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Teri Rofkar

Teri Rofkar (Chais' Koowu Tla'a) was a Tlingit weaver and educator from Sitka, Alaska. She was a member of the Tákdeintaan Clan who was renowned for her mastery of Tlingit weaving and basketry. For more than 30 years, she practiced the traditional style of Raven’s Tail weaving and Spruce Root basketry, was a key advocate for Native art, and was particularly known for her efforts to keep the Tlingit artistic legacy alive. She utilized traditional sourcing and processing of materials, but also incorporated contemporary themes, such as global warming, into her work. For many years, she was involved with the Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center at the Sitka National Historical Park Visitor Center, as both a demonstrating artist and a board member. Throughout her career, Teri received many awards, including the Rasmuson Foundation's Distinguished Artist's Award in 2013, the Governor's Award for Alaska Native Art, and in 2006 was named a United States Artist Fellow. She had her pieces shown in exhibits and museums around the world. She passed away in 2016 at the age of 60. For more about Teri Rofkar, see her obituary in the Daily Sitka Sentinal newspaper.

Date of Birth:

Sep 27, 1956

Date of Death:

Dec 2, 2016

Teri Rofkar appears in the following new Jukebox projects:

Sitka National Historical Park

Teri Rofkar Slideshow

Interview Title	Abstract	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Date of Interview
Teri Rofkar	Teri Rofkar was interviewed on May 21, 1999 by Kristen Griffin at a satellite office of the Sitka National Historical Park in Sitka, Alaska. Robi Craig, Tribal Anthropologist for the Sitka Tribe, video and audio taped the interview. At the time of this interview, Teri was in her mid-forties and had an enthusiasm for life, her culture, and her work as a Tlingit basket and textile weaver. She is an eloquent and precise speaker and is engaging to listen to. In this interview, Teri covers such topics as the Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center, traditional Tlingit artwork of basket and textile weaving, and her personal experiences with the Sitka National Historical Park, her culture and her development as an artist. Teri also shares a story about the origins of Tlingit basketry and her impressions of it. Both, the story and Teri's interpretation are beautiful and are perhaps the highlight of the interview.	98-39-13	Sitka National Historical Park	May 21, 1999