Goldbelt Heritage Foundation

TO PRESERVE THE CULTURE, LANGUAGE, AND CUSTOMS OF THE NATIVE PEOPLE OF SOUTHEAST ALASKA

CULTURAL PRESERVATION THE PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS BELOW DESCRIBE THOSE ACTIVITIES FUNDED IN PART BY FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AWARDED TO THE GOLDBELT HERITAGE FOUNDATION IN THE FORM OF MULTI-YEAR GRANTS. THESE GRANTS COMMENCED DURING 2018 AND CONTINUE INTO 2022. THE GOLDBELT HERITAGE FOUNDATION IS LUCKY TO EMPLOY ONE OF THE YOUNGEST BIRTH SPEAKERS OF THE TLINGIT LANGUAGE. THE TLINGIT LANGUAGE, BY ANY LINGUISTIC MEASURE, IS CONSIDERED CRITICALLY ENDANGERED AND IS IN IMMINENT DANGER OF NO LONGER BEING FLUENTLY SPOKEN BY ANYONE. AUDIO AND VIDEO DOCUMENTATION EFFORTS HAVE BEEN A PILLAR OF THE FOUNDATION'S WORK TO PREVENT FURTHER LANGUAGE ATTRITION. THE CURRENT VIDEO DOCUMENTATION SPECIALIST HAS BEEN WITH THE FOUNDATION FOR OVER A DECADE AND HAS AMASSED A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF TRADITIONAL TLINGIT STORIES, CEREMONIAL FOOTAGE, AND NATURAL LANGUAGE SPEAKING THAT HAS BEEN HANDLED WITH THE UTMOST CARE AND RESPECT ALL THESE YEARS. THESE DOCUMENTATION EFFORTS ARE LEVERAGED BY THE FOUNDATION STAFF AND EDUCATORS ON A REGULAR BASIS TO BOLSTER TLINGIT LANGUAGE TEACHINGS AND CURRICULUM EFFORTS. CREATING CURRICULUM AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS IS ALSO CENTRAL TO THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION. IN THE PAST YEAR, THE FOUNDATION HAD FORMED A CURRICULUM COMMITTEE WHO ACT AS STEWARDS AND CARETAKERS OF KNOWLEDGE, LANGUAGE, AND FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS. THE COMMITTEE IS COMPRISED OF ON-STAFF EDUCATORS AND TLINGIT SPEAKERS, ELDERS, AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO UPHOLD THE NEWLY DEVELOPED AND LAUNCHED HAA SHUKA? TUNDATA?ANI PEDAGOGY IN ALL FOUNDATION CURRICULUM MOVING FORWARD. HAA SHUKA? TUNDATA?ANI REPRESENTS A WAY OF LEARNING AND UNDERSTANDING THAT CONNECTS US AS PEOPLE WITH THE HISTORIES THAT HAVE FORMED US, THE KNOWLEDGE WE SHARE TODAY, AND THE WORLD DELIVERED BY OUR FUTURE SELVES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THIS INDIGENOUS FRAMEWORK SEEKS TO HEAL. THE FOUNDATION IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING AN INTERNAL AUDIT OF ALL PREVIOUS CURRICULUM UNITS AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES THAT STAFF MEMBERS HAVE CREATED OVER THE YEARS. THIS PUSH IS TO MOVE ALL THE FOUNDATION CURRICULUM ONTO AN ACCESSIBLE ONLINE DATABASE, ATLAS. ATLAS IS THE NEW HUB FOR THE FOUNDATION'S CURRICULUM AND WAS SOFT-LAUNCHED INTO THE SOUTHEAST ALASKAN COMMUNITY IN EARLY 2022. TO-DATE 18 UNITS HAVE BEEN RETROFITTED INTO THE NEW HAA SHUKA? TUNDATA?ANI FORMAT WITH PLANS TO RAMP UP RETRO-FITTING UNITS AS WELL AS HAVING THE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE BEGIN VETTING NEW UNITS TO BE ADDED TO THE DATABASE. TEACHING AND PRESERVING TRADITIONAL TLINGIT ARTFORMS HAVE ALSO BEEN A CORNERSTONE TO THE FOUNDATION'S APPROACH TO REVITALIZING THE TLINGIT CULTURE. THE FOUNDATION HAS COMMISSIONED NUMEROUS INDIGENOUS ARTISTS TO CREATE PIECES FOR VARIOUS SCHOOLS WITHIN THE JUNEAU SCHOOL DISTRICT. NOTABLY, THE FOUNDATION HAS GIFTED HOUSE POSTS (AN ARCHITECTURAL POST THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT TO THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE) TO 3 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THE FOUNDATION HAS ALSO GIFTED A BENTWOOD BOX DRUM (USED TO SET THE PACE OF A SONG AND IS MADE FROM A SINGLE PIECE OF WOOD)TO ONE HIGH SCHOOL AND ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE FOUNDATION COMMISSIONED THE CREATION OF TWO TOTEM POLES, BOTH TO SHARE A STORY OF HEALING WITHIN THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY FROM LASTING TRAUMA DUE TO COLONIZATION. FINALLY, THE FOUNDATION RECENTLY SUPPORTED A TEAM OF CARVERS TO CREATE A DUGOUT CANOE THAT WILL BE USED WITH YOUTH TO LEARN WATER SAFETY AND PADDLING PRACTICES. THE PREVIOUSLY LISTED ACTIVITIES ALL WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT TRADITIONAL TLINGIT ARTFORMS ARE PRESERVED AND KNOWLEDGE IS PASSED DOWN INTERGENERATIONALLY. LASTLY, THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN HOSTING AND PROVIDING CULTURAL YOUTH CAMP OPPORTUNITIES IN THE JUNEAU COMMUNITY FOR OVER 10 YEARS. WHILE WE HAVE OFFERED PROGRAMMING FOR ALL AGES OVER THE YEARS, THE HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMY HAS BEEN THE MOST INTENSIVE OUT-OF- SCHOOL PROGRAMMING THAT THE FOUNDATION OFFERS. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE BEEN OFFERED DUAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FOLLOWING CLASSES: AKL 241 STORY COMPOSITION (2018), OCN S101 FISHERIES TECHNOLOGY (2017), ENVS 193 MAPPING THE CANOE FOREST (2019), AND AKL 105 BEGINNING TLINGIT (ANNUALLY SINCE 2009). MOREOVER, CAMP HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE WHERE INDIGENOUS STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER AND LEARN ABOUT THEIR CULTURE/HERITAGE WITH THE COMPLEMENT OF WESTERN EDUCATION. THE FOUNDATION WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN SPACES FOR COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TWO CULTURES THAT YOU MIGHT BE HARD-PRESSED TO FIND SOLELY WITHIN A WESTERN CULTURE. THE FOUNDATION OFFERS AFTER-SCHOOL CULTURAL BRIDGE PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS' KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 5TH GRADE IN THE TLINGIT CULTURE LANGUAGE AND LITERACY PROGRAM (TCLL). TCLL IS A SCHOOL WITHIN A SCHOOL IN THE JUNEAU SCHOOL DISTRICT, OFFERING PLACED-BASED, CULTURAL-BASED OPTIONAL PROGRAM IN THE JUNEAU SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE THE TLINGIT LANGUAGE AND CULTURE ARE INTEGRAL TO DAILY INSTRUCTION OF NATIONAL STANDARDS. THE FOUNDATION OFFERS AFTER-SCHOOL COURSES WHERE STUDENTS ARE IMMERSED IN TLINGIT PHRASES AND GAMES. STUDENTS ALSO ENGAGE IN TRADITIONAL ART PROJECTS SUCH AS MAKING MASKS, LEARNING NORTHWEST COAST FORMLINE ART PRACTICES, ON TOP OF LEARNING ABOUT SOUTHEAST ALASKAN ECOLOGY. REGALIA MAKING WITH PARENTS OF THE PROGRAM - GET NUMBER FROM VICTORIA/LINDA. 15 STUDENTS DAILY. THE FOUNDATION ALSO ACTS IN A SUPPORTIVE CAPACITY TO THE JUNEAU ARTS AND MUSIC MATTERS PROGRAM. JUNEAU ARTS AND MUSIC MATTERS (JAMM) IS A 501(C)3, TUITION-FREE MUSIC PROGRAM EMBEDDED INTO THE JUNEAU SCHOOL DISTRICT AT CERTAIN SCHOOLS. A POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT MODEL, JAMM SUPPORTS STUDENTS WITH PLACED-BASED, TLINGIT LANGUAGE, MUSIC CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION. THE SUCCESS OF JAMM'S HAA TO YI YATEE PROGRAM, IS DUE IN PART TO THE FOUNDATION'S LANGUAGE PROGRAM PATHWAYS COORDINATOR AS WELL AS A COHORT OF TLINGIT SPEAKERS, TEACHERS, AND ELDERS PROVIDING CONTINUITY AND ACCURACY WHEN NEEDED. ONE-HUNDRED AND FIFTY STUDENTS SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. AAN YTX'U SANI (AYS) NOBLE YOUTH OF THE LAND IS A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES A SAFE SPACE TO SHARE TLINGIT KNOWLEDGE TRADITIONS, AND RESOURCES WITHIN THE JUNEAU SCHOOL DISTRICT (JSD) AND CHATHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT (CSD) FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL ALASKA NATIVE/AMERICAN INDIAN (AN/AI) STUDENTS AGED 14-19. THE PROGRAM'S GOAL IS TO IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR AN/AI MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS TO THEIR HERITAGE. CURRENTLY SERVING 15 STUDENTS. THE INDIGENOUS CULINARY ARTS CLASS THAT THE FOUNDATION OFFERS AFFORDS STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THE HANDLING AND PROCESSING OF TRADITIONAL TLINGIT FOODS. UNDER THE FOUNDATION'S LEADERSHIP, STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED HOW TO PREPARE TRADITIONAL FOODS SUCH AS HALIBUT, HERRING EGGS, AND SALMON. FIFTEEN STUDENTS RECEIVED 1 ELECTIVE DUAL HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE CREDIT. THE COMMUNITY REGALIA CLASSES WERE A HIT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE FOUNDATION'S HEADQUARTERS OF JUNEAU, ALASKA, AND IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA (THE LARGEST CITY IN ALASKA). REGALIA IS CEREMONIAL CLOTHING AND IS USED IN THE TLINGIT CULTURE TO HELP OTHERS IDENTIFY WHERE YOU ARE FROM. THE JUNEAU CLASSES FOCUSED ON CREATING CEREMONIAL ROBES AND A TOTAL OF 30 STUDENTS ATTENDED OVER 2 SEPARATE MONTH-LONG SESSIONS HOSTED IN JUNEAU. AN ADDITIONAL 20 PARTICIPANTS, PARENTS OF STUDENTS IN THE TLINGIT CULTURE AND LANGUAGE LITERACY PROGRAM, ATTENDED 8 CLASSES TO MAKE THEIR STUDENTS MOCCASINS, ROBES, TUNICS, OCTOPUS BAGS, AND HEADBANDS. ALL CLASSES OFFERED IN THE JUNEAU AREA WERE OFFERED ON A FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVED SIGN-UP BASIS, THERE WAS A WAITLIST OF AT LEAST 7-10 PEOPLE FOR ALL CLASSES. FINALLY, THE FOUNDATION STAFF TOOK THE COMMUNITY REGALIA CLASSES ON THE ROAD AND SERVED 13 STUDENTS IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. THESE SMALLER CLASS SIZES ENSURED THAT THE FOUNDATION STAFF WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN COVID PRECAUTIONS AND ALLOWED FOR MORE ONE-ON-ONE WORK WITH PARTICIPANTS. THE GATHERING OF NATIVE AMERICANS (GONA) IS AN ALMOST FOUR-DECADE-OLD MODEL USED WITHIN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES TO HEAL FROM THE LASTING IMPACTS OF COLONIZATION. THIS MODEL INCLUDES FIVE DEVELOPMENT PHASES THAT INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: BELONGING, MASTERY, INTERDEPENDENCE, BELONGING, AND UTILIZING THE GONA FOR COMMUNITY ACTION. THE FOUNDATION HAS IMPLEMENTED THESE TRAINING TOPICS IN THE SOUTHEAST ALASKA COMMUNITY THROUGH OFFERING OUR OWN VIRTUAL GONA, TAKING CARE OF OUR LAND & OUR OURSELVES (APRIL 2021), AS PART OF OUR PANDEMIC RESPONSE. COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMMING THAT INCLUDED TRADITIONAL STORYTELLING, A DISCUSSION ON THE TLINGIT LANGUAGE HOSTED BY TLINGIT LANGUAGE INSTRUCTORS THEMSELVES, AND SESSIONS ON HARVESTING, AND CULTURAL PRESERVATIONS. THE FOUNDATION IS CURRENTLY WIDENING THE SCOPE OF PROGRAMMING AVAILABLE TO OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THE FOUNDATION WILL BE PARTNERING WITH TWO OTHER GOLDBELT, INC., SUBSIDIARIES TO OFFER A ONE-WEEK CYBER SECURITY CAMP. CYBERPATRIOT IS A NATIONAL YOUTH CYBER EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT WAS CREATED BY THE AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION TO PROMOTE K-12 STUDENTS TO PURSUE CAREERS IN STEM FIELDS. THE CYBERPATRIOT CURRICULUM CENTE