The opening of new cultural center in Wrangell is part of the local tribe’s plan to revive their culture.
The Wrangell Cooperative Association held a ribbon cutting ceremony late last month. The center will serve as a place for recreating eight sacred totem poles and for teaching Native arts.
Wrangell Tribal Council Vice President Richard Oliver said it is a place for local artists, carvers and entrepreneurs to develop their skills and trade.
“Our mission is to foster the spiritual, mental, physical and social development of our tribe,” Oliver said. “It is also to help build a strong, unified and self-reliant membership.”
The center is just one part of the tribe’s longterm plan. The first part was completed when the Chief Shakes Tribal House was rebuilt in 2013. The next step for the association is to carve replicas of eight totem poles that used to stand near the tribal house on Shakes Island.
Sealaska board member Richard Rinehart Jr., who is from Wrangell, said he wanted to convey the regional Native corporation’s appreciation for the cultural revival that has taken place in the community.
“It’s obvious, and everybody can see it,” Rinehart Jr. said. “For a number of years things seemed silent. Our old ANB hall had fallen into disrepair; Our totem poles were falling down. The totem poles are still down, but thanks to (the) Rasmuson (Foundation) and a number of the other contributors, these things are all coming back to life.”
The Rasmuson Foundation supports Alaskan nonprofits, and it helped fund construction of the cultural center and the Chief Shakes Tribal House.
Rinehart Jr. also mentioned the role this cultural revival plays in the effort to push landless legislation through Congress to make the Wrangell tribe a federally recognized Native village.
Construction of the carving facility was completed last fall. It’s already housed a major carving project and Native arts classes. Artists also use the building to sell their goods to tourists.
Tribal Administrator Aaron Angerman said it’s been more than 10 years since they started planning the cultural restoration.
“It’s great to see that we’re this far and knowing that we’re going to be carving these totems very soon. We made it this far from next to nothing,” Angerman said. “I’m really confident these things will pay dividends to members of this community for decades and decades to come.”
