Rosita Worl on indigenizing downtown Juneau. A conversation with Chilkat weaver Lily Hope.

The design of the new arts campus is inspired by traditional bentwood boxes (Photo courtesy of Sealaska Heritage Institute).

As dancers and culture bearers stream onto the streets of downtown Juneau for Celebration this year, things will look very different from the last gathering in 2018 — all part of Rosita Worl’s vision for turning Juneau into a Northwest Coast capital for indigenous art.

On this Tuesday’s Juneau Afternoon, the head of the Sealaska Heritage Institute talks with KTOO’s Rhonda McBride about that dream, which is starting to take shape with a new art school, plaza and a totem trail.

Also on this program: Lily Hope’s dream to revitalize Chilkat weaving, part of an interview that aired on March 31, 2022.

Rhonda McBride, Producer of Juneau Afternoon

Rhonda McBride hosted this Tuesday’s program. You can catch Juneau Afternoon , Tuesday through Friday, live at 3:00 p.m. on KTOO Juneau 104.3. The rebroadcast airs at 7:00 p.m. on KTOO. You can also listen online at ktoo.org.

For more information about Juneau Afternoon or to schedule time on the show, email juneauafternoon@ktoo.org.

Part 1: Restoring Native identity to Lingít Aaní.

Dr. Rosita Worl attributes the renaissance of Southeast Native cultures, in part, to being able to leverage Native corporation profits for language and culture preservation programs (Photo courtesy of SHI).

Guests: Rosita Worl, President of Sealaska Heritage Institute.
How Sealaska Heritage Institute is changing the face of downtown Juneau by reclaiming Lingít Aaní, a journey that began with Celebration back in the 1980’s and continues today with the grand opening of SHI’s new arts campus. SHI President Rosita Worl says the campus will be dedicated at Celebration this year, a time when Juneau will be officially named the Northwest Coast Arts Capital and art from the region, declared a national treasure.