People sometimes see a finished seal skin hat and think the story begins with the fur. For me, the story begins somewhere else.
Food comes first.
I’m Robert Miller, a Tlingit Alaska Native and the owner of Sea Fur Sewing in Sitka, Alaska. When I harvest a seal, my first responsibility is to make sure the meat and fat are cared for and shared with people who appreciate and depend on our traditional foods. The skin can become something useful afterward, but the food is the starting point.
Seal Harvesting Is Part of Our Tlingit Way of Life
For generations, Tlingit people in Southeast Alaska have relied on the ocean to feed our families. Seal meat and fat are traditional foods, and harvesting them is part of a way of life rooted in knowledge, hard work, and responsibility.
It takes more than going out in a boat. There is preparation, weather, safety, harvesting, processing, preserving, and making sure the food reaches the people who want it. You have to be willing to do all of that work.
I didn’t learn every part of this tradition as a young boy. I made a decision as an adult to reconnect with my Tlingit heritage and learn more of the skills our ancestors practiced. That experience changed the way I look at the ocean, the animals we harvest, and the responsibility we have to one another.
Why Sharing Seal Meat With Elders Matters
One of the most rewarding parts of a seal harvest is delivering meat and fat to elders and families. Some people have grown up eating these foods all their lives. They are not simply another item on a dinner plate. They are connected to family, memories, community, and culture.
Over the years, I’ve spent a great deal of time preparing, packaging, and sharing seal meat. During one winter alone, we distributed more than 2,000 pounds. That takes time and work, but knowing it is going to people who truly value it makes the effort worthwhile.
A successful harvest is not just measured by what I bring home. It is measured by how well I take care of it and who I can help feed.
Respecting the Animal Means Using the Harvest
I understand that not everyone has grown up around hunting or eating traditional wild foods. People may have questions, and I respect that. But for me, responsible Alaska Native seal harvesting is not about killing an animal just for a piece of clothing.
It is about harvesting with purpose, caring for the meat and fat, and finding a meaningful use for the skin instead of treating it as waste. Proper preparation of a seal skin is another demanding job, and turning that hide into a finished piece of clothing takes many more hours of careful work.
When I sew a seal skin hat or combine seal skin with sea otter fur, I see more than a finished product. I see the time on the water, the people who received food, and the skills that connect us to earlier generations.
From a Seal Harvest to Handmade Clothing in Sitka, Alaska
That connection is part of why I built Sea Fur Sewing. What began as a personal effort to learn traditional fur-working skills eventually grew into an Alaska Native-owned business making hats, mittens, and other handcrafted items.
I believe the best way to honor these skills is to keep practicing them, teaching them, and putting them to good use. A finished hat can provide warmth for many years, but its story began long before I sat down at my sewing machine.
If you would like to see how I use these materials, take a look at my handmade sea otter and seal skin trapper hat, or read more about my journey into traditional fur sewing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska Native Seal Harvesting
Do Alaska Native people still harvest seals for food?
Yes. Seal meat and fat remain important traditional foods in many coastal Alaska Native communities. Harvesting, preparing, and sharing food are part of living cultural traditions.
Is seal hunting legal in Alaska?
The federal Marine Mammal Protection Act includes an exemption for eligible Alaska Native people to harvest marine mammals for subsistence or for creating authentic Native handicrafts and clothing, subject to applicable requirements, including that the harvest not be wasteful. Learn more from NOAA Fisheries.
What happens to a seal skin after the harvest?
A seal skin can be carefully prepared, professionally tanned, and sewn into practical clothing such as a seal skin hat. At Sea Fur Sewing, I make pieces designed to provide warmth and keep these skills alive.
Food First. Family Always. Tradition Continues.
I want people who visit my website to understand that Sea Fur Sewing is about more than buying fur clothing. It is about feeding people, respecting a harvest, and keeping a living part of Tlingit culture moving forward.
Food first. Respect for the animal. Care for our elders. And a responsibility to pass these skills on.
That is why I harvest seals.
Robert Miller
Sea Fur Sewing | Sitka, Alaska
www.seafursewing.com
