Sitka-By-The-Sea

We drove our car onto the MV Columbia in Skagway bound for Sitka via the Alaska Marine Highway in late afternoon. It was rainy and chilly, so we headed to our cabin for a nap. The next morning was beautiful, and we saw how awe-inspiring the Inland Passage can be on a clear day. By afternoon, the weather again changed for the worse, and the wipers swished steadily as we drove off the ferry and up the narrow road toward Sitka. We were delighted to find Helga’s B&B a few miles away; it is located right on the Pacific Ocean. Our big picture window provided a limitless view of the coast line as it curved toward the city and over the bridge to the Coast Guard Station. Mornings we watched as large cruise ships arrived and many fishing boats left for the day’s catch. Our room was bright and cheery despite the dark clouds. Sitka has many rainy, cloudy, cool days.

Our touring included a study of Sitka’s history. The Tlingit Indians were the original settlers in the area that would become Sitka. The fishing and hunting appealed to them, and the harbor did not freeze in winter. They fought off the Russians several times (see next post), but in 1804 gave up their claim and left the area for a time. Later they returned and were held in subjection by the Russians, The Tlingits play an important role in the Alaskan Native Brotherhood, an organization that oversees Native Alaskans’ civil rights. There are two predominant moieties in the Tlingit People; they are the Eagle and the Raven. A member of the Raven moiety must marry someone from the Eagle moiety. The Tlingits are known for their weavings, basketry and huge totems. The latter tell a story, hold the ashes of the moiety, celebrate a wedding or denote family histories. We met master carver, Tommy Joseph as he worked on an alder mask. You can purchase one of Tommy’s masterpiece red cedar totems for $2000 per foot. Another carver was outside working a replacement totem that will stand over 40 feet tall when completed.

One of Alaska’s early settlers was Dr. Sheldon Jackson, an educator and Presbyterian missionary. He started many schools for native children across the vast territory. The Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka still functions, and contains the most amazing collection of First Nation artifacts found anywhere. Dr. Jackson wanted to ensure that the native culture was not lost and collected many of these treasures in his travels; others were donated. So that his beloved collection would not be destroyed by fire, his museum became the first concrete building in Alaska. The Indians who provided the labor were amazed that one could build a structure out of dust.