Last Tuesday, the Bering Straits Native Corporation (BSNC) announced the two winners of its 2019 Young Providers Award. Adelaine “Addy” Ahmasuk of Nome and Trevor Savetilik of Shaktoolik will be recognized for their “contribution[s] on a daily basis to the health and well-being of their families, communities and culture.”
Ahmasuk, a commercial fisher, is an advocate for indigenous people. According to BSNC, she previously formed an Inupiaq speaking club as well as helped host a Norton Sound Indigenous Women and Girls’ gathering in conjunction with the Alaska Community Action on Toxics. She will be recognized by BSNC in honor of the late Lela Kiana Oman, who passed away last year at 102 years old. Oman devoted her life to preserving Native culture and was a well-published author.
The other 2019 Young Provider Award recipient is Trevor Savetilik. A young fisherman from Shaktoolik, Savetilik has been hunting since the age of five and has been commercial fishing for salmon and crab since the age of ten. Savelitik received the award in honor of the late Jacob Ahwinona of White Mountain. Ahwinona spent his life as standard-bearer for traditional Inupiaq values and was a former Kawerak and Sitnasuak Native Corporation board member.
Both Ahmasuk and Savetilik will formally receive the 2019 Young Providers Award at the BSNC 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on Oct. 5 in Nome.
Image at top: Adelaine Ahmasuk. Photo: Bering Straits Native Corporation; used with permission.
