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Day Two of AFN convention discusses sovereignty, public safety and Tribal compacting Dec 16, 2021

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The second and final day of the AFN convention is packed with guests and big conversations. Sponsors of a ballot initiative took the opportunity to say their piece on why tribal recognition in the state is long overdue. Multiple attempts to pass a bill through the Legislature were unsuccessful. A tribal recognition bill was passed this year in the House but never went to a vote in the Senate. Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson is the president of the Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. He’s also one of the initiative’s sponsors. “A bill that did come forward from Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky to recognize tribes couldn't make it because they were unable to really just get their business done. We thought it was better to just, let's put this in the hands of the people.” The initiative wouldn’t give tribes any new power, since they are inherently sovereign. Instead, the initiative aims to have the state acknowledge that sovereignty. To make it on next year’s ballot, the

Day One of Alaska Federation of Natives convention includes Congressional delegates, CARES Act Dec 14, 2021

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Day One of the annual AFN convention featured all three of Alaska’s sitting lawmakers. Alaska Republican Congressman Don Young spoke to the strengths of AFN and the landmark legislation known as the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. "We have to continue the work when we can. I know we can do it– you can do it. You’re extremely well done. With the future of the Alaska Native Land Claims Act – ANCSA will continue." U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski talked about legislation to provide promised land allotments to Vietnam veterans who were serving overseas when land allotments were selected. “We are finding some success in other areas as well. The Department of Interior has now finalized the first new land allotment for Vietnam era veterans. This is the first time in decades we look forward. We know there has to be more. We're working to expand the lands where those allotments can be made.” U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan dedicated much of his time to supporting Alaska’s Native veterans. Sullivan

Alaska Federation of Natives co-chair previews virtual annual convention Dec 13, 2021

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The Alaska Federation of Natives is the largest convention of Alaska Natives in the state. Affectionately called “Native New Year,” the convention is an opportunity for Indigenous people across the state to come together and develop important state and federal policy. The convention is virtual for the second year out of concerns for the coronavirus pandemic. But that doesn’t diminish the importance of the two-day virtual event. Kaaxúxgu Joe Nelson is the Sealaska board chair. He was elected as co-chair of Alaska Federation of Natives in 2020. “I got elected during the virtual convention a little over a year ago now, and obviously, I've been there many times before that, but last year know falling into this position during a pandemic is just a bunch of mixed emotions, I guess, because we're still in it.” This will be the second year that the AFN convention is virtual. Organizers hoped to postpone the convention in the hopes of meeting in-person, but eventually decided to go virtual. “It

Haines museum reveals centuries-old formline paintings on Lingít bentwood boxes with infrared photos Dec 03, 2021

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The Haines Sheldon Museum is showcasing a display of newly revealed Lingít formline images . The museum staff used an infrared camera to photograph traditional bentwood boxes to reveal paintings, not seen in perhaps 200 years. Several traditional Lingít bentwood boxes make up part of the Haines Sheldon Museum’s 23,000 item collection. Handmade out of cedar wood and painted, the boxes were used for storage or traded goods, according to museum collections coordinator Zachary James. “These ones I think were probably used for regalia, because they have really nice paintings on them,” James said. “But they were general purpose storage boxes, too.” James is Lingít, with ancestry in Wrangell and the Stikine Basin as well as the Chilkat Valley. And he has an active interest in Lingít art and heritage, especially new ways of looking at pieces from the museum’s collection. “It just basically looks like a black surface on wood, and then these amazing images are able to be pulled out of it.”

Governor proposes importing Sitka black-tailed deer to Mat-Su region for additional hunting Nov 30, 2021

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Governor Mike Dunleavy is proposing additional hunting opportunities in the Matanuska-Susitna region by bringing in Sitka black-tailed deer . A state document obtained by the Anchorage Daily News points out a number of potential issues with that plan. KTNA’s Phillip Manning spoke with ADN report Zachariah Hughes about the story. Phillip Manning: I’ve got with me today Zachariah Hughes from the Anchorage Daily News, and we’re here to discuss a story that you wrote recently about the governor’s proposal for potentially moving Sitka black-tailed deer to the Mat-Su Borough. Can you give us just a little bit of an overview of how this story came about? Zachariah Hughes : So it’s pretty common for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) to transplant animals. Currently, there’s a proposal to move Sitka black tailed deer into areas of the Matanuska and Susitna Valleys. And staff biologists wrote up a scoping document outlining, you know, what that might look like and some of the

Dunleavy’s office announces formation of Alaska Bycatch Task Force Nov 29, 2021

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Fishing vessels cast wide nets, and they often catch more than the species they’re targeting. That’s bycatch: one of the longest-running controversies in the fleet and a vexing problem for fisheries managers . Now, the Dunleavy administration is wading into the debate by naming a task force to study the issue and find ways to make it better for everyone working on the water. Governor Mike Dunleavy’s office recently announced it’s setting up a task force to tackle the thorny issue of bycatch. Federal data show trawl fisheries this year in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska have caught tens of thousands of Chinook salmon, millions of pounds of halibut, and in the case of the Bering Sea trawl fisheries, hundreds of thousands of crabs. Stocks of staple species like Chinook salmon, red king crab , and halibut have been on the decline, forcing subsistence, sport and commercial fishermen to pack up nets or reduce harvest. “We’ve had a reduction in or closure of the crab fisheries in the Bering

Infrastructure bill to provide much-needed support to rural and Native villages Nov 22, 2021

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President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law on Monday, November 15. The Senate passed the $1.2 trillion dollar bill in August. Thirteen Republicans -- including at-large Alaska Congressman Don Young -- joined the majority of Democrats to pass the bill . The infrastructure funding package will deliver $550 billion dollars in federal investments over five years. The money will go to support roads, mass transit, rail projects, renewable energy and improving broadband. “This is a good, healthy start, and it's not going to cover everything, but it covers a lot of everything,” said PJ Simon, Tanana Chiefs Conference chief and chairman PJ Simon. “It improves our quality of life.” He says climate change and COVID-19 continues to stress communities within the consortium. The last couple of years have spotlighted the disparity and inequities that Alaskans -- and particularly rural Alaskans and Alaska Native communities -- have faced: Inconsistent ferry

For Indigenous festival musicians, identity and representation matter Nov 13, 2021

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The first international Indigenous musical festival -- Rock Aak’w showcased several Native artists. For several artists, this was their first time on the mainstage of a festival. Rock Aak’w brought musicians from around the world in a virtual celebration of music, Indigenous values and family. It felt like a family reunion as relatives came together to share a range of musical styles like blues, jazz, folk, and more. Singer-and-songwriter Nicole Church is Łingit and has performed a number of local shows in Juneau. “It feels like being connected to our, reconnecting with our cousins that we never met. That's exactly how I feel. And this part's going to make me emotional because when I connect, when I'm surrounded by Native people, I just feel so safe. And so free, it's like a weight off my shoulders because … I can just be myself.” Church said the festival is “history in the making.” “These young kids, these young Indigenous kids need to see themselves represented. … It means that much

Indigenous Rock Aak'w virtual festival will showcase 14 music acts Nov 02, 2021

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Fourteen musical acts will participate in an international Indigenous music festival based in Juneau. Alaska Native musicians will join several others in the virtual festival called Rock Aak’w . KNBA’s Tripp Crouse talks with one of the festival organizers Qacung Stephen Blanchett about putting together the lineup. Can you give a synopsis of what you're doing now, but also maybe how you got there? Qacung Stephen Blanchet: Yeah, sure. I'm one of the members of Pamyua. We've been performing almost 30 years now. We're coming up on 30 years together. One of the things that we've really got to realize and notice is that there's few opportunities for Indigenous artists. We've performed at music festivals all around the world, and now a lot of these festivals we're often put off to the side, right? 'Oh, the Indigenous or the world music group will have their own kind of stage off to the corner of the festival.' And that was typically the norm. It was rare that we actually performed on the

Language glossary pushes Indigenous knowledge and languages to forefront of modern research Oct 13, 2021

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Bering Strait region Tribal consortium Kawerak published a language glossary which provides terms in research, science and policy in English, Inupiaq, St. Lawrence Island Yupik, and Yup’ik. The glossary is part of Kawerak’s ‘Knowledge Sovereignty and the Indigenization of Knowledge.’ The Indigenization of Knowledge informs the community about Tribal and traditional knowledge. Kawerak Social Science Program Director Julie Raymond-Yakoubian emphasized the relevance of indigenous knowledge today and wants to make sure that Indigenous voices are heard. “What knowledge sovereignty and the indigenization of knowledge means is really bringing to the forefront Tribal knowledge. It’s important, it’s value[d], and ensuring it is used in all the appropriate contexts where it can be used –which is basically everywhere! And making sure that Indigenous voices are being heard and taking a lead in matters that impact Indigenous people,” Raymond-Yakoubian said. The language glossary is “one small step”

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