The Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska announced on Monday that it will withdraw out of the Alaska Federation of Natives.
AFN is comprised over 200 tribal and corporate members and is a proponent of the preservation of cultural heritage, advocacy for political rights and economic growth. It’s the biggest all-state Alaska Native organization.
Tlingit along with Haida is the largest federally recognized tribe that is federally recognized. The executive council of Tlingit and Haida has voted to withdraw from AFN at an AFN meeting on May 1. In the statement that was released by the President Richard Chalyee Eesh Peterson said the Tribe can handle its relations with federal and state governments independently.
“It was always beneficial for the Tribe to promote directly the advancement and advocacy of our communities and people and we have strategically positioned in the Tribe and strategically developed our capabilities to accomplish this,” Peterson said in the statement.
Fiveth Tribe Vice-President Clinton Cook Sr. said this decision is a confirmation of the Tribe’s rights to self-government.
“span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”We are enhancing our sovereignty each everyday,” Cook said in an interview. “This is a bigger impact than having to rely on anyone other than us to complete the task for us. .”
The decision to withdraw from AFN was the most recent in a string of significant moves made by members of the Tribe during the year. The Tribe’s president in January Peterson has signed an agreement to transfer a parcel of land in a federal trust. The state is suing in the courts. The Tribe has also strengthened its relationship with the state as it is one of the five tribal organizations that received a state-tribal education compacting grant. In march, Tlingit as well as Haida acquired another piece of land within downtown Juneau in a continuing campaign to restore the to the traditional owners of the land.
Peterson was unavailable to comments on Monday. AFN spokespersons AFN didn’t immediately respond to requests for comments.
This is still a story in the making. Keep an eye out for updates.
