The native village of chenega will preserve and expand access to its sugpiat cultural heritage by establishing the chenega online museum - a comprehensive digital repository featuring high-quality…

The Native Village of Chenega received a $163,616 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Program (CFDA 45.308), effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. The award supports the establishment and operation of the Chenega Online Museum, a comprehensive digital cultural repository designed to preserve and expand community access to Sugpiaq (Alutiiq) heritage. Deliverables include high-quality digitized images of tribal artifacts, video interviews with community elders, an interactive historical timeline, and educational resources reflecting Chenega's culture and history.

Grant funds cover costs associated with cultural staff and consultant compensation, digitization of cultural materials, and website development and ongoing maintenance. By creating a centralized, accessible digital cultural hub, the project serves the geographically dispersed Chenega community and educates the broader Alaska Native and general public audiences about the tribe's heritage. This initiative aligns with the IMLS program's core objectives of preserving indigenous languages and cultural practices while building organizational capacity for Alaska Native institutions to provide sustainable museum services to their communities.

The native village of chenega will preserve and expand access to its sugpiat cultural heritage by establishing the chenega online museum - a comprehensive digital repository featuring high-quality images of artifacts, video interviews with elders, an interactive timeline, and educational resources that reflect chenega's culture and history. Project funds will cover cultural staff and consultant time, digitization efforts, and website development and maintenance. By creating an accessible, centralized cultural resource hub for its broadly dispersed community, the project will create a platform that educates and connects alaska natives and the public to chenega's rich heritage, fostering awareness and appreciation for generations to come.