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Kayaani Conference,
May 2001
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The Kayaani Commission hosted
the Haa Kayaani Conference that took place in Sitka on May 3-5, 2001.
This was a conference about traditional plant use, and included members
from communities all over Southeast, as well as up north. The Kayaani
Commission received a grant from the National
Park Service for this conference, as well as other work to conduct
research and support the transcription from Tlingit to English of a
limited number of tapes recorded by the Sitka Native Education Program
(SNEP). The Kayaani Commission was awarded this funding in part because
of its efforts working on comments for the Forest
Service Special Forest Products Policy.
The conference began with a field trip to harvest plants from Shee
Atika lands in Katlian Bay. The harvesting was conducted in coordination
with Shee Atika and Bob Loiselle assisted the Commission and its in- and out-of-town
guests to harvest plants to be used during the conference. Transportation was
provided by the USFS and Tom Gamble. Jack Lorrigan hosted a harvesting field
trip at Starrgaven for those who did not wish to travel by open skiff on that
blustery day.
The following morning began with a Ways of Healing Workshop at the Alaska Native
Brotherhood Hall led by commissioners Meme Donthnier and Lori Peterson and including
a special presentation by guest Rita Bloomenstein, a Traditional Doctor who practices
at the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage. Meeting participants made devils
club tincture and methods of healing the body utilizing plants and practiced
touch were demonstrated while participants sipped Hudson Bay tea and sampled
healing teas provided by Rita.
In the afternoon the workshop attendees had the special treat of watching
the Keet Gooshi Heen dancers perform at Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi (coordinated
by SNEP). Following this fine performance of young dancers Nels Lawson, Sr.
(USFS), Phyllis Woolwine (USFS), Shirley Yocum (Shee Atika), Sue Thorsen
(Sitka National
Historical Park) and Judy Ramos (Yakutat Tlingit Tribe) gathered to present
the Working Together to Protect our Traditional Resources panel discussion.
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Irene Jimmy, Mary Anne Porter, and Rita Bloomenstein
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The final day of the conference began with a panel, moderated
by Shirley Yocum, entitled Using Our Traditional Plants. Speakers on
this panel were Rita Bloomenstein, Jessie Johnnie (Kayaani Commission),
Norm
Kohler (STA Traditional Foods Program), Reggie Peterson (artist, Southeast
Indian Cultural Center), Nels Lawson, Jr. (artist) and Della Cheney (artist,
Sheldon
Jackson College). Following this well-received panel Robert Sam (Kayaani
Commissioner) and David Voluck (Attorney) spoke to the differences between
traditional resource stewardship and western intellectual property protections.
Lunch was followed by the Regional Perspectives Panel. Panel moderator Irene
Jimmy began by inviting local plant user Scott Brylinsky from the audience
to speak about his experiences living in the field and subsisting on the foods
around
him. Following Mr. Brylinsky, Ruth Demmert (Kake), Nellie Lord (Yakutat), Ethel
Makinen (Sitka), Ann Johnson (Sitka), Florence Sheakley (Douglas) and Maryann
Porter (Yakutat/Kotzebue) captivated their audience with personal stories and
information
about work being conducted to protect traditional plant-use knowledge through
youth education and the documentation of elder knowledge.
After this panel the workshop participants laid out long-term goals and interests
relating to several topics: Preserving and Protecting our Knowledge; Plants
and Health; “Special Forest Products” in the Tongass; Traditional Stewardship
vs. Western Legal Concepts of Ownership; and, Where Do We Go From Here. The Kayaani
Commission expects the conference report and video to be available sometime in
July. The conference report will include a list thanking all the folks generous
with their time, food and support of the Kayaani Commission Conference. Gunalchéesh!
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