Voice of the Arctic Inupiat: Vision and priorities for Alaska's Far North.

• Author: Perry, Richard

Voice of the Arctic Inupiat formed in 2015 as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization. Working with twenty-four Alaska Native regional and village corporations, associations, and municipal governments in the North Slope Borough, the Voice is a network offering a unified voice for the area and its people.

The priorities and goals of the Voice are forward-thinking, seeking to mitigate current challenges and provide a long-term plan for the region. The most recent plan is named Vision 2050, which addresses subsistence, language and culture, healthcare, transportation, housing and infrastructure, resource development, and economic sustainability.

To lead that vision, Voice of the Arctic Inupiat announced a new president in December. Nagruk Harcharek was born and raised in Utqiagvik, hunting and fishing from a family cabin on the Ikpikpuk River and joining whaling crews in the spring. He's worked as a commercial pilot and ivory carver, and most recently he was manager of research, operations, and business for Ukpeagvik Ihupiat Corporation.

At the Voice, Harcharek seeks to expand on what he learned living and working in the Arctic. He says his upbringing as a youth subsisting, hunting, and sharing remains a vital part of how he lives his life today.

"Subsistence is very much important and a priority," Harcharek says. "The villages on the North Slope and other Alaska Native communities can't replace subsistence with an AC [Alaska Commercial Company] store or any kind of store."

"As a youth, and even today, my freezer is filled with caribou, fish, and whale," Harcharek says. "It's very rare, even living in Anchorage, that I go to the store for a steak or chicken. For many, it is cost prohibitive not to include subsistence foods."

Applying his household grocery budget toward hunting, fishing, and whaling, Harcharek obtains a surplus of traditional foods to share with those who cannot hunt.

"We stock our freezer, but much of the food we are getting is sent out," Harcharek says. "We need that traditional sustenance to maintain the cultural connection and spirituality."

Managing Foods

The Voice is largely supported by Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC) and grants from the North Slope Borough in lieu of dues from other member organizations.

The North Slope Borough funds water and sewer infrastructure, waste management, and police and fire protection in Arctic villages. These services are supported through taxation of oil infrastructure. The borough...