Photos: AFN convention opens in Anchorage

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Bob Sam, from Sitka, left, and Lemmie Charlie, from Chistochina, sit on a bench during a lunch break at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023 at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)

The annual convention for the Alaska Federation of Natives — the state’s largest Alaska Native organization, representing more than 140,000 Indigenous people — kicked off Thursday in Anchorage.

The gathering is a forum for debate and policy development for the Alaska Native community. But it also serves as a big reunion and celebration, featuring keynote speakers, dance performances, and cultural exhibits and events.

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The Alaska Federation of Natives convention began Thursday in Anchorage. Here’s a schedule of events.