- Item 1: Audio recording of Thomas Ukas (1879-1973) (Kiks.ádi clan of Wrangell) speaking in Tlingit about the history of the Shtax’héen Kwáan Tlingit village of Kaachxán, undated. Tape labeled “History of Wrangell.” Format; CD. 23 minutes in length. Originally recorded at the Sheldon Jackson College.
- Content by DK: Ukas orates in detail the history of what appears to have been the settlement of Kaachxán (or an older village) and the origins of the Shtax’héen Kwáan clans; then Ukas mentions the coming of the Russians, how there were 5,000 Shtax’héen Kwáan Tlingit people when the Russians first came, then Ukas speaks in detail about migration history (but reaffirms the Tlingit were not nomads), the movement of people, kwáans and clans to various places across Tlingit land, establishment of clan houses [hits], then Ukas reaffirms that Southeast Alaska is Tlingit land; then Ukas moves on to discuss the flood, how people of various communities survived the flood, including how a people called the Taaskweidi [Tsaagweidí?] survived by living atop a mountain called Tséikhukéi. Notes from review in file.
- Item 2: Audio recording of J.B. Fawcett (1899-1983) (Wooshkeetaan clan, Shangukeidí hít of Juneau, and T’akdeintaan yádi) and Alex Andrews speaking in Tlingit at the Sitka National Park Visitor’s Center, undated. Original label denoted this recording as concerning the “Battle at Indian River” and spoken by Alex Andrews, but is in fact contains both J.B. Fawcett speaking on migration histories and Andrews on conflict with the Russians. Format; CD. Two tracks, Side A 31 minutes in length by Fawcett, Side B 6 minutes in length by Andrews.
- Side A: Fawcett begins by speaking about the history of the Dakl’aweidí, Yanyeidí, and L’eeneidí people/clans with orations focusing on migrations around the time of the flood, including the story of the two women named Aawastí and Kaawásík who went under the glacier, then the song for this is performed and explained, then discussion on the markers that the Tlingit placed in Southeast Alaska to denote the flood, but have been forgotten (rejected by the dominant society), more on the flood and how swimming bears attacked the people, but their dogs saved them, 0-18:99; then Fawcett sings the memorial song of the Killer Whale and Wolf clan families associated with this migration, 18:99-22:46; then Fawcett discusses some of the history of Auk’w Kwáan people, including the village of Aanchgaltsoow (present site of the Auke Rec. Picnic area), then a history of interactions with Joe Juneau and Richard Harris, marriage of a Tlingit women let Americans know about the gold, the discovery of gold, and how gold was so common, 22:46-30:39. Side B: recording begins with Andrews speaking about the aftermath of the war between the Russians and Tlingit at Sitka, how the Russians made peace with the Kiks.ádi clan, and how a frog clan hat survived the conflict. Then Andrews articulates how the hat was borrowed by a Russian Orthodox priest, but it was never returned, and this priest is condemned by Andrews for being a man of god but for lying to the Tlingit and taking the hat. [this recording is also a copy of Side 2 of Item 3] Notes from review in file.
- Item 3: Audio recording of Alex Andrews (1886-1959) (Kaagwaantaan clan of Sitka) speaking in Tlingit about the Battles of 1802/1804 at Sitka. Format; CD. Two tracks, Side A 23 minutes in length, Side B 6 minutes in length. Originally recorded at the Sitka National Park Visitor’s Center. Side A (Side B described above as Item 2).
- Side A: Andrews speaks from the perspective of his father and clan family; he begins speaking/orating from the perspective of an Aleut man, and how this Aleut man (perhaps a spy for the Russians) interacted with and tricked a spiritual man, an íxt’ named Héendeí, who was wrongfully imprisoned but whose powers protected him from eating human flesh the Russians hoped to trick him into eating, then how Kályaan enters the story and how the one Russian house is burnt and destroyed. Kiks.ádi history. Side B: Andrews continues to speak about the concluding aspects of the war with the Russians, then how the Tlingit and Russians made peace, and how Russian priests took a Frog clan hat, promising to return it, but never did, a great breach of honor, and example of how men of God did not keep their word. Notes from fluent speaker review available in the file.
- Item 4: Audio recording of Andrew J. Wanamaker (1886-1969) (Kaagwaantaan clan, Ch’aak’ Kúdi Hít (Eagle Nest House)) and Andrew P. Johnson (1898-1986) (Kiks.ádi clan, Kaagwaantaan yádi) speaking in English, recording labeled “ANB History.” Format; CD. Two tracks, total of 58 minutes of content. Originally recorded at the Sheldon Jackson College/from the SJC collection. Wanamaker speaks about his early life history, clan history, and other. Then Johnson speaks about the history, founding, and work of the Alaska Native Brotherhood.
- Item 5: Audio recording labeled “Canadian Tlingit, 1961.” Format; CD. Two tracks/discs, Side A 10 minutes of content, Side B 39 minutes of content. From the SJC collection. Side A contains Tlingit speaking, Side B contains Tlingit singing [Side B content is almost inaudible].
- Item 6: Audio recording of interviews of Tlingit at Angoon, 1950, interviewed by anthropologist Frederica de Laguna. Speaking and singing in Tlingit, with some English speaking on Side B. Side A and B; 67 minutes in length.
Side A: Laangooshoo/male Tlingit speaker speaks about the 1882 Bombardment of Angoon and how it occurred, 0 – 11:59; male speaker discusses the way America is treating the Tlingit people, including taking their land, taking their game (deer), and children to fight in American wars, no compensation is given to the Tlingit, 12:00 – 16:36; the speaker then introduces the Raven clan hat, and sings the Raven hat song (Yéil s´aaxw daa sheeyí), 16:36 – 21:56; male speaker then introduces the Beaver clan hat and the Beaver clan hat’s song, an ancient song, which is then sung, 22:00 – 28:24; thereafter two additional songs/chants are sung (explanation not given by male speaker); 28:25 – 33:25.
Side B: Continuation of man speaking, talks about the intrusions of Euro-American culture and Christian religion in Tlingit life, talks about the depth in Tlingit songs, versus lack of depth in Euro-American music; recording ends; de Laguna talks about Yakutat people; song/chant abruptly starts, a raven song about their eagle children, including L’uknax.ádi children (this is possibly a L’uknax.ádi love song), singer unknown; recording starts abruptly with de Laguna asking an unidentified man to translate certain Tlingit phases.
- Item 7: Audio recording of a Sheldon Jackson College labeled “Tlingit Workshop Tape 1,” which appears to contain Tlingit elders George Davis, Cyrus Peck Sr., and/or Forest DeWitt lecturing and educating in the Tlingit language, circa 1970s. Side A and Side B.
Side A: Content by DK: An elder speaks in Tlingit about the role and ways of Tlingit knowledge, culture, and history, he mentions various Tlingit stories (Salmon Boy, Khaaxh’aachgóok, Girl Who Raised the Woodworm) and discusses their meanings to the Tlingit people; speaks about the challenges the Tlingit people have faced and are facing, how non-Natives are teaching others and the Tlingit about their culture, mentions various challenges and compares them metaphorically to large waves that confront the Tlingit; portions of some songs are sang in a way to educate; final four minutes of recording are spoken in English to those who do not know the language to obtain an abbreviated explanation of his words. DK notes in file.
Side B: An elder speaks about how he was educated in the Western way, how he went to college, how his family counseled him to go to school, even though it was hard and Euro-American culture was difficult to interact with; 0 to 14:56; speaker talks about the Tlingit education system, how sophisticated subjects were taught to the youth, mention of Khaaxh’aachgóok, how he was taught about the stars in his youth, which helped him safely navigate home, thanks for the opportunity to speak; to 22:43; speaking next about the Man Who Married the Bear, discussion of how this man acted and lived, how he steered his ship, the speaker states this is a metaphor for Tlingit education and Western education, which way are the Tlingit people steering and what will be the consequences? To end of recording. DK: notes in file.
- Item 8: Audio recording of a Sheldon Jackson College “Tlingit Workshop Tape 2,” which contains unidentified fluent speakers conversing in Tlingit, circa 1970s.
- Item 9: Audio recording of a Sheldon Jackson College event labeled “Tlingit Workshop, Tape 3,” which contains Tlingit elder Cecilia Kunz and other unidentified fluent speakers conversing in Tlingit, circa 1970s. 32 minutes in length.
- Content by DK: Cecilia Kunz is speaking and tells the story of Gunakadeit, a sea monster story, 0 to 11:43; then an unidentified man (possibly a Kaagwaantaan man) speaks about the importance of clan names, reemphasizes the importance of the Gunakadeit story, then tells the story of an Auke Bay íxt’ (shaman) named Oongúdáas the process one had to take to become an íxt’, then discussion on the importance of clan crests, the abuse of a clan crest, and loss of Tlingit at.óowu. Notes in file.
- Item 10: Audio recording of a Sheldon Jackson College event labeled “Tlingit Workshop Tape 4,” which contains various Tlingit fluent speakers conversing in Tlingit, circa 1970s. 32 minutes in length.
- Content by DK: an unidentified man speaks, possibly a L’eeneidí man, he talks about how his uncles and mother made him regalia as a child, then he states how he was taught the history of his family and various clans in his youth, his sadness for the clans of Juneau area; 0 to 2:43; new male speaker begins, he speaks about Tlingit spirituality, about how all things have a spirit, the importance of respecting all things and acting on this knowledge; then a story about a spiritual man, an íxt’ (shaman), and how alcohol and death troubled a family in Yakutat, then the speaker concludes with words about Tlingit spirituality and belief system; to 12:44; Robert Zuboff begins speaking, he speaks about Tlingit spirituality, the íxt’, the lukoonaah, and yéik, to 28:38; Cecilia Kunz begins speaking, telling the story of Gunakadeit, story continues before recording ends mid-story; to end of recording. Notes in file.
- Item 11: Audio recording of a Sheldon Jackson College event labeled “Tlingit Workshop Tape 5,” which contains unidentified fluent speakers conversing in Tlingit, circa 1970s. 32 minutes in length. The audio quality this recording is poor and hard to hear.
- Content review was unable to hear the bulk of this recording, but appears to be a meeting where a Tlingit committee operates according to Roberts Rules of Order in the Tlingit language. Similar to or copy of Item 16 (below); SJC Tlingit Workshop Tape 8.
- Item 12: Audio recording of a Sheldon Jackson College event labeled “Tlingit Workshop Tape 6,” which contains unidentified fluent speakers conversing in Tlingit, circa 1970s. Side B content only. 32 minutes in length.
- Content by DK: an unidentified male speaker begins by speaking about ownership of clan songs and at.óow, how ownership was known; another speaker begins by telling the story of a woman’s statement in an ANB hall and the use of clan songs by yadí, proposes the question of should clan songs be copyrighted?; to 2:36; another male speaker responds and discusses when it is appropriate for yadí to sing their father’s clan songs (this is acknowledged by the past speaker); then an unidentified woman begins speaking and tells various stories to demonstrate the importance of remaining committed to Tlingit culture; to 20:38; then a male speaker asks if a committee (Sitka Native Education Board?) should be created, some discussion ensues about if their conversations should be recorded, the recording ends with the idea that their words should indeed be recorded. Notes in file.
- Item 13: Audio recording containing Tlingit elder A.P. Johnson speaking in English, undated. Recording labeled “A.P. Johnson Housepost Ellen Lang” and “A.P. Johnson Raven Story.” Other unidentified speakers are also on the recording. Recording may concern a housepost carved by Robert Davis (Tsaagweidi) being installed at a library and dedicated.
- Item 14: Audio recording labeled “Cross Mt. Dancers” and contains Tlingit songs and dance being performed by dancers, with A.P. Johnson speaking toward the conclusion of the recoding. Appears to be connected with the previous recording [Item 13].
- Item 15: Audio recording of unidentified Tlingit elders speaking in Tlingit and English, speaking on history, oral traditions, and other, at SJC, circa 1970s. Recording labeled “Tape 6” of a box of “other Tlingit recordings.”
- Item 16: Audio recording of unidentified Tlingit elders speaking in Tlingit at SJC, circa 1970s. Speaking all in Tlingit. Recording labeled “[Tape] # 8” of a box of “other Tlingit recordings.” 33 minutes in length.
- Content review by DK: This recording contains an unidentified board’s meeting and actions in bringing about the discussion, motions, and resolutions for the creation of a Tlingit dance group and/or non-profit organization. The meeting is conducted all in the Tlingit language and according to Roberts Rules of Order. One possible individual present could be Charlie Joseph. DK notes in file.
- Item 17: Audio recording of unidentified Tlingit elders speaking in English at SJC, circa 1970s. Recording labeled “[Tape] # 10” of a box of “other Tlingit recordings.”
- Item 18: Audio recording of unidentified Tlingit elders speaking in English (and some Tlingit), possibly at SJC, circa 1970s. Recording labeled “ANCSA and corporation workshop” or it could be a Tlingit language workshop organized by Vesta Johnson [?].
- Item 19: Audio recorded interviews with Tlingit elders by Frederica de Laguna, recorded in 1974. Speaking primarily in English. Tapes 1 & 2.
- Item 20: Audio recorded interviews with Tlingit elders by Frederica de Laguna, recorded in 1974. Speaking primarily in English. Tapes 3 & 4.