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The
Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak has become the first designated repository
of natural and cultural history in the state of Alaska. (photo
courtesy of the Alutiiq Museum)
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The Alutiiq Museum has been officially recognized by the State
of Alaska as a Natural and Cultural History Repository. The designation
certifies that the museum maintains the highest standard of professional
practice and is an appropriate place for the long-term care of Alaska's
patrimony. The Alutiiq Museum is the first repository in Alaska
to achieve this status under a state law enacted in 2014. Alaska
Statute 14.57.012 gives the Department of Education, through the
Alaska State Museum, the ability to recognize qualified institutions
as caretakers of Alaska's cultural and natural artifacts.
"The Repository Designation legislation gives the state the
ability to recognize institutions within the state that are exemplary
in their care of collections. The Alutiiq museum is certainly one
of our very best," said Scott Carrlee, Curator of Museum Services
at the Alaska State Museums
Alutiiq Museum Curator of Collections Marnie Leist explained
the museum's desire to participate in the program: "Many of the
collections we hold don't belong to the museum, but to tribal organizations,
public agencies, and individuals. Organizations look to us to provide
the long-term, professional care for artifacts, archival materials,
photographs, and natural history specimens. When we learned of the
new legislation, we wanted to attain state repository status to
support this work and encourage the long-term curation of materials
related to Kodiak here in Kodiak. The designation doesn't change
our operations. It simply provides an official stamp of approval
for those seeking a place for collections care. It is a nice addition
to our national accreditation."
The museum's Executive Director, Dr. April Laktonen Counceller
said, "We are proud to receive this professional certification.
The designation underscores the museum's desire to maintain high
standards and promote public trust in our work."
Representatives will receive the Alutiiq Museum's official certificate
in October 2015, at the annual meeting of the statewide professional
organization Museums Alaska.
The Alutiiq Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to
preserving and sharing the history and culture of the Alutiiq, an
Alaska Native tribal people. Representatives of Kodiak Alutiiq organizations
govern the museum with funding from charitable contributions, memberships,
grants, contracts, and sales.
Alutiiq
Museum Archaeological Repository
Native peoples need a place to share, preserve, and perpetuate their
cultures, where their unique voices can be heard. Our educational
programs tell the Alutiiq story to assist Alutiiqs in knowing their
ancestral culture, examining their history, and expressing their
identities. We combine Alutiiq and Western ways of teaching to create
programs that do more than deliver informationthey invite
exploration and celebration.
http://alutiiqmuseum.org
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