Dauenhauer Tlingit Oral Literature Collection, 1899-1999 | Sealaska Heritage Institute Archives

By Zachary R. Jones, Archivist

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Collection Overview

Title: Dauenhauer Tlingit Oral Literature Collection, 1899-1999

ID: MC/005

Primary Creator: Dauenhauer, Nora Marks (1927-)

Other Creators: Dauenhauer, Richard L. (1942-2014)

Extent: 9.0 Boxes

Date Acquired: 11/13/2012

Subjects: Tlingit Indians--History., Tlingit language.

Languages: English, Tlingit

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection contains approximately 500 audio recordings on CD, which were collected or created by scholars Nora Marks Dauenhauer and Richard Dauenhauer. These recordings date from 1899 to 1999, contain speaking in English and Tlingit (the bulk in Tlingit), and document a vast array of subjects and topics concerning Tlingit history, culture, subsistence, land issues, language and other aspects of importance relative to the Tlingit. The recordings capture the words of Tlingit elders, orators, activists, cultural specialists, and others, as well as the audio from various conferences, Tlingit gatherings and events, and other cultural programs. These recordings are very rich with content and contain important information about the Tlingit people.

The CDs that comprise this collection were obtained from the Dauenhauers, after University of Alaska Southeast staff migrated these recordings to CD format per grant funding. The Dauenhauers retain the original format recordings (reels, cassettes, etc.). The CDs contained a numbering system kept by the Dauenhauers, found on these CDs upon donation to SHI, and SHI archival staff has retained this numbering system, which is reflected in the inventory. Descriptive information about the content of the recordings, which are labeled on individual CDs, has also been retained. When requesting a recording from this collection, please include the Item number and the Tape number to assist staff in locating the recording.

From 2011 to 2013 via an IMLS Enhancement Grant, recordings in this collection with limited to no descriptive information were reviewed by fluent Tlingit speakers, who provided detailed feedback. Item descriptions were updated from this feedback, providing a better documentation of this collection for the public. These fluent speaking reviewers primarily included David Katzeek (Shangukeidí Clan) of Klukwan, Fred White (Shangukeidí Clan) of Yakutat, and Marsha Hotch (Gaanaxteidí Clan) of Klukwan. The final box in the collection contains documents from some their reviews, which can greatly assist researchers in understanding additional details of the recordings.

In 2012 SHI received a document from the Dauenhauers that detailed the contents of part of the collection, with recordings description primarily from Nora Marks Dauenhauer. Description by Nora has been noted as ‘content by NMD’.

Biographical Note

Nora Marks Dauenhauer (b. 1927) is an American poet, short-story writer, and a scholar of the language and traditions of the Tlingit Indians of Southeast Alaska. Nora Marks herself is Tlingit, and was born May 8, 1927, the first of sixteen children of Emma Marks (1913-2006) of Yakutat, Alaska, and Willie Marks (1902-1981), a Tlingit from near Juneau, Alaska. Nora's Tlingit name at birth was Keixwnéi, and following her mother in the Tlingit matrilineal system, she is a member of the Raven moiety, L’ukaax.ádi clan, and of the Shaka Hít or Canoe Prow House, from Alsek River. Emma's maternal grandfather had been Frank Italio (1870-1956), an informant to the anthropologist Frederica de Laguna whose knowledge was incorporated into De Laguna's 1972 ethnography of the northern Tlingit, Under Mount St. Elias. In circa 1972 Nora was selected and endorsed by Tlingit elders to document the Tlingit culture, and since that time Nora collected recordings and interviewed Tlingit elders. Nora earned a degree in anthropology and, with her husband Richard Dauenhauer, a poet and translator, she has authored numerous articles and also co-edited the Sealaska Heritage Institute's highly regarded four volume Classics of Tlingit Oral Literature series, titles which includes, Haa Shuká, Our Ancestors: Tlingit Oral Narratives (1987), Haa Tuwanáagu Yís, for Healing Our Spirit: Tlingit Oratory (1992), Haa Kusteeyí, Our Culture: Tlingit Life Stories. (1994), and Anóoshi Lingít Aaní Ká: Russians in Tlingit America, The Battles of Sitka 1802 and 1804 (2009).

Subject/Index Terms

Tlingit Indians--History.
Tlingit language.

Administrative Information

Repository: Sealaska Heritage Institute Archives

Use Restrictions: Intellectual Properties Note: Since SHI adheres to the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials, and since we desire to honor Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian traditional cultural belief that clans retain the intellectual property rights to clan stories or songs, patrons who use or study clan songs or stories are asked to credit clan ownership to stories and songs.

Acquisition Source: Nora Marks Dauenhauer

Acquisition Method: The materials in this collection were received by SHI in various batches between 2008 and 2012 from Richard L. Dauenhauer and Nora Marks Dauenhauer. They signed an official deed of gift on Nov. 13, 2012. Regarding specific accessions, Items 1-314 (Tapes 1-258) were received on November 15, 2008, Items 315-335 (Tapes 258-280) on November 4, 2009, Items 336-350 (Tapes 292-299) on August 20, 2010, Items 336-384 (Tapes 300-340) on November 3, 2010, Items 385-526 (Tapes 341-430) on January 30, 2012.

Preferred Citation: MC 5, Item #, Tape #, Dauenhauer Tlingit Oral Literature Collection, Sealaska Heritage Institute Archives, Juneau, Alaska

Processing Information: Processed by: Rick Huteson, Archival Assistant, & Zachary Jones, Archivist

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Items 1-73, Tapes 1-60.],
[Box 2: Items 74-154, Tapes 61-128.],
[Box 3: Items 155-235, Tapes 129-189.],
[Box 4: Items 236-315, Tapes 190-259.],
[Box 5: Items 316-415, Tapes 260-348.],
[Box 6: Items 416-513, Tapes 348-415.],
[Box 7: Items 514- , Tapes 423-],
[Box 8: Duplicate copies of CDs from the collection, originally used for the 2011-2013 IMLS Enhancement Grant review process, but saved as a second copy.],
[Box 9: Documents concerning the review of these recordings via a 2011-2013 IMLS Enhancement Grant.],
[All]

Box 7: Items 514- , Tapes 423-

[Tapes 416-422, Recordings concerning the Portland Art Museum Rasmusen Conference, 5/15/89, were transferred to SHI’s MC 29: Tlingit Art at the Portland Art Museum Recordings Collection]

Item 514: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 423, Side A. Recording of “Raven House, Haines, # 102,” dated Oct. 12, 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 46 minutes in length.

Item 515: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 423, Side B. Recording of “Raven House, Haines, # 103,” dated Oct. 13, 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 41 minutes in length.

Item 516: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 424, Side A. Recording of “Raven House, Haines, # 105,” dated Oct. 14, 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 46 minutes in length.

Item 517: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 424, Side B. Recording of “Raven House, Haines, # 106,” dated Oct. 14, 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 46 minutes in length.

Item 518: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 425, Side A. Recording of “Raven House, Haines, # 107,” dated Oct. 14, 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 46 minutes in length.

Item 519: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 425, Side B. Recording of “Raven House, Haines, # 108,” dated Oct. 14, 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 42 minutes in length.

Item 520: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 426, Side A. Recording of “Raven House, Haines, # 108A,” dated Oct. 14, 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 47 minutes in length.

Item 521: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 426, Side B. Recording of “Raven House, Haines, # 108B,” dated Oct. 14, 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 46 minutes in length.

Item 522: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 427, Side B. Recording of “Raven House, Haines, # 110,” dated Oct. 14 (?), 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 46 minutes in length.

Item 523: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 428, Side A. Recording of “Raven House, Haines, # 111,” dated Oct. 15, 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 46 minutes in length.

Item 524: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 428, Side B. Recording of “Raven House, Haines, # 112,” dated Oct. 15, 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 46 minutes in length.

Item 525: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 430, Side A. Recording of “Fritz Willard, Raven House, Haines, # 115,” dated Oct. 17, 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 47 minutes in length.

Item 526: Oral Literature Collection, Tape 430, Side B. Recording of “Fritz Willard, Raven House, Haines, # 116,” dated Oct. 18, 1972. Migrated from cassette to CD. 33 minutes in length.