James Jack

James Jack Sr. (Glaathsoon), Tlingit name K' aatl' soon gaet,  is from the Wooshkeetaan clan and Eagle Shark House of Hoonah. He is a child of the Tak'deintaan clan and grandchild of the  Wooshkeetaan. He was born in Tenakee Springs and raised in Hoonah, Alaska.

James graduated from Mt. Edgecumbe High School and seined for many years with his dad and his brothers on the F/V Tennessee and North Cape. After high school, he attended Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas.

In August of 1964, he was drafted into the United States Army where he served for two years and spent 18 months in Germany before being honorably discharged. He later attended the University of Alaska Anchorage for two years where he majored in psychology.

James has been serving our Native community for 50 years between his hometown of Hoonah and adopted home of Juneau where he has lived for the past 37 years. He is known for his amazing sense of humor which always provides calmness to any situation.

James has been and continues to be a great mentor to our upcoming tribal leaders and also has served as Naa Kani for many koo.éex’ and regularly represents the Wooshkeetaan clan at memorial services and tribal events.

While living in Hoonah, he served as the President of the Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB) Camp 12, eight years as a Tlingit & Haida Hoonah Delegate, and four years (two terms) on the Huna Totem Corporation Board of Directors. He has served for the past 30 years consecutively as a Tlingit & Haida Juneau Delegate and Juneau Tlingit & Haida Community Council (JTHCC) member and is a past president of the council. He has served as chairman of Tlingit & Haida's Finance committee for the past eight. He has served on the SEARHC Board of Directors for nearly nine years. (From http://www.ccthita-nsn.gov/government/assembly/events/documents/JamesJackUpdatedBio.pdf)