“Preserving the places, stories, and people that connect generations of Metlakatla.”

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There is a lot happening behind the scenes with the Metlakatla Heritage Foundation, and I wanted to take a moment to give our community, our supporters, and everyone who has been following this journey an update.

What began as an idea rooted in a deep respect for our history, our people, and the stories that have shaped Metlakatla is steadily becoming something real.

There is still much work ahead of us, but there is also a lot of momentum.

Building the Foundation

One of the biggest pieces currently in motion is our nonprofit status.

The paperwork for our 501(c)(3) designation with the IRS is nearing completion. This is an important step for the Foundation because it will allow us to move forward with fundraising, grant opportunities, partnerships, and the broader work we have envisioned.

It may not be the most visible part of what we are doing, but it is one of the most important pieces of building a strong foundation—literally and figuratively—for the years ahead.

Our Website Is Taking Shape

We are also moving forward with the development of the Metlakatla Heritage Foundation website.

The website will eventually become an important place where people can learn about the Foundation, our history, our projects, our partnerships, and the work being done to preserve and tell the story of Metlakatla.

We are also working on putting together a photo montage as part of this project. Photographs have an incredible way of connecting us to the past. A photograph can bring back a person, a place, a building, an event, or a memory that might otherwise be lost to time.

We want our digital presence to reflect that.

Building Partnerships

Another exciting area of development is the beginning of partnerships with people and organizations who share our commitment to cultural heritage and preservation.

We are currently developing a partnership with David R. Boxley and the Cultural Heritage Department at Metlakatla Indian Community.

These relationships are important because preserving our heritage cannot be accomplished by one person or one organization alone. It takes knowledge, experience, community involvement, cultural understanding, and people willing to work together.

As we move forward, you will see additional partnerships develop.

We are excited about what those relationships can bring to the Foundation and, ultimately, to the community.

Looking Toward Grant Opportunities

We are also beginning the process of developing relationships with grant providers and organizations that support cultural preservation, historic restoration, education, and community heritage projects.

Grant funding will be an important part of helping us accomplish some of the larger projects we have identified.

This is another area where groundwork has to happen before people see the results. Relationships need to be established, projects need to be developed, documentation needs to be prepared, and funding opportunities need to be identified.

We are beginning that process now.

Preserving the Places That Tell Our Story

Some of the work we envision is very tangible.

There are historical places in our community that deserve our attention—not simply because they are old buildings, but because they are part of the story of who we are.

Among the projects we are beginning to look at are the restoration and preservation of historic sites such as the WDMC Building and the AIPC Boathouse.

These places carry history.

They represent generations of people who came before us, worked, built, gathered, lived, and contributed to the community we know today.

Our hope is to help preserve these places so that future generations can still see them, understand them, and ask the questions that connect them to the past.

Honoring Those Who Came Before Us

Another project we are beginning to think about is the beautification and care of our cemeteries.

There is something deeply meaningful about the places where we lay our loved ones to rest.

These are not simply cemeteries. They are places filled with names, families, stories, memories, and generations of Metlakatla history.

We want to explore ways to improve and beautify these spaces so they can continue to be places of dignity and remembrance—places where we honor those who have graduated from this life to the next.

How we care for these places says something about how we remember our people.

And remembering matters.

Building the Board

The development of the Metlakatla Heritage Foundation Board is also moving forward.

There are conversations taking place, people becoming involved, and organizational pieces beginning to come together.

We will have more to share about the Board and its development in the near future.

For now, I simply want people to know that this part of the process is moving.

There Is a Lot at Play

Yes, there is a lot happening.

Some of it is visible.

Much of it is happening quietly behind the scenes.

That is often what building something meaningful looks like.

It is paperwork.
It is phone calls.
It is meetings.
It is research.
It is relationships.
It is planning.
It is listening.
And sometimes it is simply putting one piece in place so that the next piece can follow.

The Metlakatla Heritage Foundation is still in its early stages, but the vision is becoming clearer and the foundation is getting stronger.

Our goal is not simply to look backward.

Our goal is to preserve our past so that it can help inform our future.

We want to help protect the places, photographs, stories, knowledge, and memories that make Metlakatla unique.

And we want to do it together.

To our community, our supporters, our families, our friends, and everyone who has encouraged this effort: thank you.

There is much more to come.

This is only the beginning.

— Notes From the Foundation
Metlakatla Heritage Foundation