First Alaskans Magazine | Sit’ Tlein: The Story of Hubbard Glacier’s Spirit and Indigenous Knowledge of Tlingit Seal-Hunting Practices

First Alaskans Magazine
Summer 2014

A delicate dance is at play in Yakutat Bay. Called Yaakwdáat by the Tlingit people who harvested here for millennia, floes discharged by Hubbard Glacier, or Sit’ Tlein, clink against each other like cubes in a glass. Pop, crackle, sizzle. A swift current keeps things in constant negotiation while the sea gently combs the shores. The sun transforms everything white into a translucent drip.

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First Place in Environmental Reporting, Alaska Press Club Award

Alaska Press Club judge said, “This piece is beautifully and sensitively written, and offers an inspiring story of science, understanding, cooperation and healing. It carefully navigates a deep cultural divide, taking readers to a spectacular natural setting that serves as a touchstone for exploring how people, place and natural resources are intimately connected.”