Speakers/Presenters

Chalyee Éesh, (Richard  Peterson) is Tlingit from the Kaagwaantaan clan. He grew up in Kasaan, Alaska and is a lifelong Alaska Native resident of Southeast Alaska.

Gene Tagaban, “One Crazy Raven” is an influential storyteller, trainer, speaker, mentor and performer. Gene is of the Takdeintaan clan, the Raven, Freshwater Sockeye clan from Hoonah, AK.

Sáng HI kingwaas, (Anthony "Tony" (Peele) Christianson) is Haida, from Hydaburg, Alaska. He is Raven Double Fin Killer Whale and Brown Bear, and his Haida name is Sáng HI kíngwaas, which means “weather watcher”.

We are honored to have Fran Houston, whose Tlingit name is Seikoonie as our Matriarch and Aak'w Kwaan Tribal Spokesperson return for this years Men's Healing Gathering.

Floyd is a graduate of the University of Washington, a Vietnam veteran and a leader and role model in the Alaska Native sobriety movement.

X’ajoosá, (John Garcia) is an artist and activist living in Juneau, Alaska. He has been an outspoken advocate for women’s rights, and regularly attends and speaks at rallies for Missing & Murdered Indigenous People. He’s talked about the importance of teaching boys at an early age how to respect and hold up women.

We are honored to have Kachgudikaa (David Evenson) serve as our emcee for this year’s gathering. His Tlingit name means “The Measure of a Man”.

Arias is a Tlingit from Juneau. He is a young artist that blends hip-hop and Tlingit heritage through song. He joined a group of artists at 17 years old to perform during the Governors Arts and Humanities awards, which was televised live on 360 North.

Shaakindustóow (Ed Littlefield) is a freelance percussionist, educator, and composer based out of Seattle, Washington. He is Lingít from Sitka, Alaska and has released three albums featuring traditional native melodies, which he also arranged into the jazz idiom with the Native Jazz Quartet. This quartet also represented the United States in South