Thru the Cultural Lens
Thru the Cultural Lens is a cultural orientation project designed to improve the educational outcomes of Alaska Native students in Southeast Alaska by providing high-quality, culturally responsive, and place-based training and resources to educators in the region. TCL develops and delivers virtual and in-person seminars to educators in Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Hydaburg, Petersburg, Wrangell, and Metlakatla. Participants consistently show growth in their abilities to create and implement place-based, culturally responsive curricula and education practices. The program culminates each year in an education conference.
Baby Raven Reads
SHI’s Baby Raven Reads series offers culturally-based books for children up to age 5 and includes stunning place-based illustrations. SHI's Baby Raven Reads literacy program was named a Library of Congress Literacy Awards Best Practice Honoree, one of 15 programs in the world to receive the honor in 2017.
Tlingit Oral Literature
This award-winning book series was compiled and edited by Nora Marks and Richard Dauenhauer over decades and published by SHI and the University of Washington Press. These are must-have volumes for anyone studying Tlingit cultures. Titles include Haa Shuka, Our Ancestors: Tlingit Oral Narratives; Haa Tuwunáagu Yís, for Healing Our Spirit; Haa Kusteeyí, Our Culture: Tlingit Life Stories; and Anóoshi Lingít Aaní Ká: Russians in Tlingit America.
Box of Knowledge
SHI’s Box of Knowledge series consists of essays, reports, and books that the institute considers should be made available as a contribution to studies on Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures, history, and languages. They are based on work carried out by researchers working in collaboration with SHI, contributions prepared by external experts, and work by staff.
Art Books and Other
Learn to carve using SHI’s Tlingit Wood Carving series. This section includes other books, such as SHI’s Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian place-names book and a photo book of SHI’s biennial Celebration.
High School Literature: Book 5
Presented by John Swanton*; Some Slices of Salmon: Entering the Salmon Stream**; Raven and the Deer, as told by Katherine Mills; Tlingit Language and Oral Literature Research***. *Original source: Raven Story, Tlingit Myths and Texts **Original source: Life Woven with Song by Nora Marks Dauenhauer ***Original source: Life Woven with Song by Nora Marks Dauenhauer
High School Literature: Book 4
From John Swanton*; Mosquito, as told by Robert Zuboff**; Tlingit Renaissance*** *Original source: Tlingit Myths & Texts **Original source: Haa Shuká: Our Ancestors--Tlingit Oral Narratives by Nora Marks Dauenhauer and Richard Dauenhauer. ***Original source: Life Woven with Song, by Nora Marks Dauenhauer
High School Literature: Book 3
As presented by Jesse Dalton*;Koo.éex’: The Tlingit Memorial Party**; Moldy End, by John Swanton. Original source: Haa Tuwunaagu Yis for Healing Our Spirit, Tlingit Oratory by Nora Marks Dauenhauer and Richard Dauenhauer Original source: Celebration 2000, Sealaska Heritage Foundation
High School Literature: Book 2
As told by Charlie White*; Kaats', as told by J.B. Fawcett*; Raven, the Rock, and the King Salmon, as told by James Klanott; and, The Coming of the First White Man*, as told by George Betts. Original source: Haa Shuká: Our Ancestors--Tlingit Oral Narratives by Nora Marks Dauenhauer and Richard Dauenhauer.
High School Literature: Book 1
As told by Robert Zuboff; Raven Boat, as told by Jennie White, and Kaakex'wri, as told by Willie Marks. Original source: Haa Shuká: Our Ancestors--Tlingit Oral Narratives by Nora Marks Dauenhauer and Richard Dauenhauer.
Indigenizing Education for Alaska
Indigenizing Education for Alaska (IEA) improves the educational landscape for Alaska Native students by cultivating teachers and school leaders who reflect their culture, values, and life experiences. The program also fosters future generations of Alaskan educators by recruiting upper-level high school to early college students into the field of education. The program financially supports education-degree or certificate-seeking college students while ensuring their college education experience is culturally relevant.
Baby Raven Reads
Sealaska Heritage sponsors Baby Raven Reads, an award-winning program that promotes early-literacy, language development and school readiness for Alaska Native families with children up to age 5. The pilot program in Juneau ended in 2017, and SHI received funding to offer the program for several more years and to expand it to nine other communities in Southeast Alaska. SHI is currently offering the program in Anchorage, Angoon, Craig, Haines, Hoonah, Hydaburg, Juneau, Kake, Ketchikan, Klukwan, Metlakatla, Saxman, Sitka, Wrangell, and Yakutat. Special thanks to our partners: Alaska Native Heritage Center, Association of Alaska School Boards, Metlakatla Indian Community, Ketchikan Indian Community, Chilkat Indian Village, Organized Village of Kake, and AEYC-SEA. Baby Raven Reads improves early literacy skills by translating cultural strengths into home literacy practices. Baby Raven Reads provides family literacy events, training for care providers, and professional development for early childhood educators. A study by McKinley Research Group reveals that Native children who participated in the BRR program made 20-39 percent gains in phonetic knowledge, awareness of print concepts, and knowledge of letters and symbols, while scores for all other students have remained relatively static. The program was also known to increase parental and family engagement in student learning.
Literacy Events
Family literacy events occur 9 times a year in selected communities. Storytelling, songs, and other literacy activities are available to Alaska Native families with children up to age 5. Through playful and culturally relevant activities with parents, children are provided opportunities to practice and develop skills such as oral language, phonological awareness, print awareness, and letter knowledge.Baby Raven Books
Baby Raven Reads publications are a collection based on the cultural themes of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. The illustrations in the Baby Raven Reads series reflect the importance of family, subsistence, and our land. From baby board books to early readers and read a-louds, babies to adults can find joy in reading together. Families enrolled in Baby Raven Reads will receive Baby Raven Reads books with literacy activities to do at home. Books are also available through the Sealaska Heritage Store.Audio Resources
SHI's Language Podcast includes the following episodes related to the Baby Raven Reads series:- Colors in Sm'algyax
- Colors in Xaad Kíl
- Colors in Tlingit
- Baby Raven
- Baby Eagle
- Haida Baby Raven
- Haida Baby Eagle