Daily Sitka Sentinel

March 21, 2018, Community Happenings

Tlingit Spruce Root

Baskets on Display

The Sheldon Jackson Museum’s March Artifacts of the Month are two Tlingit spruce root baskets. Both are from the early 20th century and have design elements incorporating dyed grass or maidenhair fern.

Although slightly damaged, they are examples of fine weaving and false embroidery and for their connection to a figure in Sitka.

They were donated to the Sheldon Jackson Museum by Dr. Jackson L. Webster in 2011. Webster, a professor at Virginia Tech University, collected the baskets while he was serving as pastor at the Presbyterian Church in Sitka and the Sheldon Jackson School from 1928 to 1940. He also served the Presbyterian Church at Wrangell 1945-1947. His children and their spouses were all volunteers at Sheldon Jackson College in the 1980s.

The larger of the two baskets is decorated with three bands of design in dyed root and “false embroidery” of dyed grass or maidenhair fern stem. Grass and dyed root is woven in the uppermost five rows of twining below the braid rim. The design elements used are tentatively identified as half units of the “feather wings of the arrow” (top and bottom bands) and “shaman’s hat” (middle band). The decoration just below the rim consists of three dyed rows (two green, one red in between), overlaid with spots of grass and interspersed with six half “feather wing of the arrow” units used as individual units. A cardboard disk is sewn on the inside of the basket to the bottom with thread in coarse stitches. 

The basket is in relatively good condition, but the rim is slightly misshapen and warped and has a small mark of dark discoloration, possibly ink, in between two of the shapes forming a shaman’s hat design, the museum said.

The smaller of the two baskets has a detached bottom and is also made of twined spruce root. It is decorated with three bands of design in “false embroidery” of dyed grass or maidenhair fern stem. The top and bottom rows are designed with a row of triangles. The central band includes a cross pattern, diamonds, and an unidentified design. The basket is in good condition, although the bottom is detached from the sides at the turn and there is cracking along the warp and weft.

The Tlingit had six styles of weave, not including the fish trap, checkerboard plaiting or mat making, the embroidery in grasses and plant stems, and several plaited border edges. The styles were all twined weaving, in which a regular series of warp strands are enclosed by a cross-twining of the weft.

The Sheldon Jackson Museum is home to nearly 300 spruce root items including baskets, mats, cups, cigarette cases, wallets and spoon bags.

The display of baskets will be on exhibit until March 31. Winter general admission is $5, $4 for seniors, and free for those 18 and under or members of either the Friends of the Sheldon Jackson Museum or Friends of the Alaska State Museum.

Interim Pastor at

Sitka Lutheran

Rev. Wayne Bacus, retired pastor from Clinton, Washington, will be serving Sitka Lutheran Church as interim pastor from mid-March through May.

Upon graduating from Lutheran Seminary, the Portland, Oregon, native accepted his first call as pastor at Long Island, N.Y., and then moved on to serve a church in the Finger Lakes area of New York state. After a move to serve a Long Beach, California, congregation, and wanting to return to their home turf, Wayne and his wife Jackie ended up in Seattle in 1993 where Wayne served as pastor of Queen Anne Lutheran Church for 21 years before retiring in 2014. 

Jackie served as a hospital social worker – primarily at Swedish Hospital in Seattle. She loves to sing and has experience in choir and community theater. Wayne has been a leader in fund-raising for Lutheran organizations across the country.

Both enjoy being grandparents. They like hiking, fishing and flower gardening. Having served as volunteers at Sitka Lutheran Church in 2017, they are both well-acquainted with Sitka and are eager to return a second time, the church said. 

Pastor Sandra Rudd will be on a two-month sabbatical leave from mid-March thru mid-May. She will be doing research, recharging her batteries, traveling to Italy and visiting family before she returns to Sitka in May, the church said. 

Bacus will be preaching at Sitka Lutheran Church Sundays, providing leadership for the congregation in the absence of Rudd, and will be at the church on a regularly scheduled basis. All members of the community are invited to worship at Sitka Lutheran Church.

Regular Sunday morning worship services are held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays at 6 p.m. a weekly soup supper is held in the church with a short prayer service following. Sunday afternoon Youth Group and monthly Wednesday evening Messy Church round out a few of the church activities. All are welcome. 

For more information call the church office at 747-3338, visit the church’s web site at http://www.sitkalutheranchurch.org/ or e-mail the office at sitkalutheranchurch@gmail.com. This is a new email address.

Card of Thanks

I just wanted to say “thank you” to each and every one of you who made what Bob and the family went through bearable. I hesitate to mention any by name for fear I leave someone out (but you know who you are).

The service for Bob was awesome (and can be watched on Facebook via Flo Benton if you like.) The representation of churches and community was so heart-warming. The flowers were wonderful, and the reception food donated and otherwise, was delicious! I can’t tell you how the outpouring of love, cards, etc., and well wishes have so touched me and my families’ heart. We’re doing well! You all are wonderful! Thank you, again.

Flo Benton and family

Memorial Listed

For Ginny Wood

Virginia (Ginny) Wood passed peacefully from this life on Feb. 27, at her home. She was 79.

A memorial service will be 1 p.m. Sunday, March 25, at St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sitka Animal Shelter.

Youth Advocates

At Bazaar Sat.

Youth Advocates of Sitka Inc. invites the community to stop by their booth at the Rainy Day Bazaar 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 24, at Centennial Hall to learn more about their programs and services.

Featured programs will include the Youth Employment Program, the Therapeutic Foster Care Program, the Hanson House and others. Anyone having questions about YAS programs and services can call 747-3687.

Kaagwaantaan

Dancers Meet

Sitka Kaagwaantaan dancers will have a song practice at noon on Sunday, March 25, followed by a planning meeting at 1 p.m. at Blatchley Middle School in Room 114. 

Homeless Coalition

Seeking Members

Sitka Homeless Coalition is seeking community members to serve on its forming board of directors.

No previous experience is needed. Board members must be committed to the cause of homelessness. Call 747-7978 for information.