US Navy issues apology over Alaska brutality
Date
11/2/2024 9:59:24 AM
(MENAFN) In a significant move toward 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. This apology comes in recognition of the suffering inflicted on the Tlingit community following a tragic event that took place on October 26, 1882.
During that fateful day, American warships shelled Angoon in retaliation for what was described as an “uprising” against a whaling company. Following the bombardment, Navy landing parties went ashore and set fire to the village's huts, boats, and food supplies, leaving the Tlingit people in dire straits as winter approached. The destructive actions not only resulted in the immediate loss of life and resources but also inflicted long-lasting intergenerational trauma on the community.
At a solemn ceremony held in Angoon on the anniversary of the shelling, Rear Admiral Mark Sucato, who leads the US Navy Northwest, addressed the crowd, stating, “The Navy recognizes the pain and suffering inflicted upon the Tlingit people, and we acknowledge these wrongful actions resulted in the loss of life, the loss of resources, the loss of culture.” He emphasized the Navy's awareness of the significance of this historical event and acknowledged that the apology was “long overdue.”
In the decades since the attack, Angoon has been rebuilt, and in 1973, the Tlingit received a $90,000 settlement from the US government. However, the community has continued to carry the scars of the past, annually beginning their remembrance ceremonies by asking if any representatives from the Navy would come forward to apologize. According to Daniel Johnson Jr., a tribal leader in Angoon, this question reflects the enduring pain of generations who have passed away since the tragedy, each wondering about the events that transpired and yearning for acknowledgment of their suffering.
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