A Meeting of Minds and Spirit

Published by info@haidanation.com on

The Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida) arrived this past week on Haida Gwaii meeting with the Council of the Haida Nation Executive. The two governments met to get re-acquainted and discuss issues of common interest, primarily the history of both organizations and the commonalities we share as Haida governments.

Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson, President of Tlingit & Haida and kil tlaats ‘gaa Peter Lantin, President of the Haida Nation, committed to a continued working relationship and for a CHN delegation to visit Tlingit & Haida territories in the very near future.

kil tlaats ’gaa said, “While both organizations have very different approaches and paths towards addressing Title and Rights, it is immediately obvious that we are all Haida and that working together only strengthens our journey towards self-determination for all Haida people.”

The informal visit included presentations from various departments within CHN. The delegation also met with Gwaii Trust. The delegation also visited the Haida Heritage Centre at Kay Llganaay where Chalyee Éesh made an emotional connection to a tunic that belonged to Chief Son-I-Hat of Kasaan, which is in the museum collection.

The delegation included: Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson, President of The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Shaa Xei di Tlaa Madeline Soboleff Levy, General Counsel, Heather Gatti, Special Assistant to the President and Sarah Dybdahl, the Tribe’s new Cultural Heritage & Education Manager.

The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida) is a tribal government located in Juneau, Alaska, which represents over 30,000 Tlingit and Haida worldwide. President Peterson has committed to serving Tlingit & Haida citizens where ever they may be, and is looking forward to rebuilding relationships with our relatives in Haida Gwaii and the Interior.

President of the Haida Nation, kil tlaats ‘gaa accepts a bentwood cedar box from Chalyee Éesh, President of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida).

Chalyee Éesh made an emotional connection to a tunic that belonged to Chief Son-I-Hat of Kasaan, which is in the museum collection.

Taaxiiou (Robert Russ) and Xyaalas (Tyler Bellis) accompanied the delegation on a short tour of the Haida Heritage Centre at K_ay Llnagaay.

The delegation took in the work of carver, Laada (Tim Boyko). Laada is working on a pole in the carving shed at Kay Llnagaay. They also admired the Bill Reid pole and canoes nearby.


1 Comment

Wesley I. Bone · September 7, 2017 at 8:22 am

Great Respect to the Haifa Nation for blazing this Trail for other Indigenous Nation’s to follow the ~True & Good~ road. Chi’ Miigwetch, much Love and Respect! Wesley I. Bone Hereditary Chief of the Okanase Nation, Manitoba.

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