Tracing Roots and Sharing Knowledge

We’re excited to jump back into production on a film we’re currently calling, “Tracing Roots,” a documentary with and about Delores Churchill.

Master Haida Weavers, Delores and her daughter, Evelyn Vanderhoop are ferrying their way to Sitka.

Evelyn,  Granddaughter of Selina Peratrovich, will give a presentation on the history of Northwest Coast wool textile weaving at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 13th at the Sheldon Jackson Museum in Sitka, Alaska.  Following the presentation, Vanderhoop will weave in the galleries and discuss her work with visitors until around 5:00 p.m.

We will also be meeting up with molecular anthropologist, Dr. Brian Kemp.  As part of making the film, “Tracing Roots.” we’ll be talking about DNA and the journey Delores is on to replicate and understand the spruce root hat found in a melting glacier in the Yukon along with the remains of Kwaday Dan Tsinch, also known at the Long Ago Person Found.  Brian is coming to town for the Paths Across the Pacific Conference and it is an awesome opportunity to cross some new paths too.

Thanks to Delores and her family, the University of Alaska, SE, the Alaska Humanities Forum and the National Humanities Forum, and Rasmuson Foundation for helping to make this project possible.