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Southeast Alaska Native Educators Association
Board of Directors

Resolution 04-01

Whereas: The Southeast Alaska Tribal Resource Atlas is an ongoing education project with several components, including:
The

The Southeast Alaska Tribal Electronic Mapping Project
The Angoon, Kake and Sitka cultural Atlases
The Traditional Tlingit Country and Tribes Map
The Herman Kitka Traditional Ecological Knowledge Series
The Place-Based Education Resources for Southeast Alaska Educators website
The Tlingit Elders Traditional Education Checklist, and

Whereas: Dissemination of Traditional Tlingit knowledge is crucial to improving native student achievement and for development of quality place-based education curriculum, and

Whereas: the Southeast Alaska Native Educators Association was established to promote advocate for Native education opportunities,

Now, Therefore Be It Resolved: That the Southeast Alaska Native Educators Board hereby encourages and endorses dissemination of the Southeast Alaska Tribal Resource Atlas for educational purposes.

Adopted this 23rd day of January, 2004

Ted Wright, Chair
Rhonda Hickok, Secretary
Board Members
Laurie Cropley
Ronn Dick
Mary Duncan
Les Hamley
Andy Hope
Roxanne Houston
Jean Jackson
Rhoda Jensen
Marie Olson
Southeast Alaska Native Place
Name Project

Ketchikan Indian Community
2960 Tongass Ave.
Ketchikan, Alaska 99901
(907-225-5158)
Fax (907-247-0429)

RESOLUTION KIC-07-13

TITLE: A REOLUTION OF THE TIRBAL COUNCIL OF THE KETCHIKAN INDIAN COMMUNITY (KIC) TO SUPPORT THE SOUTHEAST ALASKA NATIVE EDUCATORS BOARD TO ENCOURAGE AND ENDORSE DISSEMINATION OF THE SOUTHEAST ALASKA TRIBAL RESOURCE ATLAS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.

WHEREAS, the Tribal Council of the Ketchikan Indian Community, going business as the Ketchikan Indian Community ("KIC" or the "Tribe"), is a federally recognized Tribal government organized under a Constitution and Bylaws (collectively, the "Constitution") ratified on January 27, 1940, pursuant to Section 16 of the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA). Of 1936 as
amended; and

WHEREAS, the KIC Tribal Council (the "Tribal Council") is the representative Tribal Government of the Tribe; and

WHEREAS, the KIC Tribal Council is empowered under Article V, Section 1(m) of the KIC Constitution to "protect the general welfare and security" of the KIC Tribal Government; and

WHEREAS: The Southeast Alaska Tribal Resource Atlas is an ongoing education project with several components, including:
The Southeast Alaska Tribal Electronic Mapping Project, The Angoon, Kake and Sitka cultural Atlases, The Traditional Tlingit Country and Tribes Map, The Herman Kitka Traditional Ecological Knowledge Series, The Place-Based Education Resources for Southeast Alaska Educators website, The Tlingit Elders Traditional Education Checklist, and

WHEREAS: Dissemination of Traditional Tlingit knowledge is crucial to improving native student achievement and for development of quality place-based education curriculum, and

WHEREAS: the Southeast Alaska Native Educators Association was established to promote advocate for Native education opportunities,

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION OF THE AVOVE FACTS, IT IS RESOLVED BY THE TRIBAL COUNCIL OF THE KETCKINA INDIAN COMMUNITY as follows: That the Ketchikan Indian Community Tribal Council hereby encourages dissemination of the Southeast Alaska Tribal Resource Atlas for educational purposes.

Section 1. This resolution is effective upon adoption

CERTIFICATION

The forgoing resolution was adopted at a duly convened meeting of the Ketchikan Indian Community Tribal Council assemble this 12th day of March, 2007, at 2960 Tongass Ave., Ketchikan, Alaska 99801, by a vote of 6 yeas and nays.

Richard Jackson, President
Attest:
Merle Haawkins, Secretary

Sitka Tribe of Alaska
456 Katlian Street
Sitka, Alaska 99835
907-747-3207
Fax: 907-747-4915

Tribal Council Resolution 94-2004

Support of the Southeast Alaska Native Educators Board and Council of
Traditional Scholars Recommendations

Whereas, the Sitka Tribe of Alaska is the federally recognized tribal government for more than 3,100 enrolled tribal citizens in Sitka, Alaska organized under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 as amended; and

Whereas, the Sitka Tribe of Alaska is responsible for the health, safety, welfare and cultural preservation of its tribal citizens and their use of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska's traditional territory; and

Whereas, the Sitka Tribe of Alaska's traditional territory reflects the lands and waters historically and presently the stewardship responsibility of the Sheet'ka Kwaan and as such are composed of the western side of Baranof Island, the greater reaches of Peril Strait, southwestern portions of Chichagof Island, the myriad of islands as well as the waters between these locations; and

Whereas, beginning in the 1970's the Sitka Native Education Program collaborated with Sitka Tribal elders to record Tlingit geographical place names for the traditional territory of the Sheet'ka Kwáan resulting in the documentation of over 400 Tlingit geographic place names; and

Whereas, during the 1990's the Sitka Tribe of Alaska collaborated with the Sitka Native Education Program to support research conducted by Sitka Tribal elders and culture bearers to complete maps of the Sheet'ka Kwáan Tlingit geographic place name project; and

Whereas, the Sheet'ka Kwáan Tlingit geographical place name maps were brought out at the Sitka Tribal Cultural Committee meeting (1999) and today Sheet'ka Kwáan Tlingit geographic place name maps are displayed in the lobby of the Sitka Tribal Offices and are available on the Tribe's website; and

Whereas, the Southeast Alaska Tribal Resource Atlas is an ongoing education project with several components, including he Southeast Alaska Native Place Name Project; the Southeast Alaska Tribal Electronic Mapping Project; the Angoon, Kake and Sitka cultural Atlases; the Traditional Tlingit Country and Tribes Map; the Herman Kitka Traditional Ecological Knowledge Series; the Place-Based Education Resources for Southeast Alaska Educators website; the Tlingit Elders Traditional Education Checklist; and

Whereas, Dissemination of Traditional Tlingit knowledge is crucial to improving native student achievement and for development of quality place-based education curriculum, and

Whereas, the southeast Alaska Native Educators Association was established to promote and advocate for Native education opportunities; and

Whereas, the Council of Traditional Scholars was established to provide guidance to the Sealaska Heritage Institute to ensure that the traditional laws, values, practices and sacred and historical sites of the natives of Southeast Alaska are protected, preserved, and correctly applied and incorporated into the teachings for future generations and into the programs administered by the Sealaska Heritage Institute.

Whereas, the Southeast Alaska Native Educators Association has endorse dissemination of the Southeast Alaska Tribal Resource Atlas for the purpose of improving education programs for our people.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOVED, that the Sitka Tribe of Alaska supports the endorsement by the Southeast Alaska Native Educators Board and the Council of Traditional Scholars for the dissemination of the Southeast Alaska Tribal Resource Atlas for educational and non-profit purposes.

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing Resolution was adopted at a duly called and convened meeting of the Tribal Council of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska on June 16, 2004, by of vote of 5 IN Favor,
0 AGAINST, 2 ABSENT, 2 ABSTAIN.

Lawrence Widmark__________________
Sitka Tribe of Alaska - Tribal Chairman

Attest:Irene Jimmy______________________________
Sitka Tribe of Alaska - Tribal Secretary

Sealaska Heritage Institute
Council of Traditional Scholars

Resolution 02-04

Whereas: The Southeast Alaska Tribal Resource Atlas is an ongoing education project with several components, including:
The Southeast Alaska Native Place Name Project
The Southeast Alaska Tribal Electronic Mapping Project
The Angoon, Kake and Sitka cultural Atlases
The Traditional Tlingit Country and Tribes Map
The Herman Kitka Traditional Ecological Knowledge Series
The Place-Based Education Resources for Southeast Alaska Educators website
The Tlingit Elders Traditional Education Checklist, and

Whereas: Dissemination of Traditional Tlingit knowledge is crucial to improving native student achievement and for development of quality place-based education curriculum, and

Whereas: the Southeast Alaska Native Educators Association has endorsed dissemination of the Southeast Alaska Tribal Resource Atlas for the purpose of improving education programs for our people, and

Whereas: The Council of Traditional Scholars was established to provide guidance to the Sealaska Heritage Institute to ensure that the traditional laws, values, practices and sacred and historical sites of the Natives of Southeast Alaska are protected, preserved, and correctly applied and incorporated into the teachings for future generations and into the programs administered by the Sealaska Heritage Institute,

Now, Therefore Be It Resolved: That the Southeast Alaska Native Educators Board hereby encourages and endorses dissemination of the Southeast Alaska Tribal Resource Atlas for educational purposes.

Adopted this 23rd day of February, 2004

Clarence Jackson, Chair
Council Members
George Hamiltion
Joe Hotch
Peter Jack
Anna Katzeek
Herman Kitka
George Ramos
Lily White

The Southeast Alaska Tribal Resource Atlas Project

Southeast Native Subsistence Commission Place Name Project

• 1994-2002—completed under SENSC -Southeast Intertribal Fish & Wildlife Commission.
  
• Funded by National Park Service Heritage Preservation Grants with support from local tribes and agencies.
  
• Further Developed with support from Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative & Ecotrust, FIS, and Sealaska Heritage Institute.
  
• Purpose: Recognition of land as most fundamental subsistence, natural, & cultural resource. Names as expression and reflection of these values & thus useful for natural and cultural resource management and education.
  
• Kake Elder Fred Friday (1946): "The Native people know all the points and rocks and every little area by name. If I told you all the names of all the places that I know it would fill many pages. These areas were used so much that we were familiar with every little place." (Goldschmidt & Haas 1998:177).

Place and Education

A little evolutionary education theory

• Education is a cultural universal & imperative. Schools are not. Schools are modern inventions & tools of large agricultural and industrial societies.
• Alaska Native education rooted in place (in situ) and subsistence (in vivo). Schools have interfered with these modes of education.
• Experiential & multimedia education are cultural universals dating back hundreds of thousands of years. Writing and literacy are modern inventions dating back only about 10,000 years.
  
  Naming (including place naming) is a cultural universal. Names are foundational to education becausee they describe, distinguish, and distill important information. Places names provide a unique window on the world without which we would literally be disoriented.
• Linneaus (1737): “If you don’t know the names, your knowledge of things perishes”

The Art & Science of Teaching & Working with Indigenous Place Names

Place names have utility for the scientist, as linguistic artifacts on
the land, the individual, as perceptual frames, and the community as
cultural and historical resources." They are like boxes of daylight in
helping us understand the cultural and natural forces that have shaped
the land. For example, the following three names tell the story of the
geological transition of Glacier Bay from a small drainage to a large
" bay taking the place of the glacier.

Science
Artifacts
Tools
Structures

Art
Boxes of Daylight
Mnemonics
Gestalt

Example: 3 Names for Glacier Bay:
• S’é Shuyee-"End of the Glacial Mud"
• Xáat Tú-"Icebergs Inside"
• Sít’ Eeti Geeyí-"Bay Taking the Place of the Glacier"

The Three “Rs”
• Resonance-generative force
• Resilience-conservative force
• Respect-reciprocal force