By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka Historical Society and Museum plans for two new acquisitions to help tell a part of Sitka’s history that’s often overlooked.
The society announced a grant award from Museums Alaska for $6,250 to acquire an Aleut/Alutiiq open crown hunting visor and throwing dart set, created by Peter Lind Sr.
Lind is originally from Chignik and currently lives in Wasilla.
Hal Spackman, Sitka Historical Society executive director, said he is hoping the new items will help tell an important part of Sitka’s history.
“Aleut/ Alutiiq presence in Sitka is such an important story, so we want to make sure the museum has representative articles for that culture,” he said. “That’s why we were so pleased to get the funds for those pieces.”
Museums Alaska announced a number of grants totaling $140,835, given to 13 cultural organizations across Alaska. Museums Alaska works in partnership with the Rasmuson Foundation to manage two grant programs – the Art Acquisition Fund and the Collections Management Fund.
The Alutiiq people (Sugpiak from Kodiak Island, and Unungam from the Aleutians) came to Sitka as forced laborers to hunt for sea otters for the Russian American Company, starting in the 1790s. Their hunting base was at Gajaa Heen (Starrigavan), which was destroyed in a Tlingit attack in 1802. In later years, the Alutiiq became a major part of the general workforce for the company.
Spackman said both pieces can tell a lot about the history of the people, and he was pleased to find the pieces created by Lind, who is well-respected Alutiiq elder and artist in his field.
Visors served a few purposes. Besides being unique and personalized for each hunter, they kept sun, glare and sea spray off the hunter’s face, hiding the human identity of the hunter from prey and improving hearing, the Alutiiq Museum states on its link about artist Lind.
The hunting darts were similarly customized and personalized for each hunter, Spackman said.
“No two are alike,” Spackman said of the visor and dart.
Once the items arrive at the museum and are displayed in the case designated for contemporary Native Alaska art, the historical society will let the public know, Spackman said.
