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Sitka - Named by the TlingetCelebrity's "Mercury" Visits The Former Russian Capital of Alaska
Although the town of Sitka, Alaska was founded by the Russian Alexander Baranov, it is on land that once belonged to the Alaskan Tlingit Indians.
This is one port of call where ships have to anchor offshore and passengers are transported to land on the tenders. Sitka's HistoryRussian fur traders discovered this area in the 18th century due to the abundance of otter, seal and blue fox. By the end of that century the sea otters were disappearing so Alexander Baranov, manager of the venture, searched further afield. In 1799 he established the town of New Archangel, seven miles north of Sitka and home of the Tlingit Indians. There were several battles and he finally defeated the Tlingit in the Battle of Alaska. Baranov then rebuilt the trading base on the ashes of the Tlingit ancestral village. It was known as the "village by the island of Shee" - Shee Atika. In 1867 the United States Secretary of State, William H. Seward, negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia for the sum of $7,200,000. Thinks to see in Downtown SitkaThe most Russian-looking building in town is the Russian-domed St. Michael's Cathedral. This is a fairly recent rebuild as the original was destroyed by fire in 1966 and the 150-year-old blueprints only came to light some years later. Fortunately, during the fire, people rallied around and managed to save many of the valuable artifacts which are on display inside. Anyone interested in native cultural artifacts should visit the vast collection at the Sheldon Jack Museum. This building was the first made of concrete in Alaska and erected in 1895. Also in Sitka is the Sheet'Ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi Tribal Community House which is on the site that once housed the Indian Government School. Here Native dances in full regalia are performed. Tours around Sitka include the town, a Raptor Center, lots of sporting activities such as biking, hiking, kayaking. One of the really popular trips is to see the playful Sea Otters. The New Archangel Dancers of SitkaNo visit is complete without seeing these fantastic dancers. What is surprising is that they are all women and their specialty is Russian Folk Dancing, even though they aren't Russian. The women play the male roles and even do those fantastic bouncy kicks, leaps and somersaults. The New Archangel Dancers were formed in 1969. At the time the ladies asked their menfolk, who were mostly fishermen, if they would like to be a part of the troupe. Definitely not. Apparently, nowadays they ask if they can join. Definitely not. The ladies are very happy as they are, especially as, during the winter, they tour the rest of the U.S. and overseas. Entertainment on the MercuryDuring sea days the Cruise Staff organize various entertainments such as quizzes, bingo, table tennis and almost anything you can think of. There are lectures and the Spa has exercise programs and health and beauty lectures. In the evenings (apart from gambling in the casino) music reigns supreme from the colorful shows in the theater to soloists such as Cesarius (latin guitar) and pianist/singer Valerie Bouchard in the bars. Dance music is provided by the Rachelle Courtney Quartet in the Rendez-Vous Square and the Party Band Wildstyle in the Pavilion and Navigator Nightclubs. For some passengers on this Alaska cruise the last day at sea was spent whale-watching, while others relaxed after their hectic adventures ashore. For information about this cruise, dates of departure, its prices and accommodations, contact Celebrity Cruises. This cruise also visited Ketchikan, the Hubbard Glacier and Juneau.
The copyright of the article Sitka - Named by the Tlinget in Cruise Lines & Routes is owned by Barbara Bothwell. Permission to republish Sitka - Named by the Tlinget in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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