More than 200 years ago, Lingít and other Alaska Native people waged battles against invading and oppressive Russian colonists in Sitka. To this day, those battles are a symbol of Lingít resistance to colonialism. A Kiks.ádi warrior named Ḵ’alyáan led the attacks, and in 1804 he wore a carved Raven helmet during one of the battles.

In the early 1900s, the helmet was separated from the Kiks.ádi. It’s considered at.oow — a sacred, living clan item — but the Raven helmet has been behind glass at the Sheldon Jackson Museum since 1906.

Listen: https://media.ktoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05RavenHelmet.mp3

Aanyaanáxch Ray Wilson is the Kiks.ádi clan leader and lives in Juneau. He said that at.oow hold spirits and clan members treat them like relatives.

“So when we don’t h

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