CHILKAT FOREVER is a collaborative group led by Chilkat Indian Village, including community leaders, fishermen, business owners, and concerned citizens who are working together to channel the power of the Chilkat River to protect Haa Kusteeyí (our way of life).
HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY
Kimberley Strong
“As a Tlingit of the Chilkat Indian Village of Klukwan, I think about how fortunate we are to live in such a wonderful place. Our ancestors settled here because of the abundance of natural foods to live off of. Today, I cannot imagine living in any place other than Klukwan, the place I call home, where I fish for salmon, hunt moose, harvest berries, and enjoy the splendor of the land as our ancestors have for thousands of years. Food security for the valley is still possible after thousands of years of harvesting. As stewards of the land, it is our job to ensure that our children and the generations to follow will have the food security we have had in our lifetime.”
Jones P. Hotch Jr.
“Working to protect our Traditional & Sacred lands and Our Way Of LIFE, there is NO other option.”
“The Chilkat cohos are a big part of my annual income and our diet. I catch them off the outer coast, like hundreds of other hook & line fishers. If this river becomes unsuitable for salmon, the harm will be felt across Southeast Alaska.”
Lindsay Johnson
“There is an intangible value in this land and in this river that goes far beyond what we can squeeze out of it and put into our wallets. It is an unmediated connection that keeps our souls healthy and vibrant in a way that we don’t understand. To unearth sulfide acid and leak it into this river for a little money is to leak acid into us.”
Russell Kennedy
Rose Fudge
“I want my son to know and experience the Chilkat Valley as it is now: a place of pristine waterways and abundant wildlife. He is only 11 months old, but we live along the Chilkat River; it’s where we walk our dogs every day and where I imagine he will grow up learning to harvest wild salmon, hunt for game, and pick berries that we will freeze for the winter months. Why would I want to trade that for a short-sighted mine that could jeopardize what we value most about this place?”
Join us to keep the Chilkat River clean and full of fish — FOREVER.
