#014 Alaska Day: Then & Now

 Alaska Day marks the moment the American flag replaced the Russian one in Sitka — a turning point in our state’s story. But over 150 years later, what does that really mean for those of us who call this place home? In this bonus episode, Manny looks back at the handoff between empires, the people who were here long before it, and how Alaska continues to define itself today. From the debate over Indigenous Peoples Day to jokes about “selling Alaska back to Russia,” it’s a reflection on what it means to take pride in where we live, to see it through many perspectives, and to recognize our shared belonging as Alaskans. 

Transcript

Manny 
Hello and welcome to the State I'm In where every conversation points north. Here we discuss topics that Alaskans and perhaps everyone should care about. I'm your host, Manny Coelho fellow Alaskan and your guide to the conversations that Alaskans want to hear from the individuals who leading the way.

Manny (00:41)
Today, it's just gonna be me on the mic. And I do wanna let you know that I do have some great guests down the road that will be coming on the show that I'm really excited to share with you all. So thanks for sticking with me and just for tuning in for a short conversation with me today. But I wanna talk about something that I've been thinking about a lot because it's October. And it seems like every October, there's two conversations that unfold side by side, and that is Columbus Day.

and Indigenous Peoples' Day. Now there's some tension in that conversation because on the one side you have the celebration of exploration and the tremendous feat that it was to travel across vast oceans in search of new land and just what that must have been like in the 1600s and 1700s is unfathomable. And on the other side, you have the preservation of culture and heritage and how that culture survives in

a colonized world. Like I said, there's some tension in that. And I mean, that tension is what defines American history itself. And one side of the story can look heroic and yet on the other side of the story could be filled with pain. And that's what America was founded on. And it's kind of a tough subject to talk about. But that was less than a week ago.

was Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day celebrated on the same day. But here in Alaska, we have a unique opportunity, and that is Alaska Day, which is celebrated October 18th every year. And Alaska Day, think, is where the happy medium is because we don't have to pick one side of the story. There is a way to actually move forward while recognizing the past and preserving that culture.

and celebrating a future that we can all share together.

Manny (02:26)
So to understand this a little bit better, it is important to look at the history. So 1867, March of 1867, the purchase of the Alaska Territory occurred. So that was what is known as Seward's Day. And in October of the same is when that formal transfer of land actually happened.

this happened in a town under the Russian Empire known as New Archangel, which is modern day Sitka, Alaska. And so on that day you had Russian troops and you had US troops. And on that day, the Russian flag came down and the US flag went up. It's kind of a cool thing to think about. And that is the day that we celebrate every October 18th, celebrating the day when the US basically planted their flag in Alaska.

for the Alaskan natives, the Tlingit, the Haida, the Yupik, the Dena'ina the Aleuts and many others, what did that mean for them? Because it was land that was basically transferred and given without their consent, and yet they were the ones here for generations and generations.

history tells us that colonialism and the conquering of lands and the squashing out of cultures has been happening forever. And not that it is great, but that it was kind of the global norm.

you have cultures that are struggling to survive. And that was just kind of the way it was. And as a modern day citizen, it's kind of hard to understand that. And the best way that I could put myself in that position is to think about

some recent events that just happened.

Trump met with Vladimir Putin in Anchorage. And at that time, people were jokingly speculating that Trump was going to sell Alaska back to Russia. And while that was funny to joke about, put yourself in the position of that actually happening. And I think that's the closest you can get to maybe experiencing what the Indigenous people

of 1867 felt like when their home was transferred formally to another country. Because let's say Trump did do that. This isn't his home. This isn't where he lives. This isn't where he goes to work or where his kids go to school. So it's not really his to give away. And I guarantee you that must have been the way it felt for the indigenous people of the time of 1867 to see that someone else came in and

signed over their land to someone else. Like it wasn't theirs to give away.

Manny (04:57)
So as modern day Alaskans, what are we supposed to do with that? Are we supposed to just live in guilt and shame over our history or do we find some type of unity in moving forward? Obviously, you know that I'm going to say we should find some unity and move forward because there is no progress in just reflecting on the pain of the past. It is good to remember, but it is more important, I think, to push forward together.

Manny (05:22)
How do we move forward? Do we live in guilt in the past or do we find some common ground in unity in what we do next?

And I think what's cool is that we don't have to pick between Indigenous Peoples' Day and Columbus Day. We kind of have the catch-all with Alaska Day because I think that's what we're doing is we're moving forward together, respecting the past, preserving this culture, and taking all the things that are Alaska into the future.

Manny (05:47)
has come a long way since 1867. We aren't just the people of one heritage or one story anymore. We're blended. There are a lot of families that descend from those original settlers. There's a lot of people that descend directly from those original indigenous cultures.

think we can look back and somehow still have respect for the injustices of the past and still be proud of what Alaska has become. Because it's a land of freedom, of opportunity, and a deep sense of community.

While our history is kind of messy and complicated, many families, it's ours. And I think owning it gives it meaning.

raise the flag on Alaska Day, we're not erasing the past. We're just adding another layer to it.

Because today Alaska belongs to all of us, whether you're a native or newcomer, child or elder. I think what matters is how we're all shaping what's going to come next.

So this Alaska Day, let's look back with little honesty. Live now with more gratitude and let's all move forward with more of a sense of purpose.

Keep North Alaska and thanks for joining me on the state I'm in.