The Metlakatla Indian Community is the only Native Reservation in Alaska. There are many other indian tribes in Alaska, but most Alaskan natives have a different land system than the tribes in the continental US.
There is only one Alaska Indian Reservation
Alaska Natives were not given title to land under the Dawes Act but were instead treated under the Alaska Native Allotment Act until it was repealed in 1971.
Another characteristic difference is that Alaska Native tribal governments do not have the power to collect taxes for business transacted on tribal land, per the United States Supreme Court decision in Alaska v. Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government because Alaska Natives (except for Tsimshians) do not hold reservations.
The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, commonly abbreviated ANCSA, was signed into law by President Richard M. Nixon on December 18, 1971, the largest land claims settlement in United States history. ANCSA was intended to resolve the long-standing issues surrounding aboriginal land claims in Alaska, as well as to stimulate economic development throughout Alaska.
In 1968, the Atlantic-Richfield Company discovered oil at Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic coast, catapulting the issue of land ownership into headlines. In order to lessen the difficulty of drilling at such a remote location and transporting the oil to the lower 48 states, the best solution seemed to be building a pipeline to carry the oil across Alaska to the port of Valdez, built on the ruins of the previous town. At Valdez, the oil would be loaded onto tanker ships and sent by water to the contiguous states.
The plan was approved, but a permit to construct the pipeline, which would cross lands involved in the native dispute, could not be granted until the Native claims had been settled.
With major petroleum dollars on the line, there was a new urgency for an agreement, and, in 1971, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was signed into law by President Nixon, which abrogated Native claims to aboriginal lands. In return, they received up to 44 million acres (180,000 km²) of land (1/9th of the land in Alaska) and were paid $963 million.
The land and money were divided among regional, urban, and village corporations. The settlement compensated the Natives for the collaborative use of their lands and opened the way for all Alaskans to profit from oil, one of the state’s largest natural resources.
The settlement extinguished Alaska Native claims to the land by transferring titles to twelve Alaska Native regional corporations and over 200 local village corporations. A thirteenth regional corporation was later created for Alaska Natives who no longer resided in Alaska.
The Tsimshians were not included in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
The Tsimshians did not receive any payment for thier lands. They expressed an interest in preserving their villages and fishing sites on the Skeena and Nass Rivers as early as 1879, but were not able to begin negotiating a treaty until July 1983.
A decade later, fourteen bands in Alaska and in British Columbia, Canada united to negotiate under the collective name of the Tsimshian Tribal Council. A framework agreement was signed in 1997, and the Tsimshian nation continues to negotiate with the BC Treaty Commission to reach an Agreement-in-Principle.
Instead of large reservations, Alaskan Natives live in mostly small tribal communities ruled by a village corporation. They are:
- Village of Afognak
- Native Village of Akhiok
- Akiachak Native Community
- Akiak Native Community
- Native Village of Akutan
- Village of Alakanuk
- Alatna Village
- Native Village of Aleknagik
- Algaaciq Native Village (St. Mary’s)
- Allakaket Village
- Native Village of Ambler
- Village of Anaktuvuk Pass
- Yupiit of Andreafski
- Angoon Community Association
- Village of Aniak
- Anvik Village
- Arctic Village (See Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government)
- Native Village of Atka
- Asa’carsarmiut Tribe (formerly Native Village of Mountain Village)
- Atqasuk Village (Atkasook)
- Village of Atmautluak
- Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government (formerly Native Village of Barrow)
- Beaver Village
- Native Village of Belkofski
- Village of Bill Moore’s Slough
- Birch Creek Village
- Native Village of Brevig Mission
- Native Village of Buckland
- Native Village of Cantwell
- Native Village of Chanega (aka Chenega)
- Chalkyitsik Village
- Village of Chefornak
- Chevak Native Village
- Chickaloon Native Village
- Native Village of Chignik
- Native Village of Chignik Lagoon
- Chignik Lake Village
- Chilkat Indian Village (Kluckwan)
- Chilkoot Indian Association (Haines)
- Chinik Eskimo Community (Golovin)
- Native Village of Chistochina
- Native Village of Chitina
- Native Village of Chuathbaluk (Russian Mission, Kuskokwim)
- Chuloonawick Native Village
- Circle Native Community
- Village of Clark’s Point
- Native Village of Council
- Craig Community Association
- Village of Crooked Creek
- Curyung Tribal Council (formerly Native Village of Dillingham)
- Native Village of Deering
- Native Village of Diomede (AKA Inalik)
- Village of Dot Lake
- Douglas Indian Association
- Native Village of Eagle
- Native Village of Eek
- Egegik Village
- Eklutna Native Village
- Native Village of Ekuk
- Ekwok Village
- Native Village of Elim
- Emmonak Village
- Evansville Village (AKA Bettles Field)
- Native Village of Eyak (Cordova)
- Native Village of False Pass
- Native Village of Fort Yukon
- Native Village of Gakona
- Galena Village (AKA Louden Village)
- Native Village of Gambell
- Native Village of Georgetown
- Native Village of Goodnews Bay
- Organized Village of Grayling (AKA Holikachuk)
- Gulkana Village
- Native Village of Hamilton
- Healy Lake Village
- Holy Cross Village
- Hoonah Indian Association
- Native Village of Hooper Bay
- Hughes Village
- Huslia Village
- Hydaburg Cooperative Association
- Igiugig Village
- Village of Iliamna
- Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope
- Iqurmuit Traditional Council (formerly Native Village of Russian Mission)
- Ivanoff Bay Village
- Kaguyak Village
- Organized Village of Kake
- Kaktovik Village (AKA Barter Island)
- Village of Kalskag
- Village of Kaltag
- Native Village of Kanatak
- Native Village of Karluk
- Organized Village of Kasaan
- Native Village of Kasigluk
- Kenaitze Indian Tribe
- Ketchikan Indian Corporation
- Native Village of Kiana
- Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove
- King Island Native Community
- Native Village of Kipnuk
- Native Village of Kivalina
- Klawock Cooperative Association
- Native Village of Kluti Kaah (AKA Copper Center)
- Knik Tribe
- Native Village of Kobuk
- Kokhanok Village
- New Koliganek Village Council (formerly Koliganek Village)
- Native Village of Kongiganak
- Village of Kotlik
- Native Village of Kotzebue
- Native Village of Koyuk
- Koyukuk Native Village
- Organized Village of Kwethluk
- Native Village of Kwigillingok
- Native Village of Kwinhagak (AKA Quinhagak)
- Native Village of Larsen Bay
- Levelock Village Lesnoi Village (AKA Woody Island)
- Lime Village
- Village of Lower Kalskag
- Manley Hot Springs Village
- Manokotak Village
- Native Village of Marshall (AKA Fortuna Ledge)
- Native Village of Mary’s Igloo
- McGrath Native Village
- Native Village of Mekoryuk
- Mentasta Traditional Council (formerly Mentasta Lake Village)
- Metlakatla Indian Community, Annette Island Reserve
- Native Village of Minto
- Naknek Native Village
- Native Village of Nanwalek (AKA English Bay)
- Native Village of Napaimute
- Native Village of Napakiak
- Native Village of Napaskiak
- Native Village of Nelson Lagoon
- Nenana Native Association
- New Stuyahok Village
- Newhalen Village
- Newtok Village
- Native Village of Nightmute
- Nikolai Village
- Native Village of Nikolski
- Ninilchik Village
- Native Village of Noatak
- Nome Eskimo Community
- Nondalton Village
- Noorvik Native Community
- Northway Village
- Native Village of Nuiqsut (AKA Nooiksut)
- Nulato Village
- Native Village of Nunapitchuk
- Village of Ohogamiut
- Village of Old Harbor
- Orutsararmuit Native Village (AKA Bethel)
- Oscarville Traditional Village
- Native Village of Ouzinkie
- Native Village of Paimiut
- Pauloff Harbor Village
- Pedro Bay Village
- Native Village of Perryville
- Petersburg Indian Association
- Native Village of Pilot Point
- Pilot Station Traditional Village
- Native Village of Pitka’s Point
- Platinum Traditional Village
- Native Village of Point Hope
- Native Village of Point Lay
- Native Village of Port Graham
- Native Village of Port Heiden
- Native Village of Port Lions
- Portage Creek Village (AKA Ohgsenakale)
- Pribilof Islands Aleut Communities of St. Paul & St. George Island
- Qagan Toyagungin Tribe of Sand Point Village
- Rampart Village
- Village of Red Devil
- Native Village of Ruby
- Village of Salamatoff
- Organized Village of Saxman
- Native Village of Savoonga
- Saint George (See Pribilof Islands Aleut Communities of St. Paul & St. George Islands)
- Native Village of Saint Michael
- Saint Paul (See Pribilof Islands Aleut Communities of St. Paul & St. George Islands)
- Native Village of Scammon Bay
- Native Village of Selawik
- Seldovia Village Tribe
- Shageluk Native Village
- Native Village of Shaktoolik
- Native Village of Sheldon’s Point
- Native Village of Shishmaref
- Native Village of Shungnak
- Sitka Tribe of Alaska
- Skagway Village
- Village of Sleetmute
- Village of Solomon
- South Naknek Village
- Stebbins Community Association
- Native Village of Stevens
- Village of Stony River
- Takotna Village
- Native Village of Tanacross
- Native Village of Tanana
- Native Village of Tatitlek
- Native Village of Tazlina
- Telida Village
- Native Village of Teller
- Native Village of Tetlin
- Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes
- Traditional Village of Togiak
- Native Village of Toksook Bay
- Tuluksak Native Community
- Native Village of Tuntutuliak
- Native Village of Tununak
- Twin Hills Village
- Native Village of Tyonek
- Ugashik Village
- Umkumiute Native Village
- Native Village of Unalakleet
- Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska
- Native Village of Unga
- Village of Venetie (See Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government)
- Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government (Arctic Village and Village of Venetie)
- Village of Wainwright
- Native Village of Wales
- Native Village of White Mountain
- Wrangell Cooperative Association
- Yakutat Tlingit Tribe