People | Yup'ik |
---|---|
Headquarters | Bethel, Alaska, US |
Government | |
Chief | Walter Jim |
Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council (ONC) is the largest tribe in the Bethel, Alaska region. It is a federally recognized tribe and a governing body for the community of Bethel, Alaska.
As of 2017, the tribe had 3,192 members, 1,801 of whom lived in Bethel. A majority of those not residing in Bethel instead resided in Anchorage, Alaska.
The Orutsararmiut Native Council (ONC) is the largest tribe in the Bethel, Alaska region. [1] It is a federally recognized tribe and a governing body for the community of Bethel, Alaska. [2] Zach Brink served as the ONC executive director from 2011 to 2015. [3] In 2016, Gene Peltola Sr. was the ONC executive director. [4] Peter Evon also served as an ONC executive director before serving in as the Kenaitze Indian Tribe executive director of tribal administration. [5]
As of 2017, the tribe had 3,192 members, 1,801 of whom lived in Bethel. A majority of those not residing in Bethel instead resided in Anchorage, Alaska. [6] In the fall of 2018, the ONC received a two-year grant from the Administration for Community Living to help reduce the harm and maltreatment of Yup'ik elders. [7]
In 2021, the executive director was Mark Springer. [8] Springer was fired in late 2021. [9] On June 28, 2021, the ONC appealed the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation's about the Donlin Gold mine's water quality certificate. [8] According to a summer 2021 poll of 300 ONC tribal members, 76% opposed the Donlin Gold mine project, while only 10.5% supported it. [10] The mineral rights for the mine are owned by the Calista Corporation, a Alaska Native corporation the represents many Alaska Native groups including the ONC. [11]
In 2021, the ONC received US$ 17,000,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. [12] Some of the funds were used to provide US$ 1,500 payments to eligible tribal members. [12]
Former executive director Zach Brink resumed the role from August 2, 2021 until late March 2022 when he resigned citing health reasons. [3] [9] In July 2022, Brian Henry became the ONC executive director. [1] In 2022, Walter Jim was serving as the tribal chairman. [3] In July 2022, the ONC endorsed tribal member Mary Peltola's campaign for the 2022 Alaska's at-large congressional district special election. [13]
The Yupik are a group of Indigenous or Aboriginal peoples of western, southwestern, and southcentral Alaska and the Russian Far East. They are related to the Inuit and Iñupiat. Yupik peoples include the following:
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