This summer, the Alaska Native Heritage Center is hosting some unique artists for a very rare project funded by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. In the next few months, the creation of four carved house posts as part of the Southeast village site completion, are to be installed on the existing posts inside the house. Traditionally in Southeast Alaska, carved house posts were inside many houses to tell stories of the clan. In recognizing that the Southeast house represents many clans throughout Southeast Alaska, each of the four cultural groups (Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian) will have one post to carve a story that best defines the culture though a central theme.  Interns, students, visitors and the general public can witness the entire process of traditional Alaska Native carving that will give each of the four cultural groups equal representation inside the house. Each carved house post will tell its own story through traditional Southeast artistry. Each post will exhibit a different aspect of Respect, the core Alaska Native value this exhibit will express. The separate posts will reflect Respect for the Environment, Respect for the Culture, Respect for Family and Respect for Self as were chosen by each group. (more…)

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Many Alaska bound travelers find themselves looking for a hotel near the SeaTac airport as part of their vacation plans. Some are beginning or ending an Alaskan cruise in Seattle or Vancouver, others opt for a stopover in route to or from Alaska. With this in mind I am happy to share with you a hidden gem of a hotel my family and I recently discovered near the Seattle Tacoma airport.

Our family is heading south from Alaska this week for a vacation with friends down in Georgia and Florida. We decided break up our flight down from Anchorage to Atlanta with a stopover in Seattle, and what a great idea that turned out to be. We had a pleasant flight down with Alaska Airlines arriving mid afternoon. We made our way to the hotel courtesy transportation area, now located across the sky bridge in the parking garage. After a quick call to our hotel and short wait, a gray Ford Flex car arrived and took us on the five minute ride to the Cedarbrook Lodge. The lodge has a real green commitment and using smaller vehicles when possible is just one of their efforts to keep it green. (more…)

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