40th Annual Statewide Elders and Youth Conference kicks off in Anchorage

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The 2023 Statewide Elders and Youth Conference marks four decades of an Alaska Native tradition to advance what leaders say are community priorities and cultural celebrations. First Alaskans Institute characterizes this year’s conference theme of Woosht Guganéix, Lingít for “let it be that we heal each other,” as “powerful.”

Many participants are taking this year’s Elders and Youth Conference theme to heart as they focus on collectively healing as a community. Attendees are immersing themselves in speakers’ wisdom, meaningful dialogues, cultural workshops and performances inspired by their ancestors.

Organizers say the yearly conference brings Alaska Native people together to set future goals and strengthen bonds.

“If we have one voice, we can move mountains,” said an Alaska Native woman sitting outside of the Dena’ina Center.

Khaaswóot Gloria Wolfe, the Indigenous Leadership Continuum Director, says the gathering helps their community learn of issues tribes across the state are dealing with.

“It allows us to come together and say ‘we are facing these issues and this how we overcame it’ and … ‘wow, this is what we are facing and this is how we overcome it,’” Wolfe said. “It brings Native people together to strengthen each other, to see the beauty in each other and to celebrate each other.”

With Alaska being a huge state, there are always diverse issues becoming apparent to Alaska Natives, so this allows a strengthened response to those problems.

According to Wolfe, organizers tried to frame the conference in a way that reflects Alaska Native peoples’ Indigenous identity.

“In the way that we think, in the way that we act, in the way that we interact with each other, and the way that we celebrate, and the way that we grieve and the way that we process,” Wolfe said. “So all of the workshops that are within the conference reflect who we are deeply.”

Wolfe says the conference is unique, being one of the only opportunities for Alaska Natives to come together. There are opportunities to learn Indigenous song and dance, salmon and deer harvesting, cultural practices, various language dialogues and storytelling.

Putting elders and youth in the same space is one way First Alaskans Institute hopes attendees will celebrate and learn from each other.

“This conference really celebrates the deeper underlayers. It’s not just about the way we look and the beauty of that, but it’s really about how we feel and who we are and the ways we connect,” Wolfe said.

Along with the conference comes new experiences, as Wolfe says there are some people living in the city who’ve never been to the village they were born in and people born in villages who have never been to cities.

“Being thankful for our elders, our youth coming together in such a big city. Some people don’t get to experience this very often,” said Catherine Edwards of the North Slope Borough School District, who joined the conference with two of her students.

She described the energy she felt as she was immersed in the event.

“Just all the happiness, the joy, being together, being united, there’s so many cultures, different cultures, aspects of this whole convention that everybody should check it out,” Edwards said.

Edwards says she’s excited to take back what she’s learned to her other students.

The Elders and Youth Conference is open for registration, which closes on Tuesday at noon. The conference continues through Wednesday at the Dena’ina Convention Center, click here to learn more.

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