News Article " Auke Tribe Building receives a new lease on life" [Article ID: 36]
Category: Local>Events
Date Posted: 7/7/2006
JUNEAU, June 16, 2006 – At an open house and naming ceremony held June 2 Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority named its new building Gajaa Hit. Gajaa Hit means “a safe place to land”.
In the Tlingit legend of the Great Flood, Raven was stuck in the clouds. The waters started to recede and Raven was released. While flying over the vast ocean he said to himself “Gajaa, gajaa. (I wish for a safe place to land.)” After a while he spotted a small island and landed safely.
“Gajaa Hit is a good name for the building”, said THRHA president and CEO Dr. Blake Y. Kazama. “Especially since the building now has two transitional housing units for Native families needing emergency housing.”
THRHA purchased the building from the Auke Tribe late last year. The two-story building was completely renovated. The two transitional apartments are on the upper level and a community center and gift shop area now occupy the ground level.
At the short naming ceremony Jocelyn Ramirez gave a brief history of the area surrounding the building followed by THRHA president and CEO Dr. Kazama, and Edward K. Thomas, President of the Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Tlingit Elder and Minister Tommy Jimmy, Sr. offered a blessing on the building. Edward Kunz, Jr. and the Juneau “Lingit” Dancers performed several songs to honor the occasion. In 1977, Jimmy and Kunz helped carve the Raven and Eagle poles that grace the street side of the building.
