2025 • Chugach Regional Resources Commission Annual Gathering

 AwA’ahdah – Quwanakcuk – Quyana – Gunałchéesh

Quyana to all of those that made our 23rd Annual Subsistence Memorial Gathering a success!

Our 2025 Gathering was held on March 27th at Changepoint in Anchorage. Tribal members and Elders from across the region joined CRRC and our co-hosts, the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council and Alaska Sea Grant, for a day of workshops, storytelling, and good company.

The theme for our 2025 Gathering was Chugach Quliyanguarpet – “Our Story”. Our goal was to share the story of our region through workshops and listening sessions rooted in Chugach values, celebrating our resilience and traditions while shaping the future of the Chugach.

Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council and Alaska Sea Grant facilitated workshops from 9am-4pm that highlighted research in our region and provided space for attendees to discuss ideas and priorities for future work. Expert panelists from the region detailed their research and provided information about ongoing projects. Small groups talked about sustainable fisheries and tourism industries, subsistence hunting rights, recovery of many important subsistence species after the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill and 1964 earthquake, the power of working together as a region, and the desire to leave the Chugach region better than it is now for our youth.

This year, several artists joined the Gathering to share their beautiful work with participants. Sonya Ash-Selanoff & Tatiana Selanoff, Arthur Kompkoff, Julie Johnson, and Mollia A Nick. Kanisha Tideman also provided Tribal members with Traditional tattoos; thank you Kanisha! We had several partner organizations share information at expo booths throughout the day including PWSC – Prince William Sound College, Chugach Heritage Foundation (Chugach Alaska Corporation), Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Alaska SeaLife Center, Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation, and our Gathering co-hosts at Alaska SeaGrant and PWSRCAC. Thank you to our artists and expo booths for supporting our 2025 Gathering. Quyana.

We are grateful to all of the participants that joined us for our 23rd Annual Subsistence Memorial Gathering. It was unlike any other year, yet it was just as special as the Gatherings CRRC has hosted before. Spending time with each other, sharing stories, laughter, and food, and strengthening our region through listening to one another is what the Gathering is all about!

Thank you to our guest speakers and panelists: Donna Robertson Aderhold, Morgan Bender, Nathan Wolf, Stephen Payton, Jessica Glass, Andie Wall, Raven Cunningham, and Syverine Bentz.

•Quyana to our videographer, Bjorn Olson (check out his amazing photos below!)

• Several artists and small businesses donated to our in-person silent auction. Thank you to Orville Lind, Arthur Kompkoff, Frozen Stitches, Denise Eleshansky, Marcia Patrick, Raven Cunningham, and the Qutekcak Native Tribe. Thank you to Moose’s Tooth, The Kobuk, Millers Landing, Alaska SeaLife Center, Barnacle Foods, Major Marine Tours Dos Manos, Summit Spice and Tea.
• Quyana to our CRRC planning team and our Gathering partners, the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council and Alaska Sea Grant.
•  Thank you to Changepoint for hosting us at a wonderful venue.
• Finally, a heartfelt thank you to all of the 2025 Gathering participants. We had phenomenal Tribal member attendance and we are grateful to our Tribal members, Elders, and youth that joined us in important discussions during this year’s event. Quyana.