Tanana Chiefs Conference meeting begins in Fairbanks
Published Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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Stumble It!The annual meeting of the Tanana Chiefs Conference, the nonprofit Alaska Native tribal consortium representing much of the state’s Interior, started Tuesday in Fairbanks.
Throughout the day, delegates and others in attendance heard reports from a number of agencies and organizations affiliated with the organization. Randy Mayo, first chief of the Stevens Village tribal council, said his community’s buffalo farm in Delta Junction is managing 50 head of buffalo. He invited other villages to look to the effort as an example of a culturally relevant project other areas can replicate in spirit.
“Any interested tribal council can start working toward their own operation,” Mayo said.
Doyon Foundation executive director Sharon McConnell-Gillis said her organization has distributed $600,000 in university scholarships so far this school year. Over 350 students received help this semester, she said, up from under 300 last semester.
“Even more impressive is the diversity of the students we support,” she said.
Steve Osborne, acting executive director for the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council, said villages around the state are facing emerging financial challenges. He said 44 villages had to shut their doors last year and indicated organizations like TCC can play a role in helping Native cultures — from Athabascan to Tlingit and in between — pool their resources to help one another.
“We can no longer afford to have divisive traditions ... in our people,” Osborne said.
The delegate meeting’s first day filled the Chief David Salmon Tribal Hall and drew visits from the area’s three mayors as well as a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Tanana Chiefs Conference is the nonprofit corporation for the Interior Alaska Native region, and administers health and social service programs for members. The group’s for-profit wing, Doyon Ltd., has enjoyed a “banner” year, corporate senior vice president Aaron Schutt said.
Schutt said Doyon has experienced success within its three flagship business lines — oil field drilling and services, natural resource development, and investment. He said the company is working to secure the last 2 million acres out of 12.5 million he said it was entitled through the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and is also pursuing a land swap with the federal government, looking to trade property important to wildlife habitat for land thought to be rich in oil and gas.
Schutt said Doyon has seen a steady increase in the number of company shareholders it has hired directly for jobs, from 380 six years ago to 633 last year.
“We’re very proud of that accomplishment,” he said. “But we’re not done yet.”
The annual meeting continues today at Chief David Salmon Tribal Hall and will include a keynote address from state Sen. Albert Kookesh.
Contact staff writer Christopher Eshleman at 459-7582.
Community Discussion
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just remember why the gwitchin have so much land. Its be cause we fought for it!!! Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!
Who said anything about gwichin? anywho i was at the meetings yesterday and i enjoyed it. my car did get stuck behind the justice rally and i was 20 minutes over on my lunch hour but that was ok, i got some great pictures.
No one mentioned anything about the Gwitchins. I will comment on the comment. During the ANCSA land selection process in the 1970's, Doyon recognized the region's oil and gas potential and worked with all the village corporations in Gwitchin Country to maximize ownership in this area. So the Gwitchin did get an additional 330,000 acres that could have been divided among other villages in the Doyon region, but wasn't. Our elders have been working on this development for the past 35 years. I say we unite and work together or it will happen without us.
I say you join the rest of Alaskans regardless of race and length of stay, and work toward a style of life and standard of living we can all be proud of. Lately I am wondering where the racists in this state really reside.
I disagree with the idea that our elders have been working on 'this' develoment for the last 35 years. For those people that don't live here anymore, you are the ones that are losing out --on what is really important to us who live here. Talk about united, the purpose behind ANCSCA was to divide us and it's doing a real good job of that. I hope all the oil in the world brings you happiness because I know it won't bring me any happiness, just more problems that it will cause. Take a good look around you on what the pipeline did to our own people and all the other people along its path who thought it would make them happy.
all in all i hope the meeting go good. lot's of topics i would think.
We in Anaktuvuk Pass are part of TCC umbrella. I hope all goes well at the meeting. TCC aint' goin' to pay your bills, they cant' make miricles, they aint' goin' to give you free money. Its' a Federal funded program. Some of their' programs may help you though. Work things out...
Oh boy! Free trip to Fairbanks, PER DIEM and the AB!
Goot one "ALLEN",
But yeah, a cheap shot. lol.
As for oil dividing us-
the law of supply and demand states that for every demand someone will supply that demand such as found in the: Drug trade and the oil trade.
If you don't support oil development, stop using (demand) things that use oil such as cars (gas which is oil), heating oil (demand), plastics (oil), airplanes (oil), boat motors (oil), etc., etc. If we stop using these things today and then everyday-guess what! no demand for oil, thus, no money for oil exploration.
So! now what! I guess I'll see you either-walking around town, to work, to the store, to anchorage? Paddling in canoe to a village, to Hawaii?
Cutting trees, splitting wood, packing it, lighting your stoves? instead of "flicking" the heating switch.
Just an FYI-and the cold realities of what 'really' is reality.
By the way, I too am against the land exchange! crazy world huh.
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