Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council (ONC) is the largest tribe in the Bethel, Alaska region. It is a

federally recognized tribe A federally recognized tribe is a Native American tribe recognized by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs as holding a government-to-government relationship with the US federal government. In the United States, the Native American tribe ...

and a governing body for the community of

Bethel, Alaska Bethel () is a city in the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the Kuskokwim River approximately from where the river flows into Kuskokwim Bay. It is the largest community in western Alaska and in the Unorganized Borough and the List of cities in ...

. As of 2017, the tribe had 3,192 members, 1,801 of whom lived in Bethel. A majority of those not residing in Bethel instead resided in

Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the List of cities in Alaska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of ...

History

The Orutsararmiut Native Council (ONC) is the largest tribe in the Bethel, Alaska region. It is a

and a governing body for the community of

. Zach Brink served as the ONC executive director from 2011 to 2015. In 2016, Gene Peltola Sr. was the ONC executive director. Peter Evon also served as an ONC executive director before serving in as the Kenaitze Indian Tribe executive director of tribal administration. As of 2017, the tribe had 3,192 members, 1,801 of whom lived in Bethel. A majority of those not residing in Bethel instead resided in

. In the fall of 2018, the ONC received a two-year grant from the

Administration for Community Living The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It is headed by the Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging, who reports directly to the Secretary of Health and Human Se ...

to help reduce the harm and maltreatment of

Yup'ik The Yupʼik or Yupiaq (sg & pl) and Yupiit or Yupiat (pl), also Central Alaskan Yupʼik, Central Yupʼik, Alaskan Yupʼik ( own name ''Yupʼik'' sg ''Yupiik'' dual ''Yupiit'' pl; Russian: Юпики центральной Аляски), are an ...

elders. In 2021, the executive director was Mark Springer. Springer was fired in late 2021. On June 28, 2021, the ONC appealed the

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) is the environmental regulatory agency within the government of Alaska. The Alaska Legislature established ADEC in 1971, and the agency's responsibilities were transferred from the Alask ...

's about the

Donlin Gold mine The Donlin Gold Project is a large, undeveloped, refractory gold deposit located north of Crooked Creek, Alaska, on the Kuskokwim River, about northwest of Anchorage. The deposit has proven and probable reserves estimated to be 33.9 million ou ...

's water quality certificate. According to a summer 2021 poll of 300 ONC tribal members, 76% opposed the Donlin Gold mine project, while only 10.5% supported it. The mineral rights for the mine are owned by the

Calista Corporation Calista Corporation (pronounced ) is one of thirteen Alaska Native Regional Corporations created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA) in settlement of aboriginal land claims. Calista was incorporated in Alaska on June 12, 1 ...

, an

Alaska Native corporation The Alaska Native Regional Corporations were established in 1971 when the United States Congress passed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) which settled land and financial claims made by the Alaska Natives and provided for the establis ...

that represents many Alaska Native groups including the ONC. In 2021, the ONC received from the

American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, also called the COVID-19 Stimulus Package or American Rescue Plan, is a economic stimulus bill passed by the 117th United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, to sp ...

. Some of the funds were used to provide payments to eligible tribal members. Former executive director Zach Brink resumed the role from August 2, 2021 until late March 2022 when he resigned citing health reasons. In July 2022, Brian Henry became the ONC executive director. In 2022, Walter Jim was serving as the tribal chairman. In July 2022, the ONC endorsed tribal member

Mary Peltola Mary Sattler Peltola (born August 31, 1973) is an American politician and former tribal judge who served as the U.S. representative from from 2022 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as a judge on the Orutsararmiut ...

's campaign for the 2022 Alaska's at-large congressional district special election.

Notable members

* Buzzy Peltola (1966–2023), public servant and naturalist; Alaska director for the

Bureau of Indian Affairs The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States List of United States federal agencies, federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of the Interior. It is responsible for im ...

(2018–2022) *

(born 1973), politician, former tribal judge;

U.S. representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

(2022–2025)

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Native American tribes in Alaska Bethel, Alaska Yupik tribes