To this day, Alaska remains saddled with the lasting dysfunctional impacts of territorial apartheid schools and government or religious boarding schools. Now, we are presented with WWE “sports” cult leader, the woefully unqualified, mean-spirited McMahon. Team Pirate, literally her school’s team. Omen goodness, really. Talk about one freaked-up, fake “sport” on steroids and sexual harassment. WWE exhibits absolutely no sportsmanship. Yet, it is a fake news favorite, and McMahon has cashed in at the cult “sports” trough. This hired goon is carrying out the undemocratic dismantling of our country’s education system and mass firing DOE employees.

Alaskans enjoy real sports, and yes, winning at sports is fun. Yippee! Life goes on. Then what? Guess what — Alaska school districts are recruiting teachers from afar, including the Philippines. Right now, Alaska especially needs homegrown teachers and administrators. We also need doctors, nurses, journalists, chefs, dentists, meteorologists, agriculturalists, plumbers, pilots, IT techs, accountants, lawyers, actual scientists, architects, etc.

In a case of unfortunate timing, the University of Alaska has decided to build a $40,000,000 — now $53,000,000 — Indigenous center by the Museum of the North. It seems obvious that an Indigenous center is not a priority when Indigenous community schools lack so much. Most especially, dedicated teachers and administrators who stay in our communities long enough to make a positive impact. We even have schools where some children cannot read. This is unacceptable.

Where’s the data and the community assessments showing that this building is a primary need right now? What do current and retired rural-based Indigenous educators and tribally elected leaders — beyond the usual academia circles and urban offices — have to say about what is really needed? Most are saying we need Alaska Native teachers and administrators.

On Feb. 24, the Daily News-Miner headlined that DEI was stripped at the university (don’t say/erase Alaska Native, gay, etc.), and juxtaposed was a $10,000,000 matching grant for the Indigenous center. Something of a bipolar situation. Will it be called the (don’t say Indigenous) center? The Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program is now only ANSEP because the DEI police say don’t say Alaska Native. On March 19, the Anchorage Daily News reported that the UAA diversity officer was removed and the UAF Diversity Center was closed. Ava’!

It would be wise for those funds to be immediately redirected to grants and training for Alaska Native tribal members and rural residents, especially for those studying to become rural teachers and administrators.

An Indigenous center would have been okay when the state had surplus money. Today, state money is frighteningly scarce, and DOE is in freefall from a dopey manufactured crisis. Alaska’s fragile financial situation is exacerbated by the ridiculous squandering of our wealth, thanks to Alaska’s antiquated tax system that all too often favors foreign billionaire corporations.

Additionally, the acceptance of the tainted $1,000,000 donation for this proposed building from the scandal-ridden foreign corporation Kinross was quite ill-advised. Especially since the corruption surrounding the Tetlin mine deal is so immoral, compounded by Blackgold Express ore haul’s long-range environmental impacts for future generations. The ongoing destruction of Alaska infrastructure by this foreign corporation is beyond shameful.

For now, why not first concentrate on constructing traditional Indigenous nomadic architecture to honor our ancestors? Especially since climate change-induced floods and forest fires are now continually destroying people’s homes across the state and the world on a regular basis.

In the ‘70s and ‘80s, elders like Jonathan David Sr., Evelyn Alexander and other first-language elders taught botany, including the harvest of troth at Chena Village spirit camps. They also taught the history of Troth Yeddha. Howard Luke shared his knowledge of traditional architecture and built a willow-and-moss mosquito-free structure. They were wise master teachers and knowledge bearers. They knew how to take care of animals outdoors and cook outdoors. They were amazing teachers. They knew how to plan and prioritize.

Let’s be careful of letting acculturation — or even assimilation — have us skipping past our rich past. We need solid data for a vision that cares about our communities, with a clear understanding of our ancestors who survived successfully without modern conveniences for thousands of years. They were HIP.

Alaska must support a solid education system with wise, not dodgy, fiscal management. The “sports” cult pirate cartoon character with a one-color crayon, coloring-book-level mentality is so duh. It’s time for HIP. Let’s wisely redirect the money into growing our own amazing teachers and administrators with staying power now.

K’eetahu tłeetaaltonh.