Ketchikan’s Delores Churchill has been appointed by Gov. Sean Parnell to the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council.
Churchill is a renowned weaver who teaches basketry at the University of Alaska Southeast. She formerly worked at Ketchikan General Hospital.
Churchill is one of the few remaining speakers of the Haida language and is active as a board member, teacher, and cultural leader with Ketchikan Indian Community. She holds an honorary doctorate of humanities from UAS.
Other council appointees hail from Fairbanks, Kodiak, Nome and Anchorage.
The council advises the governor and Legislature on programs, policies and projects to help preserve, restore, and revitalize Alaska Native languages in the state. All the appointees represent professional language experts.
