Contemporary People
When the Unites States bought Alaska from Russia, both nations signed the Treaty Cession of 1867. In that treaty the United States said that the aboriginal people of Alaska would be subject to the same laws and conditions as were the Indian people of the United States. The U.S Constitution provides that "Congress shall have the power to regulate commerce with Indian tribes." Very early in American history, Congress acknowledged the aboriginal people to their homelands and it said that if it wanted Indian land, it would purchase it. Although most American people though that the West was "won," Congress, in fact, purchased most of the land that makes up the United States through treaties and acts of Congress. Congress signed more then 400 treaties with Indian tribes, and obtained land through that way. In return from the land that it took form Indians, Congress reserved certain lands for the exclusive use of each tribe, made small payments to the tribes, and frequently provide certain services.

When Congress passed the Organic Act in 1884, in order to provide civil government in this new territory, it acknowledged the aboriginal use and occupancy of the land by Native people. Congress did not define the aboriginal rights to be exercised, however, it said (1) that the Native people were not to be disturbed in their use of the land, and (2) that the Congress would settle the issue of Native land rights at a later date.

Over the years, Native people tried many times to get Congress to define their land rights. In 1912, for example, the Native people southeast Alaska, organized the Alaska Native Brotherhood for the specific purpose of seeking a land settlement.

In spite of all the Native efforts, Congress took no action to settle their land rights. Alaska became a state in 1959, and the state was given the right to select 103 million acres of the 375 million acres in Alaska for state lands. Both the statehood act and the Alaska State Constitution said that the people of Alaska "disclaim the right to any lands which may be owned by or held for Native people." When the State of Alaska began selecting areas around villages, the Native residents of those villages protested and filed their own claim to those lands which they traditionally used. The U.S Secretary of the Interior, responded to the Native protests by imposing a "land freeze" which prevented the state from selecting any more land.

When the great oil discovery was made in Prudhoe Bay in the late 1960's, neither the state or the federal government could permit the use of land for building a pipeline because of the land freeze. Settling Native land rights had not been important for Congress to act on for 80 years after its pledge in the Organic Act of 1884 to settle Native land rights. But with the great discovery of oil, the nation, the state, and the oil companies wanted to take out thef the land freeze. In 1971, Congress passed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) which extinguished the Native aboriginal right to the land and in exchange paid 962.5 million dollars, provided for Native ownership of 44 million acres, and for certain services and rights to be provided for Native people.

Before 1971, Native people had no economic power. ANCSA changed that. ANCSA required that the creation of 219 village corporations and 13 regional corporations to receive and manage to the cash and land settlements. Until then, Native people very limited access and literally in the business community. Since then they have invested in the Alaskan economy. They have generated thousands of jobs in the oil industry, the timber industry, the tourist industry, fisheries, construction, and every other segment of the Alaskan economy. For example, by the mid-80's, Alaskan Native corporations owned more then 60% of the hotel rooms in Alaska (some hotels have been sold but Native corporations continue to be a major player in the hotel industry). The majority of those jobs, were and still are held by non-Native people. The Native land settlement has had a positive influence on the Alaskan economy far beyond the Native community.

Through their land settlement assets, Alaskan Native people have become more active and more visible in the larger Alaskan community. The corporations contribute large sums of money to the education of young people. Before the land settlement, the average education achievement of Native adults was approximately half that of non-Native Alaskans. Since the passage of ANCSA, educational achievement of Native people has greatly accelerated.

One concern expressed by Native people is about the potential lose of their distinctive Native identity. The challenge they see now is to retain that identity and at the same time remain viable in the competitive western economy. Only time will tell is they will succeed.
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