Alaska Cruise-Ketchikan, Day 3

Day 3
Arrive 7am sail 4.30pm

Ketchikan, Alaska, is a southeastern city known as "Alaska's First City" and the "Salmon Capital of the World". It is a popular cruise ship destination located on Revillagigedo Island, accessible by air or sea, and is surrounded by the Tongass National Forest. The city is rich in Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian culture.

Creek Street - historic boardwalk, once a red-light district and now a charming area with shops and galleries

"THE ROCK"
A monument to Ketchikan's heritage, "The Rock" features seven figures representing the people and personalities that fist made this frontier home.
Featured at the top is the welcoming figure of Gut Wain (Chief Johnson) of the Gaanaxadi clan of the Tlingit tribe. Other characters include a Native drummer, a fisherman, a miner, a frontierswoman, a logger and a bush pilot. Local artist Dave Rubin created the bronze sculpture with Terry Pyles and Judy Rubin.

Thundering Wings
THE STORY OF KETCHIKAN
Keech Xaan (now Kichxáan)
Thundering Wings, the monumental cedar sculpture you see here, was carved by renowned Tlingit master carver Nathan Jackson. The City of Ketchikany commissioned the creation of this public art piece to represent the Tlingit origin of the name for Ketchikan Creek, our town's namesake. The late Tlingit Chief Reynold Denny, Sr. (1910-1991) of the Sanyaa Kwáaan Neix.ádi (Cape Fox Eagle-Beaver clan) recounted the oral tradition of the name Ketchikan, which inspired Nathan Jackson's rendering:
"About three hundred years ago, the Ketchikan Creek area belonged to the Neix.ádi. The name of the chief was Chief Cu Kax. When the people of his tribe climbed Deer Mountain to the look out point and looked down to the creek they saw the image of an eagle with open wings sitting on a large rock at the head of the creek. They named it Keech Ka Xa haan (Keech - wings, Ka - spread, Xa haan - over). This was reduced to Keech Xaan (now Kichxáan). The white settlers came and, unable to say the name correctly, changed it to Ketchikan."
On November 16, 1991, the original sculpture was dedicated with a community celebration including traditional Tlingit song and dance. The current Thundering Wings is a reproduction that was also carved by Nathan Jackson. It was installed on July 4, 2016.
NATHAN JACKSON, A NATIONAL TREASURE
Nathan Paul Jackson (b. 1938) was born into the jilkoot Kwaaan Lukaax.ádi (Chilkoot Raven-Sockeye clan) near Haines, Alaska. He is one of the most important Tlingit and Alaska Native artists of our time. Several of Jackson's larger works are on display in the National Museum of the American Indian, the Field Museum in Chicago, and many other museums and public institutions in the United States and internationally. Jackson is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, is a Rasmuson Foundation Distinguished Artist and holds an honorary doctorate of humanities from the University of Alaska, Southeast. Perhaps one of Jackson's most important contributions has been to pass on traditional carving skills to the next generation who have in turn become accomplished artists. He has lived in Ketchikan since the early 1970s.
NORTHWEST COAST NATIVE ART
The original Thundering Wings rests at the Ketchikan Museums®
Totem Heritage Center. The Center features two totem poles carved by Nathan Jackson, Raven-Fog Woman which tells the story of why the salmon return to the creeks each year and Honoring Those Who Give which incorporates figures and symbols that represent the founding of the Totem Heritage Center. The Center also features contemporaryRead more