When Alaska Natives talk about strengthening sovereignty, it is not about having idyllic authority, but the ability to take real action and prevent very real, heartbreaking dynamics from happening in our communities. In other Tribes outside of Alaska, Tribal governments usually have full management over resources, land use provisions, their justice system, and hunting and fishing rights.

Years before the passage of ANCSA in the early 20th Century, Tribal leaders from the Tanana River region met with federal officials. They recognized that reservation Tribes in the Lower 48 states had faced forced relocations to poor-quality lands and ecosystems that kept them from prospering. Therefore, during ANCSA negotiations there was less focus on what private land ownership would mean for tribal sovereignty, self-governance, and food security.

While ANCSA extinguished aboriginal hunting and fishing rights, Alaska Native peoples received no compensation for this loss as the financial settlement was limited to compensation for the loss of lands.

Tribal hunting and fishing rights in Alaska were not extinguished but continue to go unrecognized.

Our way of life is suffering a great loss of culture, directly related to the decline of fish and wildlife. Some groups oppose Indigenous sovereignty and tribal recognition. It's important to note that these issues are not based on race but rather on tribal governance and the right for Indigenous people to practice their cultural and spiritual way of life, simply having the ability to take care of themselves and their families. Indigenous people have lived on this land for thousands of years, and we have shown great resilience in adapting to quick changes. However, we can only do so if we can continue living and practicing our traditional way of life.

Alaska Natives have experienced significant changes in a relatively short period. It has been 156 years since we joined the union, 64 years since we joined statehood, and most notably in 2022, the State of Alaska finally recognized Alaska Native Tribes legislatively. This highlights the governmental and institutional marginalization of the Alaska Native people.

Native people and tribes are disenfranchised through the governmental process, particularly with the State of Alaska, which has failed to acknowledge the sovereignty of Alaska Native people who have been here since time immemorial. It is essential to recognize that access to traditional food sources is considered a basic human right by the United Nations. Furthermore, it is an essential aspect of religious freedom for us to access our traditional food sources.

Indigenous people are an essential part of the overall health and biodiversity of ecosystems. When we were removed from our way of life and forced to westernize, that connection to the land and waters was fractured. We will not see healthy and thriving populations of fish and wildlife until that connection is mended.