Photo: Rear Adm. Mark Sucato offers a gift to Joe Zuboff in Angoon on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Clarise Larson/KTOO)

On Oct. 26, 1882, the U.S. Navy bombarded the Lingít village of Angoon, destroying clan houses, food caches, and 40 canoes – and leaving the community for dead.

But the community of Angoon didn’t die – and for decades, they’ve been asking for an apology from the federal government.

This past weekend, close to a century and a half later, they finally got one.

KTOO’s Yvonne Krumrey was there and has this story.

142 years ago, Angoon went up in flames.

(Photo: Clarise Larson / KTOO)

X’ash Kugé ka Yaanasax, Barbara Cadiente-Nelson’s grandmother, survived the bombardment as a young woman.

“Can you imagine my grandmother, at 26, having to scramble and run with her family? And the fear, the real fear.”

Six children were killed in the shelling and an unknown number of others died in the following months from exposure and starvation.

Though it’s a long time coming, Cadiente-Nelson said many in the community have mixed emotions about the apology.

“How do you restore a human being, how do you restore a family? How do you restore a community who have been the target of annihilation?”

On Saturday, Lingít people from all over Southeast Alaska and beyond gathered in the Angoon High School gym to receive the apology.

They danced in wearing regalia.

U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Mark Sucato presented the apology to hundreds in the room and the thousands watching on a livestream.

“The United States Navy … apologizes on behalf of the United States Navy to all the Lingít peoples of Angoon for the pain, suffering and generational trauma inflicted by the bombardment of their village, acknowledges that the Lingít people of Angoon did not deserve nor provoke the bombardment and subsequent destruction of their village by United States Naval forces.”

Shgendootan George grew up with this story.

As a teacher, she would teach her students about the shelling and burning of their village. And George said she was excited to teach this part of the history now, too.

“It doesn’t matter how many times I talk about it and how many times I talk with students about what happens like every time I tear up, it’s gonna be amazing to be able to say the right thing happened, finally.”

(Courtesy Protect Kw’tsán)

A group of Californians are in Colombia this week for the 16th United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity.

Suzanne Potter has more.

Tribes, policymakers, and conservation groups are advocating for national monument status for three sites in the Golden State.

Lena Ortega with the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe wants federal protection for the proposed Kw’tsán National Monument in Imperial County.

“The movement to save the environment isn’t a choice for us. It’s a matter of survival, and our past healings are intertwined with that of Mother Earth. We are the land. The land is us.”

Brandy McDaniels with the Pit River Nation says time is running out for the administration to declare the Sáttítla National Monument in northeastern California.

“With less than three months left in President Biden’s term, now is the time for the president to use his authority by designating Sáttítla as a national monument for all future generations.”

Tribes are also calling for a new Chuckwalla National Monument in Southern California near Joshua Tree National Park.

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