By Alyssa Peterson, Graduate Intern, Zachary R. Jones, Archivist
Title: Sealaska Corporation Recordings Collection, 1971-2000
ID: MC/054
Primary Creator: Sealaska Corporation
Other Creators: Alaska Federation of Natives, Central Council for the Tlingit and Haida Indians of Alaska
Extent: 10.0 Boxes
Date Acquired: 11/30/2012
Subjects: Haida Indians--History., Tlingit Indians--History., Tsimshian Indians--History.
This collection consists of audio and audiovisual recordings dating from the 1970s up to circa 2000 previously held by the Sealaska Corporation but donated to SHI. These recordings primarily capture events indirectly, and sometimes directly, associated with the Sealaska Corporation. (Researchers should know the Sealaska Corporation still retains recordings that document its direct historic past.) For an example of an indirect association with the Sealaska Corporation, some recordings in this collection capture Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) meetings, in part because the Sealaska Corporation recorded Sealaska Corporation officials who spoke at these meetings, were members of the AFN board, or presented important proposals to AFN. As result many of these recordings document some aspects of the Sealaska Corporation’s work, but also a broader level of Alaska Native issues is documented. Other portions of the collection contain recordings of meetings held in Alaska concerning ANCSA and ANILCA, but the collection also contains recordings of prominent Sealaska officials speaking publicly or being interviewed, sometimes relative to cultural matters, such as with the interviews and speeches of Walter A. Soboleff.
The collection has been organized into 8 Series or groups and described at the box level. These 8 Series are listed below. It is expected that the collection may grow in the future. Researchers should note that the format of some recordings in this collection are outdated, such as various open reel sizes, Umatic tapes, and Betacam tapes, though some VHS and cassette recordings also comprise the collection’s makeup. Researchers who desire to access materials in some formats should know that SHI provides VHS, cassette, and CD/DVD players, but older formats require a special and delayed process as some recordings will have to be professionally migrated to modern format for patron use. Consult the archivist for further details.
Series Listing:
Series 1: Sealaska 14(h)1 Sites
Series 2: ANB/ANS Recordings
Series 3: AFN Recordings
Series 4: ANCSA, ANILCA, and Various Community/Village Corporation Related Recordings
Series 5: Specific Conferences/Meetings Topics Recordings
Series 6: Recordings Associated with Various Sealaska Individuals
Series 7: Recordings Associated with Various Cultural Events
Series 8: Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska Recordings.
Repository: Sealaska Heritage Institute Archives
Access Restrictions: Restrictions: The materials in Series 2-8 in this collection are open to research according to the policies of the Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI). The materials in Series 1 are restricted to the public for the protection of 14(h)1 sites, but access can be granted to researchers with a valid research request. Consult the archivist for further details.
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: Sealaska Corporation
Acquisition Method: The material in the collection was obtained by SHI from the Sealaska Corporation in two batches. The first batch, primarily audiovisual recordings amounting to eight boxes of material, was transferred to SHI by the Sealaska Corporation in July 2012 and officially donated on 11/30/2012, represented by Sealaska Records Manager Linda Wynne. The remaining materials, amounting primarily of audio recordings, was transferred to SHI on Feb. 13, 2013 and officially donated a few weeks later.
