In the Fall of 2022, Barbara Shagin- originally from the Unangax̂ community of Atka in the Aleutians- travelled alongside See Stories staff to the village of Angoon for a very special purpose. Barbara’s family was forcibly relocated to Killisnoo Island, near the Southeast Alaska community of Angoon- and Barbara was returning to interview community members; uncovering pieces of her family’s history and reconnecting with a vital chapter of Alaska’s past. 

From her collective conversations with the Angoon community, research into the past, and talking with family, Barbara penned a “zine”- telling her and her family’s story about their relocation and internment. 

See Stories is honored to be able to share Barbara’s words- shedding light on this critical, yet shaded part of Alaska’s past. In an excerpt from her work, Barabara explains what occurred in Atka in 1942:

“The Atkans started the day with fresh fried bread and dried salmon still on their plates and coffee cups still full of steaming coffee. From this normal morning they were suddenly uprooted, ordered abruptly by the military to evacuate immediately to their fish camps, with no rights as American citizens. Once they were settling into their fish camps for the night, they saw an orange glow over their village. The next day without food, hunger set in and the curious men went back to investigate what caused the light above the village and look for food, and they were shocked to find the village burned.”

You can click here to download and read all of Barbara’s Zine “Dear Ancestors & Descendants”. 

About the Author
Growing up surrounded by wind and waves on the island of Atka, Barbara Shangin has a deep connection to her land and Ancestors. Her mother and father taught her the Unangax̂ language and ways of strength and gratitude. Like her mom, Barbara lives with curiosity, courage, and honesty. As a young mother, she moved her family to Sitka to get her teaching degree. She has spent her life weaving together Unangax̂ ways of knowing with the public school system. She teaches children to read and shows them they are resilient and in charge of their learning.      

During WWII her parents and the entire village of Atka was forcibly relocated to Southeast Alaska by the US military, where they struggled to survive outside Angoon for three years. In 2022 she was invited to Angoon to share her story, thank the community for helping her family survive, and learn more about her family’s history. There she found community, belonging, and a shared history. The community of Angoon resonated with her family’s story as their village had been bombed and destroyed by the US Navy in 1882. Barbara was adopted by the people of Angoon and given a Tlingit name, Anya. Her story is powerful and healing.

Barbara is a prolific reader and writer and can be found penning a new idea or gaining inspiration from another author. She is an expert basket weaver and generously shares her knowledge at culture camps and with others. Some of her favorite things to do are to sit quietly on her island gathering beach grass and listening to the sea and the gentle gusts of wind as well as spending time with her seven grandchildren.

About the Artist

Since 2019, Lydia Dirks has been blazing a trail through the Alaskan landscape as a self-taught Unangax̂ artist as she meticulously pens out whimsical illustrations using her signature vibrant color palette. As a child in the early 2000’s in Unalaska, Lydia got her start drawing with pencil, which ultimately led her to try other mediums, such as pen and ink, watercolor, color pencil, acrylic painting, digital art, beading, and woodworking. With every creation she makes, Lydia continues to be influenced by her father, Mike Dirks Sr., a multimedia artist popularly known for his traditional mask carvings, as she holistically embraces her Unangax̂ roots by drawing inspiration from her culture, the land, and the sea.

Since 2022, Lydia has been doing contractual artwork and working at the Aleutian Pribilof Island Association’s Cultural Heritage Department as the Special project’s assistant.

Lydia maintains a catalog of her artwork on Instagram, @chagix.cheeks and she can also be reached by email: lydiadirks3@gmail.com for quotes on special projects or functions.

Thanks to generous funding from the Rasmuson Foundation, the Charlotte Martin Foundation, the National Historic Records and Publications Commission, and the Alaska State Council Arts Cultural Collaborations Grant.

Additional Information and Resources

Listen to an additional interview with Barabara, recorded and produced by Alice Qannik Glenn

Listen or Read this KUCB story: Unangax̂ Elder tells story of WWII evacuation through new zine about Barbara

You can find Barabara’s Zine alongside other See Stories teaching resources and curriculum on See Stories’ “Teacher Tools”