Shee't'iká Kwáan

Shee't'iká lies on the western shore of Baranof Island, where wooded mountains rise above the islands and sheltered waters of Sitka Sound. The Tlingit people of this coast drew food from the sea and the salmon streams, travelling among their villages and fishing places by canoe. Their clans held rights to particular places and sustained ties with other communities along the coast.

In 1799 Russian traders established a post near Sitka, but in 1802 Tlingit warriors destroyed it. Anticipating their return, the Kiks.ádi clan built the fortified village of Shís’gi Noow beside the Indian River. Russian forces returned in 1804 and, after a bombardment, attacked the fort; warriors led by K’alyáan drove them back. With ammunition running low and allied reinforcements absent, the Tlingit withdrew after a siege. The Russians occupied the old village site and established New Archangel, while the Kiks.ádi continued to resist from elsewhere.