October 14-17, 2018 Logo Artist Statement First Alaskans Institute The Ancestral figures each wear masks that are a combination of Northern and Board of Trustees & Staff Southern Alaska cultures. Their arms are filled with trees representing the land and BOARD OF TRUSTEES the base is filled with waves representing Willie Iġġiagruk Hensley (Iñupiaq), Chair the sea. The swirling lines and circles in Sam Kito, Jr. (Tlingit), Vice Chair the bottom section mimic the style and Valerie Davidson (Yup’ik), Secretary/Treasurer symbolism of the Old Bering Sea surface Byron Mallott (Tlingit), Senior Fellow designs. The most prominent circles and Sven Haakanson, Jr. (Sugpiaq), Trustee dots represent the Eye, a window into Albert Kookesh (Tlingit), Trustee the soul and promote truth in actions and Sylvia Lange (Aleut/Tlingit), Trustee words. The chest designs imitate the ribs, Oliver Leavitt (Iñupiaq), Trustee which embraces the idea of transparency. Georgianna Lincoln (Athabascan), Trustee The fire represents our resilience as Native people. It is a symbol of our IN MEMORIAM brilliance and legacy. Morris K. Thompson (Athabascan) STAFF - Nasugraq Rainey Hopson (Iñupiaq) Karla Gatgyedm Hana’ax Booth (Ts’msyen) Indigenous Leadership Continuum Director Elizabeth Uyuruciaq David (Yup’ik) Finance Director Joy Gudáang’láa Demmert (Haida/Tlingit) Indigenous Operations Manager COMMUNITY Angela Łot’oydaatlno Gonzalez (Koyukon Athabascan) Indigenous Communications Manager HALL Kacey Qunmiġu Hopson (Iñupiaq) Indigenous Knowledge Advocate 2nd & 3rd floors Jacqui Igluġuq Iqilan Lambert (Iñupiaq) Assistant to the President/CEO Colin Tass’aq McDonald (Yup’ik) Sustainability Manager The Community Hall is open at 8:00 am, Monday and Tuesday, on the 2nd Floor Landing and Hallway, Elizabeth La quen náay Medicine Crow (Haida/Tlingit) and 3rd Floor Foyer. It is a gathering of indigenous President/CEO artists selling their art and community partner's sharing education, career, business, non-profit and Ayyu Qassataq (Iñupiaq) political opportunities. Vice President & Indigenous Operations Director Andrea Akall’eq Sanders (Yup’ik) Alaska Native Policy Center Director Statewide Broadcast Ella Sassuuk Tonuchuk (Yup’ik) Indigenous Leadership Continuum Coordinator October 15-17 at 8:00 AM on GCI Channel 1, HD 907, ARCS and online at www.firstalaskans.org 2 2018 First Alaskans Institute Elders & Youth Conference Welcome to the 2018 Elders & Youth Conference We are honored to host the 35th annual statewide convening! Our 2018 theme, “Na Ganiyaatgm, Na Lagm” (Our Ancestors, Our Fire), speaks to the flame within each of us that keeps us connected to our Ancestors, our homelands, and to what makes us uniquely distinct as Native peoples of this land. To celebrate and acknowledge the importance of our languages, we are highlighting one of our Alaska Native languages by using it for our theme and will rotate through our languages each year. This year’s language is Sm’algyax, the language of the Ts’msyen people. Looking back 35 years, there were 54 Elders and youth who attended the first conference. Today, we anticipate 2,000 attendees to increase our collective well-being and knowledge-sharing. There will be interactive cultural sessions to get us into practices that celebrate and define who we are. We will also have interactive workshops on topics that impact our peoples and ways of life. Our Men’s, Women’s, and LGBTQ+ Houses honor our Ancestors practices of creating healing spaces that allow our diverse experience to be useful to the community. We could not put on the conference without the love and support of our community, volunteers and sponsors. Thank you for bringing your ideas, your experience, and practicing the Native value of sharing. Welcome and enjoy your time uplifting people from across the state! Willie Iġġiagruk Hensley Elizabeth La quen náay Karla Gatgyedm Hana’ax Booth (Iñupiaq) Medicine Crow (Haida/Tlingit) (Ts’msyen) Board Chair President/CEO Indigenous Leadership Continuum Director First Alaskans Institute utilizes a diversity of people and organizations to deliver this unique conference. Inclusion may not mean endorsement of the presenters or organizations they may be engaged with. Rather, they are offered to engage the wisdom, knowledge, world view, and consciousness of our amazing participants. We thank all who work alongside of us to create this content and experience for our participants. Na Ganiyaatgm, Na Lagm 3 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS YOUTH ELDER Ugiaqtaq Tristan Yaadoh Wesley Jovan Madros Aiken Koyukon Inupiaq~ Athabascan Iñupiaq Elder Ugiaqtaq Wesley Aiken was Koyukon Athabascan youth Tristan Yaadoh Jovan born in Utqiaġvik, Alaska on January 25, 1926. Madros is 20 years old from Kaltag, Alaska. He His parents were Aviugana Johnny Aiken and was raised by his grandparents, Franklin Madros, Pamiilaq Lucy Aiken. Ugiaqtaq herded reindeer Jr. and Cora Madros, who traditionally adopted to provide for his family as a teenager, and him. Yaadoh grew up in the traditional way of continued providing for his family by hunting and life and learned his language. He learned how to trapping throughout his life. In 1947, he married build sleds from birch, sew moose-hide boots, the late Anna Kayutak Aiken, and began working and make a fish wheel. He deeply values Native for Arctic Contractors. Ugiaqtaq is a World War II traditions and is a culture and language bearer, veteran, proudly serving in the Alaska Territorial teacher, hunter, fisherman and gatherer. Guard from 1944 to 1959, and remained involved with the National Guard until 1973. Yaadoh believes in working hard for his people and community to make change. He gives back Ugiaqtaq was active in political movements to his community and region by serving on strengthening the basic rights of Alaska Native the Kaltag Village Council as the 2nd Chief, the peoples. He is a strong believer in God and Denakkanaaga board, Tanana Chiefs Conference is called upon to give blessings in church and Youth Advisory Emerging Leader’s Council, and villages and during the whaling Nalukataq Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission board. festivals. Ugiaqtaq has always been a strong He also sings and dances in the Kaltag dance believer of education, as our youth are the group. In 2017, Doyon, Limited recognized future leaders. He encourages young people to Yaadoh as Shareholder of the Year for their Chief learn their language and keep their culture alive. Andrew Isaac Leadership Award. Sunday, October 14 1:00 - 5:00 Conference Pre-Registration at the Dena'ina Center, 1st Floor Lobby 1:30 - 2:00 Warming of the Hands Community Welcome 2:00 - 4:00 Men's House, Women's House and Two Spirit & LGBTQA+ House 4:00 - 5:00 Regional Break Out Sessions, Locations TBD 3:30 - 8:30 Our Ancestors, Our Fire Welcome Potlatch at APU – Moseley Sports Center located at 4101 University Drive. All are welcome to this event hosted by local community members to celebrate "Native New Year". 4 2018 First Alaskans Institute Elders & Youth Conference Monday, October 15 7:30 Onsite Registration Opens at Dena'ina Center, 1st Floor Lobby 8:00 Community Hall Opens, 2nd Floor Landing and Hallway & 3rd Floor Foyer 8:00 STATEWIDE BROADCAST BEGINS ON GCI CHANNEL 1, HD 907, ARCS and online at www.firstalaskans.org 8:30 Welcome and Emcee Introductions Prayer & Blessing from the People of the Land – Adam Leggett (Athabascan), Treasurer, Native Village of Eklutna 8:35 Posting of the Colors – Alaska Native Veterans Society 8:40 National Anthem in Yup'ik – Alaska Native Cultural Charter School Choir 9:00 Welcome & Conference Overview from First Alaskans Institute Board of Trustees & Staff 9:20 Conference Agreements 9:30 Elder Keynote – Ugiaqtaq Wesley Aiken (Iñupiaq) with introduction by Patuk Glenn (Iñupiaq), ASRC Project Manager 10:00 Dialogue led by First Alaskans Staff 10:15 Responding to Alaska’s Linguistic Emergency & Increasing Collaboration with Tribes with Governor Bill Walker & Lieutenant Governor Byron Mallott (Tlingit) 10:35 Alaska Natives in State Government - Changing the Conversation Barbara Blake (Haida, Tlingit & Ahtna Athabascan), Director of Native and Rural Affairs, Office of the Governor Bill Walker Alex Cleghorn (Sugpiaq), Assistant Attorney General/Special Assistant on Alaska Native Issues Julianna Clock (Koyukon Athabascan), Policy & Program Analyst, Office of the Governor 10:55 The Voting Power of our Peoples – Kendra Kloster (Tlingit), Executive Director, Native Peoples Action 11:15 Dialogue led by First Alaskans Staff 11:35 Welcome of Special Guests – Visiting Maori from University of Canterbury, TRAYLS, First Peoples Fund, TRHT and ANDORE partners and Center for Native American Youth, etc.... 12:00 Anna's Alaska Soul Food Demonstration, 3rd Floor, Tikahtnu D/E 12:00 Lunch - On your own OR take part in a Lunch & Learn Session (first come, first served) with . Ilisagvik . College Lunch & Learn, 1st Floor, Idlughet 3 Front 1:00 The New Hotness in Indigenous Technology! Place-based Cultural Learning & Story Mapping – Barbara Sappah (Eyak) and David Guilfoyle with Applied Archaeology International Yuarcuun (A Tool to Search) – Stephen Blanchett (Yup’ik), V.P. of Development & Community Engagement, Alaska Native Heritage Center 1:15 Lepquinm Gumilgit Gagoadm (Ts’msyen from Anchorage & Metlakatla) 2:00 Living & Loving Our Cultures Workshops – Session 1 (see page 8 for options) 3:30 Move to next workshop session 3:45 Community Engagement Workshops – Session 2 (see page 8 and 9 for options) 5:15 Recess 5:30 Alaska Natives Got Talent Tryouts, 1st Floor,