Notes from Alex

Powered by
WordPress

  • Stories from the Heart: Where Our Story BeginsBefore the Maps Were Drawn: The People, Stories, and Traditions That Carried Our Ancestors Forward

    Stories from the Heart: Where Our Story Begins Remembering the Ts’msyen People of British Columbia, 1700–1900 Stories from the Heart: Where Our Story Begins Remembering the Ts’msyen People of British Columbia, 1700–1900 There are some stories that we read in books. There are others that seem to live somewhere deeper. They live in the names…

  • Me, the Storm, and the Mail

    When It Was Just the Pilot, the Storm, and the Mail Notes from Alex There are certain flights a bush pilot never forgets. Not because they were necessarily the longest flights, or because there were passengers aboard, or because something dramatic happened in the sky. Sometimes, you remember a flight simply because of the way…

  • The Tsimpsean People: Four Clans, One People, A Living Culture

    “Four Clans, Generations of Stories, and a Culture That Refuses to Be Forgotten” There are some stories that should never be allowed to disappear. They are the stories handed down from one generation to another. Stories told around a table, beside a fire, in a canoe, at a gathering, or quietly between an Elder and…

  • Another Founders’ Day Has Come and Gone

    Coming Home to Our Roots, Our People, and Our Purpose Another August 7th celebration has come and gone, and once again, our community was reminded of something that can never be measured by time alone—the importance of coming home. It was wonderful to see so many family members return to Metlakatla, Alaska, to celebrate Founders’…

  • Founders’ Day: The Heartbeat of Our People

    Remembering the Courage, Faith, and Sacrifice That Built Our Home More Than a Celebration: Remembering the Journey That Shaped a Nation Every year on August 7, the people of Metlakatla gather to celebrate Founders’ Day. To an outsider, it may look like a community festival filled with parades, games, dancing, fireworks, and laughter. And while…

  • Founders Day: Coming Home to Metlakatla

    A Personal Reflection on Heritage, Home, and the Enduring Spirit of Our Community Every community has a story. Ours began with courage—and continues with every generation that calls Metlakatla home. There are only a handful of days each year when you can feel the heartbeat of an entire community. For me, Founders Day is one…

  • Walking Through the Rain

    Finding hope, purpose, and gratitude in every season of life. “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to walk through the rain with hope.” If someone asked me to choose a quote that describes my outlook on life, this would be it. Life has a way of reminding us that…

  • God I’m Tired

    This lyrical transcript explores the profound emotional and spiritual exhaustion experienced by an individual who is struggling to maintain a facade of strength. The song portrays a vulnerable dialogue with the divine, acknowledging that while the speaker feels weak and overwhelmed, they find solace in the belief that God remains present during moments of despair.…

  • Walking Through the Fog

    When the Fog Settles In Notes from Alex Have you ever wandered through your town, your community, or along a quiet trail and felt as though you were walking through a fog? Not a fog you can see with your eyes, but one you feel deep within your soul. You know the difference between right…

  • Where the Ancestors Still WalkReflections on Faith, History, and Healing

    Walking the Trails of Healing By Alexander Atkinson Jr. There are trails that wind through the forests of Southeast Alaska that have been walked for generations. Long before roads were built, our ancestors followed these paths with purpose. They hunted, gathered, visited neighboring villages, shared stories, and carried the wisdom of one generation into the…