Alaska

Indigenous Networks

More than 127,000 people, or about 20 percent of the state's population, are indigenous to Alaska. Collectively known as Alaska Natives, indigenous Alaskans include many groups with only broad cultural similarities and who reside throughout this large state. Alaska Natives, for example, include Northern Eskimos, Southern Eskimos, Interior Indians, and Southeast Coastal Indians. Nevertheless, these groups combine to form a variety of large and powerful statewide and regional organizations that work toward sustaining the traditional ways of life of indigenous peoples, maintaining economically [Page 19]independent and vibrant indigenous communities, and eliminating discrepancies in the quality of and access to education and healthcare between indigenous peoples and other Alaskans. The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) originated 50 years ago as leaders of native groups negotiated with the federal government and, in the end, secured the largest land settlement agreement in the United States. Self-described by its tagline “A Powerful Voice in Alaska,” the AFN continues to focus on self-determination. Its annual convention is the largest representative meeting of native peoples in the United States, with more than 4,000 delegates each year, and boasts one elected representative for every 25 Alaska Natives. Moreover, the yearly convention is broadcast live on television, radio, and the Internet, reaching Alaska Natives in even the most remote parts of the state and including all Alaskans in a statewide conversation about indigenous issues.

The Alaska Inter-Tribal Council is another powerful statewide organization advocating for Alaska Natives by promoting collaborations between tribal governments and offering educational programs about indigenous cultures. Recent resolutions of this group include opposing the development of Alaska's Outer Continental Shelf, recognizing the advances made by Bolivia's indigenous peoples for self-determination, and appreciation for inclusion in President Barack Obama's transition team. Other more specialized groups include the Alaska Native Knowledge Network (ANKN), which collects and preserves information about Alaska Natives' ways of knowing, and the Alaska Area Native Health Service, which offers a unified position on the various health matters that impact Alaska Natives. The Alaska Tribal Health System provides actual health services to indigenous peoples with 178 village clinics across the state.

...