Shangukeidi Kooteeyaa
Thunderbird
White Bear
House Lowered From The Sun

The Shangukeidi, who are of the Eagle moiety, are identified as the Thunderbird clan. Their oral traditions vary in identifying the clan's original homeland. One account points to the Naas River in British Columbia, from where they migrated to the interior of Alaska & then to the coast. Another speaks of a migration from the interior to the Alsek River. Another account disputes these interior origins & migration to the coast. It instead speaks of a coastal migration & cites a "boat song" & "big, big ocean-type waves." In this account, they landed on an Island known as Shaan or Shanguka, warred with the original inhabitants, & took their name, Shangukeidi.


Clan Member In Uniform
Designs
The designs on the Shnagukeidi totem pole include four of their crests. The Thunderbird, White Bear, & House Lowered from the Sun were obtained through supernatural encounters. The bottom crest represents a historical encounter with a US Military officer who failed to adequately compensate the Shangukeidi. As payment for this debt, they took his name & the military uniform.

Carver
Jackson Polys, Tlingit Master Artist, Saxman
Apprentices: Christian Dalton, Tim Flanery, Raymond "Took" Gregory, Rico Worl

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White Frog
Raven
Coho
The Luknax.adi, who are of the Raven moiety, are identified as the Coho clan. The name derives from a salmon stream south of Klawock. The separated from the Gaanaxteidi clan after they migrated to the Chilkat area. The L'uknax.adi are also interrelated with the T'akdeintaan. In today's ceremonied, these clans commonly shout, "Tleix' L'uknax.adi!" ("One Coho!") to acknowledge their common ancestry & relationship.

Designs
The design on the L'uknax.adi totem pole include White Frog, which was obtained through a supernatural encounter, Raven, Coho, & a clan member.

Clan Member
Carver
Mick Beasley, Tlingit Master Artist, Juneau
Apprentices; Jno Didrickson, Jeremy Peterson

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Clan Hat with Killer Whale

Clan Memeber
Killer Whale
The Kaagwaantaan, who are of the Eagle moiety, are identified as the Wolf clan. They migrated northward from the Naas River & settled at Kax'noowu (Ground Hen Fort) near Hoonah. They built the Gooch Hit (Wolf House), & when their house burned down, they took the name Kaagwaagaanihitaan (Burned Down House), which was later shortened to Kaagwaantaan. They spread from Kax'noowu to Hoonah, the Chilat area, & Sitka. The Kaagwaantaan clan is interrelated with the Chookaneidi, Wooshkeetaan, & Dakll'aweidi clans.

Eagle
Designs
The design on the Kaagwaantaan totem pole inclde three of their crests. It depicts Killer Whale mounted on a clan hat, a Kaagwaantaan clan member, Killer Whale, Eagle, & Bear. These crests were obtained through supernatural encounters.

Bear
Carver
Nicholas Galanin, Tlingit/Unangax Master Artist, Sitka
Apprentices: William L> Burkhart Jr., Lee Burkhart, Merritt Johnson

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On the wall between the poles is a painting of Raven (left) & Eagle (right) representing the two halves of the Auk Tribe. The Large Raven has a cloud in his mouth representing the heavens. The Eagle is lifting a shaman to the spirit world, represented by the figures with X-ray bodies. The two sea otters & spirit figures (faces) under the Raven are helping guide the man to the spirit world.

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