News - Community

A 35-year lease agreement has been signed with the City & Borough of Juneau (CBJ)for the development of a cultural immersion park on a waterfront property owned by CBJ. The next step of the project is to complete a feasibility study on the property and begin the process of raising funds and applying for grants. Tlingit & Haida can't wait to move forward, but needs your support! A GoFundMe has been setup to support the construction of the cultural immersion park and raise matching funds for viable grant funding opportunities!

The cultural immersion park is a powerful instrument that will promote cultural awareness and preservation. It will not only perpetuate our Tlingit and Haida cultures, but will be a focal point in our community where residents and visitors can discover the richness of our cultures, ask questions, and broaden their awareness that our culture is still very much alive. This project is also a long-term commitment of the Tribe to support commerce and workforce development, job creation, our local economy, and creating opportunities for our people.

The cultural immersion park will include a building retrofitted with a traditional long house facade that will house a restaurant, gift shop, and cultural exhibit of repatriated items and the history of Tlingit and Haida people. Visitors will be able to enjoy traditional Native foods like blueberries, salmon, and Hudson Bay tea while watching dance performances. The gift shop will offer authentic Native art and souvenirs available for sale. Visitors will also be able to participate in guided tours with interactive demonstrations on the traditional art of basket weaving and carving canoes, paddles, masks, and totem poles. The restaurant will be closed for the winter, but the carving shed will remain open to provide a space for Native artists to carve and weave, hone their crafts, and host educational classes on metal and wood carving, basket weaving, form line design, and language. The facilities will also be available for rent in the off-season for board retreats, weddings, and more.