Born in Ketchikan, I am an Alaska Native living in Kasaan, on Prince of Wales Island. For 15 years, I lived in and around New York City (from 1994-2009), where I worked in the television and photography industries. My interest in documenting and learning the Haida language (Xaad kil) comes from my family background.
In Alaska, the Haida (Xaadas) live in the villages of Hydaburg and Kasaan on Prince of Wales Island. The elders seen and heard in this documentary come from Kasaan. My father and his family grew up there, too. My great-grandfather was born in Karta Bay (near Kasaan), though the permanent village was Gasa'aan, what is now considered "Old Kasaan".
Frederick Otilius Olsen, Jr.
(contact me via email: otilius@aol.com)
Disclaimer: This site remains a labor of love and has no paid advertising. Should this site accept forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, and other forms of compensation, notice shall be made.
My NYC photo blog "New York Nitty-Gritty" began on August 3, 2005 and has over 1,500 posts to date. My Alaska photo blog "Alaska Nitty-Gritty" began in 2009 and has over 500 posts to date.
Contact me by leaving a comment on a photo. If you put your email address into the appropriate field, not in the body of your comment, I will reply directly to you. Please, no spam "comments". I delete those.
About Me
