Three Alaska Native leaders have proposed a ballot measure that would require the state of Alaska to formally recognize Native tribes within its boundaries.
The measure is now under legal analysis by the Alaska Division of Elections and Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer. If the measure is certified by the state, backers will have until the start of the 2022 legislative session to gather 36,140 signatures, the amount needed to place it on the ballot next fall.
The measure is identical to House Bill 123, a piece of legislation from Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky, D-Bethel, that passed the state House earlier this year. According to a legal analysis, it “will not have any legal impact on the relationship between the state and tribes.”
‘Wáahlaal Gidáak Barbara Blake of Juneau, one of the measure’s sponsors, said backers believe the measure is worthwhile, even if it is mostly ceremonial.
“As I see it, this is an opportunity for two ... sovereign governments that work simultaneously in our state of Alaska to have a better working relationship with one another, instead of consistently being at odds as to whether or not the state of Alaska is going to acknowledge the existence of tribes,” she said.
She said tribes have been consistently asking for recognition and that “this is at the top of many, many people’s agenda in terms of what needs to happen as a next step.”
The other two sponsors, also from Southeast Alaska, are La quen náay Liz Medicine Crow and Chaa yaa eesh Richard Peterson.
Peterson is the president of the Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, and Medicine Crow is president and CEO of First Alaskans Institute. All three said they are sponsoring the measure on their own, and not on behalf of their groups.
Blake said that as the Legislature deals with budget issues, “their ability to focus on things that are necessary, like tribal recognition, tribal acknowledgement, are just not placed at the center and forefront.”
That makes a ballot measure necessary, she said.
The U.S. Supreme Court and the Alaska Supreme Court have repeatedly ruled that federally recognized tribes — Alaska has 229 — are sovereign governments.
Medicine Crow said the measure would be “about respect and solidifying a relationship” between the state and the tribes that live within its boundaries.
oglach on August 14th, 2021 at 13:39 UTC »
Before people start giving their strong opinions on something they don't understand, it has to be said that Alaska has a very unique relationship with Native Alaskans.
First of all, they have substantial recognition as it is. Alaska is the only state to recognize indigenous languages as official. In fact, Alaska has 21 official languages. English, plus Inupiaq, Siberian Yupik, Central Alaskan Yup'ik, Alutiiq, Unangax, Dena'ina, Deg Xinag, Holikachuk, Koyukon, Upper Kuskokwim, Gwich'in, Tanana, Upper Tanana, Tanacross, Han, Ahtna, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. And this isn't hollow recognition, as several of these languages remain widely spoken and protected in the state.
Secondly, we don't have the reservation system as it exists elsewhere in America because we abolished it in favour of Native Corporations. These are for-profit corporations established by Native Alaskans in order to manage land claims and to develop native lands to earn profit for their shareholders, which are the tribes that make them up. These Native corporations include companies like Doyon and Sealaska which are very successful and provide a huge range of services across the state, and use that influence to settle land claims against the government, which they've done with a great amount of success.
I'm not saying any of this because I oppose the bill. I support increased recognition, but the title of this article should not be taken to mean that Alaska has not afforded them any rights up to this point. In fact, Alaska is arguably better than any other state when it comes to the health of our indigenous community, and most Alaskans take a great amount of pride in that. We could and should be better, but it's not like we've done nothing.
MLBisMeMatt on August 14th, 2021 at 11:49 UTC »
I support this! Give them recognition
NYC_Underground on August 14th, 2021 at 11:48 UTC »
That’s…. Overdue