After receiving the honor of this grant, the Native Village of Eyak (NVE) in Cordova, Alaska proudly offered Ilanka Cultural Center (ICC) members the opportunity to create a cedar woven hat taught by master Haida weaver, Holly Churchill, of Ketchikan, Alaska. Over the course of three weeks and over 45 hours of available class time, 14 students, 12 of which were tribal members, learned how to weave a hat in either a Tlingit or Alutiiq weave style. Over the three weeks she was in town, Holly also visited the AK Native Arts high school class and taught 12 youth students how to make a cedar woven headband traditionally used for canoe journey. With The CIRI Foundation’s Journey to What Matter’s grant program, ICC was able to purchase 14 hat form, cedar supplies, and pay for Holly’s contractual services.

Quwanakcuk ~ Gunalchéesh ~ Aw A’ahdah ~ Thank you TCF!