Soboleff Building, downtown Juneau, AK, and livestreamed on SHI's YouTube channel
Class
Elder Tea
Community event
Third Thursday at the Ch'k'iqadi Gallery
Exhibition
Howard Rock & Ted Stevens Smokehouse Gala
Community event
Sewing Circle Sundays at KCC
Class
About Indigenous Culture
Indigenous culture in Alaska takes in the languages, arts, ceremonies and traditions of Alaska Native peoples, among them Tlingit, Haida, Yup'ik, Alutiiq, Dena'ina and Iñupiaq cultures. It includes carving, ivory work, beading, weaving, regalia, totem poles, dance and the knowledge held by Elders.
Repatriation is a recurring thread, as museums and federal agencies return ancestors, funerary objects and clan belongings to tribes under federal processes. Language revitalization, the use of feathers and walrus ivory in Native handicrafts under federal wildlife law, and cultural education for Native students also recur.
Institutions such as Sealaska Heritage Institute, the Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes and the Alaska Native Heritage Center carry much of this work, along with tribes, schools and health organizations. The subject sits beside tribal government, Alaska Native corporations and subsistence rights.
More from Indigenous Culture
Golovin elder who helped bring ancestors home from the Smithsonian named Elder of the Year
Jack P. Fagerstrom of Golovin was named Elder of the Year for helping bring ancestral remains and cultural artifacts home from the Smithsonian Institution and organizing their reburial.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
Alaska State Museum free on Indigenous Peoples Day as Dorothy Grant exhibit nears close
The Alaska State Museum in Juneau is free Monday for Indigenous Peoples Day, one of the last chances to see its Dorothy Grant Haida fashion retrospective.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
Alaska Native students in Juneau and Klawock to pitch tech prototypes to Elders
Alaska Native students in Juneau and Klawock will build tech prototypes this fall to solve community problems, then pitch them to Elders and industry leaders.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
September 2026
Sealaska Heritage Institute wins federal grant for Juneau's Tlingit language school program
Sealaska Heritage Institute won a five-year federal grant for Juneau's Tlingit language school program, months after warning it would lose its principal.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
Native Village of Paimiut gets $900,000 to teach the Hooper Bay dialect of Yup'ik
The Native Village of Paimiut gets $900,000 to teach the Hooper Bay dialect of Yup'ik. The tribe says 72 elders are its last first-language speakers.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
Sitka Tribe and Metlakatla May Request Return of 11 Ancestors and 16 Items in October
Four museums and federal agencies hold at least 11 Alaska Native ancestors and 16 cultural items the Sitka Tribe and Metlakatla may request returned starting in October.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read
Federal notices clear 11 Sitka ancestors for return
Two federal notices make at least 11 ancestors and 11 funerary objects eligible for return to the Sitka Tribe of Alaska.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readFrom 
Unalaska student wins national naval history award for Angoon bombardment project
Unalaska student River Zaochney won a national Naval History Award for a project on the 1882 Navy bombardment of Angoon, a Tlingit village the Navy formally apologized for in 2024.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
A Dena'ina artist's work is headed for downtown Anchorage's signs
Dena'ina artist Sebastian Garber's MOA50 designs reach downtown Anchorage's wayfinding signs next year, drawing on Indigenous quillwork patterns.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
Remains of at least 10 and an 1895 mortuary pole can return to Sitka Tribe after Oct. 16
Tongass National Forest cleared remains of at least 10 Native individuals for return to Sitka Tribe of Alaska starting October 16, including a mortuary pole held since 1895.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
House passes Begich bill to open treaty talks with Japan over Alaska Native handicrafts made with bird parts
Alaska Native artists can use feathers from 27 bird species in work they sell. A House bill would open the door to more, by way of talks with Japan.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
A Doyon director steps off the board to lead its scholarship foundation
Geri Simon stepped down from the board of Doyon, Limited — Alaska's largest private landowner — to lead its scholarship foundation, leaving a seat to fill.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
Museums have cleared 46 Alaska Native ancestors to come home
At least 46 Alaska Native ancestors and 14 belongings have been cleared to come home. Twelve of the dates they could have left have already passed.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min read
Wrangell elder's headpiece cleared for return from Wisconsin museum
A Tlingit headpiece worn by Tom Ukas can return to Alaska from a Wisconsin museum starting Sept. 23 after federal review confirmed it holds human remains and belonged to the Wrangell elder.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min read
Federal grant will test a Yup'ik healing framework against homelessness
Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness won $450,000 to serve Alaska Native households facing homelessness through case management and traditional Yup'ik healing practices through August 2027.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
You can name your own price to see the Tlingit opera in Juneau
The closing performance of Juneau's Tlingit opera is entirely pay-as-you-can at the door, with limited pay-as-you-can seats at four other performances.
by Melinda Communities.News2mo ago1 min read
The Tlingit & Haida tribal government opposes opening the Tongass
Tlingit & Haida opposes lifting Tongass road limits. Native corporations once cut more than half the region's timber, then left the business entirely.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min read
Tanana Chiefs holds first culture camp for K-6 students
Tanana Chiefs Conference held its first culture camp for K-6 students in Fairbanks, teaching Athabascan languages, potlatch dancing and traditional skills, with plans to repeat annually.
by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read
Army plans to return four Alaska children's remains from Carlisle
The Army began disinterring four Alaska Native children from a Pennsylvania cemetery in September to return their remains to families, more than 120 years after they died at a federal boarding school.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min read
Chugachmiut's Sugt'stun language game gets new gameplay footage
Nunaka means my village in Sugt'stun. It is also a free game teaching the language to children in a region where fluent speakers are dwindling.
by Alaska News2mo ago2 min read
A Sugpiaq artist who works in fish skin is in residency in Sitka
Sugpiaq artist Larissa Kramer, who works in fish skin, resin and botanicals, gives two free talks in Sitka this month during a museum residency.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
August 2026
Tlingit opera adds program guide and pre-show storyteller for audiences who do not speak the language
Alaska's first all-Tlingit opera adds program guides and a pre-show storyteller so non-speakers can follow the 1802-1804 Tlingit-Russian War told in the language itself, running Sept. 11-20 in Juneau.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
Sealaska Heritage president says Tlingit-Russian War story belongs to all clans, not Kiks.ádi alone
Sealaska Heritage says the Tlingit-Russian War story belongs to all clans and Haidas, not the Kiks.ádi alone, ahead of the opera's September premiere in Tlingit.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
Creators of first Tlingit opera take public questions Thursday in Juneau
Juneau can meet the team behind the first Tlingit opera in recorded history at a free panel Thursday, ahead of the Tlingit-language work's premiere next month.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
