Metlakatla is the only native reservation in Alaska, home to approximately 1,400 of the only Tsimshian Natives in the state, and a unique introduction to the native people of the Pacific Northwest.

The Tsimshian are primarily a coastal tribe of British Columbia, Canada, but in 1887 this band of Tsimshians immigrated with the permission and protection of the United States and under the guidance of their Anglican clergyman, Father William Duncan, to form a model community.

Situated on Annette Island just a short distance away from Ketchikan and right across the border from Canada, the residents of Metlakatla work together to provide for their community. Commercial fishing and processing is the lifeblood of the town, and you will see Annette Island Packing Company perched on stilts over the water. It's been in operation since 1890, and depending on what time of the summer you visit, it may be in operation. Many of the salmon come from Metlakatla's fish traps, the only such traps still allowed in Alaska. Looking for ways to supplement the slump in the timber industry, the town just recently opened a bottled water production facility and is working to market the product to outside consumers.

This small community represents a unique example of how ancient rituals can be interwoven with modern life and the values of the west.