Bill Smith Interview on Heritage, Responsibility, and Cultural Continuity
Berlin Ethnological Museum (Contributor)
Chugach Alaska Corporation (Contributor)
Chugach Heritage Foundation (Contributor)
Chugachmiut (Contributor)
William Smith (Contributor)
Chugach Alaska Corporation (Contributor)
Chugach Heritage Foundation (Contributor)
Chugachmiut (Contributor)
William Smith (Contributor)
Dawn Randazzo interviews Bill Smith about his background and experience on the 2023 Chugachmiut trip to the Berlin Ethnological Museum.
In a one-on-one interview with Dawn Randazzo, Bill Smith recounts how he received his Eyak name and his upbringing in Cordova, his time in foster care in Anchorage, his military service, and his life in Valdez. Smith outlines his longstanding service on national boards related to Native health and veterans’ affairs.
He reflects on his first visit to the Berlin Ethnological Museum and the impact of wearing a historic shaman’s cape. He emphasizes that if repatriation of artifacts to Alaska isn’t possible, then sustained collaboration with museums is essential so that Native children can build a working knowledge of their material heritage and the intangible parts of culture the objects represent. He expresses hope that future generations might use tools like 3D printing to reproduce artifacts and engage with their ancestral and cultural heritage firsthand.
Smith discusses the financial challenges of preservation, noting that both Native corporations and museums cannot rely solely on grants. He advocates for preservation to be a “constant force,” supported by long-term investment and collaborative commitment between organizations.
He describes how he learned about the cultural artifacts that were removed from Alaska and the questions this knowledge raised about these collections' origins and stories. Smith connects his exploration and connection with museum objects to Sugt’stun language revitalization efforts, emphasizing the role of language teachers in opening doors to the past, present, and future.
He speaks candidly about the Eyak people's trauma, particularly the suppression of Indigenous language. He recounts stories such as Marie Smith Jones being physically punished for speaking her Native language and underscores the need to remember those struggles. Now that he holds knowledge about the artifact collection located in Berlin, Smith expresses his sense of responsibility to ensure it is passed on.
Smith urges Native corporations to invest in cultural preservation and asserts that the ultimate responsibility lies with the community and corporation to maintain culture and language and that the government cannot be relied upon to do this due to its history of chronic underinvestment. He emphasizes the collective nature of these efforts and of the significance of engaging with the artifacts, stating that the story of the artifacts in the Berlin Ethnological Museum is not just his story, but a shared one.
Smith calls on curators in Europe and the U.S. to revisit their archives and share knowledge and access with Indigenous communities. He ends by affirming that culture and language are essential to a people's wholeness and that Chugachmiut's work is a vital part of that mission. He also recognizes the importance of open debate and dialogue within communities about the evolution and preservation of language and culture.
He reflects on his first visit to the Berlin Ethnological Museum and the impact of wearing a historic shaman’s cape. He emphasizes that if repatriation of artifacts to Alaska isn’t possible, then sustained collaboration with museums is essential so that Native children can build a working knowledge of their material heritage and the intangible parts of culture the objects represent. He expresses hope that future generations might use tools like 3D printing to reproduce artifacts and engage with their ancestral and cultural heritage firsthand.
Smith discusses the financial challenges of preservation, noting that both Native corporations and museums cannot rely solely on grants. He advocates for preservation to be a “constant force,” supported by long-term investment and collaborative commitment between organizations.
He describes how he learned about the cultural artifacts that were removed from Alaska and the questions this knowledge raised about these collections' origins and stories. Smith connects his exploration and connection with museum objects to Sugt’stun language revitalization efforts, emphasizing the role of language teachers in opening doors to the past, present, and future.
He speaks candidly about the Eyak people's trauma, particularly the suppression of Indigenous language. He recounts stories such as Marie Smith Jones being physically punished for speaking her Native language and underscores the need to remember those struggles. Now that he holds knowledge about the artifact collection located in Berlin, Smith expresses his sense of responsibility to ensure it is passed on.
Smith urges Native corporations to invest in cultural preservation and asserts that the ultimate responsibility lies with the community and corporation to maintain culture and language and that the government cannot be relied upon to do this due to its history of chronic underinvestment. He emphasizes the collective nature of these efforts and of the significance of engaging with the artifacts, stating that the story of the artifacts in the Berlin Ethnological Museum is not just his story, but a shared one.
Smith calls on curators in Europe and the U.S. to revisit their archives and share knowledge and access with Indigenous communities. He ends by affirming that culture and language are essential to a people's wholeness and that Chugachmiut's work is a vital part of that mission. He also recognizes the importance of open debate and dialogue within communities about the evolution and preservation of language and culture.
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Content Warning: Physical and/or Sexual Abuse