Kathy Ruddy

Kathy Ruddy spent part of her childhood in Kodiak and moved to Juneau in 1977.  She is a historian and executor of the literary estate of Richard and Nora Marks Dauenhauer.  She spoke with us about her impressions of Juneau, provided us historical context, and shared memories of several Tlingit leaders. 

"My earliest impressions of Juneau were that I was so interested in the waterfront and then I met Dick and Nora Dauenhauer and I really became interested in Tlingit language and culture." 

Richard and Nora Marks Dauenhauer

German poetry - Tlingit poetry

   Walter Soboleff                                                        Cyril George

ministry - bolsheviks - church                                                        photographs- storytelling- Human Rights Commission

"When I arrived...The Juneau social people...the leaders of the arts and commerce, it was the strangest thing, they just looked right through native people...It was a dinner at somebody's house...I made a comment about something to do with Tlingit culture and the room went dead. You know, you've been in these circumstances, the room just went dead.  I couldn't understand why...they were not mean-spirited people, they had joy in their lives, they did interesting things, but they just seemed to look right through...I became aware of it right away but I also had a 'I don't have to take this', and I didn't."