Department History

In 2017, Metlakatla Stewardship Society hosted a Culture, and Heritage Forum for membership. At the forum, membership identified the need to develop Metlakatla’s Culture, Language, and Heritage foundation, resources, and capacity. As a result, the Culture, Language, and Heritage Department was established in 2018. Over the course of the 2018/2019 year, the department began planning how to define its priorities and mandate to support Metlakatla membership. Since that time, the department has grown to include 4 staff members and has been identified by Council as an Essential Service for the Community. The department currently supports all Metlakatla departments, cultural activities, archival and archaeological research projects, and Sm’algyax language revitalization.

Our Language

In 2020, Metlakatla Governing Council has identified the loss of language and culture as one of their top 10 risk management priorities. To support Metlakatla’s growing Sm’algyax language needs, the CLH Department has been working with Community members to develop a Community Language Strategic Plan. Additionally, the department has been hosting in person and online Sm’alygax classes.

Our Heritage

Metlakatla’s Culture, Language, and Heritage Department takes care of our community’s cultural heritage archival information. For many years, Metlakatla First Nation and external researchers have been collecting historical, ethnographic, archaeological, traditional use, and cultural information about Metlakatla, the Coast Ts’msyen, and our Lands and Territory. This archive also includes resources gathered by the CLH Department, Metlakatla Treaty Department, and Metlakatla Stewardship Society. This information supports many Metlakatla programs and initiatives. The CLH Department has been working to continue archiving cultural information and developing policies and guidelines to manage and care for archival resources today and for future generations.