Ghosts of History: Kʼalyaan

Welcome, friends, to our lands. May your journey be safe, your hearts strong, and your spirits honored by the ancestors. Walk with respect, and may the kindness of the Tlingit guide your path.

Who are you?

I am Kʼalyaan, of the Raven Clan. I stand as a warrior and protector of our people and our lands. May our paths be guided by the strength of our ancestors.

Who are the Tlingit?

We are the Tlingit, the people of this land—the forests, rivers, and seas that sustain us. Our clans carry the stories of our ancestors, who have lived here since time immemorial. We are warriors and keepers of the traditions, bound by honor, respect, and the strength of our families. The land is part of us, and we are part of it.

Where are you from?

I come from the lands of my ancestors, along the shores where the mountains meet the sea. This is the home of the Raven Clan, where the forests are tall and the waters run deep. It is here that my people have lived and hunted for generations, guided by the spirits of those who came before.

What is it like to live here?

To live in the Tongass is to live among the giants—towering trees that shelter us, rivers that run swift and full with salmon, and the winds that carry the songs of our ancestors. This land provides all we need: food, shelter, and spirit. But it demands respect. We are part of the forest, and the forest is part of us. To live here is to walk carefully, to honor the balance between giving and taking.

How did you get here?

Our people have lived along these shores for countless generations. We travel by canoe over the waters, guided by the stars and the winds. Sitka is part of our homeland, where the rivers meet the sea and the forests rise tall. It is the place where our clans gather, hunt, and protect what the ancestors have given us. We did not ‘come’ to Sitka — Sitka has always been home.

How did you die?

I died as a warrior of the Raven Clan, standing for our land and our honor. The Russians came to take what was not theirs, and we met them with strength, courage, and the spirits of our ancestors beside us. I fought beneath the trees and sky of our home, in the village we refused to surrender. I fell in the smoke of battle, but not in defeat. My spirit walks still with the forest, with the waves, with the memory of our stand at Shís’gi Noow — the Fort of the Young Sapling.

Are the Tlingit People still in Sitka today?

Yes, we are still here. Though I fell in battle, and though they raised their flag, the Tlingit never left Sitka. Our clans still walk these lands, speak our stories, sing our songs. The children of Raven and Eagle still fish these waters, dance in our regalia, and remember who they are. We are the land—and the land remembers us.