Woodie Salmon | |
---|---|
Member of the AlaskaHouseofRepresentatives from the 6th district | |
In office January 10, 2005 –January 17, 2011 | |
Preceded by | Carl Morgan |
Succeeded by | Alan S. Dick |
Personal details | |
Born | Woodie West Salmon August 13,1952 Fort Yukon,Alaska |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Katelyn Englishoe |
Alma mater | University of Alaska |
Profession | Politician,Pilot,Oil Business |
Woodie West Salmon (born August 13,1952) is a Gwich'in Indian who was a member of the Alaska House of Representatives,representing the 6th District from 2005 to 2011. Woodie was born in the small city of Fort Yukon,Alaska,where his career in politics began. He currently resides in the small town of Chalkyitsik,Alaska,with his wife,Katelyn Englishoe,and serves as Chief of the Chalkyitsik Village Council. [1]
Woodie Salmon comes from both Native Alaskan and Canadian heritage. His ancestry is embedded north of the Arctic Circle,in the eastern portion of Alaska,as well as the Yukon province of Canada. His father,William Salmon,was a Native Canadian and member of the Gwich'in,an Athabaskan-speaking tribe that's recognized as a part of the First Nations people of Canada,and also as an Alaskan Native people. Woodie's mother,Minnie Salmon,a Gwich'in Indian,was a lifelong resident of Chalkyitsik,Alaska,where she worked as a bilingual instructor and prevention worker. [1] Woodie's grandfather,David Salmon,was a prominent Alaskan and Yukonian figure that devoted much of his life to education,and also served as a major political advocate for Native American rights and cultural preservation. [2] Despite being born in Fort Yukon,Woodie did a large portion of his schooling in the city of Fairbanks,Alaska. He attended Lathrop High School,a highly-reputable public school,to receive his high school diploma. For college,Salmon attended the University of Alaska,Fairbanks,a public land-grant research university,where he received his degree in electronics in two years.
Before beginning his career in politics,Woodie Salmon worked both the aviation and oil businesses. He was a pilot and air service operator for twenty years,and flying remains to be one of Salmon's favorite hobbies. [3]
Woodie's inroads to politics began in his birthplace of Fort Yukon,where he served on the Fort Yukon City Council,and was elected to a minimum three-year term. [4] Subsequently,he was elevated to the role of mayor by his fellow council members,serving a minimum one-year term. Following his time on the Fort Yukon City Council,Salmon served as a board member for the Interior Regional Housing Authority,before running for the Alaska House of Representatives in 2004. [5]
Woodie Salmon,a democrat from Chalkyitsik,served on the Alaska House of Representatives from 2005 to 2010. His platform prioritized educational funding,the reduction of high energy costs,and providing more jobs and increasing safety parameters set in place for rural Alaskans. [3] He served the 96 communities that encapsulated District 6,the largest house district in the United States. In the house,Salmon sat on a host of different committees,including the House Fish and Game Committee,House Transportation Committee,and the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee.
Salmon also participated in a handful of decisions while serving in the House. One of the more notable decisions Salmon voted on was Senate Bill 2001,which would've added an additional 0.011% surcharge on oil and gas purchases. [6] He voted nay on the premise that raising oil and gas prices would make energy even more unaccessible for rural Alaskans. Salmon's decisions on proposed legislation reflect his belief in maintaining abortion rights,growing the Alaskan economy,and expanding educational offerings within the state. [7]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % of vote |
Democratic | Woodie W. Salmon | 3048 | 50.38 |
Republican | Ward H. Sattler | 2980 | 49.26 |
Not Affiliated | Write-In | 22 | 0.36 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % of vote |
Democratic | Woodie W. Salmon | 2580 | 51.57 |
Republican | Carl B. Morgan Jr. | 2412 | 48.21 |
Not Affiliated | Write-In | 11 | 0.22 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % of vote |
Democratic | Woodie W. Salmon | 3303 | 53.42 |
Republican | Ward H. Sattler | 2847 | 46.13 |
Not Affiliated | Write-In | 22 | 0.36 |
Party | Candidate | Votes |
Democratic | Woodie W. Salmon | 956 |
Republican | Alan S. Dick | 1507 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % of vote |
Democratic | Woodie W. Salmon | 1304 | 72.2 |
Republican | Neal W. Foster | 502 | 27.8 |
Woodie currently serves the community for which he has lived most of his life,as the Chief of the Chalkyitsik Village Council. Chalkyitsik consists of 110 residents,many of whom are Gwich'in,and for centuries,the area has been an important seasonal fishing spot for the tribe during the spring and summer months. [13] [14] However,it wasn't until the 1930s that Chalkyitsik began its development into a year-round community,and beginning in 1941,Woodie's grandfather,David Salmon,served as Chief. [13] The Chalkyitsik Village Council is a part of the Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments,which maintains that Woodie's role as chief it to facilitate economic growth,ensure the welfare of tribal members,preserve Native land holdings,and encourage self-governance among the Gwich'in. [15]
Interior Alaska is the central region of Alaska's territory,roughly bounded by the Alaska Range to the south and the Brooks Range to the north. It is largely wilderness. Mountains include Denali in the Alaska Range,the Wrangell Mountains,and the Ray Mountains. The native people of the interior are Alaskan Athabaskans. The largest city in the interior is Fairbanks,Alaska's second-largest city,in the Tanana Valley. Other towns include North Pole,just southeast of Fairbanks,Eagle,Tok,Glennallen,Delta Junction,Nenana,Anderson,Healy and Cantwell. The interior region has an estimated population of 113,154.
The Yukon River is a major watercourse of northwestern North America. From its source in British Columbia,Canada,it flows through Canada's territory of Yukon. The lower half of the river continues westward through the U.S. state of Alaska. The river is 3,190 kilometres (1,980 mi) long and empties into the Bering Sea at the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta. The average flow is 6,400–7,000 m3/s (230,000–250,000 cu ft/s). The total drainage area is 833,000 km2 (321,500 sq mi),of which 323,800 km2 (125,000 sq mi) lies in Canada. The total area is more than 25% larger than Texas or Alberta.
Fort Yukon is a city in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska,straddling the Arctic Circle. The population,predominantly Gwich'in Alaska Natives,was 428 at the 2020 census,down from 595 in 2000.
Tanana is a city in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. At the 2010 census the population was 246,down from 308 in 2000. It was formerly known as Clachotin,adopted by Canadian French.
Athabaskan is a large family of indigenous languages of North America,located in western North America in three areal language groups:Northern,Pacific Coast and Southern. Kari and Potter (2010:10) place the total territory of the 53 Athabaskan languages at 4,022,000 square kilometres (1,553,000 sq mi).
The Hän language is a Northern Athabaskan language spoken by the Hän Hwëch'in. Athabascan refers to the interrelated complexity of languages spoken in Canada and Alaska each with its own dialect:the village of Eagle,Alaska in the United States and the town of Dawson City,Yukon Territory in Canada,though there are also Hän speakers in the nearby city of Fairbanks,Alaska. Furthermore,there was a decline in speakers in Dawson City as a result of the influx of gold miners in the mid-19th century.
The Gwichʼin language belongs to the Athabaskan language family and is spoken by the Gwich'in First Nation (Canada) / Alaska Native People. It is also known in older or dialect-specific publications as Kutchin,Takudh,Tukudh,or Loucheux. Gwich'in is spoken primarily in the towns of Inuvik,Aklavik,Fort McPherson,and Tsiigehtchic,all in the Northwest Territories and Old Crow in Yukon of Canada. In Alaska of the United States,Gwichʼin is spoken in Beaver,Circle,Fort Yukon,Chalkyitsik,Birch Creek,Arctic Village,Eagle,and Venetie.
The Gwichʼin are an Athabaskan-speaking First Nations people of Canada and an Alaska Native people. They live in the northwestern part of North America,mostly north of the Arctic Circle.
The Koyukon,Dinaa,or Denaa are an Alaska Native Athabascan people of the Athabascan-speaking ethnolinguistic group. Their traditional territory is along the Koyukuk and Yukon rivers where they subsisted for thousands of years by hunting and trapping. Many Koyukon live in a similar manner today.
Arctic Circle Air was an American airline based in Fairbanks,Alaska,USA. It operated scheduled commuter services and charter flights to over 16 Alaskan communities. It was established and started operations in 1973. Its main base was Fairbanks International Airport.
The Hän,Han or Hwëch'in / Han Hwech’in are a First Nations people of Canada and an Alaska Native Athabaskan people of the United States;they are part of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group. Their traditional lands centered on a heavily forested area around the Upper Yukon River,Klondike River (Tr'on'Dëk),Bonanza Creek and Sixtymile River and straddling what is now the Alaska-Yukon Territory border. In later times,the Han population became centered in Dawson City,Yukon and Eagle,Alaska.
John Emerson "Johne" Binkley is a riverboat pilot,businessman and Republican politician from the U.S. state of Alaska. Binkley served for one term apiece in the Alaska House of Representatives and the Alaska Senate during the mid and late 1980s,but is perhaps better known for his candidacy for governor of Alaska in the 2006 primary election. In that election,he finished far behind Sarah Palin,but also far ahead of one-term incumbent governor Frank Murkowski,by then deeply unpopular amongst Alaskans.
Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC),the traditional tribal consortium of the 42 villages of Interior Alaska,is based on a belief in tribal self-determination and the need for regional Native unity. TCC is a non-profit organization that works toward meeting the needs and challenges for more than 10,000 Alaska Natives in Interior Alaska.
Chief David Salmon was an indigenous Alaskan that served as Chief of Chalkyitsik and later First Traditional Chief for the Gwich'in people. He was known for his commitment to improving his community and working for the people. Salmon would use his position and influence as chief to begin many public works and create programs dedicated to helping the Gwich'in people. As an advocate for education,Salmon would spread his knowledge by creating traditional Athabascan items for display or teaching his community to keep Athabascan traditions alive. At the same time,Chief Salmon would be trained and become the first Episcopal priest for Interior Alaska and spend a lot of his life spreading his faith.
Velma May Wallis is a Native American writer of Gwich'in Athabascan Indian descent. Her books have been translated into 17 languages.
Clarence Lee Alexander is a former Grand Chief of the Gwich'in of Alaska. He was 1st Chief of Fort Yukon from 1980 to 1994. He was raised at "Shoo Taii," the "Happy Hill," which is also known by the name "Alexander Village". Alexander Village is approximately 20 miles north of Fort Yukon. He co-authored the Gwich'in Dictionary with his wife,Virginia E. Alexander.
The Alaskan Athabascans,Alaskan Athapascans or Dena are Alaska Native peoples of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group. They are the original inhabitants of the interior of Alaska.
The Tanana Athabaskans,Tanana Athabascans or Tanana Athapaskans are an Alaskan Athabaskan peoples of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group. They are the original inhabitants of the Tanana River drainage basin in east-central Alaska Interior,United States and a little part lived in Yukon,Canada. Tanana River Athabaskan peoples are called in Lower Tanana and Koyukon language Ten Hʉt'ænæ,in Gwich'in language Tanan Gwich'in. In Alaska,where they are the oldest,there are three or four groups identified by the languages they speak. These are the Tanana proper or Lower Tanana and/or Middle Tanana,Tanacross or Tanana Crossing,and Upper Tanana. The Tanana Athabaskan culture is a hunter-gatherer culture and have a matrilineal system. Tanana Athabaskans were semi-nomadic and as living in semi-permanent settlements in the Tanana Valley lowlands. Traditional Athabaskan land use includes fall hunting of moose,caribou,Dall sheep,and small terrestrial animals,and also trapping. The Athabaskans did not have any formal tribal organization. Tanana Athabaskans were strictly territorial and used hunting and gathering practices in their semi-nomadic way of life and dispersed habitation patterns. Each small band of 20–40 people normally had a central winter camp with several seasonal hunting and fishing camps,and they moved cyclically,depending on the season and availability of resources.
Athabaskan fiddle is the old-time fiddle style that the Alaskan Athabaskans of the Interior Alaska have developed to play the fiddle (violin),solo and in folk ensembles. Fiddles were introduced in this area by Scottish,Irish,French Canadian,and Métis fur traders of the Hudson's Bay Company in the mid-19th century. Athabaskan fiddling is a variant of fiddling of the American southlands. Athabaskan fiddle music is most popular genre in Alaska and northwest Canada and featuring Gwich'in Bill Stevens and Trimble Gilbert.
Hannah Paul Solomon was an American community leader and artist. She was the first female mayor of Fort Yukon,Alaska,helped organize the Fairbanks Native Association,and was inducted into the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame in 2012. Her traditional beadwork is in the collections of several museums.