Yaakwdáat Káx Adéli • Guardian of Yakutat
“I don't even see why we went down the road of logging if the trees are breathing for us, we're breathing for them, if they're connected from the ocean, to the river, all the way up to the mountains and creating this cycle of life pulling moisture up into the air and sending it around, you know, we got into the wrong path.” - JP Buller, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe President.
What’s going on?
“In 2018, Yak-tat Kwaan transferred multiple dozens of land timber rights to Yak Timber. Then, without shareholders' knowledge, Yak Timber, through Yak-tat Kwaan, mortgaged hundreds of acres that included village sites, burial areas, traditional hunting and fishing lands, traditional medicine gathering areas, food gathering areas, sacred places and known historical sites to begin logging operations. Soon after, many miles of coastline were used as collateral to purchase new logging equipment. Yak Timber leadership asserted that clear-cut logging had to continue or they will default on the loans” (Defend Yakutat, 2022).
In 2022: “Yakutat Tlingit Tribe approved Resolution 2021-10: Authorizing Yakutat Tlingit Tribe to Act in Protection of our Tribe's Historic Sites and Sacred Places for Our People and Our Grandchildren. The State of Alaska Office of History and Archaeology has notified the President of Yak Timber that the state considers lands near Humpy Creek to contain resources of historical and traditional importance to the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe” (Defend Yakutat, 2022).
Hundreds of culturally significant sites for the Yakutat Tlingit are now in the path of logging. “Current logging practices destroy the land and disturb/destroy bear dens, eagle nests, traditional medicine sites, food sources, game trails, and more. Yak-Timber nor Yak-Tat Kwaan provide solutions, but rather insist they will continue to log” (Defend Yakutat, 2022). In 2022, Khantaak Island was on the verge of being logged. Yak-Timber faced considerable pushback from the community for this project as the island holds great cultural significance and protection to the village from the elements as a barrier island.
In October 2022, Yak Timber announced a withdrawal from the Khaantaak Island logging proposed project and an intention to dissolve Yak Timber - however, logging has continued in the Yakutat area into Winter 2022. In early December 2022, Defend Yakutat broke the news that a potential Kwaash’ki kwaan/Gineix Kwáan village site had been found at Humpback Creek, where logging has occurred. Within this update, an informant shared a testimony that described an area that is evident to have had anthropologically identified human activity destroyed. On December 15th, 2022, Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI), Sealaska Corporation, and the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe released a press release calling on Yakutat Kwaan to stop logging this area that is a known and important cultural and historic site until an assessment can be conducted and mitigation plans put in place.
Our team will continue to work on this issue in 2023. You can find additional Resources to read more on the issue and sign the petition below.