One of the most satisfying parts of visiting Alaska is coming into contact with Tlingit culture. Let’s start with a quick briefing on the history and prevalence of these indigenous people who have called Southeast Alaska home for more than 10,000 years.
While considered one of the most prominent native Alaskan tribes, the Tlingit culture spans the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. While they are considered Native Americans in American culture, Canadians consider them part of the First Nations in Canada.
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What Are Some Facts About The Tlingit Tribe?
The Tlingit people are builders and artisans! They are known for their ornate totem poles, canoes, and weaving work. As of 2020, there are just under 23,000 Tlingit tribe members in the United States (Alaska) and just over 2,000 in the Canadian Yukon. The Tlingit people who live near Icy Strait are called the Northern Tlingit, while those who live just south of Frederick Sound are known as the Southern Tlingit.
How Do You Say “I Love You” In Tlingit?
The Tlingit language phrase for “I love you” is Ixsixán (roughly pronounced eekh-see-khahn). It’s a beautiful way to express affection in a language that carries centuries of tradition and culture. Learning phrases like this is a wonderful way to connect with the Tlingit people and show appreciation for their rich heritage.
What Did The Tlingit Tribe Wear?
Garments play a significant role in Tlingit culture. Members of different Tlingit clans inherit the right to wear specific family crests symbolizing animals, plants, landmarks, celestial bodies, or other symbols of significance.
Clothing choices are also regional and seasonal. For instance, loincloths and skirts made of bark were commonly worn by tribe members in warmer coastal areas. Inland tribe members often wore deerskin garments. During rainy seasons, coats made from water-resistant bark and roots were worn. Tlingit members even fashioned snowshoes.
What Do The Tlingit Call Themselves?
A reference to their coastal existence, Tlingit translates to “people of the tides.” This name beautifully reflects their deep connection to the ocean and the rhythms of nature that have shaped their way of life for thousands of years.
Embracing their identity as “people of the tides,” the Tlingit continue to honor their traditions while sharing their rich culture with visitors from around the world.
How Did The Tlingit Tribe Survive?
The Tlingit tribe sustained itself by being hunters and gatherers. While challenging at times, the robust terrain of the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Alaska provided ample access to life-sustaining cod, salmon, halibut, some mammals, and wild berries.
The Tlingit people also traded with other native Alaskan tribes, exchanging valuable resources like furs, cedar bark, and seafood to strengthen alliances and support their communities. Additionally, the Tlingit tribe’s deep respect for nature and sustainable harvesting practices ensured that their environment thrived for generations to come.
Where Can I Meet The Tlingit People?
Tlingit people live all along the southeastern Alaska panhandle and nearby islands, stretching from Yakutat in the north down to Ketchikan in the south, and extending across the border into British Columbia, Canada.
If you are traveling to Alaska on a cruise, the best way to immerse yourself in Tlingit culture is by joining a shore excursion led by knowledgeable local guides. At Icy Strait Shore Excursions, we consider it our privilege to be able to bring explorers to the edge of civilization on the glacier-kissed waters around Hoonah. Whether we’re marveling at humpback whales or trailing the best halibut and salmon on the planet, the spirit of the Tlingit is felt at every turn.
Read on to learn Tlingit tribe facts that will definitely leave you wanting to walk in the footsteps of these intrepid Native Americans during your upcoming trip to Alaska!
1) The Mother’s Lineage Determines A Child’s Upbringing
One of the most interesting facts about the Tlingit tribe is that their society is closely built on the identity of the mother. The Tlingit followed something called a matrilineal kinship system. Here’s how that looks different from other societal structures:
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In Tlingit villages, children are born into the mother’s clan. This means that everything from a child’s name to the crest they are permitted to wear comes from the maternal side.
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All property and possessions are acquired through the mother’s line.
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Hereditary roles that determine a person’s role or standing in society are also passed through the mother’s line.
Interesting Fact: With matriarchal identity playing such a big role in Tlingit society, it was actually quite common for a child’s maternal uncle to play a stronger role in their upbringing than their own biological father.
2) The Tlingit Are Renowned For Their Craftsmanship
Throughout Tlingit history, the Tlingit community utilized the natural landscape to harvest materials that can be used for both necessities and Tlingit art. This includes:
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Baskets – Tlingit people are known for their intricate woven baskets. Basket weaving was important during hunter/gatherer days because they were used to collect berries, roots, shells, and more. It was common for baskets to have bold colors, geometrical patterns, or representations of butterflies, raven tails, whale teeth, fronds, or flying geese.
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Totem Poles – Tlingit totem poles pepper Southeast Alaska as signs left behind for future generations. Carved from cedar, these ornate monuments have cultural and historical significance. In fact, many display the stories of Tlingit legends or historical events. Other poles use wood carvings to display a clan’s lineage and genealogy or honor deceased leaders.
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Canoes – A Tlingit canoe is a large vessel created using a single spruce or cedar log. Often as long as 70 feet, these vessels allowed Tlingit tribe members to sail cold, choppy waters to fish or travel for hunting and trading. Known as yaakws, these canoes also aided in warfare.
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Houses – The Tlingit built plank houses using cedar wood. These square or rectangular homes were often large enough for multiple families to live in together.
This Might Surprise You: Not all totem poles were honorary. “Shame” poles were sometimes erected when a tribe member had done something shameful or failed to uphold an obligation.
3) The Raven And Eagle Hold Significance In Tlingit Cultural Traditions
Southern Alaska visitors may notice a heavy representation of ravens and eagles when observing Tlingit art in native villages. This is no mistake! In Tlingit culture, the raven and eagle are powerful figures that represent the natural elements and spiritual realm.
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The Raven – The raven is a key figure in Tlingit life and cosmology. As the creator of the world, the raven is responsible for daylight. Tlingit people associate the raven with wisdom, curiosity, and the joining of earth and spirit.
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The Eagle – The eagle represents courage, strength, and a powerful connection to the sky and the spirit world. It is also associated with peace and friendship.
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Together -The raven and eagle together form what’s called a “moiety” system — essentially dividing all of Tlingit society into two groups, with every clan belonging to one side or the other.
Interesting Fact: The complementary nature of the raven-eagle relationship is so valuable to Tlingit people that members are only permitted to marry a person from the opposite moiety — a Raven must marry an Eagle, and vice versa.
4) Tlingit Cuisine Is Heavily Influenced By The Sea
The Tlingit have long considered the tide to be their “dinner table.” Traditional foods in the Tlingit diet include:
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Flounder, halibut, cod, salmon, and shark caught with clubs, spears, or specialized hooks.
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Seaweed that washes up abundantly on the shore.
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Natural pest-resistant Tlingit potatoes that are thought to have been introduced by Russian traders in the 1700s.
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Clams, oysters, mussels, and crabs that are typically boiled or roasted over open flames.
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Fresh berries picked while in season. The Arctic raspberry (nagoonberry) is a favorite.
Tlingit Cuisine Fact: The Tlingit eat nearly every part of animals they harvest in order to extract optimal nutrition. For example, bones used as soup stock provide calcium, marrow provides vitamin D, and animal stomachs and intestines provide vitamin E and vitamin B.
5) The Tlingit Once Called Glacier Bay National Park Home
The spot we know today as Glacier Bay National Park is actually the ancestral home of the Tlingit people. Here’s what you need to know about the historical significance of the relationship between the Tlingit and this land:
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The Little Ice Age (LIA) of the 1700s actually forced out the Tlingit. However, this resilient society eventually reestablished fish camps and villages around Glacier Bay when glaciers retreated.
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While most Tlingit members today live across Icy Strait in Hoonah, Glacier Bay is still their spiritual and ancestral homeland.
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In 1925, Glacier Bay was formally designated a National Monument. This had harsh implications for the Tlingit because it limited tribal activity within its boundaries. However, negotiations between the National Park Service and the Tlingit have helped to ease tensions in the decades that followed. Tribe members are now allowed to participate in activities on the land that honor their heritage and traditions.
Must-See Attraction: In 2017, two red cedar totems depicting a raven and eagle were erected at Bartlett Cove in Glacier Bay directly in front of the Xunaa Shuká Hít tribal house.
6) Tongass National Forest Is Also An Important Homeland For Alaskan Natives
Tongass forest in Juneau, Alaska isn’t just one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It also holds significance for the Tlingit people and a variety of other Alaskan tribes. Here are some fun facts about the Tlingit tribe and this land that might inspire you to add it to your itinerary:
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Tongass National Forest is named after the Tlingit Tongass Clan. In the Tlingit language, Tongass translates to “Sea Lion Tribe”.
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At 17 million acres, this is America’s largest national forest.
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It’s no surprise that the Tongass Clan was able to sustain itself here for so long. The forest’s intricate waterways produce more wild salmon than any other place on the globe.
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In addition to being a homeland of the Tlingit, Tongass forest is also an ancestral home to Haida and Tsimshian tribes.
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The forest holds more than 11,000 miles of coastline.
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It also stands out as a jewel of the Earth for being the world’s largest intact coastal temperate rainforest ecosystem.
Beyond Tlingit: Something that might surprise visitors is the prevalence of Russian culture around the forest. These deep historic and cultural ties come from the fact that a portion of Alaska was under Russian control until 1867. It was an important route for Russian traders back in the day.
7) Tlingit Members Were Code Talkers During World War II
Tlingit Code Talkers used their complex understanding of unwritten language to transmit top-secret and uncrackable messages for the U.S. military during World War II. Here’s some interesting history:
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While most people are familiar with the Navajo Code Talkers, Tlingit heroes have slipped under the radar in history books.
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Tlingit Code Talkers who participated in the war efforts were part of the Killer Whale Clan.
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Tlingit Code Talkers played an important role in securing Allied victories in the Pacific Theatre of World War II in areas like the Philippines and the Aleutian Islands.
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Sadly, all of the Tlingit Code Talkers have since passed away, but their bravery and contribution to the Allied effort deserve to be remembered and celebrated.
Pro Tip: The Sealaska Heritage Institute in Juneau is a great place to visit to learn more about the Tlingit Code Talkers.
Discover Tlingit Culture On A Shore Excursion In Hoonah, Alaska
Are you ready to go deeper into Tlingit tribe facts by actually walking the riverways and trails of this native homeland? At Icy Strait Shore Excursions, we bring you for unforgettable wilderness tours, bear watching, whale-watching tours, kayaking adventures, and fishing excursions.
See Icy Strait Point through the eyes of locals! Book your once-in-a-lifetime adventure with us today!
