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A look back at the Ounalashka Corporation 50 years after ANCSA

Courtesy of the Ounalashka Corp.
One of the original logos from the corporation’s first building.

Dec. 18 marked 50 years since President Nixon signed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act into law, a groundbreaking event that changed Alaska history forever.

Unalaska’s Native corporation was formed in 1973, two years after ANCSA was passed.

Vince Tutiakoff Sr. serves as the Ounalashka Corp.’s board chair. And AB Rankin has served on the board since 1986, and is the current vice president.

To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ANCSA, Tutiakoff and Rankin reflect on the formation of OC, and how Unalaska has changed since its inception.

L-R: Stan Holmes (city), the late Philemon Tutiakoff (OC), unknown (OC), Chuck Huffman (city), the late Walter Dyakanoff (OC), Eric Sutcliff (city), unknown, unknown, Vince Tutiakoff (OC), Dottie Tutiakoff (OC), Joe Galaktianoff (OC), the late Greg Shapsnikoff (OC). Seated L-R: the late Emil Berikoff, Sr. (OC), and Jess Burton (City Manager).
Courtesy of the Ounalashka Corp.
Back L-R: Stan Holmes (city), the late Philemon Tutiakoff (OC), unknown (OC), Chuck Huffman (city), the late Walter Dyakanoff (OC), Eric Sutcliffe (city), unknown, Abi Woodbridge, Vince Tutiakoff (OC), Dottie Tutiakoff (OC), Joe Galaktianoff (OC), the late Greg Shapsnikoff (OC). Front L-R: the late Emil Berikoff, Sr. (OC), and Jess Burton (City Manager).

The Ounalashka Corp. gave some of their lands to the City of Unalaska in 1979, which was a requirement of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

The corporation gave the city more than 900 acres, including the reservoir, city dock, the landfill, cemetery, powerhouse and many roads.

This photograph above shows representatives from the corporation and from the City of Unalaska signing the agreement.

Courtesy of the Ounalaska Corp.

American President Lines celebrated with a groundbreaking ceremony when they became one of the Ounalashka Corp.’s first tenants in 1979.

Courtesy of the Ounalaska Corp.

The Ounalashka Corp. was a major contributor to help fund construction for the current Iliuliuk Family & Health Services clinic building. AB Rankin (R) served as the corporation’s board chair at the time. Here she is handing a check to the IFHS board president.

OC is the largest landowner in Unalaska and now has over 500 original shareholders and many more descendants, according to its website.

The original OC board was made up of Vince Tutiakoff Sr., the late Larry Shaishnikoff, the late Henry Swanson, the late Greg Shapsnikoff, the late Walter Dyakanoff, the late Edna P. McCurdy and the late Carl Moller.

Theo Greenly reports from the Aleutians as a Report for America corps member. He got his start in public radio at KCRW in Santa Monica, California, and has produced radio stories and podcasts for stations around the country.
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