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Esther
-- A Living Cultural Treasure There are few living cultural treasures in Alaska, but Esther Shea is one of them. Her contributions to preserve her Native culture and heritage have significantly made a difference to her people. Esther has passed on her knowledge of the Tlingit culture to children and adults of all ages and origins. Cheerfully and tirelessly she has helped to carry a culture into the future when Native culture has moved from seclusion to renaissance. Who is Esther Shea? Taa'lyei, Esther's Tlingit name which means, "the basket with the sun shining through it," was born on April 21, 1917, at a small fish cannery at Boca de Quadra in southern Southeast Alaska. An elder of the Teikwedi Taantakwaan(Brown bear, Tongass tribe) from Ketchikan, Esther was raised traditionally as a young girl. Alongside of her mother, she was taught the procedures of gathering food. "We respected one another, the environment, our food, woods, everything we had, we respected. Food was plentiful, nothing was wasted. We never took more than what we needed" (Shea). Living traditionally, from the land and from the sea, these were Esther's happiest days (Serrill). Until the age of nine, Esther went to school in Saxman, Alaska, where she was forbidden to speak her Native tongue. She was sent to Sheldon Jack-son Boarding school in Sitka, on a steamer called the North Western. Before leaving she remembers her father telling her, "You have to go. You have to learn so that you could help your people" (Shea). At the same time her mother reminded her, " Don't forget who you are, your culture or where you came from. No matter how many times you wash your hands, you will never, wash your Tlingit off " (Shea). Like most children she was punished for both speaking the Tlingit language, as well as practicing her tribal ways. When children were caught speaking the Tlingit language they were locked in a room called the meditation room. "Their was a bed with no blanket and nothing else. I'll never for-get it. I thought the end of the world had come" (Shea). The disciplinary actions of the missionaries compelled Esther to adapt her beliefs to the Presbyterian Religion. Returning to Saxman after her schooling, Esther married Milton Jackson, from Klukwan, Alaska, and proceeded to have fourteen children. The beginning of Esther's teaching path began in 1968, while she was working with young children at the Methodist Day Care in Ketchikan, Alaska. Inspired by the director of the Methodist Day Care center, Esther received her GED certificate. Ironically enough, in 1979 she returned to Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka to acquire her Associate of Arts degree to teach the Tlingit language, where as a child she was forbidden to speak it. Today, Esther is the only the certified Tlingit Language instructor in Alaska, teaching through the University of Alaska Southeast. In 1975, Esther went into the classrooms of Ketchikan, Alaska to teach the young people the Tlingit culture, through the Johnson O'Malley Program. This program is a federally funded program to teach the Native culture in Southeastern Alaska's public schools. Esther is considered a Master Artist in Native regalia making. Since 1980 she has been invited to demonstrate her skills at public events nation-ally and internationally. Esther established and lead three Native dance groups in Ketchikan. She has taught dance members traditional songs which she has personally composed as well as songs that have been passed down from her family. One very important contribution that Esther has continually made is an effort to preserve is the protocol of various Tlingit ceremonial procedures, such as Potlatch, Totem pole raising's, funerals, weddings, adoptions and name giving. Without her input many of these traditional ceremonies would have little or no meaning and the true cultural values would be lost forever. Esther, who is eighty, is an active delegate still representing numerous Native organizations, in Alaska. At various conventions, regional meetings and corporation gatherings such as the Alaska Native Sisterhood, Alaska Federation of Natives, Sealaska Corporation, The Landless Coalition, Tongass Tribe repatriation representative, Esther participates as a distinguished elder. Esther has been presented with many honors over the years for her contributions which she has made to preserve her culture. One very distinguished honor that was given to her in 1994 by the Regents of the University of Alaska Southeast, was the award of an honorary doctor of humane letters in teaching. One individual Esther has touched dramatically who highly respects her is Steve Brown. His Tlingit name, Kadjisdu.axch was given to him by his adopted clan, the Kiksadi's of Wrangell, Alaska, in 1987. He was recognized for his meticulous carving ability in replicating the original Chief Shakes house posts, designed by Kadisdu.axch a prestigious carver. As a young boy his first encounters with the Native culture started in Boy scouts. From there came his fascination with Native artifacts and the tools that were used to assemble them. It was then, that Steve discovered his calling. Steve who is not only an artist but also a Northwest Coast collections curator for the Seattle Art Museum, has known Esther for seven-teen years. "For me it's been a discovery of how much information she has. I didn't realize what a great fountain of information and interior value she actually possesses" (Brown). "Esther's most significant cultural contribution is the teaching of the Tlingit language and songs" (Brown). He admires her ability and dedication to express herself without much difficulty. In addition to her patience as a teacher and her strength, she keeps her rather large family in line." I commend Esther on her recognition for her contributions beyond her own community. If there were more elders like Esther, the world would be more aware of the Tlingit culture" (Brown). Israel Shotridge, Kinstaadaal, "the bear that is standing up," is Esther's eleventh child. Like Steve Brown, he is a Northwest Coast Native artist. Israel says his mother has been a huge inspiration when it comes to knowing about his Tlingit culture and his career. Israel is a tribal carver of the Tongass tribe in Ketchikan, Alaska. He goes on to say, "You have to have a cultural background in order for your culture to mean something. If your heritage does not come from your mother or family member, it has no traditional meaning" (Shotridge). Esther played an important role during the carving of Israel's first pole, the replication of the Chief Johnson pole. Carving the pole is just a portion of the big picture. Esther helped with the history of the pole, explaining which family it belongs to, the tribe and clan. After that comes extreme respect for the people it belongs to. As the tribal carver, it is Israel's obligation to take on apprentices, to teach his skills to the next generation. "The process is maternal, an unwritten language. That's how culture gets passed down from one generation to an-other. No matter how old you are, your mother an elders will constantly be molding you. That's their job" (Shotridge). To Israel, moral support from Esther and his family is an important aspect of his career. The support they give is an unselfish commitment, a joint effort, in which not one person gets all the lime light. Humility is one of the most important things Israel has learned from his mother. The conduct of one's self in public and at ceremonial events. Your behavior can dictate the attitude people have towards you. Efforts to make a good name for the tribe is true of all Native Alaskan groups. Israel learns this by listening and watching Esther speak and conduct herself publicly. "Humility is what keeps you anchored. Moreover, it keeps you from getting a big ego. You do not have the luxury of thinking of just yourself. You don't want to say something out of line, you don't ever want to shame your people" (Shotridge). Esther's son Israel, married Sue who is not Native. Traditionally Tlingit people follow the mother's line, it is a matrilineal society. Following the traditional Tlingit way was extremely crucial to Israel and Sue to enable their child to have her own Native identity. Therefore, Sue was adopted into a Tlingit tribe. The Kiksadi's of Wrangell, the Raven-Frog clan. Sue's Tlingit name is Kinaa Kinaa. To Sue, Esther has not only been a mother in law but also a teacher, a friend and confidant. Esther has taught Sue many beneficial things involving Native arts, such as, beading, moccasin making, ceremonial robes and other needed regalia for Israel and Sue's daughter Autumn. Traditionally the mother makes the regalia. Smoking salmon, gathering berries, collecting Hudson Bay tea and seaweed have all been apart of her learning experience. As a wife of a Tlingit K'aa (Naish and Story 88), and a totem carver the knowledge of proper protocol during a totem pole raising, potlatch and any other cultural ceremony is very important. Being of the opposite clan, Esther has taught Sue what her responsibilities are. During potlatch's it is her duty to serve and wait on the invited guests and hierarchy. Esther teaches Sue, as her mother taught her that she has to,"Step out and go help. Whatever you have, you take it, even if you have to go without" (Shea). Sue exclaims that Esther is a highly respected cultural leader, she is honored to have Esther teach her the Native culture. "I know without a doubt that I am learning the old way and that it is the true culture. Without Esther's, guidance and direction, I would not be as educated as I am today, about the Native culture. I would be more reliant on books and other written documentation, with the chances of the information being less accurate and true" (Shotridge). For Sue, learning to respect elders was a very dominant cultural difference for her. Respect was certainly taught to her throughout her life but was not emphasized as much as it was in the Native culture that she has adapted to today. Esther certainly proves to be a living cultural treasure, passing on her Heritage from one generation to the next. Her heart and dedication has touched and moved many people. She has given inspiration to all, in hopes that her people too will pass on what they have learned from her to their children and generations to follow. The most important message that she leaves is respect. Respect to yourselves and to other people, as well as the environment. Everything that we possess should be respected. "The most important thing I learned from my mother was respect. It lived within us. It was part of our lives. Our younger people don't know this anymore!" (Shea). Another thing that shouldn't be forgotten is the land. Although the environment may not be as plentiful as it was before the white man it will always be our home. "This land is still ours, this land still lives in our hearts." (Jackson). Thanks to Esther her people will not forget their culture or where they came from and will not be ashamed of who they are. "We've been sitting back. We haven't shown ourselves for many years. We finally came out of the cave to show our feelings, our feelings for our tribe and our people" (Shea). Works Cited
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