Tlingit facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tlingit

Chief Anotklosh of the Taku Tribe, wearing a Chilkat blanket, Juneau, Alaska, c. 1913
Regions with significant populations
United States (Alaska)	14,000
Canada (British Columbia, Yukon)	2,110
Languages
English, Tlingit, Russian (historically)
Religion
Christianity, esp. Russian Orthodox, traditional Alaska Native religion

The Tlingit ( tling-KIT-,_-KLING-kit) are Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. Their language is called Tlingit (natively Lingít). In their language, the name means 'People of the Tides'. Sometimes, older books might call them Koloshi or Koulischen.

Today, Tlingit people are part of two main groups in Alaska. These are the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska and the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe.

The Tlingit have a special family system called matrilineal kinship system. This means children belong to their mother's family group, called a clan. Important roles and property also pass down through the mother's side of the family. Their way of life grew in the cool, wet forests of the southeast Alaskan coast. The Tlingit were skilled hunter-gatherers. They managed their fishing areas carefully. In the past, some people were held as slaves, but this practice was later made illegal in the United States. A group called the Inland Tlingit lives in parts of British Columbia and the southern Yukon in Canada.

Tlingit Lands and Homes

Tlingit and neighboring peoples

The Tlingit people historically lived in a large area. This land stretched from the border of Alaska and British Columbia, north towards the Copper River delta in Alaska. They lived on most of the Alexander Archipelago, except for the very southern tip of Prince of Wales Island. This is where the Kaigani Haida moved before Europeans arrived.

Hoonah, Alaska, a traditional Tlingit village near Glacier Bay, home of the Xúnaa Kháawu

Coastal Tlingit groups controlled important mountain passes into the Yukon. There were three main coastal tribes:

• The Chilkat Tlingit (Jilḵáat Ḵwáan) lived along the Chilkat River.
• The Chilkoot Tlingit (Jilḵoot Ḵwáan) lived nearby.
• The Taku Tlingit (Tʼaaḵu Ḵwáan:) lived along the Taku River.

Inland, the Tlingit lived along big rivers that flow from the mountains to the Pacific Ocean. These rivers include the Alsek, Tatshenshini, Chilkat, Taku, and Stikine. They traveled these rivers often. This helped them trade a lot with Athabascan tribes who lived further inland. They also often married people from these tribes. Because of this travel and trade, some Tlingit groups settled around Atlin, Teslin, and Tagish Lakes.

It can be tricky to define the Tlingit's modern land. They live in both the United States and Canada. They don't have specific reservations like many tribes in the lower 48 states. This is because of a law called the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). This law created companies, like Sealaska Corporation, that own land for Native groups in Alaska. Sealaska serves the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people.

Today, Tlingit people live in regular homes and own land like other Americans. Many also have land given to them by Sealaska. Despite legal details, the Tlingit still see the land from Yakutat south through the Alaskan Panhandle as their homeland. They call it Lingít Aaní, which means the Land of the Tlingit.

The Tlingit territory can be divided into four main areas:

• Southern Tlingit: Live south of Frederick Sound.
• Northern Tlingit: Live north of Frederick Sound, including Glacier Bay. This area has rich forests.
• Inland Tlingit: Live near large lakes and the Taku River in the southern Yukon. They live similarly to their Athabascan neighbors.
• Gulf Coast Tlingit: Live along a narrow coast north of Cape Spencer. This area can have strong Pacific storms.

These divisions are based on the environment, language differences, and how each group interacted with their neighbors. The Tlingit people themselves also recognize these groups.

Tlingit Tribes or ḵwáans

Tlingit Culture and Traditions

A Tlingit totem pole in Ketchikan c. 1901

Two Tlingit girls, near Copper River (Alaska), 1903. Photograph taken by the Miles Brothers

Tlingit culture is rich and complex. It is typical of the people who lived along the Northwest Pacific Coast. They had easy access to many natural resources. Tlingit culture places a strong focus on family and community. They also have a rich tradition of storytelling and public speaking.

Being wealthy and having economic power were important signs of status. But being generous and behaving properly were also very important. These showed "good breeding" and connections to important families. Art and spirituality are part of almost everything in Tlingit culture. Even everyday items like spoons and storage boxes are decorated. They are also believed to hold spiritual power and historical meaning.

Tlingit society is split into two main groups, called moieties: the Raven and the Eagle. These groups are then divided into many clans. Clans are further divided into smaller family groups or house groups. As mentioned, their family system is matrilineal. This means family lines and inheritances pass through the mother's side. These groups have special symbols, called heraldic crests. These crests are shown on totem poles, canoes, feast dishes, house posts, and other art. The Tlingit also pass down special blankets called at.oow. These blankets represent trust. Only a Tlingit person can inherit one. They can also pass it to someone they trust, who then cares for it but doesn't truly own it.

Tlingit Beliefs and Religion

Kóok gaaw, box drum, late 19th century. This drum shows a sea wolf (orca).

Tlingit beliefs and ideas were a well-organized system. It shaped how they saw and interacted with the world. Traditionally, Tlingits believed that spirits lived in everything, a belief called animism. Hunters would perform special rituals to purify themselves before hunting animals. Shamans, who were mostly men, helped cure illnesses. They also influenced weather, helped with hunting, predicted the future, and protected people from bad magic. A key part of Tlingit belief was that both humans and animals could be reborn.

Between 1886 and 1895, many Tlingit people became Orthodox Christians. This happened because their shamans could not treat new diseases like smallpox that came from Europe. Russian Orthodox missionaries translated their church services into the Tlingit language. Some believe that Tlingit people chose Orthodox Christianity to resist being forced into the "American way of life," which was linked to another Christian group called Presbyterians. After Christianity arrived, some of the older Tlingit beliefs started to change.

Today, some young Tlingit people are looking back to their traditional tribal religions and ways of seeing the world. They find inspiration, comfort, and a sense of who they are. While many elders became Christians, Tlingit people today often find ways to combine Christianity with their traditional culture.

Tlingit Language

Tlingit woven basket tray, made in the late 1800s. It is made from spruce root and grass.

The Tlingit people speak the Tlingit language (Lingít). This language is part of the Na-Dené language family. Lingít has a complex grammar and unique sounds. Some of its sounds are not found in almost any other language.

There are only about 200 to 400 native speakers of Tlingit in the United States. In Canada, there are about 100 speakers. Most speakers also speak English very well. Tribes, schools, and language experts are working hard to save and bring back the Tlingit language and culture. Groups like the Sealaska Heritage Institute and the University of Alaska Southeast have Tlingit language programs. Community classes are also held in places like Klukwan and Angoon.

Tlingit Homes

Historically, Tlingit tribes built large homes from cedar planks. Today, these are called clanhouses. These houses had a special foundation that allowed people to store their belongings under the floors. It is said that these plank houses were built without glue, nails, or other fasteners. Clan houses were usually square or rectangular. They had designs and totem poles on the front. These showed which clan and family group built them.

Tlingit Economy and Work

Many Tlingit men work in the fishing industry. Women often work in fish canneries or make local handicrafts. These handicrafts include things like wood carvings and woven baskets. They are sold for everyday use or to tourists.

Tlingit History

Different groups of Native people have lived in Alaska for thousands of years. The Tlingit culture began about 10,000 years ago near the mouths of the Skeena and Nass Rivers. The Tlingit first met Europeans in 1741 when Russian explorers arrived. Spanish explorers came later in 1775.

The Tlingit managed to stay independent. However, they suffered greatly from diseases like smallpox. These diseases were brought by the Europeans. The 1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic was especially devastating. It killed about 60% of the Tlingit living on the mainland. It also killed 37% of the Tlingit living on the islands.

Tlingit Food and Diet

Tommy Joseph, a Tlingit woodcarver and sculptor from Sitka, Alaska.

Food is a very important part of Tlingit culture. The land provides a lot of food. Many kinds of sea life found on the beaches of Southeast Alaska can be gathered for food. While eating only "beach food" could provide a healthy diet, Tlingit people saw it as a sign of poverty. Shamans and their families were not allowed to eat beach food. Men might avoid it before battles, believing it would make them weaker.

The most important food resource is salmon. However, seal and other game animals are also very important.

• Spring: Halibut, shellfish, and seaweed were traditional foods.
• Late Spring and Summer: This was the time for seal and salmon. Wild berries like salmonberry, soap berry, and currants were also gathered.
• Fall: Sea otters were hunted.
• Year-round: Herring and eulachon (a type of fish) were important. They could be eaten fresh or dried and stored. Fish provided meat, oil, and eggs. Sea mammals like sea lions and sea otters were used for food and clothing. In the forests, Tlingit hunted deer, bear, mountain goats, and other small animals.

Notable Tlingit People

• Todd Gloria (born 1978), a politician.
• Nora Marks Dauenhauer (1927–2017), a poet, author, and scholar.
• Ernestine Hayes (born 1945), a poet, writer, and professor.
• Ursala Hudson, a Chilkat and Ravenstail weaver.
• Nathan Jackson (artist) (born 1938), a woodcarver.
• Esther Littlefield (1906–1997), an artist and cultural interpreter.
• Byron Mallott (1943–2020), who served as Lieutenant Governor of Alaska.
• Da-ka-xeen Mehner, a photographer and artist.
• Larry McNeil (born 1955), a photographer.
• Tillie Paul (1863–1952), a civil rights advocate and educator.
• William Paul (1885–1977), an attorney.
• Elizabeth Peratrovich (1911–1958), a civil rights advocate.
• Clarissa Rizal (1956–2016), a Chilkat and Ravenstail weaver.
• Dino Rossi (born 1959), a politician.
• Martin Sensmeier (born 1985), an actor.
• Louis Shotridge (1883–1937), a Tlingit anthropologist and museum curator.
• Preston Singletary (born 1963), a glass artist.
• Walter Soboleff (1908–2011), a scholar, elder, and religious leader.
• Jennie Thlunaut (c. 1891–1986), a Chilkat weaver.
• X'unéi (unknown), a powerful Yakutat chief.
• Yeilxaak (unknown–1791), the first chief of Klukwan met by Europeans.
• Vera Starbard, a playwright and author.
• X̱ʼunei Lance Twitchell, a scholar and author.

See also

In Spanish: Tlingit para niños