Tlingit Tribe

As a part of a Jigsaw project I was assigned to teach the class with two other people about the Native American tribe known as the Tlingit Tribe. I learned a lot of interesting things about this tribe which I will now share with you.

History

The Tlingit were believed to have settled in the region of Alaska for thousands of years

The first recorded contact by Europeans with the Tlingit people started in 1745 when Russian traders started to explore Alaska. The Russians initiated trade with the Tlingit for sea-otter pelts and other items.

By 1772 the Russians had established permanent settlements and trading posts in the area. Although initial contact with the Russians was peaceful the culture clash soon led to conflicts and wars.

In 1794 the first Russian Orthodox missionaries arrived from Russia to convert Alaskan Native Indians and in 1799 Russian claimed the whole of Alaska for themselves.

In 1804 the Battle of Sitka, was fought between European and Alaska Natives and in 1805 the Tlingit attacked and destroyed the Russian post at New Russia.

In 1835 the United States and England obtain trading privileges in Alaska. Contact with the Europeans brought sickness and disease to the Tlingit.

Between 1835-1839 epidemics of smallpox, measles, chicken pox, and whooping-cough epidemics ravaged their communities.

In 1838 the British Hudson’s Bay Company leased the Southeast Alaska mainland from the Russians.

In 1867 Russia sold Alaska to the United States for for $7.2 million.

Where are they Now?

Tlingit people have communities including those at Craig Reservation: State, under the jurisdiction of Prince of Wales Island, Hoonah Reservation, under the jurisdiction of Chicagof Island, the Kake Reservation under the jurisdiction of Kupreanof Island and the Klawock Reservation, under the jurisdiction of Prince of Wales Island.

Culture

Language- The people spoke in their own Tlingit dialect, an Alaskan language distantly related to the Athabaskan languages.

Religion- The Tlingit tribe believed in a god called Kah- shu-goon-yah created the universe. Raven, a Trickster god, taught the Tlingit people the institutions by which they lived. The jek, or supernatural spirits, are found in almost anything and have healing powers. The Tlingit believed that every person possessed a mortal and an immortal soul, and when they died, if morally worthy, they ascend to Kiwa-a, the highest heaven. Those that had led evil lives would be condemned to Dog Heaven, where they would be punished. The Tlingit also believed that, in time, all souls returned to the living through reincarnation. The tribe are strongly associated with Totem Poles.

One of their most famous inventions is the Chilkat Blanket. These blankets were used to tell a story of a family. They are made from sheep wool and are said to have the finest quality and design

These colorful blankets have a very similar purpose to the totem pole: to tell a story of a family. This is a very complex art that can even take up to a year to make! Chilkat Blankets include a variety of colors, but most commonly they are yellow, black, and blue. The colors come from natural dyes. They are made from sheep wool and are used to represent different tribes, leaders, stories. The Chilkat Blankets are said to have the finest quality and design of any Native American custom

Songs

Tlingits love music and there were songs for just about every occasion. There were potlatch songs, songs about the clan, mourning songs (these constitute the most of the songs), walking songs,'house doorway' songs to greet guests, thank you or 'gunalcheesh' songs, funny songs, songs for children, feeling songs, shaman songs, LOVE songs (which are the most beautiful, in my opinion), and of course general dance songs.

Dances

It could be an impromptu performance around the evening fire. The shaman used dance as a vehicle to make contact with the spirit world; regular folks might tell a story, ridicule an opponent, or extend an apology through a combination of dance motions. Drums and carved rattles were used as accompaniment. Beautiful Chilkat blankets are used as dance robes.

Clothes

Hats- basketry hats made of finely woven spruce root and bear grass (designs and patterns displayed status and family connections)

Footwear- Moccasin shoes during winter hunting trips

Clothes- elaborate outfits, with tunics, leggings and cloaks painted with tribal designs

Hair- Women usually had two long braids, Men usually left theirs long and loose

Body Art- often painted their faces with different colors for certain occasions, and had tribal tattoos

Food

The food that the Tlingit tribe ate included their staple diet of fish supplemented by wapato (Indian Potato), greens, seeds and berries. The women also pressed the rich oil from the eulachon (candle fish) and used large amounts of this oil as a dip for their food.

Habitat and Homes

The Tlingit tribe lived in windowless rectangular plank houses with four main house posts and distinctive sloping roofs. They were built from the red cedar, fir or spruce trees and painted with signs and symbols of the family and clan.

Totem posts were erected at the sides of the plank house. The Tlingit plank houses were measuring about 40 or 50 feet long and had a fire pit in the center with a smoke hole over it.

The plank houses held 30-50 people, usually of one main clan. The interior was lined with plank floorboards and had a central hearth and common working area with tiered wooden platforms that were separated by wooden screens and storage boxes.

This was a very interesting project, and I was very happy to learn all the interesting facts and history about the Tlingit tribes. It is extremely important to teach about Native American tribes in classrooms because there is so much rich history to tell.