Stories

Tribe celebrates official opening of the 2016 Educational Fishery

They danced. They ate. They laughed.
And for the first time this season, they put the net in the water.
The Kenaitze Indian Tribe celebrated the official opening of the 2016 Educational Fishery during a gathering May 1 under cloudy skies at the tribal fishery site in Kenai. This is the 28th year the tribe has operated the fishery.
Although no fish came to the net – the fishery crew set and pulled it once – there were plenty of highlights throughout the afternoon. Read More

Tribal program helps put former Nikiski High School student on a good path

It’s about 5:30 p.m. on a Tuesday in March, and Nico Castro finally has a chance to relax.
Life is busy for this 18-year-old living in Anchorage. When he isn’t working at the mechanic shop – like he did this day, from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – you can find him on campus at the University of Alaska-Anchorage, Read More

Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program is serious fun

Like many 11-year-olds, Blaine Hayes enjoys playing on the computer.
Unlike many 11-year-olds, Hayes knows how to build a computer.
“It’s cool to learn about technology,” he said.
Hayes, the grandson of tribal Elder Phyllis Bookey, recently attended the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program’s Middle School Academy at the University of Alaska-Anchorage. The two-week program gave 53 students from the Kenai Peninsula Borough and Lower Kuskokwim school districts hands-on experience in science, Read More

Easter party has kids hopping

Rosy-cheeked and catching her breath, 9-year-old Alyssa Anderson dropped to a knee and set down the bucket of plastic eggs. She reached inside and began popping off the lids, one-by-one, revealing a pile of treats.
Hershey Kisses. Snickers. Reece’s Pieces. Even a mini yo-yo.
Similar scenes played out across the playground and ballfields at Mountain View Elementary School in March as more than 200 people attended the tribe’s annual Easter celebration, Read More

Students walk a day in the shoes of Dena’ina Wellness Center employees

“Do what you love.”
“Be open.”
“Keep your grades up.”
Those were a just a few of the nuggets of advice employees at the Dena’ina Wellness Center recently offered to a group of young, aspiring medical professionals.
In March, the tribe participated in a job-shadow event organized by Kenai Central High School and the Kenai Chamber of Commerce. Read More

With pancakes and bacon cooking in the kitchen nearby, Rose Guilbeau leaned forward and gazed out the window.
“You can see the mountains, ocean and river,” she said. “This place looks really nice.”
On a recent Friday afternoon, Guilbeau enjoyed one of the first lunches served at the new Tyotkas Elder Center in Old Town Kenai. The 6,500-square-foot facility officially opened in March after about a year of construction.
The one-story structure includes many amenities. Read More

Dena’ina Wellness Center hosts health fair to promote Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

As Wilma Omnik stood beside a row of health displays, she thought of her family.
“I don’t think there’s been a death in my family, on my mom’s side, from anything but cancer,” Omnik said.
Omnik was among those who attended a health fair at the Dena’ina Wellness Center in March, which was Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in Alaska. Read More

With his hands wrapped around the stick and knees bent at a 45-degree angle, Ben Boersma sat across from the opponent and stared into his eyes.
“Ready. Set. Pull!” the official proclaimed.
The competitors began pulling the stick in their own directions, grimacing as the soles of their shoes pressed together. After a few seconds, Boersma’s opponent leaned to the side and let go of the stick. The duo stood up and shook hands. Read More

The Kenaitze Indian Tribe has again expanded its footprint in Old Town Kenai

In November, Na’ini Family and Social Services moved from the tribe’s administration building on Willow Street to a two-story property located just steps from three major tribal facilities in Old Town – the Dena’ina Wellness Center, Tyotkas Elder Center, and the Tribal Courthouse.
The new building, which the tribe acquired in May 2015, will house the Education and Employment Department as well. Read More

In the aftermath of a tornado that ripped through his Oklahoma home, destroying all but the closet in which he and his family hid, Darryl Tonemah began to wonder.
“I was curious how it was going to affect my family,” said Tonemah, a psychologist and musician.
In December, Tonemah attended the tribe’s quarterly membership meeting at the Dena’ina Wellness Center to discuss trauma and the affect it has on a person’s life. Read More