On the occasion of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the UN has identified the theme of “Indigenous peoples’ migration and movement.” For Inuit in the Arctic, though we were originally a nomadic people, experiencing migration and movement constantly, to sustain ourselves through our profound relationship with the animals upon which we depend, today our migration and movement is being forced upon us due to the impacts of climate change and other dramatic external pressures.
Inuit Nunaat — Our lands, territories and resources are under great pressure not only from global impacts of climate change, but the impacts of “opportunity” seen by more powerful sources far beyond the Arctic region as the sea ice retreats.
This year, we hosted our 13th General Assembly and have renewed our commitment to maintain our united stance on a host of issues from our continuing work to advance our distinct human rights to food security to health and wellness to sustainable development and environment.
For Inuit, this day and the chosen UN theme reminds us of our historical roots and our current condition of being separated by imposed, artificial boundaries and the fact that we have much to do to remove the barriers that have stifled the practice of many of our cultural customs and practices.
Indeed, we are mindful of the need to remove such boundaries and barriers to secure our own economies, to maintain our own language, to advance our own educational systems, and to safeguard our overall way of life throughout Inuit Nunaat.
Let us all think of how we, as Arctic Indigenous peoples, can meet the challenges that we face, individually and collectively, while at the same time keeping our focus upon the future, setting our sights on contributing to the maintenance of our cultural integrity.
For example, how will we actively contribute to the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages? Not solely for purposes of the UN, but more importantly, at home, within our own communities. And, this is just one of the many issues that we must tackle.
As I stated at the ICC General Assembly, there are approximately 165,000 Inuit on the entire planet. So, we need every single one of us; every woman, every man, every young person, every child, every mother, every father, every elder. We need every Inuk.
Dalee Sambo Dorough, Chairwoman for ICC
Anchorage, AK
Support for Mead Treadwell
My family and I moved from the Denver Metro area to Bethel in 2002. We had never been to Alaska and came up here planning to stay 1 year. We stayed over 4.5 years in Bethel and now have 16 years in Alaska.
I learned a lot about Native Culture, the importance of the land the Arctic Environment and how much work is required to live in “Bush” Alaska. I’ve learned the Arctic supports a unique way of life that deserves to be preserved. During my time in Alaska I’ve learned how the Federal Government short changed Alaska Native groups by not allowing them to select the land they were promised under the 1971 ANCSA law. I learned it’s not easy to have enough food in Bush Alaska.
It is once again political season in Alaska. I’m supporting Mead Treadwell for Governor. Some of the reasons I’m supporting include Mead’s Arctic experience. He has been on multiple Arctic related boards and was part of the Arctic Commission. Mead is considered an Arctic Expert worldwide.
I believe he will work hard to help Alaska Natives as they face changing weather patterns. Mead understands that food security is essential to all people but especially to those that do not live on the road system and depend on much of their food being flown in to them. Mead has a good record of fighting the Federal Government, something I think he will continue as Governor. I believe he will push to get Native Alaskan’s the land they were promised.
Mead knows the importance of subsistence and commercial fishing. Unlike two other leading candidates he has never proposed increasing taxes on commercial fishing nor restricting subsistence fishing.
Please join me in voting For Mead Treadwell in the August 21 Primary Election. These are my personal beliefs, based on discussions I’ve had with Mead Treadwell and are not official campaign statements.
Michael Jesperson
Anchorage, AK
Let’s support Treadwell for Governor
I am a 69 year resident of this wonderful state. I and all 50-some of my children, grand-children and great grand-children still live here. Am the founder of Penair over sixty years ago, and am now retired, with my future secure for the rest of my life. Just want to see that our children have the best future possible here, which requires a stable, conservative government.
So I urge you to support Mead Treadwell for Governor in the up-coming elections. Mead has the political experience and background to do the job, preserving your dividend at its full amount, as well as balancing our budget and paying our bills.
In the last three years over 14 billion dollars has been wasted, directly out of our savings, by past administrations. The legislature has been much to blame, particularly the Senate Republican Majority caucus, which has adamantly refused to consider forms of new revenue, while continuing to cut our essential services, such as education, health care, etc.
My life has revolved around commercial fisheries, and Mead was very helpful in assisting Sen Stevens in creating the Magnuson-Stevens act, which created the 200 mile limit to aid our fishermen.
As well, he helped draw up the Stevens federal CDQ program, which guarantees many of our Western Alaska communities a share of the Bering Sea bottom-fish production, which has been of direct financial benefit to so many of our coastal communities.
In contrast, the other contender for the primary election Aug 21 is Mike Dunleavy. Mike has a history of leaving a job to benefit himself, he resigned from the Northwest Arctic Borough school district 8 months into a three year contract, and of course resigned from the State Senate early to run for Governor. Does this remind you of a recent Governor who resigned halfway through her term to run for National office?
We don’t need more people who are only looking out for personal gain!
In Dunleavy’s answer to our fiscal crisis, he only says that he will cut the budget more, (thus depriving us of more needed government services), and find new revenue sources. Not once has he ever said specifically where those cuts or revenue increases would come from. He did sponsor, in 2016, SB 198, which would have imposed a 12.5% royalty on all commercial fish operations. Is that his answer to solve our problem? Just put it on the backs of commercial fishermen!
Please support Mead Treadwell for Governor, for the benefit of all of us.
Orin Seybert
Anchorage, AK
