The Whale House TRAILER

THE WHALE HOUSE is a character-driven feature-length documentary with a one-hour television cut.

This is the intriguing story of the Whale House heist. Carved by Haida genius artist Kadjisdu.axtc in the late 1700s, the Whale House is considered by many the “Sistine Chapel” of North America Native Art.

The Alaskan town of Klukwan was the epicentre of the Tlingit civilization. For centuries southern museums and art dealers coveted the Whale House treasures. They were eventually stolen and taken to Seattle. But a strong Tlingit woman Lani Hotch fought back. After years of struggle Lani and her community won a landmark victory of Tribal Law. They regained control of their art and returned the historic treasures to Klukwan.

A condition of the return of the art was for the community to provide an appropriate home. After years of effort the Whale House is now open to the public.

A symbol of Tlingit pride, it overlooks the Bald Eagle Preserve inspiring a generation of young men and women to celebrate their traditions and find value in a return to their native lifestyle.

A film by MARGARITA RAMON

© 2017 Terra Incognita Productions