Shakes House renovation cedar planks blessed

Members of the Wrangell Cooperative Association, along with visitors from other communities in Southeast Alaska, joined together on Tuesday, May 22 to bless planks of cedar to be used in the renovation of the Chief Shakes tribal house.

The wood, which is a portion of 12 logs donated to the project by Sealaska Corporation, was taken from native lands near the Cleveland Peninsula on Prince of Wales Island.

WCA office manager Carol Snoddy said the ceremony was special because the current delivery of cedar is just the beginning of what the renovation project will receive.

“This is a very important moment because this cedar will go into renovating the tribal house,” Snoddy said. “We’re going to be getting more cedar in as time goes on, but this is the big event for us because it symbolizes a new beginning for the project.”

The blessing included traditional dancing, and featured Wrangellite Linda Churchill calling the directions on a handmade native flute.

Ketchikan resident Willard Jackson, Sr., made the trip to Wrangell to help lead the blessing. His part in the ceremony, he said, was to help leave a legacy for Native children.

“Everything in the world has a spirit,” Jackson said. “I came on behalf of my grandchildren and for others. The carvers that are doing the work are leaving behind a history of the Naanya.aayi. Our children will be able to see that story in the future.”

Jackson also levied a challenge to men in the community to help with the carving and renovation project.

“We have young women leading the carving and the overall project right now,” Jackson said. “In Tlingit values, we have to have a balance. We need to have some men participate in this to bring the history forward. The concept of mother-father or brother-sister is part of it and we have to have a male-female balance as Native people.”

Jackson’s parents attended Wrangell Institute, where they met in the 1930s.