Walking the Line: Honoring Our Tsimshian Traditions While Building a Self-Sufficient Future





“Rooted in Ancestors, Rising Together: A Tsimshian Journey Toward Self-Sufficiency”

By Alexander Atkinson Jr., Tsimshian Nation

As a proud member of the Tsimshian Nation, I carry with me the stories, values, and wisdom passed down through generations. Our people have lived in harmony with the lands and waters of Southeast Alaska since time immemorial. The mountains, the rivers, the ocean—they are not just our backdrop; they are our kin. They speak of where we come from and guide where we are going.

And today, as a people, we are moving forward with intention.

Our communities are striving for self-sufficiency—not just in the economic sense, but in spirit, culture, and connection. We’re reclaiming what was nearly lost, rebuilding what was broken, and reimagining what is possible for the generations to come. But as we rise, we are walking a line that requires both balance and wisdom: how to move forward without leaving our traditions behind. How to grow without becoming consumed by greed. How to honor our ancestors while preparing the way for our children.

Self-Sufficiency Through a Tsimshian Lens

For the Tsimshian people, self-sufficiency is not a new idea—it’s a return. Our ancestors lived in tightly woven communities where food, tools, stories, and ceremonies were shared with purpose. The land provided, and we gave thanks. Wealth was not measured by accumulation, but by how much you gave away.

Now, we are embracing modern forms of sustainability—renewable energy projects, Native-owned enterprises, cultural tourism, Indigenous-led education—and doing so through the lens of our traditional values. We're not chasing progress for its own sake. We're building systems that reflect who we are and what we hold sacred.

This is not about resistance. It’s about resilience.



Community, Tribe, and Family: Our True Wealth

Everything we do as Tsimshian people comes back to community. The clan. The tribe. The extended family. In a world where many are taught to “go it alone,” we are taught to go together. We rise as a collective, not as individuals.

When we come together to celebrate a birth, mourn a loss, raise a totem, or teach our youth how to fish, we are doing more than preserving culture—we are living it. These gatherings are reminders that we are never alone. That our stories do not begin or end with us. We are links in a chain that stretches generations in both directions.

This mindset shapes our goals. It helps us say no to decisions that might benefit a few while harming the many. It helps us remember that when one of us is lifted, we all rise.

Walking Away from Greed, Walking Toward Balance

The pressure to monetize everything, to extract and consume, is strong in today’s world. But as Tsimshian people, we know better. We’ve seen what happens when the land is not respected, when resources are taken without ceremony or care.

Greed is not our way.

Our wealth is in our rivers, our languages, our songs, our Elders, our youth. And our future depends on protecting those things—not just for ourselves, but for every life connected to them.

We are guided by questions like:

  • Does this decision serve the next seven generations?

  • Does it honor our ancestors?

  • Will it keep our community whole?

These questions don’t slow us down. They keep us grounded.

This Path Is Not Easy—But It Is Ours

We are navigating complex systems, old wounds, and new opportunities. But every time a child hears our language, every time we harvest traditional foods, every time we gather to share stories—we are winning.

We are not caught between two worlds. We are creating a world where both tradition and innovation walk side by side.

This is our time—not to choose between the old ways and the new, but to walk forward with both. Strong in our Tsimshian identity. United in purpose. Rooted in community. Always honoring the wisdom that brought us here.

We walk this line not alone—but as one people. And we walk it with pride.

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