Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska

Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
Name	Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
Formation	1935
Type	Tribal consortium
Headquarters	Juneau, Alaska
Region served	Southeast Alaska
Leader title	President
Leader name	Richard (Rick) Hoskins Jr.

Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska is a federally recognized Alaska Native consortium representing Tlingit and Haida peoples across Southeast Alaska. The organization interfaces with federal agencies, state institutions, regional nonprofits, and urban organizations to administer services, manage assets, and advocate for indigenous rights. It participates in cultural programs, economic enterprises, education initiatives, and legal actions affecting land, fishing, and self-determination.

History

The body traces origins to intertribal meetings in Juneau, Alaska and the influence of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act era, and Alaska Native activism in the 1930s and 1940s. Early leaders drew on alliances with figures associated with the Alaska Native Brotherhood and the Alaska Native Sisterhood as well as interactions with officials from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and representatives from the Territory of Alaska government. The organization played a role during advocacy around the Alaska Statehood debates, the aftermath of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act negotiations in 1971, and worked alongside advocates during litigation such as cases before the United States Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Over decades it has engaged with institutions including the Sealaska Corporation, the Juneau-Douglas High School, the University of Alaska Southeast, and federal programs administered by the Department of the Interior.

Governance and Leadership

Leadership is vested in an elected executive and a board drawn from regional representatives in communities such as Sitka, Alaska, Ketchikan, Alaska, Haines, Alaska, Skagway, Alaska, and Yakutat, Alaska. The organization uses bylaws consistent with precedents from the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 era and cooperative frameworks seen in regional entities like Sealaska Corporation and the Association of Village Council Presidents. Presidents and chiefs have included leaders who worked with tribal advocates linked to the Alaska Federation of Natives and policymakers in Washington, D.C. Governance interfaces with federal offices such as the Indian Health Service, the Department of Education, and the National Park Service when coordinating programs tied to lands like the Tongass National Forest and cultural sites recognized by the National Register of Historic Places.

Membership and Demographics

Membership comprises enrolled citizens tracing lineage to clans across the Tlingit and Haida nations, residing in hubs from Juneau, Alaska to rural communities like Yakutat, Alaska and island settlements such as Kake, Alaska and Hoonah, Alaska. Demographic patterns reflect migration to urban centers including Anchorage, Alaska, Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon where members engage with organizations like the Alaska Native Heritage Center and the Indian Health Service Urban Indian Health Program. Membership records, enrollment criteria, and constituency outreach align with practices observed in other Native organizations including the Aleut Corporation and the Metlakatla Indian Community.

Programs and Services

Programs address health, housing, education, elder care, and vocational training through partnerships with agencies such as the Indian Health Service, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Labor and Employment, and educational institutions like the University of Alaska. Services include behavioral health initiatives linked to models from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, vocational programs mirroring Job Corps curricula, and elder services comparable to projects funded by the Administration for Community Living. The council operates community outreach and disaster preparedness efforts coordinated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency when responding to events affecting coastal communities.

Economic Development and Enterprises

Economic activities encompass management of grants, contracting under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and enterprises in areas such as tourism, fisheries, and real estate, intersecting with regional actors including Sealaska Corporation, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, and local cooperatives. The organization pursues contracting opportunities with federal programs administered by the General Services Administration and participates in workforce development aligned with the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Investments and joint ventures have involved interactions with municipal governments like the City and Borough of Sitka and state agencies overseeing resource access in the Tongass National Forest.

Cultural Preservation and Language Revitalization

Cultural programs support preservation of Tlingit and Haida arts, oral histories, clan systems, and languages through collaborations with the Sealaska Heritage Institute, the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, and academic partners such as the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Initiatives include language classes, master-apprentice programs modeled on practices endorsed by the National Endowment for the Humanities, archival projects using protocols from the American Folklife Center, and repatriation coordination consistent with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act with museums including the Field Museum and the American Museum of Natural History.

Legal Status and Tribal Sovereignty

The organization operates as a federally recognized entity interacting with statutes and rulings such as the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, decisions from the United States Supreme Court, and administrative frameworks under the Department of the Interior. It engages in litigation and advocacy on issues including fisheries rights adjudicated in forums like the United States District Court for the District of Alaska and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and collaborates with advocacy groups such as the Native American Rights Fund and the Alaska Legal Services Corporation on matters concerning tribal sovereignty, resource management, and jurisdictional disputes involving the State of Alaska.

Category:Alaska Native organizations