Deer Rock
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The Deer Rock, also called Peace Rock, is located on the right bank of the Chilkoot River in Southeast Alaska in the Haines Borough, Alaska of USA. In the language of the Raven Clan and Eagle Clan of the Tlingit Alaskan Indian tribes also known as the Chilkhat (Kukhwan) and the Chilkoot (Haines), the rock is called as the Gowakaan Teiyee, and is of great significance to them as they held negotiations on this rock to arrive at a peaceful settlement of the tragic conflicts of the past. TlukwAxadi clan named the “rock” with the prefix “Deer”, as they believed that the Deer represented peace for now and always. A clan member who was chosen to mediate a settlement to end the conflict sat over this rock after truce in the battle between the clans, to think peacefully and to arrive at the most acceptable terms of settlement. Thereafter, with diplomatic finesse, in the presence of the Deer Rock, the warring clans settled their differences and since then no further conflicts have occurred between them. This Deer Rock was thus witness to peaceful settlement that saved countless members of the Raven and Eagle clans of the Tlingit tribe who would have otherwise died if the war had continued. Since then the Deer Rock has become a heritage monument of the Tlingit people.[1][2][3]