Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson announced today that a meeting for Alaska Natives residing outside of Alaska will be held in Seattle, November 19.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss matters pertaining to the establishment of the 13th Regional Corporation by Alaska Natives under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
Those Alaska Natives of the "lower 48" states who chose to enroll in the 13th region will receive a pro-rata share of the approximately $1 billion cash settlement provided for the Act. They will not share in the land selection of 40 million acres of federally owned land in Alaska awarded the Natives under the Act.
Records indicate that more than three-fourths of the non-resident Alaska Natives live in the Seattle area.
Representatives of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of the Interior's Office of the Solicitor will provide information at the meeting on the formation of the 13th region, voting for incorporators, future distribution of funds and the new election of enrolling in the 13th Or one of the 12 other regions in Alaska.
Invitations have been mailed to all non-resident Alaska Native enrollees for the meeting at the Seattle Center.
