N A T I O N A L C O N G R E S S O F A M E R I C A N I N D I A N S

The National Congress of American Indians Resolution #ABQ-10-13

TITLE: To Foster Cooperation, Collaboration, and Communication Regarding the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act between Alaska’s Federally Recognized Tribal Governments and Alaska Native Corporations

WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and E XECUTIVE C OMMITTEE purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign PRESIDENT Jefferson Keel rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian and agreements with C h i c k a s a w N a t i o n the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Juana Majel Dixon laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better Pauma Band – Mission Indians understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise RECORDING SECRETARY Matthew Wesaw promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and Pokagon Band of Potawatomie submit the following resolution; and TREASURER W. Ron Allen Jamestown S’Klallam

REGIONAL V ICE-PRESIDENTS WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was

ALASKA established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American William Martin Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and

EASTERN OKLAHOMA Cara Cowan Watts Cherokee Nation WHEREAS, the NCAI supports the efforts of federally recognized Indian

GREAT PLAINS tribes of Alaska to govern and achieve their own self-determination, and utilize Patricia "Patti" Douville Rosebud Tribe government to government consultation to achieve those ends; and

MIDWEST Marge Anderson M i l l e L a c s Ba n d o f Oj i b w e WHEREAS, since time immemorial, Alaska’s tribes have hunted, fished, and

NORTHEAST gathered on the lands and waters of what is now referred to as the State of Alaska; and Lance Gumbs Shinnecock Indian Nation

NORTHWEST WHEREAS, 40 years after the adoption of the Alaska Native Claims Brian Cladoosby S w inomish Tribal Community Settlement Act (ANCSA), which affected every Tribal Government in the State of

PACIFIC Alaska and created the Alaska Native Corporations, there has been very little open Don Arnold Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians dialogue on the effects of ANCSA on Tribal Governments, Alaska Native

ROCKY MOUNTAIN Corporations, and Alaska Native people; and Scott Russell Crow Tribe

SOUTHEAST WHEREAS, the Tribal Governments and Alaska Native Corporations would Larry Townsend Lumbee Tribe like to dialogue on each other’s unresolved issues in ANCSA such as: landless Tribal SOUTHERN PLAINS Governments, Trust land issues, indigenous hunting and fishing rights, economic Robert Tippeconnic Comanche Nation rights of Alaska’s Tribal Governments and Native Corporations, and the inclusion of SOUTHWEST Joe Garcia Tribal Members born after 1971 into Alaska Native Corporations; and Ohkay Owingeh

WESTERN Irene Cuch WHEREAS, the only Trust land, Indian , in Alaska is on the Ute Indian Tribe Metlakatla , Reserve Federal Townsites, and on Native Allotments, and

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations would like additional protections to Alaska Jacqueline Johnson Pata T l i n g i t lands; and

NCAI HEADQUARTERS 1516 P Street, N.W. WHEREAS, section 4(b) of ANCSA summarily “extinguished” the aboriginal Washington, DC 20005 202.466.7767 hunting and fishing rights of Alaska Indigenous people, and limited access to 202.466.7797 fax traditional and accustomed places for hunting, fishing, and gathering, our fundamental www.ncai.org Human Rights, without which Alaska’s Native People and cultures cannot exist; and

NCAI 2010 Annual Session Resolution ABQ-10-013

WHEREAS, ANCSA allowed Alaska Natives alive on the date of ANCSA’s enactment, December 18, 1971, to receive 100 shares of stock in their respective and regional corporations, and thus part ownership of their ancestral lands, while terminating the land and other of Alaska Natives born after that date by excluding them from ANCSA; and

WHEREAS, on the 40th anniversary of the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act the Alaska’s Federally Recognized Tribal Governments and Alaska Native Corporations could mutually benefit by opening a dialogue on the topic of ANCSA amongst themselves and with each other; and

WHEREAS, after 40 years, neither the Tribal Governments nor the Alaska Native Corporations readily possess the answers to resolve the concerns listed above to ease the minds of our people, many of whom are both Tribal Members and Shareholders.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NCAI encourages Alaska’s Tribal Governments to meet with their Regional Non-profits to address ANCSA and create possible solutions to the aforementioned deficits with the Act; further, the Tanana Chiefs Conference has taken the lead in this effort by agreeing to host the first such summit addressing the Act, and will request its sister Regional Non-Profit organizations to do the same and to initiate these meetings within six months; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the NCAI encourages Alaska’s Village Corporations to meet as with their Regional Native Corporations to address ANCSA and create possible solutions to the aforementioned deficits with the Act and to initiate these meetings within six months; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the NCAI encourages the Federally Recognized Tribal Governments to have a joint meeting with Alaska Native Village and Regional Corporations, as well as the Alaska of Natives, to communicate their concerns, solutions, and ideas for cooperative harmony with each other; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the NCAI encourages Alaska’s Tribes and Corporations to come to an equitable and mutually beneficial agreement on the resolution of the issues surrounding the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act for the future of their shareholders and Tribal Members, their aboriginal hunting and fishing rights, and the establishment of Indian Country in Alaska; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.

Page 2 of 3 NCAI 2010 Annual Session Resolution ABQ-10-013

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2010 Annual Convention of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, NM on November 14-19, 2010, with a quorum present.

President ATTEST:

Recording Secretary

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