John Muir, 1897
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The first people to call The Chilkat Valley home were the Tlingit Indians. Although their origins ancertain, it's clear that when they reached this region, they recognized something special.
The temperate rain forest provided a mild climate and a seemingly endless supply of trees for fuel and home construction. Game, Fish and wild berries were plentiful. Eagles, an important cultural symbol, gathered in great numbers in the fall and winter. The ocean, rivers and streams became transportation corridors for the Tlingit's seaworthy canoes.
These abundant resources meant that the Chilkat and Chilkoot Tlingits spent less on survival and more on developing other skills. They created sophisticated art styles and farms still recognized today, such us the Chilkat blanket, the spruce root basket and many forms of wood carving. In trade, they established a great empire, which reached by land and see from Interior Alaska and Canada to California. The Tlingit were not the only ones to recognize the bounty this area had to offer. In 1741, the first known meeting between white men and Tligit took place when a Russian ship anchored west of Haines. A brisk fur trade began threafter with the Spanish, English, Russias, and Americans. In 1892 explorer and entrpreneur Jack Dalton established a toll road along one of Tligit routes into the interior, later cashing in on the dreams og god - seekers and others heading inland. Parts of the Dalton Trail eventually became the Haines higway in to Canada.
In Tlingit society, exquisitle wood carvings embellished both ordinary and ceremonial objects, the most well - known beeing mask and interior tottems, or house posts. Alaska Indian Arts has spent the last 48 years ensuring the survival of Tinglit wodcarving.
The Chilkat blanket, a highly respected art form, is one of strongest symbols of Tlingit Culture. Woven entirely by hand on a simple loom, the blankets were made of goat wool and colored with dyes derived from lichen, hemlock bark, copper and urine. A similiar weaves technique produced beautiful spruce beautiful root baskets.
Both forms of weaving are still carried out by a few skilled artisans. Tlingit dance employs drums, raffles, masks, headdresses and robes. Many of these art forms converge in another Tlingit tradition still flourising: the potlatch. This gathering, held to honor the dead, features dancing, singing, feasting and gift - giving.
Tlingit culture also extends to traditional fishing methods and technology including traps, spears, hooks and nets. Eulachon harvest remains an important spring Tlingit tradition. Eulachon, also known as candle fish, are so oily they actually burn.
Tlingit women weaving baskets.
The Tlingit trade route to the interior was dubbed the grease trail because the most important item carried was oil extracted from eulachon, tiny candle fish that run each may. The Tlingit kept traders blindfolded so they couldn't come back to find the trails.
The temperate rain forest provided a mild climate and a seemingly endless supply of trees for fuel and home construction. Game, Fish and wild berries were plentiful. Eagles, an important cultural symbol, gathered in great numbers in the fall and winter. The ocean, rivers and streams became transportation corridors for the Tlingit's seaworthy canoes.
These abundant resources meant that the Chilkat and Chilkoot Tlingits spent less on survival and more on developing other skills. They created sophisticated art styles and farms still recognized today, such us the Chilkat blanket, the spruce root basket and many forms of wood carving. In trade, they established a great empire, which reached by land and see from Interior Alaska and Canada to California. The Tlingit were not the only ones to recognize the bounty this area had to offer. In 1741, the first known meeting between white men and Tligit took place when a Russian ship anchored west of Haines. A brisk fur trade began threafter with the Spanish, English, Russias, and Americans. In 1892 explorer and entrpreneur Jack Dalton established a toll road along one of Tligit routes into the interior, later cashing in on the dreams og god - seekers and others heading inland. Parts of the Dalton Trail eventually became the Haines higway in to Canada.
In Tlingit society, exquisitle wood carvings embellished both ordinary and ceremonial objects, the most well - known beeing mask and interior tottems, or house posts. Alaska Indian Arts has spent the last 48 years ensuring the survival of Tinglit wodcarving.
The Chilkat blanket, a highly respected art form, is one of strongest symbols of Tlingit Culture. Woven entirely by hand on a simple loom, the blankets were made of goat wool and colored with dyes derived from lichen, hemlock bark, copper and urine. A similiar weaves technique produced beautiful spruce beautiful root baskets.
Both forms of weaving are still carried out by a few skilled artisans. Tlingit dance employs drums, raffles, masks, headdresses and robes. Many of these art forms converge in another Tlingit tradition still flourising: the potlatch. This gathering, held to honor the dead, features dancing, singing, feasting and gift - giving.
Tlingit culture also extends to traditional fishing methods and technology including traps, spears, hooks and nets. Eulachon harvest remains an important spring Tlingit tradition. Eulachon, also known as candle fish, are so oily they actually burn.
Tlingit women weaving baskets.
The Tlingit trade route to the interior was dubbed the grease trail because the most important item carried was oil extracted from eulachon, tiny candle fish that run each may. The Tlingit kept traders blindfolded so they couldn't come back to find the trails.
