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Mayor Itta: I couldn't agree more wholeheartedly
that he had a style about him that was just so beneficial to the land claims.
and of course his role in AFN was pivotal.
TIM: I'd just like to make a comment,
this is the fourth of the panels we've had with these series of workshops
that Irene and Willy have helped organize -
Amo was at the first two and played a major part in the panels.
In one of the panels Willy Hensley was there
and talked quite a bit about the early days of the movement and the things that they went through
and some very interesting stories.
One of them was how they mouse-trapped Wally Hickel
into supporting 40 million acres which is a good one.
I think we have this captured on film and
we're also going to do a little booklet at the end of this year
and just capture those stories. So, more to come.
Man in Background: Any other questions?
TIM: Any other questions? John.
Audience Member John: I wanted to pick up on what the Mayor said
in reading the history of some of the early drafts,
it kind of began to form what became ANCSA
there was one concept of having one statewide corporation
and I've often wondered to myself
what might it have looked like if that was the model.
SENATOR GRAVEL: It was interesting and this is the first I heard,
maybe I'd forgotten, about cutting it up among Eagan and Emo.
Depending on the timing of that it probably had an influence
of moving it away from a statewide organization
since Eban was a key leader and obviously Emo was.
So if they brought what they were talking to Jackson, or to our offices, or what-have-you,
that would have been enough, because they may not realize it
but when we got the word from various Native leaders we took it very seriously
because it was very important.
We were working on an issue that we felt inadequate - morally inadequate in this regard
because we know we're voting and all that but this is their land.
Just hearing what you said hit me immediately
because I was thinking at the same time you were
that Jackson wanted a one corporation then it got whittled down to regions.
Well this was probably injected into everybody's thinking back there
and say maybe we won't go that but break it up even more
to address the more interest areas from a cultural or tribal point of view.
As he pointed out earlier, mariners, when you talk about people in the sea -
not talking about sail boats, these people would go out in skin boats - now that's mariners!
I'm hope I answered your question.
We can't remember everything, that's the problem, we're getting too old.
MAYOR ITTA: I'm just glad that went by the wayside
because we have enough trouble.
I see Janie is here with AFN,
I'm just dealing with our own, I just imagine a corporation
taking care of all the Natives - man!
[Laughter.] I think we'd still be looking for a dividend somewhere or something.
[Laughing.]
SENATOR GRAVEL: We had too many various corporations,
that should have been handled differently but we handled it the best we can,
and it's their issue now.
And I can't tell you how proud I am about the fact that you have opened up the roles,
this is very significant and I hope it expands.
NELLY MOORE: One more the things in relation to the village Corporation comment -
some have merged.
SENATOR GRAVEL: Well yeah, because they were not economically viable.
It sounded great at the time,
someone will have a job somewhere because of all these entities
but it was overdone, it was just overdone.
NELLY MOORE: Any other comments or questions?
MAYOR ITTA: I just want to thank the young people.
We had a student from UAF who is pursuing his Master's
That came all the down here just to listen to this.
NELLY MOORE: Oh, wonderful.
MAYOR ITTA:The opportunity to be all gifted on the web and what-not, more than we are,
so I encourage the young ones because it's so important.
I was happy to see women participated; my sister was one of them.
Something we all realize now that somewhere somehow
we have to get this story on a classroom level
and I'm particularly hopeful that the story just told of the challenges
of those Native leaders of what they had to deal with to get where they are
and totally alien, mostly totally alien culture, and get where we are today.
And I'm still amazed that they had the where-with-all.
NELLY MOORE: On behalf of the journalists of Alaska they are trying
but it's hard to get stuff like that. [Laughing.]
MAYOR ITTA: It is amazing
NELLY MOORE: Anyways. I wanted to let you all know since we are winding up here
that there are future panels coming.
This is sort of the last one for this season
and we're taking the summer off so Edward can go hunting.
MAYOR ITTA: Yay!
NELLY MOORE: August 12th is the Howard Rock Gala,
and then we'll have the Native Corporation Outcome,
and Challenges in Answering the Global Market will be in...
September and November, what's next?
Then in December of course the 40th Anniversary celebration
will be over at APU on the passage of ANCSA.
So stay tuned as more information becomes available.
SENATOR GRAVEL: That got my attention. [Laughing.]
Audience Member (Female): I recently started getting involved with the Native Leaders Forum
and I just heard they had a discussion about ANCSA and the past 40 years
and they are going to come together and talk about the next 40 years.
So what do you guys hope for or see or want for the future of ANCSA?
NELLY MOORE: The question is - what do you visionaries see?
SENATOR GRAVEL: This is what I see:
I see their own leadership coming forward and with great sophistication.
I see Willy Templeton up there, what he's doing with students.
I see the future of the Native community as human beings realizing their vision
and having a vehicle with which to do it with,
which is the native land claims,
and corporations and the wealth that comes together,
and use it for their benefit.
There have been some hiccups but...
I feel very proud of a role in it because it's been overwhelmingly successful,
and there were a lot of nay-sayers that said Natives can't handle it.
They handled it well.
[Refereeing to Mayor Itta] His level of sophistication and leadership
you can just read right inside of that because you know what it takes to do that.
To see that he started as a roustabout, well I started as a cab driver,
anything is possible as human beings.
To realize their own potential
and that is where education comes in
and knowledge of history comes into education.
NELLY MOORE: I want to refer to our historian Mr. Roberts.
[Microphone disturbance]
MAYOR ROBERTS: The answer to your question is that it is up to the Natives.
Audience Member (Female): I'm an intern right now at ASRC services
and I grew up in Barrow, I was raised there.
So I hope to be one of those people or help
continue keeping it so strong and keep [inaudible.]
SENATOR GRAVEL: And you will be because you have demonstrated an attitude
that I can promise you that you will be a leader.
MAYOR ITTA: Just to comment on this and I appreciate you being here
and I've heard from the emerging leaders
and part of the strength of our culture is what we've known,
what we call [speaking native tongue],
if you don't know where you came from you really cannot get started on knowing where you want to go.
So in this sense I think this is very important
and I realize now very personally I understand what Charlie from [?] was saying -
his grandchildren are losing this, this story must be told,
and you need to see first-hand those leaders.
Many of those leaders are still here, a good portion of them have gone away.
One thing Senator Mike mentioned was Joe [?]
that was well-known in our region and was key in sticking to the resolve
to move forward behind the scenes. He was working hand and foot.
NELLY MOORE: He was tireless.
MAYOR ITTA: But Joe in his way was the guiding force
and the first President of ASRC and could have been the first Mayor
but he chose to be where he was in and knows the gentleman that made the comment -
of people who don't get recognized properly or at the level I think that they should
and my daughter asked me once, "where did all these land claims start with on the native community,
who started this?"
because she was so amazed of where we are
and I said "you know, I really don't know.
But I do know that it started at a kitchen table in some families homes
in our region anyway, with women involved"
and we said let's do that and we need to form this.
And that's where it came from,
people coming together and recognizing this is important.
Again I'm just amazed at the foresight and determination they had to get us where we are.
Considering everything was new, never tried before,
new frontier, they say Alaska is the Last Frontier.
I think the last 40 years for ANCSA is a great lesson
and I encourage you to involve your students
because that's where it's at and I wish you well.
NELLY MOORE: There are lots of interesting stories out there
and one of the things that came up at the Women for ANCSA panel,
that all of the people that had to raise money just, traveling back and forth,
and the bake sales, somebody got a second mortgage out on their home.
People did amazing things to keep the fight going
vs. big money coming from big groups.
Tim did you have something you wanted to add?
MAYOR ITTA: Tim, thank you.
NELLIE MOORE: Thank you.
[Applause.]