Despite local outcry, state sells Nenana land to highest bidders
NENANA, ALASKA, October 20 – The State of Alaska opened the sealed bids yesterday and announced the outcome of the Nenana-Totchaket land sale: 160 bids were received on 24 of the 27 parcels. This sale moves to privatize public land despite concerns raised by local residents. Numerous statewide entities joined local Nenana and Native leadership in asking that Alaska Department of Natural Resources pause the Nenana-Totchaket land sale until appropriate analysis and Tribal consultations can be completed.
“The land sale - if we do get a parcel, it’ll be bittersweet. That means the sale went through – which, we didn’t want it to. We didn’t think the land sale was viable – environmentally, technically, or economically. It’s bittersweet because it means other people are coming into our lands.” said Nenana resident and Alaska Native community leader, Eva Dawn Burk, when asked about the sale before the auction.
Burk is the director of the Tlaa Deneldel Community Group, a Nenana-based community group focused on food sovereignty and cultural revitalization. Tlaa Deneldel is administratively supported by Native Movement, a state-wide non-profit organization. Native Movement placed bids in the auction on behalf of Tlaa Deneldel Community Group in an effort to protect ancestral lands. The group was able to crowd-source funding from donors throughout Alaska in order to bid. Native Movement was announced as the winning bidder on two parcels, while also losing the bid on other parcels.
“The vision for the Tlaa Deneldel Community Group is to help, not just my own village, but other villages as well, to develop land use or land management plans. I like to call them land relationship plans. The goal is to show other tribal entities that we can train our young people on how to get back to traditional use areas and regain skills that are still useful today,”said Burk. “[Engaging in this auction] gives us an opportunity to show other tribes what food sovereignty means in the future. We’re just at those crossroads right now, and I’m really fortunate to be Alaska Native. We have the last wild king salmon runs in the world and I'm gonna keep fighting for the fish.”
Ultimately, Burk says “What’s so disturbing is the amount of money being spent without foresight… This environment isn’t meant for that type of agriculture. Industrial agriculture will ultimately destroy this environment.”
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Native Movement
Native Movement supports grassroots-led projects that align with our vision, that dismantle oppressive systems for all, and that endeavor to ensure social justice, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, and the rights of Mother Earth. Native Movement is dedicated to building people power, rooted in an Indigenized worldview, toward healthy, sustainable, & just communities for ALL.
Contact:
Lindsey Mailard, lindsey@nativemovement.org 907-987-6567
Enei Begaye Peter, enei@nativemovement.org 928-380-6296