ProgramApril 19, 2017

Welcome .................................................President Richard Peterson

Master of Ceremonies ............................... Elizabeth Medicine Crow

Prayer

Dance Group Performance ...........................Ldakát Naax sa ’ Yatx’i .......................................................................... (All Na ons Children)

Dinner Served

Introduc on of President’s Life me Achievement Award Recipient ....................... 1st Vice President Rob Sanderson Jr.

Presenta on of President’s Life meAchievement Award ................................President Richard Peterson

Special Comments

Presenta on of President’s Everyday Hero Awards ............................................President Richard Peterson

Closing Remarks .......................................President Richard Peterson

Congratulations to each of the 2017 President’s Lifetime Achievement and

Everyday Hero Award recipients.

Your contributions to the Tlingit and Haida people are truly inspiring!

President’s AwardsP ’ L A A

This is the highest award bestowed by the President recognizing an individual’s signifi cant life me achievements. The recipient is a person who has dedicated their life to the be erment of the Tlingit and Haida people.

P ’ E H A

Culture Bearer: Recognizes an individual who is dedicated to perpetua ng and preserving our culture and upholds tradi onal knowledge through prac ce and teaching.

Emerging Leader: Recognizes a tribal ci zen youth who demonstrates leadership and commitment to community wellness and the socio-economic wellbeing of indigenous peoples.

Hold Each Other Up: Recognizes outstanding individuals who upli and unify the Tlingit and Haida people through their acts of generosity, caring spirit, and signifi cant volunteerism.

Inspiring Educator: Recognizes an innova ve educator who integrates cultural educa on in the school system and exhibits a strong commitment to providing cultural learning opportuni es.

Language Warrior: Recognizes a Tlingit or Haida speaker who makes signifi cant eff ort to promote language preserva on and revitaliza on in their community.

Tribal Ally: Recognizes an individual who has made a tremendous eff ort to protect and strengthen tribal sovereignty and/or advance tribal jus ce.

Youth Mentor: Recognizes a posi ve role model who dedicates a signifi cant por on of their life mentoring and sharing tradi onal knowledge that fosters cultural iden ty growth.

President’s Life me Achievement Award

Delores Churchill

President’s Everyday Hero Awards

Culture Bearer

Della CheneyEmerging Leader

James Hart

Hold Each Other Up

Cindy Mills

Inspiring Educator

Heather Powell

Language Warrior

Alfie Price

Tribal Ally

Holly Handler

Youth Mentor

John Smith

President’s Life me Achievement Award

Delores ChurchillDelores Churchill is a world renowned Haida basket weaver from Ketchikan, Alaska who is an expert in gathering and preparing materials for cedar bark, spruce root and Chilkat weaving. She was raised in the Haida village of Old Masse in the Queen Charlo e Islands, Bri sh Columbia. She is one of ten children of respected weaver Selina Peratrovich.

Her family moved to Ketchikan in 1946. Delores married Allen “Booger Red” Churchill and raised three children. Her daughter Holly Churchill is a Ketchikan T&H Delegate.

In 1972, Delores enrolled in one of her mother’s weaving classes at Ketchikan Community College. She was also taught Tlingit, Nootka, Tsimshian and Haida basket weaving techniques by several respected basket weavers. Her ar s c infl uence and knowledge of the art stretches around the globe. Delores has taught basketry and exhibited her works in numerous places, such as Canada, Hawaii, Germany and the Smithsonian Ins tu on in Washington, D.C. She has also worked as a researcher and consultant, helping curators iden fy works in museum collec ons.

Delores has been honored for her role in Haida basket weaving and perpetua on of Na ve arts and received numerous awards. The fi lm “Tracing Roots” featured Delores in her journey to understand the origins of a spruce root hat found in a retrea ng glacier.

A er years of study and teaching, Delores now witnesses the con nua on of her art and culture through ar sts who have learned from her.

President’s Everyday Hero AwardCulture Bearer

Della CheneyDella Cheney was born and raised in Kake, Alaska. Her Haida name is Sdaath k’waasaa and Tlingit name isKaats saa waa. Her parents, Mona Ingram Jones Jackson (Haida of Masse , B.C. and Hydaburg) and Thomas L. Jackson Sr. (Tlingit of Kake) raised 11 children and eight adopted children.

Della graduated from college in May 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Hilo, Hawaii and received a cer fi cate for par cipa ng in a Community Fellows Program at the Massachuse s Ins tute of Technology.

Her fi rst weaving teacher was her grandmother Lucy (Sdaath k’waasaa) Frank who harvested cedar bark with her even at the age of 86. Since 1993, Della has been prac cing weaving (teachers include Janice Criswell, Delores Churchill and Teri Ro ar) and has the ardent passion to preserve the tradi onal way of harves ng natural resources for weaving. To date, she has taught over 2,000 children and adults how to weave (1995-present).

Della is also documen ng her knowledge through wri ng and photography, and hopes to ul mately create a short fi lm on Xaygwaay (Weaving our World) and publish her documenta on as a reference curriculum for weavers, teachers, and others interested in tradi onal Southeast Alaska Na ve weaving. By crea ng a document of the connec on of indigenous peoples to the environment using weaving as an example, Della hopes to foster further conserva on prac ces and resource sustainability among the future genera ons.

Della is married to Bill Cheney and together they have two daughters, Dr. Gail Irene Cheney and Elizabeth Cheney (Juris Doctorate).

President’s Everyday Hero AwardEmerging Leader

James HartJames Hart is from the Chilkat Valley. His Tlingit name is Gooch Éesh and he is from the Kiks.adi clan, Gagaan Hit (Sun House).

In addi on to experiences as a commercial fi sherman and fi sheries technician for the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, James has pursued an ac ve hun ng and fi shing lifestyle in Southeast Alaska.

James has also been ac vely involved in tradi onal canoe paddling, logging in over 300 miles on the water. He also par cipated as an appren ce carver under Wayne Price in Xúna (Hoonah) comple ng two 40’ tradi onal dugout canoes. He has a strong heart for community involvement and is an ac ve volunteer at his local school, dance group member and mentor to Tlingit youth encouraging them to embrace their language and culture.

James is currently comple ng a public policy fellowship through First Alaskans Ins tute which placed him in the offi ce of Representa ve Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for the 30th Alaska State Legislature session. He also serves as a tribal council member for the Chilkoot Indian Associa on, Haines T&H Delegate and member of the Alaska Na ve Brotherhood.

President’s Everyday Hero AwardHold Each Other Up

Cindy MillsCindy Mills is the daughter of Russell (Rusty) Snook of Klawock and Ruth F. Buxton Snook of Metlakatla. She is Eagle and her Tsimshian name is Mmoo’mx squiik. She was also given the name Nan Alz’aanaa a er being adopted by the Double Fin Killer Whale clan in Hydaburg.

Cindy was born and raised in Sea le, Washington and moved to Prince of Wales Island permanently in May of 1984. She has served on the Klawock City School Board for 13 years and one year on the Alaska Associa on of School Boards. She is an ac ve member of the Alaska Na ve Sisterhood Camp 9.

Cindy currently serves as a Family Caseworker for Klawock Coopera ve Associa on and the Organized Village of Kasaan. She is also the Tribal Family and Youth Services’ Field Staff Supervisor for offi ces in Craig, Haines, Saxman and Wrangell.

Cindy has four children—Ed (Jubilee) Anniske e, Yodean Armour (Francis Peele), Marijane Armour and James Mills. Her grandchildren are Jaeden Anniske e, Russell Peele, Sophia Peele, Jade Armour and Drew Ponce (sister Mary-Jane’s grandson, but adopted her as his Naan).

President’s Everyday Hero AwardInspiring Educator

Heather PowellHeather was born in Sea le, Washington and raised in Sitka, Alaska. Given the Ojibwa name of Wabagoon, she is the daughter of Harry Powell (Anishinaabe, Bad River Band from Grand Marais, Minnesota) and Tammy (X’aax’aax) Young and proud granddaughter of John (Kaax’anook) Young Jr. and Jessie (Shgaté) Johnnie. Her Tlingit name is Lgeik’i and she is Chookanshaa, Xaay Hit (Yellow Cedar House) from Xunaa Kaawu (Hoonah).

Heather was raised in a tradi onal household with Lingít language and tradi onal and cultural values ins lled from a very young age.She con nues these teachings with her own children - Deit Xoon, Wandatán and Shgaté Didrickson.

Heather is a graduate of the Sitka Na ve Educa on Program and worked 20 years for Sitka Tribe of Alaska in several diff erent capaci es but most recently as the Director of Language, Educa on and Employment, and Co-Director of the Sitka Na ve Educa on Program.

Heather recently moved back to her home community of Hoonah to teach Lingít language for the Hoonah City School District, she is the Director of Haa Kusteeyí áyá. This move has been a step towards using the language in everything that she does, a way to work towards crea ng leaders, helping to hold youth up, and making changes to support a healthy, safe way to bring Lingít Tundataani into everything, every day. She’s passionate about teaching and bringing our children into the real classroom, Haa Aaní (Our Land) through tradi onal arts, harves ng, Lingít stories, song and dance.

President’s Everyday Hero AwardLanguage Warrior

Alfie Price

Alfi e is Tsimshian of Metlakatla and Tlingit of Saxman. He is from the Gisbutwada (Killerwhale) clan. He was born in Prince Rupert, Bri sh Columbia and raised in Metlakatla, Alaska.

Alfi e co-leads a Sm’algyax language group that meets every Saturday in Tlingit & Haida’s conference room. The language group formed in November 2015 to con nue learning Sm’algyax following a language class taught by David Boxley. The group has since grown to include online learners from as far away as Hawaii and California.

Alfi e is also learning Xaad Kí l (Haida) and Tlingit. He volunteers his me to host the Haida language learners who meet every Monday

and Wednesday in Tlingit & Haida’s conference room where Skí l Já adei (Linda Schrack) teaches the class from Ketchikan.

Alfi e and his wife Kris n have two children, Katy and Joel. Alfi e and his children are members of the Yees Ku Oo and Ldakát Naax sa ’ Yatx’i (All Na on’s Children) dance groups. He was appointed as assistant leader of the All Na on’s Children dance in 2015.

President’s Everyday Hero AwardTribal Ally

Holly HandlerHolly Handler a ended the University of Chicago and holds a Doctor of Law from Harvard Law School. She previously served as a public defender in Anchorage, Palmer, Bethel and New York City and has served as the Supervising A orney for the Alaska Legal Services Corpora on’s (ALSC) Southeast Alaska offi ce since 2006.

ALSC assists clients who are facing cri cal civil legal issues ranging from consumer law, family law, housing problems, public benefi ts, healthcare complica ons, Alaska Na ve law and other areas specifi c to veterans or the elderly. Holly also co-chairs the agency’s Alaska Na ve Law advocacy team and serves as counsel for Alaska Na ve tribes and tribal organiza ons in ma ers regarding tribal sovereignty and child protec on.

Holly provided legal representa on to the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska in a lawsuit fi led against the State of Alaska for not recognizing its Tribal Court’s child support orders or providing interstate support services. The Superior Court Judge ruled in the Tribe’s favor which reaffi rmed its inherent jurisdic on to handle the full range of family law issues aff ec ng tribal ci zens.

Holly was selected as a fellow in 2014 for the Sargent Shriver Na onal Center on Poverty Law’s Racial Jus ce Training Ins tute and was awarded Tlingit & Haida’s Doloresa Cadiente-Hardin Tribal Jus ce Award in 2012.

President’s Everyday Hero AwardYouth Mentor

John SmithJohn Smith III is the son of Pauline Ann Abbo and John Smith II. His Tlingit names are KaaNaaWuTlain (Big Dead Man meaning that he will die for you), Deikeela n (The One Who Watches Over) and Yaan Waa Kaa (Popeye). He is Kaagwaantaan, Ch’aak Kudee Hit (Eagle Nest House).

John is a Cultural Specialist at Thunder Mountain High School and also worked at Riverbend Elementary School and Dzan k’i Heeni Middle School. He was encouraged to apply for a para-educator posi on by school staff who recognized his great work volunteering in the schools and as a wrestling coach while his children were a ending.

For John, his work doesn’t start or end with his job descrip on or any set hours. His day o en starts with mee ng students at the front door to make sure they make it to their fi rst class. He makes it a priority to reach out to struggling students in an eff ort to fi nd a way to get them back on track and give them the one-on-one a en on they need to talk about their hardships.

John fosters understanding of diff erent cultures in school by providing tradi onal introduc ons, hands-on projects, and presenta ons to classrooms on woodcarving, civil rights in Alaska and how to harvest salmon and other tradi onal foods. He and his wife, Victoria Johnson, an Indian Studies para-educator at Dzan k’i Heeni worked together to get a school community garden going at the middle school.

John con nues to go above and beyond his prescribed du es to provide students with the support they need and to stand with them through hardships, learning and growing.

Gunalchéesh, Háw’aa

Tlingit & Haida extends a special thank you to Juneau Tlingit & Haida Community Council

and Sealaska for cosponsoring thisyear’s Welcome Banquet. Your generous

support is greatly appreciated!

Central CouncilTlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska

www.ccthita-nsn.gov • facebook.com/ccthita