Alaska Federation of Natives

AFN delegates send Klukwan tribe's hardrock mining consent resolution to committee

AFN delegates sent Klukwan's resolution on tribal consent over hardrock mining to a committee, at the tribe's own request. They passed the other 49.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readFrom Oct 21

Alaska Native groups object to plan to drop race questions from 2030 census

Alaska Native groups oppose a Census Bureau plan to drop race questions from the 2030 count. The bureau's own draft analysis flags trouble for small tribes.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

AFN delegates urge Alaskans to vote no on Ballot Measure 2, the ranked-choice repeal

AFN isn't endorsing candidates this year, but its delegates took a side on the ballot, urging Alaskans to vote no on the ranked-choice repeal.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min readFrom Oct 24

Follows: AFN weighs late resolutions on permitting bill's historic review title and census plan

Victor Joseph, a former Tanana Chiefs Conference chief, is AFN's next co-chair

AFN closed its 60th convention by naming Tanana's Victor Joseph, a former TCC chief, as its next co-chair. He replaces Joe Nelson, who didn't run again.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

AFN honors a Kiana flying family, a Kotlik Yup'ik teacher and a new trooper

AFN gave its President's Awards to 10 people, from a Kiana flying family whose kids are all pilots to a Kotlik teacher who taught Yup'ik for decades.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

AFN presents subsistence listening-session findings that will guide its 2026-2030 plan

AFN shared subsistence listening-session findings at its Anchorage convention to shape a 2026-2030 strategic plan.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Three candidates for governor pledge tribal affairs offices or liaisons at AFN forum

Three governor candidates told AFN delegates they'd add tribal affairs offices, advisors or liaisons to state government. Bernadette Wilson didn't take part.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Murkowski tells AFN fuel prices are wrong and ties them to the Iran war

Murkowski told AFN high fuel prices are wrong and blamed the Iran war. She said she's voted for six months to end it. The Senate record says closer to five.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

AFN weighs late resolutions on permitting bill's historic review title and census plan

Southeast delegates asked AFN to oppose a Senate bill's historic review rewrite and a census plan. Delegates first had to agree to take the resolutions up.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Energy official says Alaska tribal projects draw about half of $125 million federal selection

The U.S. Energy Department picked 20 Alaska tribal projects for about half of a $125 million funding round, covering power plants from Noatak to Port Graham.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Begich tells AFN Southcentral Foundation land transfer is law; Sullivan lists his bills

Begich told AFN the Southcentral Foundation land transfer was signed this week, and he and Sullivan walked delegates through their other laws and stalled bills.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Justice Pate tells AFN he knows of no Alaska Native judge since Roy Madsen

Justice Jude Pate told AFN that, to his knowledge, Alaska hasn't had an Alaska Native judge since Roy Madsen, and laid out how the courts hope to change that.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3w ago3 min read

Listening sessions tell AFN tribes want real authority over fish, wildlife and land

At 13 AFN listening sessions, participants said tribes need real authority over fish, wildlife and land. AFN presents the findings at its convention Friday.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago3 min readFrom Oct 16

AFN's 60th convention brings candidates, subsistence and resolutions

AFN marks 60 years at its Oct. 22-24 convention in Anchorage, with Alaska's congressional delegation, a candidates forum and resolutions on the agenda.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

AFN board won't endorse candidates this year after backing Peltola in 2022 and 2024

AFN's board won't endorse any candidates this year, after the group backed Mary Peltola in 2022 and 2024. Peltola is now running for U.S. Senate.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Kawerak backs moratorium on seabed mining off Alaska, sends resolution to AFN convention

Kawerak's board backs a moratorium on seabed mining off Alaska and will ask AFN to do the same. A federal lease sale could come as soon as December.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

AFN holds a subsistence listening session in Fairbanks on Aug. 31

The Alaska Federation of Natives holds a subsistence listening session in Fairbanks on Aug. 31, gathering harvesters' and elders' input on the future of subsistence.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Three Alaska Native groups demand answers on rural election staffing before Tuesday's primary

Three Alaska Native groups are demanding the state account for unfilled rural election-worker jobs and pay overdue per diem before Tuesday's primary, citing past precincts that never opened.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min read

SBA rule drops 8(a) disadvantage presumption for individual owners, leaves Native corporations untouched

Alaska Native corporation-owned firms keep federal 8(a) contracting eligibility unchanged, but individual applicants must now prove disadvantage starting Sept. 10.

by Alaska News3mo ago3 min read

Supreme Court declines to review Alaska's challenge to rural subsistence priority

The Supreme Court declined to hear Alaska's challenge to federal subsistence priority, leaving rural residents with first claim to fish and game on federal waters when supplies run short.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago5 min read

AFN gathers Dillingham voices on the future of subsistence

AFN holds a four-hour listening session in Dillingham on Aug. 12 to gather subsistence harvesters' input on how Alaska's subsistence future should be managed.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

Juneau's casino opened on shifting ground and now faces suits on two fronts

Juneau's tribal casino opened through a federal opening since rescinded, and now faces the state, a family lawsuit and doubt about whether it's even legal.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min readFrom Jun 5

The SAVE Act now rides on the defense bill Alaska wants

The SAVE Act is now attached to the defense bill carrying Alaska's military money — putting Murkowski's opposition against Sullivan's biggest win in one vote.

by Alaska News3mo ago2 min read

AFN opens Co-Chair nominations ahead of October convention vote

Alaska Federation of Natives opens nominations for a new co-chair to be elected October 24, with applications due September 25.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

Murkowski, Schatz introduce $800M bill for Native children and families

Senators Murkowski and Schatz introduced an $800 million bill to fund Native children and families, with nearly $500 million flowing directly to tribal governments starting immediately upon passage.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3mo ago3 min read

Alaska Native groups take the salmon crisis to a national tribal stage

Four Alaska Native groups took the salmon crisis to the national tribal stage, pressing for a bigger Native role in managing runs that have collapsed on the Yukon and Kuskokwim.

by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago2 min read

AFN prepares for 60th convention with land, tradition and political voice at center

Alaska Federation of Natives marks 60 years with a convention centered on the 1971 land-claims settlement that created the organization and the political voice of Alaska Native communities today.

by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read

Tribal groups seek $1.1M in fees after beating Alaska on Kuskokwim fishing rights

Tribal groups AVCP and Alaska Federation of Natives seek $1.1 million combined in attorneys' fees after winning a federal case that gave the U.S. government control over Kuskokwim River gillnet salmon harvests instead of Alaska.

by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago2 min read

Alaska Native leaders brought a unified salmon co-management demand to NCAI

Alaska Native leaders demanded Tribal co-management of salmon at a national Indigenous conference, citing food security and cultural crises from collapsed runs on Arctic, Yukon, and Kuskokwim rivers. • Subsistence communities have gone years without harvesting salmon while bearing the burden of conservation restrictions. • Current federal and state frameworks exclude Tribes from binding decision authority despite their sovereignty and stewardship responsibilities.

by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago2 min read

House Military Committee Advances Joint Armed Services Overhaul

Alaska House panel voted to modernize a 27-year-old military-civilian committee by adding two new seats, requiring clearer appointment rules, and boosting minority representation.

by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read