Arts and Culture

Fourth annual Skull Party features Playboy Spaceman

At this year’s fourth annual Skull Party, Playboy Spaceman will be joined by Juneau hip hop artist Manner, plus like the Off The Hook Honeys.… Continue reading

John Barrymore and Dolores Costello pose with three bear skins. Image courtesy of Joel Bennett.

‘Dreaming Glacier Bay’: Homesteaders and Hollywood

How does a reclusive, gold-mining couple living in the Southeast Alaska wilderness become close friends with one of Hollywood’s powerhouse couples in the 1930s? That… Continue reading

John Barrymore and Dolores Costello pose with three bear skins. Image courtesy of Joel Bennett.
The Git-Hoan Dancers of Metlakatla give their take on snapping selfies during a performance for Celebration 2016 at Centennial Hall. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Dance group applications now open for Celebration 2018

Starting Wednesday, dance groups looking forward to next year’s Celebration can apply to participate in the annual event. Celebration runs from June 6-9, 2018, and… Continue reading

The Git-Hoan Dancers of Metlakatla give their take on snapping selfies during a performance for Celebration 2016 at Centennial Hall. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
James P. Devereaux poses with his book “Spirits of Southeast Alaska.” Image courtesy of Devereaux.

Q&A with the author of ‘Spirits of Southeast Alaska’

When working as a reporter for the KHNS radio station, which serves Haines, Skagway, and Klukwan, James P. Devereaux decided to gather ghost stories from… Continue reading

James P. Devereaux poses with his book “Spirits of Southeast Alaska.” Image courtesy of Devereaux.
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New Haines exhibit takes a look at 1850-1900 in Jilkaat Aaní

When Daniel Henry was teaching Haines high school students in the 1980s and 1990s, he was surprised at the lack of local histories available to… Continue reading

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A wooden box drum that is currently undergoing restoration at Sealaska Heritage Institute on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017. (Michael Penn | Capital City Weekly)

Re-discovering a shaman’s drum

In the basement of the Sealaska Heritage Institute is very old box drum belonging to the Mount Fairweather (Snail) house of the T’akdeintaan clan in… Continue reading

A wooden box drum that is currently undergoing restoration at Sealaska Heritage Institute on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017. (Michael Penn | Capital City Weekly)
A still from a film moment depicting Wen Yiduo’s pivotal impassioned speech after Li Gongpu was assassinated. Provided by Tara Neilson.

Li Gongpu: Undercover cannery worker in 1928

It always felt like an epic childhood growing up in the post-apocalyptic ruins of the burned and abandoned cannery in remote Union Bay, Alaska. We… Continue reading

A still from a film moment depicting Wen Yiduo’s pivotal impassioned speech after Li Gongpu was assassinated. Provided by Tara Neilson.
Art in Unusual Places

Art in Unusual Places

Capital City Weekly… Continue reading

Art in Unusual Places

Poem: “A Sonata for Pa,” by Miriam Wagoner

What life presented to us was unordinary, Fate was not generous with time, It did not let you, in my hammock, To sing lullabies. All… Continue reading

Left to right: Kathy Maas, Jackie Brand, Heather Parker, and Huo Gua Xia. (Clara Miller | Capital City Weekly)

Juneau Symphony welcomes new concertmaster for new season

The first concert of the Juneau Symphony’s season will also be its first with Jacqueline Brand, a violinist and associate concertmaster of the Los Angeles… Continue reading

Left to right: Kathy Maas, Jackie Brand, Heather Parker, and Huo Gua Xia. (Clara Miller | Capital City Weekly)

Fabricating the Alaskan Frontier

“The Last Frontier,” emblazoned across every Alaska license plate, evidences a cultural narrative foundational to Alaskan identity. One hundred and fifty years ago, the United… Continue reading

Elder David Katzeek speaks to children at a monthly Baby Raven Reads family event. Photo by Brian Wallace. Courtesy of SHI.

Baby Raven Reads honored nationally

Sealaska Heritage Institute’s early literacy program, Baby Raven Reads, has been recognized by the Library of Congress for the work it has done. Some of… Continue reading

Elder David Katzeek speaks to children at a monthly Baby Raven Reads family event. Photo by Brian Wallace. Courtesy of SHI.
Author Vivian Faith Prescott reads from The Hide of My Tongue, or, in Tlingit, Ax L’&

Two Southeast Alaskan poets win awards

Two Southeast Alaskans were the recipients of the 2017 Alaska Literary Awards and the 2017 Connie Boochever Fellowships by the Alaska Arts and Culture Foundation,… Continue reading

Author Vivian Faith Prescott reads from The Hide of My Tongue, or, in Tlingit, Ax L’&
Ian “DJ NDN” Campeau, right, Ehren “Bear Witness” Thomas, middle, and Tim “2oolman” Hill, left, of A Tribe Called Red. (Photo by Falling Tree Photography)

Canadian DJ group A Tribe Called Red comes to Juneau

A Tribe Called Red, a Canadian indigenous DJ group from Ottawa, Ontario, will be taking the stage of Centennial Hall on Oct. 19. Members Ian… Continue reading

Ian “DJ NDN” Campeau, right, Ehren “Bear Witness” Thomas, middle, and Tim “2oolman” Hill, left, of A Tribe Called Red. (Photo by Falling Tree Photography)
A detail of one of the daybed’s arms. Photo by Tara Neilson.

Driftwood inspires artistic impulses

I’ve always been fascinated by driftwood. As a child, their sometimes amazing and twisted shapes called to my imagination. I saw them as petrified, shapeshifting… Continue reading

A detail of one of the daybed’s arms. Photo by Tara Neilson.

SHI releases new books

Seven new books are appearing this fall through the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s early literacy, Library of Congress-recognized program, Baby Raven Reads. Launched in 2014 in… Continue reading

2012 conference in Sitka, left to right: Chatskookoo &

Indigenous peoples of Southeast are focus of Sitka conference

On Oct. 18, Alaska Day, Sitka will celebrate the sesquicentennial of the Treaty of Cession, when the U.S. “purchased” Alaska from Russia. There will be… Continue reading

2012 conference in Sitka, left to right: Chatskookoo &
Playwright Vera Bedard speaks as poet Joan Naviyuk Kane listens at a 49 Writers Crosscurrents panel on Friday, Sept. 29. Bedard, who is currently a three-year resident at Perseverance Theater, wrote the 2016 Perseverance-produced play “Our Voices Will be Heard,” which addressed childhood sexual abuse. She was born in Craig and has Tlingit and Dena’ina heritage. Kane is the author of “Milk Black Carbon,” “Hyperboreal,” “The Cormorant Hunter’s Wife,” and “The Straits.” She is Inupiaq, with family in King Island and Mary’s Igloo.

Discussing an Alaskan apocalypse

Zombies, North Korea’s threats, a rogue virus: the end of the world may not be upon Juneau at the moment, but the community is discussing… Continue reading

Playwright Vera Bedard speaks as poet Joan Naviyuk Kane listens at a 49 Writers Crosscurrents panel on Friday, Sept. 29. Bedard, who is currently a three-year resident at Perseverance Theater, wrote the 2016 Perseverance-produced play “Our Voices Will be Heard,” which addressed childhood sexual abuse. She was born in Craig and has Tlingit and Dena’ina heritage. Kane is the author of “Milk Black Carbon,” “Hyperboreal,” “The Cormorant Hunter’s Wife,” and “The Straits.” She is Inupiaq, with family in King Island and Mary’s Igloo.
Skagway Burlesque twirls into Juneau

Skagway Burlesque twirls into Juneau

Five mudboot-clad, umbrella-twirling women danced their way onto the stage of the Red Dog Saloon as the opening act for Skagway Burlesque’s colorful, creative show… Continue reading

Skagway Burlesque twirls into Juneau
Aroon on the Isis with Megan and JoDean on the Westerner in the background. (Photo by Tara Neilson)

Boat parties at remote docks

The axis around which our rural community of Meyers Chuck revolves is the state-installed dock. So we decided to have a boat party at it… Continue reading

Aroon on the Isis with Megan and JoDean on the Westerner in the background. (Photo by Tara Neilson)