Native Movement Blog
Transcending Thinly Veiled Borders
Photos by Oliviah Franke
October 22nd, 2024 | Written By: Oliviah Franke
This year Anchorage is celebrating its 20th year of public Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) events, hosted this year by Out North and Radio Latina. Dia de Muertos is a holiday and ceremony rooted in Indigenous practices that honors our loved ones who have passed by welcoming their spirits to visit with us during a time when the veil between our worlds is thinnest. Ofrendas (offerings usually in the form of altars) are built with photographs, cempasuchil (marigolds), copal (an organic resin incense), papel picado (the intricately carved rainbow flags), water, salt, calaveras (decorative skulls), and pan de muerto (bread of the dead). All efforts are made to welcome our loved ones back with comfort and love, making sure that their favorite things are plentiful. At its core, Dia de Muertos is a celebration filled with joy and solemn awareness of life’s impermanence. Ceremony roots us in our connection to the spirit world and to mama pacha (the land).
Photos by Oliviah Franke
The belief that our ancestors and loved ones who have died are visiting with us in this living realm is deeply rooted in our Indigenous spirituality. Dia de Muertos has braided themes from Indigenous practices as well as Catholic influence from colonization. By integrating and adopting catholic symbols and ideas, Dia de Muertos has been able to persist and maintain its importance to culture across Abya Yala (1). The origins of Dia de Muertos are in Mexico and other parts of central Abya Yala.
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1. Abya Yala is a name strongly supported by Indigenous peoples of the south to replace the word “America”. Abya Yala was the name the Cuna Indigenous people gave to the entire continent, meaning a ‘mature land’, or one that is bountiful. (Raices, El México Indigena en Alaska. Second Edition, Zagal et al. 2024).
Of course, there are celebrations across the world as our people find themselves spread out across lands, and we have found and cultivated a strong community here in Anchorage that have held this ceremony and celebration. Today there are many observances and protocols that vary greatly by region and person.
The kaleidoscope of Dia de los Muertos is made up of as many lenses as there are people that honor and celebrate. Some folks observe multiple days leading up to November 2nd, including a day to specifically honor children who have died (Dia de los Angelitos). Celebrating Dia de Muertos is a reclamation of our power and culture, an honoring of our community and identity. Our relationship to death is defined by this celebration and in our gathering, laughing, eating, singing, and dancing together.
For twenty years, we have been celebrating our ceremony and celebration on Dena'ina Ełnena. The Indigenous people of Abya Yala have always been connected, the threads of our stories interwoven across geography through the trading and gifting of what is most precious to us; songs, beads, clothing, prayers, language, and ways of being. There is a prophecy from relatives from the Amazon region that tells of the Eagle and Condor people. This spring our team was invited to support the start of the 2024 Peace and Dignity Journey in Fairbanks, where this prophecy was shared with us. The prophecy describes the separation of Eagle People of the north and Condor People of the south, characterized by masculine and feminine energies, respectively. The prophecy says that the Eagle people will become powerful and domineering, but ultimately there is a call for reconciliation, to ‘fly in the same sky’ and bring new levels of consciousness for humanity.
Photos by Oliviah Franke
In our work at Native Movement we tend to many things, and the continued tending to the threads that connect people from across Abya Yala, the Eagle and the Condor people, is an important component for working towards a liberated and thriving future for the people of Dena’ina Elnena. Our prosperity and the future in which we thrive is intertwined with the successes and struggles of the Indigenous people of Alaska. We must intentionally tend to our connections, to our ways of being, and share in reciprocity. We must gather and share in our grief, our joys, our celebrations, and when invited- our ceremonies.
As a person whose ancestors are from the lands now known as Sinaloa and Sonora Mexico, it is a gift to honor and celebrate Dia de Muertos as a visitor on these Dena’ina lands. Recognizing our loved ones who have died, while being in community helps us move through the hard parts of grief. But amongst those parts are also the joyful parts of grieving: sharing of stories and jokes, the connection and empathy that we can build for one another, and the taking up of space. Opening the doors of our culture to others and reaching across differences to share in this celebration together is done with reverence for the Indigenous people of these lands, as well as being a generous showing of trust and community. While our identities and cultures may present social divides, Dia de Muertos collaborations with the Native Movement team and community is a reaching across that thinly veiled divide, and our healing becomes collective.
Photos by Oliviah Franke
We heal from the impacts of colonization and the erasure of our people and cultures. We heal from the violence that our people experience, through the heartache of generations lost, and we heal through the joy of knowing that our ancestors are now friends, as they visit us and each other while enjoying the finest things we can offer them.
Join Us In Participating In This Year’s Dia de Muertos events!
Anchorage Craft Night! Join us in creating tissue paper flowers! Wednesday October 23, 2024, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., Loussac Library (3600 Denali St. Anchorage)
We will be making tissue paper marigolds for community members to use to decorate their ofrendas. Marigolds are thought to attract the souls of the dead to the ofrendas prepared for them. Families will often scatter marigold petals forming a path from their front doors to the ofrenda waiting within the home.
We’ll provide free materials! This is a wonderful opportunity to learn, share stories, and come together as a community to heal and celebrate
Celebrate The 20th Dia de Muertos Celebration in Anchorage with the Native Movement Community Education team , Out North and Radio Latina!
Ofrendas are built with photographs, colorful flowers, incense, water, salt, and pan de muerto to welcome the spirits. In honor of 20 years of this celebration in Anchorage, there are many events open to the public to learn and celebrate.
Join us on November 1st, 2024 for an Alter Preview (4:00 - 8:00 p.m.) and on November 2nd, 2024 (5:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.) for the Main Event at 3400 Spenard Rd. Anchorage, AK, 99503. Both events are free and open to the public.
Joins for a Dia De Muertos Community Conversation Event on Sunday November 2rd in Anchorage (3400 Spenard Road) from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
This community conversation space is open to all and is a free event. Participants will share in personal stories and dialogue exploring how our cultures shape our understanding of death and the ways that we move through grief in community. The conversation will draw from a foundation of Dia de Muertos experiences but all perspectives, identities, and cultures are invited.
RSVP on Facebook Here.
Half Smoke: A Native Movement Podcast Pilot
Join our hosts Sasha Kramer (they/them) and Brittany Woods-Orrison (she/her) in Alaska as they unpack complex reflections of the world with their guests. Each episode will feature collective stories of rising toward social, environmental and gender justice – locally and on Indigenous lands everywhere.
EPISODE 1: Podcast Intro & Vote Our Values featuring Michelle
Spark & Princess Johnson
In this episode, we introduce Native Movement’s new podcast pilot and we talk about the importance of voting for local leadership that represents our values, and also the hard contradictions of participating in a colonial system that continues to marginalize and extract from Indigenous peoples, even in our so-called democracy.
Guests:
Michelle Sparck (she/her), a member of the Qissunamiut Tribe of Chevak, Alaska, is the Director of Get Out the Native Vote. She’s worked for Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young in D.C., for several statewide campaigns and also in Juneau.
Princess Daazhraii Johnson (she/her) of Arctic Village, Alaska, is a published writer, actor, and film director. She is a former Executive Director of the Gwich’in Steering Committee and now sits on the Board of Directors of Native Movement and NDN Collective.
Watch, Listen & Subscribe wherever you get your Podcasts!
Fish Camp Vibes
Photo by: Cyndi Reeves
September 19th, 2024 | Written By: Kira Lena Lajarnie
Last month in Anchorage, we held a small backyard gathering called “Fish Camp Vibes”. Many people in our community are missing fish camp and haven’t been able to go, since they live in the city or because of the ongoing salmon crisis, and ever-increasing fishing regulations. Despite these challenges, there is inherent value in being together, sharing traditional foods, and practicing our culture in accessible ways – even though it might look a little different than we’re used to.
And so we gathered! We had a small, potluck-style event where we sat around a campfire talking with each other and sharing traditional foods. Some highlights were fish pie, akutaq, and ayuq tea! We enjoyed sharing comfort foods from home, and trying other people’s traditional foods. I loved hearing about fish cutting adventures and berry-picking on the tundra. We even shared ideas for future projects!
Photo by: Dewey Kk’ołeyo Hoffman
Folks who met each other for the first time discovered mutual relations, just one of the many ways our people are intertwined. I never tire of hearing how your grandpa flew planes with my grandpa back in the day, and someone saved someone’s life, or finding out that we share a cousin in common! There’s a certain comfort in knowing that the people around you have cared for each other for generations. Our communities and relationships are reflective of the deep time our families have spent in this place, interacting with each other and Land longer than anyone can count or remember.
In these challenging times of polarizing politics and constant threats to our Lands, our Alaska Native cultures and connections can sometimes feel inaccessible. But our ways of life are within us – all we have to do is practice them. Practicing our culture strengthens us, our families, and our communities for the current moment and whatever comes next.
May we continue practicing our ways of life, in relationship with each other and Land.
Photo by: Cyndi Reeves
Kira Lena Lajarnie, Climate Justice Organizer
Kira ( she / her) is an Indigiqueer person of mixed Yup’ik, Sámi, and other Indigenous and European descent. She grew up in Chugiak, Alaska, on the unceded lands of the Dena’ina people. She holds an MPH and comes from a background in public health, with community-based fieldwork in Uganda, India, Cambodia, Tibet, and Alaska. After a lifetime of exposure to colonization, Kira is working to restore relationships with her family, culture, and community in Anchorage. She is currently focused on aligning with her ancestral values to repair people’s relationship with the Earth, by developing and sharing sustainable lifeways.
Native Movement mourns the loss of Anchorage teen
Native Movement is heartbroken at the loss of Easter Leafa, the 16 year old teenage girl who was shot and killed by police last Tuesday August 13th in Anchorage. Our prayers are with the entire Samoan community and all those who knew young Easter. This past weekend hundreds of Alaskans gathered to show support for Easter and her family.
“No daughter of our community deserves this response from law enforcement. Our hearts go out to Easter’s family; and we are outraged at the injustice created by those tasked with community safety,”
Easterʻs family has created a GoFundMe page to help assist with unexpected costs associated with her untimely passing. If you have capacity to donate, please do.
2024 Legislative Session Re-Cap from Our Policy Justice Legislative Fellow
August 5th, 2024 | Written By: Lauryn Baldwin
My family has lived in what is now known as “Alaska'' for thousands of years. Both of my parents are Inupiaq; my mom’s family is from Kotzebue, and my dad’s family is from Kiana. I grew up in Anchorage, on Dena’ Ina lands, and have always called Anchorage home. This was my first year working as a fellow on legislative issues. I got onboarded to Native Movement in the middle of the legislative session, and had to learn about bills that aligned with Native Movement and my own values. Navigating my bills was challenging, and finding ways to digest the legislative process often made me feel inferior. I had to give myself patience and time to feel comfortable where almost no one looked like me, knowing that being in new spaces takes time for growth. However, once I became familiar with representatives, senators and the legislative process, navigating bills became less tedious, and seeing movement in bills that aligned with all Alaskans in mind became exhilarating.
Walking between two worlds can be challenging, but putting my values into action is necessary.
More Alaska Native perspectives and worldviews need to be implemented in local legislation for Alaska Natives to be represented accurately. The most important lesson I learned from this experience is how much voting matters, especially on a local level. It is important for communities to engage in local elections in order to elect people that understand the needs of their specific communities.
Key legislation that passed last session was a direct result of engaged representatives, senators, and public pressure from engaged constituents.
Here are some key victories:
Photo by: Kai Monture
Senate Bill 151 creates a police review commission for Missing and Murdered Indigenous people. This is the first bill of its kind in the Alaska Legislature. The passing of this bill is monumental, uplifting MMIP advocates, and Indigenous voices. A police review commission will help bring justice to Indigenous peoples on the ongoing Missing and Murdered Indigenous people epidemic.
Several renewable energy bills were passed, including community solar (SB 152) and the (HB 154) green bank bill. These bills will alleviate financial burden and create more sustainable energy solutions.
We defeated a number of harmful bills, including:
The anti-trans bill (HB 183) that would ban Trans Girls from participating in sports.
HJR 22, which would allow the state of Alaska to manage subsistence on federal lands. This is harmful for Indigenous communities that rely on the lands to feed themselves and their communities.
The anti-protest bill (HB 386), which would have criminalized and chilled peaceful protesters. Alaskans can still practice their first amendment right without fear of fines and criminalization.
Photo by: Jeff Chen
But we didn’t get everything we wanted. Some of the bills we supported didn’t make it through, and some that we didn’t support did. For example:
The Renewable Portfolio Standard bill didn’t pass. HB 121 would lower energy costs for consumers by transitioning to 80 percent renewable energy for electricity by 2040. With Cook Inlets gas prices continuing to skyrocket, this bill would have been beneficial to consumers.
The carbon sequestration bill did pass. HB 50 will allow for carbon capture and sequestration, creating false climate solutions. Carbon sequestration is often pushed by oil companies as a false solution to climate change.
Implementing effective climate solutions into the legislature will be key in moving from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy. This would not only help mitigate climate change but also benefit consumers.
By voting for engaged representatives, Alaskan communities reap the benefits from a successful legislative session by encouraging progressive bills and stopping harmful bills from being passed. Voting in local elections helps people elect effective decision makers who will pass legislation that strives for healthy, strong and equitable communities. 2024 is a big year for elections with the presidential election coming up, but in order to become an engaged community member, constituents should not only vote in presidential elections, but local elections too.
Lauryn Baldwin, Native Movement Policy Justice Legislative Fellow
Hello, my name is Lauryn Lucille Ulaaq Baldwin (she / her). My Iñupiaq name, Ulaaq, is after the late Martha Pruitt of Noatak, Alaska. I am Iñupiaq from Kotzebue and Kiana, and I am Japanese from Kagoshima Prefecture. I grew up in Anchorage and completed a thirteen year Japanese immersion program through the Anchorage School District. Connecting and learning about my Japanese language and culture made me curious to learn more about my Iñupiaq language and culture. I attended Fort Lewis College and completed a Bachelor's degree in Communication Design with a minor in Native American and Indigenous Studies. During my time at Fort Lewis College, I was a fellow for All our Kin Collective, and learned about Indigenous language revitalization and preservation. I am interested in continuing my education and earning a Masters degree in Indigenous Law. In my free time I enjoy backpacking, berry picking, painting, traveling, and spending time with my loved ones.
Amplifying Indigenous Voices for Energy and Broadband Justice in Rural Alaska
July 30th, 2024 | Written By: Lila Hobbs and Autumn Cantu
Hobbs
Imagine opening your electric bill one day and finding that your rate had increased by 400% without warning. Last month you paid $500—already a cripplingly high sum—and the next month you’re being asked to pay $2,000. Or what if your town lost 911 services for six months? Who would you call in an emergency? What if you lost power while caring for a terminally ill relative and all the food they had harvested and frozen was lost? What if you lost access to the internet for months?
These stories are real. Communities across Alaska, particularly rural communities, are navigating the stark realities of persistent, systemic energy injustice in rural Alaska. These challenges represent only a small glimpse into the infrastructure instability across Alaska.
Energy injustice refers to the unequal distribution of affordable, reliable energy resources. In rural Alaska, this manifests as disproportionately high energy bills, unreliable power generation, and limited access to essential services like broadband and telecommunications. These disparities are more than inconveniences—they have profound implications for health, safety, and economic stability. When communities are cut off from reliable energy and communication networks, their ability to thrive is severely compromised.
The roots of energy injustice in rural Alaska are deeply intertwined with the legacies of colonization and systemic racism. Through my work and relationships with Tribal communities, I have witnessed how rural Alaska bears the burden of disproportionately high costs for basic essentials like electricity, internet, and phone services. Energy insecurity and the persistent digital divide are manifestations of an ongoing legacy of colonialism, resource extraction, and systemic marginalization of Indigenous people. The disproportionately high costs, decaying infrastructure, and substandard services in rural Alaska are direct consequences of chronic underfunding, policies of forced assimilation, and the intergenerational trauma inflicted by a centuries-old, extractive worldview rooted in the denial of Indigenous sovereignty.
While my understanding is shaped by my work and the time I spend in communities across rural Alaska, the lived experiences of Alaska Native individuals provide crucial insights into these challenges. My colleague and co-author, Autumn Cantu, a Koyukon Athabascan from Ruby, AK, brings professional expertise and a profoundly personal understanding of these realities.
Cantu
The loss of subsistence food due to power outages has been particularly devastating. After the significant effort involved in hunting, butchering, and storing food, seeing it spoil due to an inconsistent power supply is heartbreaking and threatens our food security. These experiences underscore the urgent need for reliable renewable energy systems in rural Alaskan communities. Embracing renewable energy addresses these challenges and eases the financial strain of escalating electricity bill.
In my work as the Rural & Indigenous Outreach (RIO) Director at The Mobilization Center and MMIWG2S Communications Coordinator & Graphic Designer at Native Movement, I advocate for equal rights in community safety. Our work emphasizes the critical necessity of reliable energy, broadband services, and consistent telecommunications throughout all rural Alaskan communities.
Hobbs & Cantu
We recognize that addressing these critical needs requires a radical paradigm shift—one that centers on transformative solutions rooted in Tribal sovereignty, Indigenous self-determination, and decolonial models of sustainable development. To build a just and sustainable future, we must combat energy injustice and bridge the digital divide in rural Alaska. Prioritizing Tribal energy sovereignty empowers Indigenous communities to control their energy resources and determine their futures through development aligned with their values and traditional ecological knowledge systems. Investing in Tribally-led renewable energy, such as solar and wind microgrids, can provide reliable, affordable, and sustainable power. These initiatives pave the way for the creation of Tribally-owned independent power producers, fostering economic independence, creating local jobs, and generating revenue for critical community services. Enhancing broadband infrastructure owned and operated by Tribes is equally vital, ensuring digital self-governance and unrestricted access to opportunities in telehealth, online education, and economic development.
But true systemic change demands we dismantle the root causes of inequity. This includes significantly increasing federal funding for rural infrastructure development directed by and accountable to Tribal nations. It also means empowering tribal communities by making grant applications and financing mechanisms easily accessible and continually tailored to their needs, and by removing unattainable match requirements. It necessitates meaningful collaboration between federal and state government, the private sector, and Tribal governments—not as an act of charity, but as a restorative process in service of Tribal sovereignty.
We share a vision for Alaska’s future: Imagine a future where every Alaskan Tribe controls its energy resources, where access to broadband and telecommunications are open and accessible to all Alaskans. We see villages powered by renewable energy systems that respect cultural values and ensure long-term resilience. In this new reality, we envision an Alaska where the digital divide is a distant memory and every future generation has access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, regardless of location. Together with our communities and partners, we are committed to turning this vision into reality.
Written By: Lila Hobbs and Autumn Cantu
Lila Hobbs, Energy Justice Lead, Native Movement
Lila Hobbs (she / her) was born and raised on the unceded Dena'ina lands now known as Anchorage. She received her BA in International Relations from the University of St Andrews in Scotland and completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Global Health from Johns Hopkins University. She has devoted the past decade and a half to working at the intersection of coalition building, policy and advocacy, and communications. Lila is deeply committed to uplifting Indigenous knowledge and advocating for a regenerative economy, reproductive rights, criminal and juvenile justice reform, and refugee rights. Beyond her work at Native Movement, you can find her practicing radical listening and bearing witness to local storytellers as the President of Arctic Entries, rescuing lost and injured people in the backcountry, and gleefully careening down mountains on her beloved mountain bike, Tallulah (“Lu”).
Autmn Cantu, Rural & Indigenous Outreach (RIO) Director at The Mobilization Center and MMIWG2S Communications Coordinator & Graphic Designer at Native Movement
Autumn (she / her ) is originally from Ruby, Alaska. Her parents are Francis Captain Sr. and Deanna Houlton, Her grandparents are Martha Wright, the late Eugene Floyd Davis on her mother’s side, and the late Eleanor Captain and the late William (Billy) Captain Sr. on her father’s side.Autumn spends her free time with her family, enjoying the outdoors and reading as much as possible. Autumn is attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) for her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and plans to go for her Master’s degree in Social Work as well. She has an exceptional work history with years of knowledge in training staff, establishing rapport with clients, and strategic planning. Autumn is the business owner of Cantu Tactics & Consulting (CTC), she currently works at Native Peoples Action and Native Peoples Action Community Fund as the Communication & Indigenous Engagement Manager. She has also worked at Recover Alaska, as a Youth Wellness Coordinator. She has years of experience as a Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (TVR) Technician, Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Success (SPF-PFS) Project Director, and a Suicide Prevention Coordinator at Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC), where she worked for 5 years. Autumn also worked in Galena, Alaska as a Certified Nurse’s Assistant (CNA) for about 3 years at the Yukon Koyukuk Elder Assisted Living Facility (YKEALF). Overall, she has gained many partnerships throughout her work history. Autumn is very resilient, she believes in protecting our ways of life through civic engagement, encouraging healthier social norms in communities, bridge building, and being an example for strong future generations to come.
A Time for Dancing: The 2024 Alaska Native Filmmakers Intensive 2024
Photo by: Maka Monture Paki
July 15, 2024 | Written By: Maka Monture Paki and Enei Begaye
“Native professional filmmakers teaching emerging Native filmmakers, filming Native storytellers – this feels like a real Native Movement!” Those were the words of Maddy Alvanna after spending a couple hours with her dance group at the 2024 Alaska Native Filmmakers Intensive.
April in Sitnasuak (Nome) Alaska was still full of snow and high winds, yet the second Alaska Native Filmmakers Intensive, hosted by Native Movement and Always Indigenous Media, was not deterred. The challenges of getting to rural Alaska in April were real, yet 15 student filmmakers, 5 Indigenous teachers, and 3 support staff were able to be at the week-long in-person intensive. The learning started well before that week, however, with 5 two-hour online zoom sessions every week leading up to the Nome in-person session.
Participants enhanced their filmmaking skills – delving into camera, audio, lighting, and editing techniques. Participants learned from Indigenous film professionals to foster mentor relationships within the industry. Training on narrative justice and photography was also provided. The footage is now going through a post-production process and screenings will be planned in the future.
“A powerful part to me was that the intensive underscored the critical importance of Indigenous narrative sovereignty, recognizing it as fundamental to preserving cultural heritage, reclaiming Indigenous voices, and challenging dominant narratives that often overlook or misrepresent Indigenous experiences.”
Our teachers brought a diverse range of skills and knowledge to the intensive, covering critical theory, creative direction, cinematography, sound, visual style, photography, storytelling, and more. Each one contributed uniquely to the Alaska Native filmmakers participating in the program.
This included:
Princess Johnson: Expertise: Critical and creative theory in filmmaking.
Alex Sallee: Expertise: Direction, sound, visual style.
Robert Hunter III: Expertise: Cinematography, camera build.
Razelle Benally: Expertise: Direction, perspective, and story development.
Jenny Irene Miller: Expertise: Photography and photography theory.
Rachel Edwardson: Expertise: Preparatory session and pre-production.
Photo by: Maka Monture Paki
Departing from conventional narratives, the final film will center on the drum's heartbeat as a symbol of resilience and unity. Amidst all that has happened in the community of Nome in the aftermath of Typhoon Merbok, in the community of Nome, the rhythm of the drum emerges as a guiding force, driving the community forward.
The role rotation system developed on set allowed students to gain practical experience in each of these essential filmmaking roles. This hands-on approach not only built technical skills but also fosters a well-rounded understanding of the collaborative nature of filmmaking. It's a great way for aspiring filmmakers to discover their strengths and interests within the industry. The students got to try out a different roles with including:
Assistant Camera:
As assistant camera operators, students would have assisted with camera setup, focusing, an operating the camera under the guidance of experienced instructors.
Supporting Talent:
There opportunities to work as supporting talent, collecting media releases and ensuring honorarium, and understanding how directors and crew interact with performers.
Directing:
Students had the opportunity to take on the role of a director, learning how to guide the overall vision of the film, work with actors, and make creative decisions.
Lighting:
They also practiced lighting techniques, which are crucial for setting the mood, highlighting subjects, and creating atmosphere in scenes.
Photo by: Maka Monture Paki
PARTICIPANTS ALSO RECEIVED:
A monetary stipend
Connections to experts in media-making
Travel, housing, food costs covered during the in-person session
Access to quality filmmaking equipment
WHAT PARTICIPANTS LEARNED:
Production and filmmaking tools to continue with telling our own stories from our own perspectives as Indigenous peoples.
Six weeks of pre-session that focused on narrative justice and Story development
Cinematic video camera setup and operations
Production set microphone setups and operations
Cinematic lighting setups and operations.
Video editing review tools
Career development and networking
A special thanks to instructors: Alex Sallee, Princess Johnson, Robert Hunter III, Razelle Benally, Jenny Irene Miller, and Rachel Edwardson. Quyana to our local partners, Kunaq Tahbone and the Katirvik Cultural Center, and the Community members from the community of Nome.
Photo by: Rodney Evans
Alaska to Colombia: 2024 Peace & Dignity Journey begins
May 21, 2024 | Video and Text By: Jeff Chen
In early May, Native Movement had the privilege of supporting the northern hemisphere's opening ceremony of the 2024 Peace & Dignity Journeys prayer run.
A group of runners set-off from Lower Tanana Dene lands in Fairbanks and began their 7-month journey to Colombia, where they'll join together with another group that is running the length of the southern hemisphere. The intercontinental intertribal run will connect Indigenous communities along the route to strengthen ties and uplift intergenerational healing.
"The journey comes from a prophecy from the relatives from the South," run coordinator Jose Malvido says, "about the Eagle and Condor coming together."
Neets'aii Gwich'in elder Sarah James ran in the 2004 journey and was also with the group at this year's opening ceremony and throughout the Alaska route. The group has now made it halfway through Canada, and they're kindly asking for donations to their gofundme. If you'd like to run or get involved, please reach out! They keep an updated Facebook page.
Links below!
Website: www.pdjrun.com
Donate: https://gofund.me/bbc8bd42
Daily updates: https://www.facebook.com/PDJ2016
Art, Celebration and Community: Reflections from our trip to Kotzebue with Protect the Kobuk
May 20, 2024 | Written By: Jessica Thornton, Trinity Villalobos and Brihannala Morgan
The end of April, 2024, was a momentous time for those fighting to stop the Ambler Road - firstly the Bureau of Land Management’s recommendation of the No Action Alternative to the Ambler Road, and secondly the selection of the Kobuk River as one of America’s most endangered rivers of 2024.
This news was met with excitement and celebration by the Alaska Native communities and allied activists who had been leading the fight against the Ambler road across northern Alaska. Three Native Movement staff – Jessica Thornton (Arts in Action lead), Trinity Villalobos (Interior Organizing Fellow) and Brihannala Morgan (Campaign Development Lead) – had the honor of traveling to Kotzebue to join Protect the Kobuk, a grassroots organization of Northwest Arctic residents that gathered over 700 signatures from local people against the road, in their celebration.
The evening was filled with joy; Protect the Kobuk hosted a Kobuk River foods potluck with speeches expressing gratitude to everyone who had been organizing for so long and had made these two victories a reality. As Native Movement, we brought screen printing supplies and together with the community printed 50 shirts and over 20 patches (including a set for sled dogs racing in the Kobuk 440!). Jessica taught community members how to screenprint, and we left screen printing supplies so that Protect the Kobuk can continue printing on their own in the future.
“This event was a good reminder of how important it is to take the time and the effort to celebrate the wins that we have with our communities and partners! Connecting with others over our shared visions for the future, making art together, sharing appreciations and food with each other, and creating joyful spaces are such an important part of our work. It makes our movements sustainable for the long run. We always have more work to do and the Ambler Road project might not be gone forever, but the connections we made will make us stronger for the next round. I’m so deeply grateful to all the organizers across Alaska who have been fighting this fight for so long, and thank you to everyone in Kotzebue who made this trip an unforgettable experience.”
- Jessica Thornton, Arts & Action Lead, Native Movement
“ This trip was a good reminder of how much my passion for this work is rooted in a connection with the land and with the people whose fight to protect it. While the event itself was really successful, and it felt great to be able to share Native Movement’s resources with screen printing, training, and supplies, it was the times that we spent with Ruth, Stacey, Susan, Chad, and others and hearing about their lives at camp, about how the river and land had provided for them that I will remember the most deeply. It was an honor and a joy to share a meal, hear stories, and celebrate together.”
- Brihannala Morgan, Environmental Justice Campaign Development Lead, Native Movement
“I’m so amazed that my job is getting to learn firsthand about community organizing by supporting incredible organizers, advocates, and community groups who do awesome things. My main role during this project was supporting logistics. I booked hotels and flights, worked with the City Parks and Recreation on booking and setting up the venue, helped facilitate meetings and our travel itinerary to help organize the trip, and did on-the-ground support for the day of the art build. I don’t have a lot of experience with trips like this, so it was a series of many firsts for me! It felt incredible to be hosted and welcomed into a new community. I hold so much gratitude for our hosts who toured us around the town, helped out with transporting supplies, and let me borrow proper boots when I came with ones that wouldn’t work. Thank you to Ruth and her family, Stacey, and Susan who really did so much for us to have a great time.”
- Trinity Villalobos, Interior Organizing Fellow, Native Movement
HJR 22 is a Threat To Our Subsistence Ways of Life
May 1, 2024 | Written By: Dorothy Shockley and Rebecca Noblin
In a time not so long ago Indigenous people, or “first people,” in Alaska were free to hunt and fish to feed ourselves. Alaska Native peoples developed complex cultures and traditions around living off the land. Times weren’t always easy, but our ancestors respected the land, animals, and fish, believing they gave of themselves so that the people could survive. In return, the people did not take more than they needed in order for the animals and fish to multiply and thrive. Today, these practices and traditions are referred to as “subsistence.”
Then came statehood–January 3, 1959, to be exact. The first state legislature established the Department of Fish & Game (“the department”). In January 1960 the Commissioner of Fish and Game was vested with great authority to manage Alaska’s fish and game.
In the 64 years since the department was established, it has successfully depleted multiple stocks of fish and game to the point that the first people cannot feed ourselves nor hold traditional practices that were established around hunting, fishing, and trapping. During those same 64 years, the department consistently refused to consult with the first people who stewarded the land and fish and game from time immemorial.
Now the legislature has introduced House Joint Resolution 22 (HJR 22), which would enable the department to take over subsistence management on federal lands. This is a BAD idea in so many ways. So far the department has not shown that it can sustainably manage wildlife. More importantly, subsistence is not a priority for the department. Today there is no one in the state subsistence office. The department has disregarded the first people and our thousands of years of knowledge, as well as the federal government's recognition of Tribal governments. Despite federal law to the contrary, the department will not give subsistence priority when the fish and game are scarce.
Protesters are not the threat – fascism is
April 18, 2024 | Written By: Rebecca Noblin
If you don’t like what your government is doing, Governor Dunleavy does not want to hear about it. In fact, our Governor is so scared of the peoples’ voice that he has introduced two bills specifically aimed at chilling free speech. SB 255 and HB 386 allow for significant fines and even imprisonment for exercising our Constitutional rights to free speech and assembly. These bills would not only punish peaceful protest; as written they would criminalize homelessness and could allow unhoused people to be jailed for putting a tent in the wrong spot or sleeping on a sidewalk.
Governor Dunleavy’s attorney general Treg Taylor has been spending his time promoting these anti-protest bills at the Alaska Legislature. He has tried to paint peaceful protest as a threat to Alaskans’ safety. At an April 15 hearing in the House Judiciary Committee, Representative Andrew Gray asked some pointed questions about the so-called problem these bills are meant to solve. Mr. Taylor cited an out-of-state protest and the Nenana Land Back blockade. We at Native Movement happen to be intimately familiar with the Nenana Land Back movement and blockade, and it is hard to imagine the logical contortions Mr. Taylor has to perform to frame this blockade as a safety threat.
The Nenana road blockade was a peaceful Tribal effort to protect traditional lands from destruction. Here’s what we said at the time of the blockade:
Despite tribal and local objections, the state recently auctioned off over 2,000 acres of public land, and plans to develop traditional hunting lands that have sustained generations of Nenana area families. The state’s privatization and development of this land for industrial agriculture will be a devastating blow to the community’s food sovereignty. . . .
The development of this road has not been approved by the Nenana Native Village or Toghotthele Corporation, the Tribe and village corporation respectively. The Tribe owns the bridge that is needed for access to the road, so locals are blockading the bridge for as long as the Tribe deems necessary.
An important detail that Mr. Taylor failed to mention is that organizers of the Nenana blockade worked with local residents to ensure they were able to get where they needed to go and were not inconvenienced or endangered. The blockade was specifically designed to protect Tribal rights while accommodating the needs of community members. And it came after months of failed efforts at dialog with the state.
The current administration may not like it, but the rights to free speech and assembly are fundamental to the historical and ongoing struggle for equality and freedom in America. Where would this country be if not for the significant gains of the Civil Rights Movement achieved in large part through protest?
Of course, our fundamental Constitutional rights have not always been freely given, and throughout history community members have had to stand up and fight back against attempts to take away our rights. SB 255 and HB 386 are unfortunately part of a larger, nationwide effort to disempower communities and individuals, while concentrating power in the hands of a few. Peaceful protest is not a threat to people, it is a threat to entrenched power structures that aren’t serving the people. Criminalizing dissent is a common tool of fascism. If we want to protect progress and continue to improve the lives of all Alaskans, we must stand up to this power grab and speak up for Alaskans’ fundamental rights to free speech and assembly.
Written by Rebecca Noblin, Policy Justice Director
HELP RESTORE THE EKLUTNA RIVER
February 6, 2024 | Written By: Lila Hobbs
The Eklutna River is home to one of the oldest villages in Southcentral Alaska, the Dena’ina Village of Eklutna, which was founded on the banks of the Eklutna River because of its historic runs of Chinook, coho, and sockeye salmon. The Eklutna Dena’ina peoples have relied on and carefully stewarded the Eklutna River’s rich salmon runs since time immemorial.
The Eklutna Hydroelectric Project, built in 1955, has dried up and cut off the entire Eklutna River from the lake and upper tributaries. With dams being built from the project, the Eklutna River has not been allowed to flow out of the lake, cutting off historic salmon runs and impacting local people.
The proposed Eklutna Hydro Plan is inadequate to protect salmon and the Eklutna Dena’ina peoples. Native Movement therefore supportʻs the Community Alternative put forth by the Native Village of Eklutna. This alternative respects the Native Village of Eklutna’s stewardship and addresses decades of cultural and environmental neglect. It would restore the natural flow of the Eklutna River and its salmon habitat, allowing the salmon to return to their spawning grounds. It would also save ratepayers money and allow for the transition to new renewable energy projects.
To learn more, check out these FAQs compiled by the Eklutna River Restoration Coalition.
Additionally, Native Movement supports the Anchorage Assembly’s recent resolution AR 2024-40 that passed unanimously and seeks a two-year extension of the 1991 agreement. This extension would provide an opportunity for more meaningful consultation between the Native Village of Eklutna and the Eklutna Hydroelectric project owners (Chugach Electric Association, Matanuska Electric Association, and the Municipality of Anchorage).
HOW TO TAKE ACTION:
Eklutna Hydro is currently taking public comments until February 19th. Sign onto our letter below to make your voice heard and help restore the Eklutna River!
Protect D-1 Lands
Since the 1970s, over 150 million acres of land across Alaska have been protected from fossil fuel and mining leasing and extraction – protecting our lands and waters, caribou and salmon, and the Indigenous communities who depend on these intact life-giving ecosystems
This “D-1 land” – known as such because it was withdrawn pursuant to article 17(d)(1) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act – is now under threat. The Bureau of Land Management is considering opening nearly 28 million acres of D-1 lands across the state to leasing, which could expand industrialization on lands important to the health of ecosystems, animals, recreational areas, and local communities.
At least 78 Alaska Native Tribes have spoken out against removing the D-1 protections, stating in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland, that: “BLM-managed lands support important subsistence resources and serve as the breadbasket for thousands of Athabaskan, Aleut, Denaʼina, Inupiat, Yup’ik, and Tlingit peoples. For Alaska Native communities off the road system, over 80% of food consumed comes directly from the surrounding lands and waters.”
Photo by: Jeff Chen, Native Movement
#ProtectWhatYouLove
The BLM has produced a draft environmental impact assessment and is now seeking comment on that assessment through February 14, 2024.
It’s time for us to show our love for Alaska’s wild lands, and the people and animals that call it home. Together, we demand that the BLM choose the “no action alternative” to continue protecting these vital places. Click HERE to get involved TODAY!
Tending to The Light Re-Cap and How You can get Involved
One of our longest standing baskets of work is our commitment to movement building via the support of emerging and long standing grassroots-led groups and organizations. Native Movement provides administrative and fiscal support for Indigenous and grassroots-led projects that align with our vision of building healthy, sustainable, & self-determined communities for all.
On November 28th, 2023 the Native Movement team, community partners and members gathered virtually to attend the 3rd Annual Tending to The Light Virtual Fundraising Event. Native Movement shared space to celebrate and support our community partners and affiliates who are doing bold and transformative work throughout Alaska. This year we got hear from Smokehouse Collective, Dena’ina ełnene’ eł Ahtna nene’ Community Language Project and Umoja Co-working & Incubator. Check out the Facebook recording below.
The amount raised at the Tending to The Light event directly supports Native Movement's Regranting Fund. In recent years, Native Movement has been able to regrant external funding to Community Affiliates and other organizations and groups throughout the state. Contributing to this Regranting Fund supports many groups, and the promotion of Indigenous economies of care. Native Movement is looking at ways to implement a model of mutual aid that centers relationships. Our success is not measured by the size or scale of a grant or contribution.
You can get involved and support our community partners and programs by making a donation today. Every person, regardless of the amount you are able to contribute to this grassroots fundraising drive, is a meaningful part of this movement.
Salmon crisis prompts Senate committee hearing in Bethel
November 21, 2024 | Written By: Jeff Chen
Declining salmon populations along Alaska’s Arctic, Yukon, and Kuskokwim Rivers, pose a significant threat to the cultural and traditional livelihoods of Alaska Native communities.
On November 10th, 2023, Senator Lisa Murkowski visited Bethel to participate in a United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs public hearing and listening session, where the concerns surrounding salmon declines and its impacts on the health, culture, and well being of indigenous communities were discussed.
The turnout at the public hearing in Bethel was substantial, numerous individuals and community representatives testified their concerns with a broad range of topics which included climate change, excessive catch limits for ocean fisheries practicing trawling, and bycatch while our subsistence living communities face harsh restrictions, and concerns brought on by the proposed Donlin Gold development.
In order for all of our voices to be heard, it’s important that you know the public has until this Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, to submit comments via email for inclusion in the hearing’s public record. Concerned citizens and stakeholders: please take a few moments of your time to contribute your perspectives on this critical issue. Your comments and concerns can be submitted via email to: mailto: testimony@indian.senate.gov
Tribes from the Yukon-Kuskokwim region interested in amplifying their sovereign voices of opposition to the Donlin Gold mine are encouraged to join the Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition. If your tribe is looking for additional information or a draft resolution, please reach out to Anaan’arar Sophie Swope by phone at tel: 545-4764 or via email at mailto: sophie@motherkuskokwim.org, using the subject line “Joining Mother Kuskokwim.”
2SLGBTQIA+ Non-Discrimination Resolution Passes at the 2023 Elders & Youth Conference.
At the 2023 First Alaskans Institute Annual Elders and Youth Conference, Native Movement Board Member Oliver Tyrrell drafted a Resolution that supported 2SLGBTQIA+ Non-Discrimination and the Resolution was passed! We would like to uplift Oliver and his tremendous work in raising awareness and speaking up against the injustices of 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples. Get to know Oliver and check out his resolution below.
Oliver Tyrrell is an FTM transgender male who is Yupik and Iñupiaq with family from Emmonak, Alaska. He currently resides on Dena’ina land in Anchorage, Alaska. Tyrrell is a queer youth activist. He started writing resolutions when he was only 12 years old. He saw that queer Indgenous people don’t have a space to gather within their communities. He wanted to change that. Since then he has helped create numerous spaces for queer Indgenous youth, raised awareness, and spoken up against injustice against 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples.
A Week of Native Movement Events During AFN and Elders & Youth
This year during the 2023 Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Convention and the First Alaskans Institute Elders and Youth Conference week, (October 15, 2023 - October 20, 2023) Native Movement focused on creating space for community to gather, create and learn.
We had an eventful week full of discussions, workshops and art builds to prep us for our Defend the Sacred: Extraction is NOT Our Way of Life Rally.
The week started off with an in-person Artist Pop-Up event on Sunday (October 15, 2023) at the Native Movement Anchorage office that featured many artists and their work. Moose soup was served and shared among many amazing artists and community members.
Artist Orianna Cingquk Greenberg shares their work at the Artist Pop-Up event in Anchorage at the Native Movement Office.
Community stopping by at the Native Movement Table .
On Monday (October 16, 2023) we set up at the First Alaskans Instituteʻs Annual Elders and Youth Conference to share some of our Native Movement work with attendees.
Later in the afternoon, we hosted a Protect the Arctic Refuge Tailgate Rally to prep for the Arctic Refuge Public Hearing. Updates on the on the proposed oil and gas drilling in the Arctic Refuge (ANWR) were shared and information was given to help assist for comment writing
Native Movement Team at the Arctic Refuge Tailgate Rally before the public hearing.
Native Movement team members tabling at the 2023 Elders & Youth Conference.
Tuesday (October 17, 2023) was the first day of events at the Akela Space and it was jam packed! In the afternoon Native Movement Advisory Board Member Rosemary Ahtuangaruak hosted Grandmotherʻs Growing Goodness work-shop and shared about indigenous led resistance. Check out the workshop recording of the event here.
Native Movement Advisory Board Member Rosemary Ahtuangaruak hosts Grandmotherʻs Growing Goodness Workshop
In the evening folks stoped by the Akela Space to for dinner and a film screening of Paving Tundra followed by a Q + A session to discuss the film.
Wednesday (October 18, 2023) was all about rally prep as we prepared for the Defend The Sacred: Extraction is NOT our Way of Life Rally. Community members joined in as we spent the day creating banners, screen prints and signs with Native Movementʻs Arts in Action Coordinator, Jessi Thornton.
Thursday (October 19, 2023) was a big day as we rallied along side United Tribes of Bristol Bay, Mother Kuskokwim, Grandmothers Growing Goodness and community members at the Defend the Sacred: Extraction is NOT Our Way of Life Rally outside of the Annual Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) convention. The theme of the AFN Annual Convention this year was “Our ways of life”, which many of the rally signs and speakers spoke to when highlighting how critical their relationship to the land is for hunting, fishing, and food sharing with their communities.
Native Movement Gender Justice and Healing Co-Director Charlene Aqpik Apok speaks during the Defend the Sacred: Extraction is NOT Our Way of Life Rally.
For years communities have been speaking their concerns over the extraction industry and the harm that it perpetuates on Alaskan land, water and air. As Indigenous people, we have always known that the world is interconnected and that when you take from the land or water, you pay for it in other ways. Today, we are seeing that cost, with the loss of the salmon on the Yukon River, the decline of the caribou herd populations and the scarcity of the moose, all of these issues are in part caused by either extractive development or climate change caused by extractive development. Listen and watch the full live stream of the rally here.
On Friday (October 20, 2023), we celebrated and ended the week with some dance moves and tarot card pulling at the INDIGEQUEER: A DANCE PARTY hosted by theres more, the indigequeer, Indigenize Productions and our Gender Justice & Healing Native Movement Team.
To stay updated on events and how you can get involved with Native Movement, sign up for our weekly newsletter here.
U.S. Aided Genocide of Palestinian People Must End!
SILENCE IS NOT AN OPTION
Fairbanks, Alaska - Native Movement calls for immediate Israeli ceasefire and an end to U.S. aided genocide of Palestinian people. As an Indigenous-led organization, Native Movement is dedicated to justice and liberation of all oppressed people and the protection of all living beings. It is imperative that we speak out against the atrocities being carried out by the nation state of Israel, heavily supported by the United States, against the Palestinian people.
It can feel easy for those of us living far from Palestine and Israel to remain silent on global politics. We are told that the history is “complicated” and most news outlets share one-sided narratives. Yet it is important that we pay attention, that we educate ourselves, and that we lift our voices to demand humanity and to demand the stop of genocide. It is vital that we recognize the right of all beings to exist and live in peace. An immediate ceasefire is essential for a safer tomorrow.
On October 7, 2023 Hamas brutally attacked and took hostage innocent Israeli civilians and Israel responded by declaring war on Hamas. It is important to underscore that Hamas does not represent all Palestinian people or even all the people of Gaza. Yet following Oct. 7th, the Israel government issued orders for 1.1 million Palestinians in northern Gaza to evacuate, while simultaneously cutting off all vital supplies, electricity, and water to the area. Gaza is a narrow strip of land boxed in by stringent borders and the sea, it is also one of the most densely populated places on the planet. In the days that followed, bombing of civilian populations has been continuous and ruthless.
According to the United Nations News (Oct. 23, 2023), the death toll in Gaza has risen beyond 5,000 people: “Women and children have made up more than 62 per cent of the fatalities, while more than 15,273 people have been injured.” The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in a statement made Oct. 17th said, “It remains unclear how many more bodies may be buried in the rubble – with many families missing loved ones, terrified about their uncertain fate.” The numbers of indiscriminate civilian Palestinian deaths and the amount of destruction in both Gaza and the West Bank has not stopped; it has not even diminished. This is not war, this is beyond revenge, this is genocide and it must not be looked away from, we cannot silently accept it.
It is critical for us as U.S. citizens to take action because our tax dollars are funding the weapons of mass murder and a majority of our governmental leadership continues to give unwavering support to the oppressive state of Israel. According to a Congressional report dated March 1, 2023, to date, the United States has provided Israel:
$158 billion in bilateral assistance and missile defense funding. At present, almost all U.S. bilateral aid to Israel is in the form of military assistance.
In Fiscal Year 2023 [as of March 1, 2023], Congress appropriated $3.8 billion for Israel (Foreign Military Financing and missile defense) and added $98.58 million in funding for other cooperative defense and nondefense programs.
Nearly 100% of the billions in U.S. “assistance” to Israel has been for military and defense purposes. The unrelenting bombing of Palestinian people is being funded by the United States.
The violence being carried out on Palestinian and Israeli people is beyond horrific. We weep with the Israeli and Palestinian families who have lost loved ones. We also weep for these lands loved by both Israelis and Palestinians. The unrelenting violence and destruction being carried out on Palestinian people, half of whom are children, can only be named as war crimes. We pray for the safety of the people of Gaza and the West Bank and for the safe return of the Israeli people taken hostage by Hamas.
Native Movement stands in solidarity with the many thousands of people globally who are demanding Israel stop their attacks on Palestinian people. We denounce the United States government’s continued support and funding of Israeli military and weapons. We condemn the mass media’s one-sided and Israel-biased coverage of what is happening. We pray for the safety of innocent lives threatened in both Palestine and Israel.
Our partners at NDN Collective said it best, “As Indigenous peoples who carry hundreds of years of state-sponsored genocide on our backs and who have been dispossessed of our lands, languages, cultures, and identities by nation-states, we know that settlers fight with both weapons and words. They spread insidious narratives to trick people into believing that state violence is both necessary and justified. We must reject these lies at every turn. We must center humanity and harness the moral strength to hold multiple truths at one time. Settler colonialism is at the root of the violence in Gaza. A ceasefire, an end to the U.S. funding Israel’s military, and true Palestinian land rights and liberation are the path to peace.”
Humanity above all else. We cannot be complicit in the dehumanization and genocide of Palestinian peoples. We ask our fellow Indigenous, Alaska Native, Native American, Black, Asian, Latinx, LGBTQ2S+, and all our relatives and partners who have been impacted by U.S. settler colonialism to raise your voices to decry the genocide of Palestinian peoples. We cannot remain silent in times like these, for our silence serves only the oppressors.
Native Movement asks all to call your local, tribal, and congressional leadership NOW (script for calling)
We must demand:
An immediate ceasefire. On Oct. 16, 2023 over a dozen U.S. representatives introduced legislation calling for a ceasefire, it has yet to be passed.
Immediate aid and life-saving supplies, such as fuel, food, water, and medicines into Gaza. On October 18th, the White House announced Humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank; more is needed.
SAFE PASSAGE OF Palestinian & Israeli civilians, refugees, hostages, and those in need of medical treatment. Immediate relief and recovery support.
An immediate end of United States funding to the Israeli government for weapons and military escalation.
An end to Palestinian - Israeli apartheid; Palestinian people deserve equal rights within their ancestral lands.
Learn More! For more information check out:
NDN Collective’s position paper The Right of Return is LandBack
Jewish Voice For Peace statement
The Movement for Black Lives statement
The Rising Majority statement
If Not Now statements
Climate Justice Alliance statement
Working Families Party statement
Center for Popular Democracy statement
Democracy Now! Independent Global News
Documentary film Promises, 2001 award winning
“Defend the Sacred” Public Rally at AFN in Anchorage
Full Live Video • Photos/Video for Media
Updates posted to NativeMovement.org
Charlene Aqpik Apok, Gender Justice Director, introduces speakers from across Alaska for the Defend the Sacred Rally
Anchorage, AK – A large crowd gathered and rallied outside the Annual Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) convention Thursday afternoon around a large hand-painted banner that read “Defend the Sacred: Extraction is NOT our way of life”. The rally was organized by a coalition of Alaska Native groups to connect the growing crisis of environmental and community health impacts of the extraction industry on Indigenous communities around the State. Host organizations included, United Tribes of Bristol Bay, Mother Kuskokwim, Native Movement and Grandmothers Growing Goodness.
“The Willow Project will impact our future generations. Everyone has a right to protect their health and safety. Everyday, I worry that toxic emissions around us are ruining our health. Is that 1.7 million pounds contributing to my community's neurological disorders? Oil and gas extraction is not the answer.” - Former Mayor of Nuiqsut, Rosemary Ahtuangaruak
As more people exited the conference at the Dena’ina Center many circled and cheered around the rally organizers and speakers with more posters and painted cut-outs of caribou and salmon. April Lynn Monroe, Evansville Tribal Member, took to the microphone to call attention to the Ambler Road Project which has a 60-Day public comment period with the Bureau of Land Management starting Friday, October 20th.
“42 tribes from the Interior of Alaska have a standing resolution against the Ambler Road, if this road happens we would be paying for corporations to contaminate Alaskan lands and leave Alaskans without a sustainable source of food.” - April Lynn Monroe, Evansville Tribal Member.
The theme of the AFN Annual Convention this year is “Our ways of life”, which many of the rally signs and speakers spoke to when highlighting how critical their relationship to the land is for hunting, fishing, and food sharing with their communities.
“The people in my hometown of Nome are very worried about the effect of large scale mining. Senators Murkowski + Sullivan, and even my own Native Corporation are buying into the false solution of critical minerals in a sacred place, the Kigluaik Mountains. Kigluaik means ‘wind that comes from everywhere’. We WILL defend the sacred. Our government is giving U.S. taxpayer dollars to foreign mining company to extract resources. A foreign mining company is going to get a free road to resources. A foreign mining company is going to get a free deep water port. It’s very clear that mine can not stand on it’s own. It’s investors need taxpayer support, but we should not give that support to them.” - Austin Ahmasuk, Environmental Justice Co-Director at Native Movement
The closing speech was given by Allanah Hurley, Executive Director of United Tribes of Bristol Bay, a Tribal consortium working to protect the traditional Yup'ik, Dena'ina, and Alutiiq ways of life in Southwest Alaska, an Instrumental force in decades long fight with the Pebble Mine.
“For the first time in 20 years our people were able to sleep a little more soundly when in January the EPA finalized protections that stopped the Pebble Mine. That would not have happened without people like you, standing in the cold, waving signs, and standing with us. And we stand here today with YOU. The only way we are going to be able to protect our way of life, and our people, is TOGETHER.”
Unfortunately we are also here to say the governor is doing everything in his power to overturn those protections and there are still over 20 more active mining claims in our region, as the state continues to try and turn our home into a toxic mining district. We are here to say, hell no. We will not rest until our grandkids don’t have to carry this burden the same way that we have.” - Allanah Hurley, Dillingham, United Tribes of Bristol Bay
For years communities have been speaking their concerns over the extraction industry and the harm that it perpetuates on Alaskan land, water and air. As Indigenous people, we have always known that the world is interconnected and that when you take from the land or water, you pay for it in other ways. Today, we are seeing that cost, with the loss of the salmon on the Yukon River, the decline of the caribou herd populations and the scarcity of the moose, all of these issues are in part caused by either extractive development or climate change caused by extractive development.
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Anchorage "Pre-AFN" Artist Pop-Up • Oct 15th
Native Movement is opening our doors this Sunday to make space for Artists to sell their work in a supportive community setting before the busy week at AFN!
Use the form Below to Register as an Artist! There is No Tabling Fee for registered Artists, however this event is only for those that were not able to get in at AFN.
Moose Soup will be on the stove! See you there!
Cover photograph and earrings by
DELOOLE’AANH ERICKSON