A constitutional convention along with candid discussions of difficult federal and state issues that have surfaced in recent months are scheduled during the three-day 90th annual Tribal Assembly by the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska starting Wednesday.
More than 120 delegates from 21 communities in Alaska, Washington and California are scheduled to gather at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall where they will also consider resolutions and elect some tribal positions. It will be the first constitutional convention by Tlingit and Haida since 2018.
The opening day will also feature a noon ceremony to officially rename a renovated building across from the convention hall — used for tribal court, client services and other administrative purposes — the Edward K. Thomas building. Thomas was Tlingit and Haida’s longest-serving president, retiring in 2014 after serving in leadership for more than 40 years.
A sense of some of the issues participants are facing was provided by Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson, the current tribal president, during a meeting of Tlingit and Haida’s executive council on Monday.
“I don’t even know where to start — I’ll just say (it’s) crazy times,” he said in his opening remarks to the board.
Tribal officials learned on Friday, for example, about a proposed $1.5 billion federal funding cut that would hit about one-third of what the tribe receives, Peterson said.
“But that’s just kind of been the norm lately between the federal administration and then of course with the local state administration,” he said. “We’ve been kind of going gung-ho. There’s quite a few bills that we’re actively tracking, actively participating in.”
Among the federal policies Peterson said he’s involved with is explaining to lawmakers such as U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III (R-Alaska) that tribal sovereignty isn’t part of the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives the Trump administration is eliminating wholesale.
“I find myself spending an inordinate amount of time distancing myself from DEI as the president of Tlingit and Haida, on behalf of Tlingit and Haida, and it breaks my heart because I don’t think we should have to explain that, one, that we’re a sovereign nation, but we also shouldn’t have to kind of throw those folks under the bus.”
Other hits include the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s local food purchase program that “has been incredibly popular,” Peterson said
“That was an A-plus program and it’s over,” he said. “Do you know how many calls I’ve gotten the last couple of weeks (asking) were we going to be sending herring eggs? Did we have a money grant? I did not.”
Mass layoffs of federal employees, including those working with the U.S. Forest Service and housing programs the tribe is involved with, have also been “incredibly hard for us,” Peterson said.
“So there’s absolutely no certainty in any of the programs that we work in partnership with the foresters,” he said. “But it’s not just the Forest Service. It’s (Bureau of Indian Affairs), it’s (Indian Health Service)…it’s everything that’s across the board.”
An overview of those and other issues are likely to be presented on the tribal assembly’s opening day, with Peterson scheduled to deliver his State of the Tribe address at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday. Also scheduled during the opening morning are welcoming addresses starting at 9 a.m. by Alaska’s congressional delegation and Gov. Mike Dunleavy — delivered remotely — along with local and tribal leaders.
Elections for associate justice, emerging leader and delegate/citizen of the year are scheduled Thursday. Constitutional amendments are scheduled for consideration Friday.
The issues to be discussed during the constitutional convention have been developed since delegates in 2023 approved further examination of the tribe’s governance structure, according to Tlingit and Haida’s website.
“For the past year and a half, a special committee comprised of eight Delegates has been working diligently to examine the Tribe’s representation structure, evaluate options, and make recommendations,” the website notes. “The committee issued its full report to Delegates on January 14, 2025, which includes proposals, technical amendments to the Tribe’s Constitution, and minority reports.”
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
