Indigenous Peoples
Day Celebrated;
Peltola to Speak
Alaska Congresswoman Mary Peltola will give the keynote address at the Indigenous Peoples Day celebration 5-8 p.m. Oct. 10 at UAS-Sitka Campus. Peltola will speak at 6 p.m.
Doors open at 5 p.m. and festivities kick off with an Indigenous artists market and light refreshments. Following Peltola’s presentation, breakout sessions will begin at 7 p.m. Minors attending the event must be supervised by a parent or guardian.
This year’s theme is “Our Journey Forward” translated by UAS Professor X’unei Lance Twitchell as Has Du Ítx̱ Yaa Ntoo.át Haa Shuká Aa Hás meaning ‘‘We Are Following Them, The Ones Who Went Ahead of Us (Our Ancestors).’’
Land Acknowledgement
Discussions Planned
In partnership with the Sitka Tribe of Alaska, the UAS-Sitka Campus hosted a series of discussion panels on land acknowledgements with local stakeholders.
The first panel, “Indigenous Perspectives from Sheet’ka,” will be screened at 2 p.m. on Oct. 8.
The second panel, “An Integration Into Your Place of Work,” will be screened at 2 p.m. on Oct. 9.
Both public screenings will take place in Room 229 at UAS and will include free popcorn.
Climate Connection:
Maritime Shipping of the Future
As an islanded community with little domestic production, Sitka is dependent on cargo shipping. We import most of our food, our fossil fuel, our construction materials, our machines, and our clothes. We even import tourists almost daily from May through September. We are fortunate in having clean hydropower for electricity, but it heats less than half of our homes. We are fortunate in having a fishing and processing industry, but it is also heavily dependent on imported fossil fuel. Our dependence on barges for our way of life makes us vulnerable in a world without fossil fuels.
About 90% of the global economy relies on shipping with fossil fuel. The international shipping industry emits about 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year. This accounts for about 3% of global emissions which warm the earth. Fossil fuels also emit particulate matter and oxides of sulfur and nitrogen that affect respiratory health, cardiovascular deaths, and cancer in port cities. Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Minneapolis have now passed “Ship It Zero” resolutions, calling on maritime importers to abandon fossil-fueled ships by 2030. Emissions-sparing practices include wind-assisted propulsion, lower speeds, and investment in clean fuels such as ammonia and green hydrogen. Many port communities in Europe and both U.S. coasts are transitioning to electric-fueled docking for cargo ships and cruise liners in order to decrease emissions affecting residents from generators used in port. Indeed, the two “climate” bills passed in the last year, the bipartisan infrastructure act and the inflation reduction act, include monies to upgrade U.S. ports to decrease shipping-related pollution.
Although Sitka may benefit in significant ways from the climate bills, Sitka doesn’t have unlimited hydropower from Green Lake and Blue Lake. In 2020, we used 115 gigawatt-hours of our 127 “firm” power available in a dry year. The addition of electric load from SEARHC and Coast Guard expansions may use up our dependable hydropower.
It is time for a community conversation about what our priorities are to use our clean electric power. Do we want to ensure that all our buildings are heated with electric power, as fuel oil becomes more expensive or even limited in availability? Do we want to extend the number of homes that can be heated with heat pumps by motivating those with resistive electric heat to convert to heat pumps that are three times more efficient? Do we want to support electric vehicles and public and tourist transportation with our hydropower as internal combustion engines are replaced? Do we want to support the evolving clean fuel needs of our fishing fleet? Do we want to save cruise ships money by allowing them to plug into our electric grid? Can we do all of these? Can we afford to expand our renewable power?
With our newly elected city government, sustainability coordinator, and Sustainability Commission, we have the tools for community planning pertinent to our future as the maritime industries are changing in a warming world.
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Kay Kreiss, Transition Sitka
SJ Museum
Artist O’Gara
To Give Talk
Sheldon Jackson Museum artist-in-residence Debra Dzijuksuk O’Gara (Tlingit, Yup’ik, Irish) will give an artist talk 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Sheldon Jackson Museum.
She will speak on a selection of artifacts from the museum collection. The talk will be held in-person at the museum and simultaneously on zoom. Call the museum at (907) 747-8981 to reserve a spot to attend in-person.
Zoom details: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84107978230?pwd=bGJsdXI4aWQ3VXFaWDlWSWJ0U2RMQT09; Meeting ID: 841 0797 8230; Passcode: 308552.
Beatles Grind
Slated Oct. 8
The Beatles Grind will be staged Saturday, Oct. 8. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m. Tickets only will be sold at the door.
It will feature Sitka High School jazz band, Martha and Ginny Pearson, Michele Martin, Regal Cheese with Laura Turcott and Thanny Bean, Sitka Studio of Dance, Jayme Schroeder, Slack tide and Zak Kirkpatrick.
Attendees can take a dessert for the contest. Bring your own mug. Admission cost is $5 for all ages. Call Melinda at 907-966-2557 with questions.
‘Baranov’ Topic
Of Presentation
The Sitka Maritime Heritage Society will present “Alexander Baranov, The Man, The Myth,” 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, at the Mean Queen downstairs.
The presentation starts with what is actually known about Alexander Baranov (1747-1819) in Indigenous America, and traces the myth through embellishment in the 1880s, wholesale invention in the 1920s, to how the myth persists to this day.
E-mail sitkamaritime@gmail.com for more information.
Community Alerted
Of Bears in Park
Bears may be using park trails anytime from dusk to dawn due to fish running in Indian River and daylight hours shortening, Sitka National Historical Park is reminding the community.
The park is for day-use. Only the trail from the visitor center across the bridge to Sawmill Creek Road is open to pedestrian through traffic after dark, the park said.
The park’s bear alert level is currently at yellow – visitors should use extreme caution when walking through the park, particularly from dusk to dawn, when the presence of bears is more likely.
This Week in Boys Run
By Sitkans Against Family Violence
Boys Run I toowú klatseen is an after-school program that promotes healthy relationships and lifestyle skills in boys through running and other fun activities. The program, now in its eighth season in Sitka, incorporates cultural activities that honor Southeast Alaska’s traditional Tribal values. Thirty 3rd-5th grade boys participate in twice-weekly practices at Keet Gooshi Heen elementary school.
Last week’s focus at Boys Run was on origin stories; this week, Boys Run participants specifically focused on traditional Tribal values and positive thinking. Boys were taught some of the values of the people indigenous to Southeast Alaska and to think about their personal strengths and positive qualities. Then they shared those positive thoughts with one another and incorporated their positive thoughts into running practice.
Each boy chose a particular positive quality of theirs and shouted it out during each lap.
The gym resounded with a chorus of self-care and positive thinking. Here’s what some participants came up with:
–“I am a great listener and friend!”
–“I’m good at running and I love Boys Run!”
–“I have a lot of fun in science class!”
–“I snuggle my cats in a unique and weird way!”
Throughout this season, Boys Run will provide the Sitka community with updates on the program. We also hope to give mentors and parents an opportunity to pass on skills from Boys Run to the children in their life. Consider using these conversation starters:
–What are some unique qualities you possess?
–Who makes you feel satisfied and content with yourself?
–How can you care for yourself when you are feeling down?
The annual Boys Run I toowú klatseen 5K will take place on Saturday, Dec. 10, and all are invited! Keep an eye out for more information as the date approaches. Boys Run is brought to you in Sitka by the Pathways Coalition. Call (907) 747-3493 or email kniedermeyer@safv.org for more information.
Memorial Service
For Daniel Hoffay
Potluck memorial services for Daniel “Danny” Hoffay have been set for 5 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi, Community House.
All are welcome to share their memories, stories and a dish with the Hoffay, Davis and Mayo families.
Youth Leadership
Members Sought
The Sitka Youth Leadership Committee, a group of teens who are passionate about promoting a healthy and respectful community, meet weekly on Wednesdays.
The group works on projects aimed at building bridges across different groups in our community, celebrating diversity, and promoting respect and nonviolence. New members are being sought. Visit www.sitkayouthleadership.com to apply.
To ensure SYLC is representative of the community, students from both high schools and the middle school are needed.
SYLC is currently launching its ‘‘Mold Your Masculinity’’ campaign, developing a mental health campaign, and offering health relationships education in the schools and community.
For more information contact Emma at 907-747-3489.
