deep snow
in the tribal house the warmth of old stories
dleit gaadlaan haa shuká hít yeexʼ chʼáagu shkalneek ḵaa toowú altʼeix̱
inspired by the climate and coastal land- scapes of her hometown, Juneau (known as Dzantik’ihéeni in the Tlingit language), and the Chichagof Island and Glacier Bay area in the Tongass National Forest, the ancestral territory of her family and the Hoonah Tlingit. That’s in part because in spite of her
family moving to Arlington, Virginia, when she was in grade school, her par- ents nurtured their connection to her family’s Native land and heritage and they visited her extended family in Alaska often. Her stepfather, who was a woodworker and federal forest ranger, taught her about nature-themed poetry and fostered her love of the outdoors by taking her hiking in Virginia’s moun- tains within the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. She said today her position as an outreach coor- dinator for the U.S. Geological Survey helps maintain her connection to land. Beaver’s love of the haiku has inspired
her to encourage others to appreciate it as much as she does. Together with her hus- band and noted haiku poet Alan Pizzarelli, Beaver started a podcast about the genre. And she has given presentations about the poetry at schools, colleges and con- ferences hosted by Haiku North America. Through her efforts to create more
awareness about haiku, Beaver has brought more recognition to American Indian and Alaska Native poetry and song forms, which she said share ele- ments of the Japanese short forms. Some
Beaver’s haiku (above left, in English and Tlingit language) was inspired by snowy scenes in Alaska such as this one of Sitka National Historical Park. Animals on totem poles commonly represent clans of the Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian peoples. Here, a totem pole featuring a bear, octopus and other creatures tell “The Mosquito” story.
writings hint at the shared history, cus- toms and ways of life of the peoples of the Pacific Rim, she said. “Every single Native culture across the entire con- tinent, they have their own seasonal things that they do,” said Beaver. “We are forever grateful for the work
of Tlingit and Tsimshian poet and multi- disciplinary artist Donna Beaver and her years of dedication of bringing Native culture to the public,” said Rosita Worl, president of Sealaska Heritage Institute,
a nonprofit dedicated to perpetuating Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. In 2018, Beaver orga- nized an event called “Singing Praises to You: Alaska Native Poetry” at the insti- tute’s biennial Alaska Native culture fes- tival, Celebration. Worl said of Beaver, “One of her greatest contributions is that she also brought the voices of many of our Native poets, including the notable and honorable Nora Dauenhauer, to the forefront. Our tribal members will for- ever remember Donna for her effort.” Ishmael Angaluuk Hope, an Indige-
nous scholar, poet and games writer based in Juneau, was one of several writers she invited to be part of the Celebration 2018 event to honor Dauenhauer and others. Hope, who is also of Tlingit heritage, said Beaver’s work has made him more aware
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION WINTER 2022 13
PHOTO BY E.W. MERRILL, CIRCA 1905; COURTESY OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, SITKA NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK, SITK 25455
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