A bill being considered in the Alaska Legislature seeks to strengthen the state's Native arts law.
The Alaska State Council on the Arts oversees the "Silver Hand" program to ensure the authenticity of Native art. Senate Bill 97 and House Bill 161 make several changes to the program that some Native artists see as positive.
The bill would make violations of the Silver Hand emblem a misdemeanor. It would allow Native artists and other individuals to sue people for falsely marketing their goods with the emblem.
The bill would also remove a blood quantum requirement for participation in the program. Instead, Silver Hand would be open to any member of a state or federally recognized Alaska Native tribe.
"The motivation is to update the law so that it can help Native artists in today’s world," Sven Haakanson Jr., director of the Aluttiq Museum in Kodiak and chair of the Alaska State Council on the Arts, told The Peninsula Clarion.
Get the Story:Silver hand gets tighter grip (The Peninsula Clarion 3/8)
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Silver Hand revisions may be useful, some Native artists say (The Peninsula Clarion 3/8) Relevant Links:
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