Status of Alaskan Natives of Marshall, Alaska
In the early 1900s gold was discovered in the Wilson
Creek and Dissapointment Mines, and the Gold Rush
Settlement of Marshall was formed by the Gold Miners
in 1915. Today a few white men remain no more than
5.
First Natives of Marshall, Alaska
In the Years 1949-50s ( Takchuamute Tribe of Takshak, Alaska and Ohogamuit, of Ohogamute, Alaska) Were forced to Move and RE-Locate to Marshall, Alaska by the orders of theTerritorial Comissiner, Magestrate L.E Ost. Because of Schools. the threat was Take your kids to school or the heads of the house holds will go to Jail. These Natives Today face hardships because they were forced to leave their Traditional Hunting grounds,
Today in the Village of marshall we face high unemployment
poor housing, for many new familys living in Log dwellings
with no sewer and drafty and hard to heat houses.many with
children
The Natives in the Village of Marshall, Alaska Today the
Majority depend on cash economy and subsistance
85& on cash Ecnomy and 15& Subsistance.
The Population of our village is 280 people.
This year our block grant did not go thru for community development. for housing improvement and sewer extention. so this year for this summer there will be little chance for employment on our people for captal improvement.
Ways to improve the Standard of living for our people
1. Improve commercial Fisheries. on the Yukon to allow Fisheries to remain open till late august to allow fall chums Fishing. to make up for the block grant we did not recieve.
2. In the long run, Re-establish these 2 villages Takshak, Alaska and Ohogamuit Alaska to enhance the subsistance way of life for these Native Tribes.
Hast Alex Even
Sincerly Yours Alex Evan
President, Native Village of Marshall
PO Box 110, Marshall, Alaska.
North Slope
Borough
Northwest Arctic
Borough
Nuiqsut
Point Hope
Point Lay
Selawic
Shungnak
Wainwright
SENATOR DANIEL K. INOUYE, CHAIRMAN
SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS
SENATE HART BUILDING, ROOM 838
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20510
Community & Regional Affairs
Committee
Vice-Chairman
State Affairs Committee
Bush Caucus
Member Finance Subcommittee
Community & Regional Affairs
Education
Corrections
RE: OVERSIGHT HEARING ON THE STATUS OF ALASKA NATIVES
DEAR SENATOR INOUYE:
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT, TO THIS
COMMITTEE, MY COMMENTS CONCERNING THE STATUS OF
ALASKAN NATIVES.
RECENTLY PUBLISHED ARTICLES AND REPORTS HAVE
DOCUMENTED GROWING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CRISIS IN THE
LIVES OF MANY ALASKAN NATIVES, PARTICULARLY THOSE
LIVING IN RURAL VILLAGES.
AS HAS ALSO BEEN THE CASE IN NATIVE GROUPS THROUGHOUT
THE U.S., A TRADITIONAL WAY OF LIFE WHICH EVOLVED OVER
HUNDREDS OF YEARS AS A RESPONSE TO A PARTICULAR
CLIMATE AND SEASONAL CONDITIONS IS BEING DISPLACED BY
A NEW CULTURE BASED ON URBAN VALUES THAT OFTEN HAVE NO
CORRELATION IN OUR NORTHERN, RURAL LANDS.
WHILE WE CHERISH MUCH THAT MODERNIZATION HAS PROVIDED,
IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY EVIDENT THAT TRADITIONAL
VALUES HAVE BEEN SACRIFICED IN AN ATTEMPT TO MOVE INTO
A NEW WORLD. IF A TREE LOSES ITS ROOTS IT CAN NOT
STAND. THAT IS TRUE OF A PEOPLE AS WELL.
THE INVASION OF THE WESTERN COMMERCIAL SOCIETY INTO
OUR NORTHERN LANDS CARRIED THE SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION
ALONG WITH THOSE OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT. THE
INFLUX OF NEW PEOPLES BROUGHT MANY DISEASES WHICH ONCE
THREATENED TO DECIMATED OUR NUMBERS. WHILE
IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTH CARE HAVE HELPED US TO
STABILIZED THIS THREAT WE NOW FIND OURSELVES PITIED
AGAINST THE EVEN MORE DEADLY AND INSIDIOUS DISEASES OF
ALCOHOLISM AND DESPAIR. IT IS THE BREAKDOWN OF OUR
TRADITIONAL VALUES BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE ATTEMPT TO ASSIMILATE THE VALUES OF THIS WESTERN COMMERCIAL CULTURE THAT HAS LEFT US CONFUSED AND SUSCEPTIBLE TO THESE NEW DISEASES.
COMMONLY, THE ONLY EXPOSURE VILLAGES HAVE HAD TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD HAS BEEN THROUGH THEIR CONTACT WITH TRANSIENTS, MISSIONARIES AND CARPETBAGGERS WHOSE VALUES ARE EXTREMES AT BEST. YET, SINCE THESE ARE THE ONLY EXAMPLES DEMONSTRATED THEY BECOME THE ACCEPTED VALUES WITHIN THE VILLAGE.
NOT ONLY DO THESE GROUPS REPRESENT EXTREME VALUES BUT
THEY HAVE, AT TIMES, WORKED TO UNDERMINE OUR TRADITIONAL
VALUES AS WELL. FOR EXAMPLE, MANY OF THE MISSIONARIES
WHO CAME TO SHARE WITH US THEIR SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT
DID SO AT THE COST OF OURS. THEY LOOKED DOWN AT OUR
ESKIMO DANCING AND NATIVE LANGUAGE AS EXPRESSIONS OF
HEATHENS. THOSE WHO WERE SENT TO TEACH US NEW VALUES DID
SO BY TAKING AWAY OUR SELF-ESTEEM AND MAKING US ASHAMED
OF THE VERY ROOTS OF OUR CULTURE. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE
TRANSIENTS, WHILE OFTEN GOOD PEOPLE, IMPARTED VALUES OF
RESTLESSNESS AND A DESIRE FOR EXCITEMENT AND CHANGE.
FINALLY, THE CARPETBAGGERS CAME TO OUR COUNTRY LOOKING
FOR RICHES. IT IS THEY THAT HAVE TAUGHT US THE MOST
ABOUT WORKING IN THE WHITE WORLD. THEY BECAME OUR
FRIENDS AND OUR LEADERS LOOKED TO THEM AS MODELS.
THESE VERY PEOPLE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE BEING TRIED AND
CONVICTED FOR CORRUPTION. WE LEARN THAT THESE "FRIENDS"
MADE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OFF OF OUR NAIVETE AND THAT
THEIR VALUES ARE OF PERSONAL ADVANCEMENT AND GREED.
AS YOU CAN SEE, EACH OF THESE GROUPS BROUGHT WITH THEM VALUE SYSTEMS WHICH CONFLICTED WITH OURS AND EACH OTHERS. WITHOUT REALIZING THEIR IMPACT WE IMITATED THEM. As REPRESENTATIVES OF A CULTURE AND COUNTRY THAT HAD SUCH TECHNOLOGICAL AND MATERIAL WEALTH WE ASSUMED THAT THEY ALSO OWNED GREAT SOCIAL WISDOM. IS IT ANY WONDER THAT MANY ALASKAN VILLAGER'S VALUES ARE THEN SO HAPHAZARD AND LACKING A MIDDLE GROUND?
IT IS THIS CONFUSION OF VALUES, FURTHER COMPOUNDED BY THE
UNREALISTIC MATERIAL ASPIRATIONS IMPARTED BY TELEVISION,
WHICH IS DRIVING OUR YOUTH TO ALCOHOLISM, DESPAIR AND
EVENTUALLY SUICIDE. NOT ONE NATIVE PERSON IN MY DISTRICT
HAS NOT BEEN TOUCHED BY THESE GRIEFS. OUR YOUNG ARE
BEING TAKEN FROM US AT EVER INCREASING NUMBERS AND THE
GREAT SORROW OF OUR LOSS IS THAT IT IS BY THEIR OWN
HANDS.
IN MANY WAYS, THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN AT THE ROOT
OF THESE PROBLEMS AND IT SHOULD ALSO BE AT THE ROOT OF
OUR CURE. NOT SO LONG AGO WE WERE FORBIDDEN TO SPEAK OUR
NATIVE LANGUAGE WHILE ATTENDING THE BIA SCHOOLS.
THEN SO SURPRISING THAT MANY HAVE NOW FORGOTTEN THE
TRADITIONAL VALUES THAT ALLOWED EACH PERSON TO KNOW THEIR
OWN WORTH.
THE NEW EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM BROUGHT WITH IT FURTHER
CONFLICTING VALUES. IT HAS TRIED TO TEACH US THE VALUES
OF HARD WORK IN AN URBAN WHITE CULTURE. HOWEVER, NO ONE
BROUGHT TO US THE MEANS TO SECURE THESE NEW VALUES.
IN RURAL ALASKA CONSIST ALMOST ENTIRELY OF GOVERNMENTAL
JOBS. THERE ARE NOT NEARLY ENOUGH OF THESE TO PROVIDE
EMPLOYMENT TO PURCHASE THE MANY NEW THINGS THIS NEW
CULTURE HAS TAUGHT US TO WANT OR THE TRANSITION FROM A
MORE SIMPLE TRADITIONAL LIFESTYLE HAS LEAD US TO NEED.
NEITHER HAS THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN RURAL ALASKA
PROVIDED US, IN MANY CASES, WITH SUFFICIENT SKILLS TO
COMPETE WITH NON-NATIVES FOR THE FEW JOBS AVAILABLE.
INSTITUTIONAL PREJUDICES HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND SUPPORTED BY LAW. FOR THE MOST
PART, OUR TEACHERS HAVE BEEN FROM DISTANT AREAS AND HAVE
HAD LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OR UNDERSTANDING OR OUR CULTURE.
THEREFORE, THEIR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH AND TO
STIMULATE OUR YOUTH HAS BEEN GREATLY DIMINISHED. NATIVE
TEACHERS, WHO COULD BRING WITH THEM GREATER UNDERSTANDING
OR OUR YOUTH, HAVE OFTEN BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN
THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS. AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THAT IS
DOMINATED BY UNIONS AND CREDENTIALED TEACHERS AND
ADMINISTRATORS HAS DEVELOPED WHICH IS OFTEN INSENSITIVE
TO LOCAL NEEDS AND FURTHER PROMOTES A SYSTEM WHICH HAS NO
CHANCE TO SUCCEED IN ITS PRESENT FORM.
THE IDEAS OF FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE ADOPTED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IN OUR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ARE THE HIGHEST, BUT IF THEY ARE NOT PUT INTO PRACTICE THEY BECOME LOST IN MUCK AND MIRE. WE MUST HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WHICH RESPECTS THE DIVERSITY OF CULTURE AND IMPARTS A SENSE OF PRIDE FOR THE TRADITIONAL VALUES OF OUR PEOPLE.
DESPITE THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THE STATE AND U.S.
GOVERNMENTS HAVE SPENT ON PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE
CONDITIONS WE HAVE LOST MORE THAN WE HAVE GAINED. BOTH
THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE MADE AN EFFORT
THROUGH CAPITAL PROJECT GRANTS AND CONTRACTS TO MODERNIZE
OUR RURAL AREAS. IT IS TRUE WE HAVE BENEFITED FROM
SCHOOLS AND OTHER FACILITIES BUILT BY THEIR EFFORTS, BUT
AS WE ARE OFTEN UNABLE TO AFFORD THEIR MAINTENANCE, EVEN
THESE BENEFITS MAY SOON DISAPPEAR. MODERN BUILDINGS AND
EQUIPMENT CAN NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR EMPLOYMENT.
WE LACK
JOBS WHICH CAN PROVIDE US WITH A SENSE OF WORTH.
AN EDUCATION SYSTEM WHICH CAN PROVIDE US WITH THE SKILLS
TO EXIST IN BOTH WORLDS. OUR SUBSISTENCE LIFESTYLE IS
CONSTANTLY BEING THREATENED BY THE MODERN WORLD WHICH PLACES A GREATER VALUE ON COMMERCIAL OR SPORT USAGE THAN ON THE SIMPLE NEED FOR SURVIVAL.
THE STRENGTH OF TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, WHICH COULD HAVE PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN PROTECTING OUR CULTURAL PRIDE HAVE BEEN DIMINISHED. THE STATE OF ALASKA HAS OPPOSED SHARING POWER WITH NATIVE SELF-GOVERNING ORGANIZATIONS.
IN SUMMARY, ALASKAN NATIVES HAVE NOT FARED VERY WELL
DURING THE 122 YEARS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN U.S. SUBJECTS.
A ONCE HEALTHY AND HAPPY POPULATION SECURE IN THE WAYS OF
OUR ANCESTORS, WE ARE NOW IN MANY CASES LOST BETWEEN TWO
CULTURES.
I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST A HIGH LEVEL COMMISSION TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS OF ALASKAN NATIVES. THE PURPOSE OF THE
COMMISSION WOULD BE TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF FEDERAL AND STATE POLICIES AFFECTING ALASKAN NATIVES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE POLICIES INCLUDING THE CURRENT HEALTH, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC STATUS OF ALASKAN NATIVES.
THE STATE OF ALASKA RECOGNIZES THE NEED TO BUILD A NEW
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS. A
SENATE RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT
COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF NATIVES REMAINS ON THE HOUSE
CALENDAR TO BE ACTED UPON ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEXT
SESSION. ONLY THE NEED FOR A PROMPT ADJOURNMENT
PREVENTED ITS PASSAGE THIS YEAR.
HOWEVER, A STUDY BY ITSELF IS NO GOOD WITHOUT THE WILL TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH SOME AGGRESSIVE INITIATIVES TO MAKE SOME REAL BREAKTHROUGHS AND ADVANCES. A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF FEDERAL AND STATE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT AFFECT ALASKAN NATIVES, WITHOUT PRECONCEIVED IDEAS OR COMMITMENTS TO THE PRESENT SYSTEM, IS LONG OVERDUE. AN OFFICIAL REVIEW OF THE STATUS OF ALASKAN NATIVES, THROUGH EITHER A JOINT CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION OR A PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION, WOULD BEGIN THE PROCESS NECESSARY TO INITIATE CHANGE AND TO BREAK THE CYCLE WHICH IS THREATENING A SEGMENT OF OUR COUNTRY.
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