The Sword and the Shield: The Defense of Alaska Aboriginal Claims by the Alaska Native Brotherhood

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Metcalfe, P., with Research Assistance by Ruddy, Kathy. 2010. The sword and the shield: The defense of Alaska aboriginal claims by the Alaska Native Brotherhood. Juneau, Alaska: Tlingit Readers, Inc.

E78.A3M382 2010.
Available at http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/ANCR/Southeast/Chronology/LR%20Final%20Sword%20and%20Shield.pdf

This paper describes Alaska Native involvement in the Alaska statehood movement, the effects of the movement on Alaska aboriginal claims, and the work of the Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB) in defense of those claims. It includes succinct and readable legal analysis and presents the points of view of the people and groups involved in some of the most important events in Alaska’s history.

Sections include Aboriginal Claims in Alaska, Native Claims in the Early 20th Century, the ANB Prior to WWII, the Significance of (the) Tee-Hit-Ton and Tlingit and Haida (court cases), Reservations in Alaska, the Tribal Termination Movement of the Early 1950’s, Postwar Political Realities in Alaska, Statehood at the Sacrifice of Alaska Native Claims, the Issue that Would Not Go Away.

A glossary and note on terminology explain the meaning and significance of essential (and sometimes misunderstood) terms including, for example, “Alaska Native Land Claims” and “extinguishment.” An extensive Chronology of Events Relative to the Development of Alaska Native Law covers from 11,000 years before present to 1995. And check out the key to the photograph of the members of the 1929 ANB Grand Camp Convention in Haines – you can match member names with images on a photograph.

A slightly different version of this paper, titled The Alaska statehood experience grant: Alaska Native involvement in the Alaska statehood movement, is also available at the Alaska State Library.

The research and composition of the papers was supported by an Alaska Humanities Forum grant. The author notes the importance to the work of 30 boxes of documents compiled by Andrew Hope III before his death.