Annual native convention has rich history.

• Author: Pilkington, Steve
• Position: Alaska This Month

This month the Alaska Federation of Natives will hold its annual convention in Anchorage. The convention, which dates back to 1966, is one of the main unifying gatherings held each year, and is a powerful social and political forum for Alaska Natives.

The tentative theme for this year's convention, scheduled from Oct. 21 through Oct. 26 at the William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center, is "The Children's Summit." Although each year has a specific theme depicting topical issues relating to AFN's constituents, its beginning was solidly grounded in political changes that were affecting Alaska Natives in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The Alaska Federation of Natives originally was formed to address issues and unify a response brought about by the Alaska land claims changes that occurred after statehood in 1958. Faced with the state selection of 100 million acres of land for its own use, AFN was the first organization to gather a voice for Native land claims. Some of today's most prominent and active Native leaders at the time were the first to understand the need for retaining aboriginal lands or the possibility of losing them to government control. Despite their inexperience in such matters, they persevered.

Land claims have been a point of contention between the United States and Alaska Natives for many decades. The Tlingit and Haidas sued the United States in 1935, after Congress passed a law allowing them to sue for lands lost, and won the case in 1959, receiving monetary compensation in 1968.

What had begun in 1961 as an effort to preserve Native land rights concluded with the Alaska Native Land Claims Settlement Act of 1971. The Statehood Act did not recognize aboriginal title to Native lands, according to AFN, and the new state was about to select more than 103 million acres from the public domain. In response, Alaska Natives formed rural, urban and regional organizations. Long distances, major cultural differences and mistrust...