Kenai Peninsula College honored the memory of former faculty member Dr. Alan “Tiqutsex” Boraas in a dedication of the Kenai River Anthropology Lab. The dedication was at 6:00 p.m., September 16 at the Kenai River Campus Ward in Soldotna. There was a brief indoor presentation and an opportunity to gather around a campfire.
Cheryl Siemers, Kenai Peninsula College Director tells KSRM:
“Tonight, we had the honor of dedicating our anthropology lab to Dr. Boraas. We have renamed the lab using his name given by the Kenaitze Indian Tribe and we have posted a new sign outside the lab hallway, and we invited the public in to celebrate with us. It’s an event that’s a long time coming. Alan passed November 4, 2019 and due to COVID, we’ve had to wait some time to have this event. Changing a name at the University campus means we’ve done some paperwork and some process by former director Gary Turner all up the way through the Board of Regents to approve the name change. We are just so excited to welcome folks in and to see this event tonight.”
Adam Dunstan, Assistant Professor of Anthropology tells KSRM:
“We want to continue the lab being a space for the community. This is not sort of ivory tower folks off there doing obscure research that’s not for other people. This is meant to be for the community. We come into this space. We have just tons of rare books, old books, about the history of this place. The Kenai Peninsula has an absolutely incredible history, whether we’re talking about the Dena’ina history of these lands or whether we’re talking about salmon fishing, the gold mining, all these different things in these lands. We want you to learn about them and that’s part of what this space is for. It’s a library. It’s documents. It’s historical photo repository. It’s for members of the press to learn about the past of this place, but it’s also about documenting the present-day rich cultures and diversity of this space.”
A plaque was dedicated in Boraas’s honor. The Dena’ina name, given to Alan, ‘Tiqutsex’ means ‘He is breaking trail.’ The plaque says that Boraas was an honorary member of the Dena’ina People.
Click here for images from the ceremony.
