Alaska Native Industries Cooperative Association facts for kids

The Alaska Native Industries Cooperative Association (ANICA) is a special type of business called a retailers' cooperative. It helps stores in small, faraway villages in Alaska. ANICA mainly serves villages where Alaskan Native people live. In 2018, ANICA worked with 40 different stores.

Why ANICA Was Needed

In 1934, the United States government passed a law called the Indian Reorganization Act. This law was made to help Native American communities. It aimed to give them more control over their own lives and help them become more independent. The law also set up a special fund to help Native businesses get started.

However, this first law didn't fully cover Native people in Alaska. So, in 1936, a new law called the Alaska Native Reorganization Act was passed. This law made sure that Alaskan Natives could also benefit from the help offered by the government.

During World War II, it became very hard to get supplies to remote villages in Alaska. Government officials realized that a new organization was needed. This organization would make sure these villages always had the supplies they needed. It also helped Alaskan Natives take charge of their own supply programs.

Starting Up and Early Days

Two government leaders, Louis Peters and Albert Huber, worked to create this new organization. In 1947, five villages – White Mountain, Shaktoolik, Stebbins, Elim, and Unalakleet – officially started ANICA.

Each village that joined had one person on ANICA's Board of Directors. Even villages that weren't official members could get services from ANICA. The group decided to wait until at least 25 village stores joined before starting full operations. This was to help them save money by buying things in large amounts.

By 1948, 25 villages had joined, and ANICA began its work. By 1958, 37 village stores were members. ANICA used the special fund from the government laws to help its member stores.

Besides supplying stores, ANICA also tried to help villages sell their goods. They bought Native art and furs. They then sent these items to another organization to be sold. For example, ANICA bought whale and seal oil from people in Point Hope. They shipped it to Seattle to sell to companies that made soap. However, these export programs eventually stopped.

ANICA also published two newsletters. The first, ANICA Flash, was printed from about 1949 to 1954. It shared news about the member stores and villages. It also had economic news and prices for goods. Later, ANICA News Highlights was published from 1969 to 1974. This newsletter also shared village news. It covered important topics like energy, shipping, and economic trends.

ANICA Today

On January 6, 1970, ANICA officially became a permanent cooperative corporation in Alaska. This meant it would continue to operate for a long time. In 1990, ANICA started a scholarship fund. This fund helps high school seniors from member villages go to college.

Today, ANICA continues to focus on its main goal. It works to provide important food and other basic goods to remote communities in Alaska.