Willie Kasayulie

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.

Willie Kasayulie
Born (1951-06-01) June 1, 1951
Fairbanks, Alaska, U.S.
EducationChemawa Indian School
Occupation(s)Tribal leader, politician, commercial fisherman

Life

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]

Electoral history
Alaska House of Representatives, District 39, Democratic primary results, 1996[10]
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

References
  1. Kasayulie, Sophie (October 10, 2005). "Project Jukebox | Digital Branch of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Oral History Program". jukebox.uaf.edu. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  2. "Willie Kasayulie". Alaska Pacific University. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  3. "Alaska Natives Look again at Tribal Form of Government". Daily Sitka Sentinel. 1988-08-29. p. 1. Retrieved 2022-09-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Village Council Leaders Vote to Return to AFN". Daily Sitka Sentinel. 1990-10-15. p. 14. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  5. "AFN Members Choose Two Men for Top Post". Daily Sitka Sentinel. 1992-10-20. p. 3. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  6. "Kasayulie Quits". Daily Sitka Sentinel. 1994-10-13. p. 7. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  7. "GOP-Aligned Democrats Face Party Challenges". Daily Sitka Sentinel. 1996-08-22. p. 5. Retrieved 2022-09-04 – via newspapers.com.
  8. "Sen. Ivan's Primary Foe Now Backs Republican". Daily Sitka Sentinel. 1996-10-07. p. 2. Retrieved 2022-09-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "KuC Takes To KYUK Airwaves To Recognize Graduates". KYUK. 2020-05-05. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  10. "GEMS ELECTION RESULTS". elections.alaska.gov. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
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