Willie Kasayulie | |
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Born | Fairbanks, Alaska, U.S. | June 1, 1951
Education | Chemawa Indian School |
Occupation(s) | Tribal leader, politician, commercial fisherman |
Willie Kasayulie (born June 1, 1951) is an American tribal leader, politician, and commercial fisherman who served as a Yup'ik chief and co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives.
Kasayulie was born June 1, 1951, in Fairbanks, Alaska. [1] He was raised in Akiachak, Alaska. [2] At the age of 13, he left his hometown to attend boarding school. [3] He went to Chemawa Indian School and later a high school in Vermont. [2] He returned to Alaska in 1971 and served in the Alaska Army National Guard for seven years. [2]
By 1988, Kasayuli was a tribal leader and commercial fisherman. [3]
In 1990, he was chairman of the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP). [4] He was co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives from 1992 to 1993. [5] Kasayulie is proponent of the tribal sovereignty in Alaska and served as chief of Yupiit nation, a coalition of 13 villages. [5] He resigned as AVCP chairman in 1994 citing disagreements with president Myron Naneng. [6]
In 1996, Kasayulie, a registered Democrat, ran as an independent to the Alaska House of Representatives district 39, challenging Democratic incumbent Ivan Ivan. [7] [8] Mary Peltola served as his campaign manager. [8]
In 2020, Kasayulie was awarded an honorary doctorate in education by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Kuskokwim Campus. [9]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ivan Ivan | 1,228 | 39.6 | |
Democratic | Mary K. Sattler | 1,172 | 37.8 | |
WAID | Willie Kasayulie | 701 | 22.6 | |
Total votes | 3,101 | 100 |