Kolby KickingWoman
ICT
The Alaska Federation of Natives lost two large regional tribal organizations this week.
The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska and the Tanana Chiefs Conference separately announced withdrawals from AFN, which is Alaska’s largest statewide Native organization.
One of the departing tribal units stated its reason for leaving the federation was due to the amount of resources required to participate, but with little to no results in the end.
“A lot of effort, time, and money goes toward participating in AFN and it is important that those resources be utilized to their maximum potential to advance TCC’s Tribal priorities,” the Tanana Chiefs Conference said in a statement released Monday.
Formed in 1966, AFN was founded to settle land claims and “continues to be the principal forum and voice of Alaska Natives in addressing critical issues of public policy and government,” its website states.
With more than 35,000 tribal citizens, the Tlingit and Haida is the state’s largest federally recognized tribal government. For a number of years, the tribe has been working to strengthen its sovereignty through economic development and building infrastructure to advance the tribe’s priorities, according to a press release from the tribe.
While the tribes are withdrawing from the organization, a statement released Monday said they would “continue to collaborate with AFN where it is needed.”
“We are working every day toward strengthening our sovereignty and preserving our way of life for generations to come. It has always been in the best interest of the Tribe to directly promote, advance and advocate for our people and communities, and we have positioned the Tribe and strategically built our capacity to do just that,” Tlingit and Haida council President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson said in the statement. “The truth of the matter is our Executive Council has diverse areas of expertise and this has been a true strength in the governance of our Tribe.”
The Tanana Chiefs Conference has also been reviewing its membership in AFN for the last few years. The Alaska Native non-profit corporation consists of 42 members, including 39 villages and 37 federally recognized tribes, according to its website.
Its biggest priorities have been protection of salmon and ways of life. More than 40 resolutions have been passed by the AFN board supporting subsistence of life but the Tanana Chiefs Conference said in a statement that “no significant action has been taken on those directives.”
A majority of all tribal delegates for the Tanana Chiefs Conference voted not to renew its membership with AFN and a formal letter of withdrawal was submitted on April 28.
Representatives from AFN did not return multiple calls Monday and Tuesday. However, according to the Anchorage Daily News, the organization is waiting to make public comments until after it convenes a board meeting next week.
The withdrawals of the Tlingit & Haida and Tanana Chiefs Conference come on the heels of at least three other departures in recent years. The Arctic Slope Regional Corp. withdrew its membership in 2019, Doyon, Limited in 2020 and the Aleut Corp. last year.
The annual convention for AFN will take place in Anchorage in mid-October.
This story will be updated with a statement from AFN when it becomes available.
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