Traditional Foods

Supporting Haa Kusteeyí, Our Way of Life

Harvesting plants, fish, shellfish, and game for consumption has always been a collective activity in Sheet’ká Ḵwáan. Sitka Tribe of Alaska continues our tradition of sharing traditional foods with Tribal citizens who may not be able to access these resources independently, including Tribal Elders, individuals with disabilities, and those who do not have boats or otherwise lack the means or ability to hunt, fish, and gather. STA staff conduct subsistence activities, including but not limited to setting hemlock branches for herring eggs in the spring, setting nets for sockeye during the summer, and hunting for deer in the fall. Resources are shared with the community in accordance with priorities for distribution established by The Tribal Council. 

In a typical year, we try to distribute: 

– g̱áax’w (herring eggs)

– g̱uwakaan (deer meat)

– g̱aat (sockeye salmon)

– t’á and l’ook (king and coho salmon)

– cháatl (halibut)

– k’únts (homegrown Tlingit potatoes)

– laaḵ’ásk (seaweed)

– tléiñw (berries)

– tsaa (seal meat)

SKT/STA’s policy is to provide traditional foods to as many Tribal citizens as possible in order of priorities established by Tribal Council.