The Yakutat photograph collection is attributed to a Japanese cannery worker named Seiki (Shoki, Fhoki) Kayamori who worked in Yakutat. As an amateur photographer, he recorded activity there from about 1912 to 1941.* The photographs preserve a rare documentation of life in Yakutat at the height of Southeast Alaska’s salmon canning industry. Kayamori photographed buildings in Yakutat, the canneries, Tlingits, funerals of prominent residents, Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood activities and numerous portraits. The collection includes a photograph of the Thunderbird Clan House, no longer in existence, and two photographs of Kayamori.

The glass plates and film negatives of Kayamori were stored in Yakutat for many years. Through the Byron Mallott family these photographs came to the Alaska Historical Library where they are housed.

In 1977, Yakutat City officials were interested in obtaining copies of the photographs. Several meetings were held to discuss funding the project. The State Library contracted with a photographer to print nearly 700 glass plates and negatives in the collection. New copy negatives were made for about 300 photographs. Some original film negatives were transferred to Yakutat. The community of Yakutat obtained a grant from the Alaska State Museum to pay costs of duplicating the images for a local exhibit. Zelma Doig of the Alaska State Library met with the people of Yakutat to identify the photographs.

This photograph collection by Seiki Kayamori serves as a memorial to him today.

*Reference by F. DeLaguna in Under Mt. St. Elias, v.3, p.1000. (Washington, D.C., Smithsonian Institution Press, 1972).