Klukwan, "An Ancient Village"

I spent a week in Klukwan, mile 22 on the Haines Highway and the only Alaska Native village accessible on the highway system.  Klukwan is on the Chilkat River and home to the Tlingit Indians; the population of the village is only 95 in last Census.  I was able to come courtesy of the Rose Rural Exchange Program, sponsored by the Alaska Humanities Forum and hosted in Klukwan by Kimberly Strong and Lani Jones.  Kimberly's house is a bed and breakfast, and she is the Tribal Council President.

We flew from Anchorage to Juneau and then on Wings of Alaska from Juneau to Haines on a prop 8-seater -- only at 1500 feet.  Mostly we were there to learn traditional ways of preserving salmon, and from Monday to Friday we learned to cut up salmon (Sockeyes or Reds) and then dried fish, smoked fish, canned fresh-pack, and prepared naayadi, half-smoked squares of fish that you then boil or bake and serve with red potatoes!  We came home with lots of examples of all to eat and learned a lot in the process.  We also had baked fish heads one day, and I did actually try a fish eye -- which I was told is similar in texture to a raw oyster, which I also don't like!

I hope you enjoy the pictures of us working together in Klukwan and the view from my bedroom overlooking the Chilkat River and Takshanuk Mts.  They were socked in much of the week with gray clouds and drizzle but still beautiful!  We had fish hash for breakfast this morning with some of our fresh-pak!