Family of Chief Shakes V visits Wrangell

The family of Kaawishté, also known as Chief Shakes V, visited Wrangell last week and was treated to a trip to Shakes Island and the Tribal House and the hospitality of the Wrangell Cooperative Association.

Jessica Clark, one of descendents of the Kaawishté who lives in Cypress, Calif., said it was an important experience for her to stand on Shakes Island and learn about her family history.

“It’s really enlightening to see where our family came from,” she said. “Both my dad and my uncles have been researching the generations and have been trying to keep alive this part of our past. It’s really neat to be able to see where my great-great grandfather was born.”

Jessica’s father, Michael Clark, of Houston, Texas was the only member of the 10 descendents of Kaawishté who had visited to Wrangell in the past – and briefly explained the family tree.

“Shakes V daughter, Georgiana married Buck Choquette, and their daughter, also named Georgiana, is the mother of our grandfather, Henry Clark,” he said. “In essence, our Clark family is descended from the Chief.”

Michael also spoke about the feeling of being in the place where his ancestry derives from.

“I think it is the strongest influence in our lineage,” he said of the Clark family relationship with the Shakes dynasties. “It seems to be the strongest influence in our bloodline and you can see it in our physical characteristics how much we look Tlingit.”

Looking like a Native Alaskan isn’t nearly as important, Michael said, as thinking like one.

“I think it’s more important what is in our hearts and minds,” he added. “The spirituality is so strong here, and we feel such a deep connection to the people here, our ancestry and our environment. It feels more natural to be here than where we are living down in the lower 48. I could easily see myself living here.”

The family added that they plan on being in Wrangell for the May 2013 rededication ceremony currently being planned by the Wrangell Cooperative Association.

Chief Shakes V ruled on Wrangell Island until his death in 1878 and was the longest-tenured leader of the tribe. It was also under his leadership that the Tlingit village moved from Kaasitl Aan, or Old Town, to the area near Mill Creek on the mainland, and later to Wrangell Island.

It is unknown when Kaawishté took over the mantle of leadership of the Tlingit people, but it is known that his tenure began after the death of Chief Shakes IV, who was known by his Tlingit name of Keishíshk’.

In 1834, under Chief Shakes IV, the Natives who were to one day populate Wrangell Island left the village of Kotalit-an, and settled on the island eighteen miles south beside the Russian fort.

After the death of Kaawishté in 1878, his maternal nephew, Gush Tlein, became Chief Shakes VI. After Gush Tlein died in 1916, his nephew, Charlie Jones, succeeded him as Chief Shakes VII – the final chief in a series of leaders on the island.