JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – A new online radio station will give voice to the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures in southeast Alaska.

Tribal Voice Radio launched Feb. 15 at www.tribalvoiceradio.com. It was approved in December by Central Council Tlingit Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.

“The main goal is to capture the language, clan stories and ways of life of the Native people,” said project coordinator Simon Roberts. “We’re looking at being able to give back to the culture a new life and gather all the communities here in Southeast as well as the Tlingits and Haidas in Canada.”

Roberts has worked the last six months with the Tlingit and Haida’s Employment and Training team and marketing coordinator Thomas Gallant.

Roberts said the team sent out eight hand-held recorders to the council’s cultural representatives to collect clan stories and interview Native elders, artists, dancers and drummers.

“Anything that happens, any current events, they’ll be able to be there to record what’s going on and give voice to each one of the Native communities so we’re all one voice under one roof,” Roberts said.

Content of community submissions may range from contemporary or traditional Native music to family recipes, such as how to smoke salmon or dry seaweed.

Tlingit and Haida Central Council President Bill Martin said Tribal Voice will help bring Southeast Native culture to 14,000 members living outside the region.

“Being on the Web means we have a greater access to all of our constituents who are scattered throughout the country,” Martin said.

Other major contributors to the project include Sealaska Corp., which gave access to its online lecture series. SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium will contribute a 50-minute weekly program on anatomy and health.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.