Who is Kadashan?

Kadashan is the Tlingit name for Bertrand J. Adams, Sr.. His paternal grandmother  named him after her father, John Kadashan, who was a guide to the world traveler and naturalist, John Muir. It was the elder Kadashan, Sitka Charlie and another individual called Toyatte, who guided Muir through the Inside Passage of Southeast Alaska and into Glacier Bay. Chief Kadashan, as he is referred to by historians, lived in Wrangell, Alaska, and in his later years, was well known as a peace maker.  (See The Kadashan Family link to learn more about the Kadashan family).

Kadashan is a published author and has written books of fiction (see THIS IS YAKUTAT and WHEN RAVEN CRIES links) and numerous articles for magazines and newsapers; for six years he was a columnist for the Juneau Empire, the newspaper for the capital city of Alaska.  He writes extensively, about tribal government and draws from his nearly twelve years of experience as the President of the Yakutat Tlingit Tribal Council.  During this period he traveled extensively throughout Alaska, and the nation, attending conventions and conferences with tribal and government leaders; it was during these trips that he learned, first hand, the problems and issues of Naïve America, and their relationship with the federal government. With these experiences he began to formulate some thoughts about how we all fit into the scheme of things. 

Kadashan has taken concepts that made America a leader among nations and meshed them with Native American values, which values are based upon the laws of nature.  Both the early settlers and leaders of America also believed in abiding by the natural laws.  Learning to live by these fundamental concepts is a major theme throughout his writings. 

When he was attending Brigham Young University (1976-1979), he undertook a serious study of the U.S. Constitution.  It was during the probing lectures when he realized that one does not have to be a lawyer to comprehend the Constitution if one understood what the Founding Fathers' vision for this nation was. 

He was impressed, as he began to stretch his imagination outside the so-called "box" when he learned about the influence that the Native Americans had on the formation of the Articles of Confederation and, later, the U.S. Constitution, which formulated the fundamental structure of the federal system as we know it today. When the colonists were preparing to break away from England the intent was to make the Indian confederacy the fourteenth colony, however this never materialized after the colonist gained their independence because of unresolved conflicts on both sides. 

After many years of contemplation and pondering on these issues, Kadashan began to develop ideas that centered around the theme of abiding by the natural laws. He is convinced that everyone, no matter where he or she lives---whether it be in the wilderness, upon the seas, or in the large cities---must become familiar with these laws if they want to experience success and peace in their lives.