US Navy issues apology for Alaska atrocity
Date
10/30/2024 8:19:58 AM
(MENAFN) In a significant gesture of reconciliation, the US Navy has formally apologized to the Tlingit people of southern Alaska for the destruction of their village, Angoon, which occurred 142 years ago. On October 26, 1882, American warships shelled the village in retaliation for what was deemed an “uprising” against a whaling company. Following the bombardment, Navy landing parties set fire to the villagers' huts, boats, and food supplies, leaving the community destitute as winter approached.
During a ceremony held in Angoon on the anniversary of the tragedy, Rear Admiral Mark Sucato, head of US Navy Northwest, addressed the gathered crowd, acknowledging the pain and suffering inflicted upon the Tlingit people. “The Navy recognizes these wrongful actions resulted in the loss of life, the loss of resources, the loss of culture, and created intergenerational trauma on these clans,” Sucato stated. He emphasized that the Navy takes the significance of this historical action very seriously, asserting that an apology has long been overdue.
While Angoon was eventually rebuilt, the Tlingit community received a settlement of $90,000 from the US government in 1973. Each year since then, the community has held a remembrance ceremony, often beginning by asking if anyone from the US Navy would come to offer an apology. This poignant tradition highlights the ongoing sense of loss and the desire for acknowledgment of past wrongs.
Daniel Johnson Jr., a tribal head in Angoon, expressed the sentiments of many in his community when he stated, “You can imagine the generations of people that have died since 1882 that have wondered what had happened, why it happened, and wanted an apology of some sort, because in our minds, we didn’t do anything wrong.” The recent apology marks a step towards healing and recognition of the historical injustices faced by the Tlingit people, acknowledging a dark chapter in the relationship between Indigenous communities and the US government.
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