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Willie Kasayulie
Born (1951-06-01) June 1, 1951 (age 73)
Education Chemawa Indian School
Occupation Tribal leader, politician, commercial fisherman

Willie Kasayulie (born June 1, 1951) is an American tribal leader, politician, and commercial fisherman who served as a Yup'ik chief and co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives.

Life

Kasayulie was born June 1, 1951, in Fairbanks, Alaska. He was raised in Akiachak, Alaska. At the age of 13, he left his hometown to attend boarding school. He went to Chemawa Indian School and later a high school in Vermont. He returned to Alaska in 1971 and served in the Alaska Army National Guard for seven years.

By 1988, Kasayuli was a tribal leader and commercial fisherman.

In 1990, he was chairman of the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP). He was co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives from 1992 to 1993. Kasayulie is proponent of the tribal sovereignty in Alaska and served as chief of Yupiit nation, a coalition of 13 villages. He resigned as AVCP chairman in 1994 citing disagreements with president Myron Naneng.

In 1996, Kasayulie, a registered Democrat, ran as an Independent to the Alaska House of Representatives district 39, challenging Democratic incumbent Ivan Ivan. Mary Peltola served as his campaign manager.

In 2020, Kasayulie was awarded an honorary doctorate in education by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Kuskokwim Campus.

Electoral history

Alaska House of Representatives, District 39, Democratic primary results, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ivan Ivan 1,228 39.6
Democratic Mary K. Sattler 1,172 37.8
WAID Willie Kasayulie 701 22.6
Total votes 3,101 100
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