Who are the Tlingit Indians?

My interests are biased toward the art that is being created by today's artists, but an understanding of where the art form came from is essential to understanding the artwork of the contemporary artist.

A little background on the Tlingit Indians, our society, our clans and clan crests which are considered property, and our leaders/trustees of clan properties is covered very well in the article, "The Tlingit Indian Tribe" by Rosita Worl.

The Tlingits are a matrilineal society, meaning descendants assume clan affiliation based on the clan of their mother. The Tlingit Tribe is divided into two Moieties, the Eagle and the Raven. Under these moieties, there are numerous clans, which are further divided into sub-clans. Under each clan there are one or more Houses. This site gives a partial list of clans of the Tlingit.

Since clan crests are considered property, consideration should be shown, and permission might even be asked, before reproducing existing tribal art.