Everyday life

    The life of the Tlingit people has dramatically change over the past few hundred years. Dating back as early as 11,000 years, like many peoples the Tlingit were hunter gathers. They worked to have relations with the Haida and Tsimshian tribes who also are tribes in Alaska. As compared to today's world the tasks of each day remain the same, the women "rule the house", they are the housekeepers, child caretakers and the food gatherers. While men on the other hand hunters of the tribe. the lives of the Tlingit tribe have dramatically changed since the contact with the outside world. The once indigenous tribe changed forever.

                         
  After the first contact with the outside world the Tlingit life change dramatically, the once hunter gather filled tribe now became a more industrialized tribe. First contact was made by the Russians in 1741. The Tlingit were not greatly affected by the Russian's contact. The most prevalent contact came in the mid 1800's by American miners and loggers. As more and more Americans came to take the natural resources of the Tlingit, disease hit the tribe hard and wiped out half of the Tlingit population. The tribe was on the verge of being completely wiped out until the Alaska Native brotherhood was founded in 1912, which united the many villages of the Tlingit and saved its tribe. As time passed more and more modern ideas were being passed through the Tlingit generations, education was now pushed to the Tlingit children.

  The early 2000's was a big milestone for the Tlingit. Education was pushed to an extent until, more and more young adults of the Tlingit tribe began to go to college. Today, like in America, higher education is pushed in all Tlingit households. There is now America style schools throughout the Tlingit land. While many have adopted modern lifestyles some still attempt to subsists(live) off of the Alaskan land. Today Many jobs are still the same as they were thousands of years ago, but in today's growing world many Tlingit work in logging, forestry, tourism, and with the growing number of Tlingit going to college many have become healthcare workers, lawyers, and educators. Even with all of the good that have come with new modern ideas there are many bad things that happen with them. Many Tlingit that cant find work are now only living off of welfare from the government. Alcoholism has become the leading disease among the Tlingit people, but all while having lower suicide rates than other tribes in the United States.

  As the old ways of the Tlingit begin to fade away, some still believe in more tribal aspects, such as the Spirit doctor or "IXT" also known as a "medicine man". Such men are still needed in the Tlingit land because of the Tlingit susceptibility to influenza, arthritis, hepatitis, diabetes and many other diseases. Storytelling, creative art, and music are all ways the Tlingit preserve their culture. While most Tlingit villages are modernized many still hold old traditions as they did back thousands of years ago.

Benson, Diane. 2015. Tlingit Early history, First contact with Europeans, The land claims period

Art is in the Eye of the Tlingit

     Dempsey Bob, a local Tlingit artist, said "There are rules in our art, and you have to know them so well that you can make them your own. Within these rules we have to create everything, and that's the hardest part," when asked about the art of his ancestors. Similar among all Native tribes throughout the United States, the art each tribe created meant something specific to their culture and way of life; the Tlingit were no different. What they did with their art, however, slightly differed from how other tribes use theirs, typically for ceremony or clothing, No with the Tlingit, all artwork was used because their artwork was the bowls, plates, silverware, essentially anything that would be used for food, eating, drinking, or daily life. High society Tlingit were found to even own fish hooks that, like all other artistic items, could be carved, painted or even engraved with various materials although they mainly used sliver and gold even though totem poles were the only things to ever get noticed by today's society.  

     Unbeknownst among culture in the United States today is what totem poles actually symbolized to the tribes where the clans lived and survived. Totems were used to tell stories of their religion, family, ancestors, anything that the people felt was important enough for future generations to know. Even with the threat of extinction from foreigners, the Tlingit, similar to other tribes, embraced what was brought to help with enhancing their work; like using metal tools to carve more elaborate designs into cedar to create their totem poles that could range up to thirty to forty feet high. The reason the Tlingit's are not specified from other Pacific North tribes is because the tribes would intermingle consistently because the people would not always marry from the same tribe. This is why many totem poles have either an eagle or raven within them when the totems represent a specific family. All people, specifically the Tlingit tribe, were divided into two distinct families-the eagle and the raven. It was tribe law that a person had to marry an eagle if they were a raven and vice versa. The totem pole tells of these stories with the animals carved within the wood, the most important animal being of the bottom of the totem pole in most cases since the totem pole is read from the bottom up.
     "The Tlingits were originally expert stone carvers, copper workers, wood workers, weavers, and basket weavers...The men [also] made dugout canoes out of red cedar." (Kaiper 1992) These canoes were just as important to their culture as the totem poles were. On average, canoes that were used as war canoes were typically "...fifty feet long and able to carry forty or fifty men," however, "...smaller eight to twenty foot canoes," that were usually used for hunting and fishing. (Kaiper 1992) An interesting add on that the tribe would make for the war canoes was that of their "tribal insignia" that would tell others fighting them who they belonged to.  Similar to that of the totem pole, there was one person dubbed as "master carver" who would have a high knowledge and understanding of the structure of a canoe. Unlike the totem pole, this person could be the chief and all men were taught how to build a decent canoe. Building a canoe, and a quite excellent one at that, was to teach the men patience that they could later use while hunting. If the men were to speed up the process of the canoe by not making it the correct thickness, or hollowing it out enough that it still floats and has a big enough area on the inside. 
    Canoes and totem poles, however popular they are in today's society, was only a small piece of the broad expanse that
is their "art". Technically the Tlingit were various smaller tribes all put under the Tlingit name, and it individual "mini-tribe" specialized in an array of things. One small group in particular, the Chilkat, were known for making the best clothing, and blankets, out of all of the Tlingit tribe. This group would develop these articles for various things: daily life, rituals, and seasonal. Without this tribe, the blankets and winter clothing worn specifically during the colder months, would not be available to the rest of the existing tribe. Typically the designs on the clothing and blankets were decorated with the tribes insignia, as well as, the individual persons, family or house (eagle and raven).

Kaiper, Dan. and Nan Kaiper. 1992. Tlingit, Their Art, Culture, and Legends. 3rd ed. Blaine: Washington

N.p. N.d. "Indians.org" Retrieved October 24, 2015.

N.p. N.d. "American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved October 24, 2015.

Mythology

     Tlingit mythology has been carried on for generations. Many stories of legends and folktales are still told and are kept sacred. Below are a few well-known myths of the Tlingit tribe.

The Star Shooter

     Two best friends, the chief's son and the son of an important man loved to hunt. One day they made hundreds of arrows and took them to the top of a hill. When it was night time, the moon appeared shiny and big but one of the boys called it "ugly". A rainbow appeared and took the boy away leaving the chief's son in confusion. The chief's son shot arrows with his bow at the moon. The arrows connected making a ladder for the boy to climb. The boy climbed and slept on his way. Bushes supplied berries for the boy to eat on his way up to the moon. Once he reached the moon he fell asleep to be awakened by a young girl who told him to follower her to Grandmother's house. The grandma asked why the boy was there and the chief's son explained that he was trying to find his best friend. The grandmother knows of the boy because she had heard him cry and decides to help the boy find his lost friend. She gives him a pine cone, a rose bush, and a devil's club to help escape the moon. When they return home everyone thinks they are dead and arrange a funeral but the younger brother sees them and then the village realizes that they are alive.

Natsilane

     Before killer whales existed, there was a sea lion hunter and carver named Natsilane. He marries a chief's daughter of Duke Island. He earn his respect and is accepted to the family. His brother's in law detest him except for the youngest one who admires him. They make a plot to betray him when they go hunting on "big seal hunt day". Natsilane is abandoned and falls asleep but when he awakens, a sea lion which looks human tells him to follow. Natsilane is brought to the sea lion chief ans is asked to heal his son who had a spear to his body. The sea lion is thankful and promises Natsilane great skills and return home. Once at home, Natsilane seeks revenge on his brother's in law. He carves a big black fish that comes to life and swims to sea. He orders the fish to kill the men except for the youngest who later return home alone with the story of a black fish. Soon, everyone think Natsilane was behind it and they eventually become happy and honor him because the black fish would always leave seal for the villagers. Natsilane becomes a legend.

Beaver and Porcupine

     They were good friends and the porcupine visited beaver often even though the latter did not appreciate porcupines leaving quills all over. One day beaver took porcupine on his back and went to center of a lake where beaver abandoned the porcupine. The porcupine struggled but sang a song so that the water would freeze and porcupine would walk across the ice home bound. The water eventually turned to ice and the porcupine went home. Another day it was the beaver that climbed on porcupine's back but porcupine went to the top of a tree where beaver was now abandoned. The beaver stood there for a long time wondering how to get down. The creation of the "tree bark" come from the beaver's struggle in Tlingit mythology.

The Poor Man Who Caught Wonderful Things

     Fishing was an everyday thing in this big town. A poor man always went fishing with others but he just never caught anything and everyone laughed at him. One day he felt like he caught something but pessimistically thought it was a rock. He held on and a soon a great live abalone came ashore. It was so big that everyone was amazed and wanted it for themselves. It was a valuable catch but the poor man ended up cutting the line. He cried about it every time he thought about what he had done but it would not be the last time he caught something. Another day he felt something had caught on a sponge he had thrown which was covered in his nose blood. When the poor man pulled his tool up, a nest of fish appeared and he filled his canoe with tons of them. The poor man did not cut the line this time. He became a distributor of fish all over his town and became rich. He was given skins, moose, fox, and other gifts in return.

Orrin, Lewis. 1998. "Native Languages of the Americas: Tlingit Legends, Myths, and Stories."Tlingit Legends (Folklore, Myths, and Traditional Indian Stories). Retrieved October 23, 2015.  

Swaton, John R. 1909. "Tlingit Myths and Texts." Tlingit Myths and Texts. Retrieved October 23, 2015.

Traditions

     Tlingit believed that everything was of equal value. Things like a tree or rock were equal to a deer or bear. Each clan had identifying crests. There are two main clans the Eagles and Ravens which are then divided into smaller numerous clans. Each clan is very proud of their crest even if it's a snail or squirrel. Neither clan is considered to be superior. These people will not tolerate misuse or disrespect of their crest, songs, stories, and dances that come with it. If they beileve they have been disrespected or offended they demand payment. They believe in "an eye for an eye" but within a legal means now a days because of the influence of Americans. In the past the ravens wer only allowed to marry into the eagles and vice versa. Now a day's people of the tribe are allowed to marry within the tribe and even to people who aren't part of the Tlingit.

     The Tlingit believed in, Kah-shu-gooh-yah who is the creator. They also believed in Raven who organized the world and its customs. The Tlingit believed that the world was filled with spirits who could manifest their powers through anything like animals. The Tlingit were taught to respect everything because of the spirits power and if they didn’t respect everything around them it would result in a loss of food. A common tradition of the Tlingit is a Potlaches, which is a large gathering and also means “to give”. During these gatherings it was common for the clans to serve each other. Each clan would bring offerings of food and entertainment like dances and games. These Potlaches were often held for marriages, death, births, raising of a Totem pole, celebration of wealth, or honoring the dead.

     Each person also had their own guardian spirit known as a tu-na-jek. When a person died it was believed that their spirit would go to an afterlife based on the morality of life. There are two afterlives that were called Kiwa-wa and Ketl-kiwa. If you were good you would go to kiwa-wa which is like heaven and if you were bad you went to ketl-kiwa which is like hell. Both of these afterlives were not eternal though they only lasted for a short time because the spirits would be reincarnated.

     The Tlingit also believe strongly in family, kinship and a tradition of oratory. Wealth and economic power are indicators of rank. Generosity and good behavior are also heavily embedded in the Tlingit culture. Art and spirituality are everywhere in the Tlingit culture, even the spoons and boxes are decorated with spiritual power and historical beliefs.

N.p., n.d. "Religion and Traditions." The Tlingit People. Retrieved September 22, 2015

N.p., n.d.. "Religions in World Cultures." Religions in World Cultures Native Alaskan Tribe Religion Begins to Die While Traditions Continue: Comments. Retrieved October 27, 2015

History and Origins

     The Tlingit tribe has ancestral origins in the Aani, which it the Southeast portion of Alaska. Their lineage as a tribe is traced to originate to this place. An interesting historical fact about the Tlingit is their matrilineal system for ancestry. This means that the Tlingit trace their family lineage through the female ancestors rather than the males. This idea holds true to the Haida, a neighboring tribe with a different cultural background. This idea is fairly unique to its region.

    The Tlingit have always lived on the same grounds in Southeast Alaska. They have had no reason to move, which means they have a hunter gatherer lifestyle that has surpassed a nomadic stage. Two of their biggest and most valuable resources are food and cultivation of crops. They take great pride in their ability to harvest strength from the land around them. They have been living in this fashion since the inception of the Tlingit and Haida clans, who live in the same region with respect for one another.

    The Clans mark their territories by using totem poles, which is another important tradition for the Tlingit tribe. The naturally growing cedar trees in the area are used for either totem poles, utensils, ceremonial regalia and their main source of transportation, canoes. The Tlingit have used canoes as a means of transportation since their tribe's origins, and thus have vast knowledge on how to build them. Their craftsmanship of cedar canoes is masterful, and is used locally as a form of barter currency. Though they do have their own currency for the realm, the barter system if still often used with the Tlingit,  particularly with outside traders.

     The Tlingit have also taken efforts to be involved with the outside world as a means to protect their rights on their own land. This is a losing battle as the western world pushes their rights to govern themselves. However, the Tlingit are still fighting to control their own lands. This is also a losing battle because as commercialism develops in these areas, the amount of land from which the Tlingit can hunt or gather diminishes, and therefore their tribe loses power. This is an issue that the Tlingit and the Haida have been experiencing, and they have both been taking efforts to both fight back from this expansion and see to it that their traditions and history be preserved as much as is humanly possible.

Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribe. 2015. "Our History." September 9, 2015.