Congratulations to original CIRI Shareholder Roy Huhndorf and CIRI Descendant Miley Amisiimaq Kakaruk, recipients of the Alaska Native Heritage Center’s (ANHC) 2025 Community Recognition Awards!
Paul Tiulana Award: Roy Huhndorf
The Paul Tiulana Award recognizes an Elder whose visionary guidance aligns with ANHC’s mission to preserve and strengthen Alaska Native traditions, languages and art. The award is named after the late Paul Tiulana (Inupiaq), an Indigenous artist, dancer, and author whose vision for a gathering place for all Alaska Native cultures and people helped lead to the establishment of ANHC in 1999.
CIRI Shareholder Roy Huhndorf (Yup’ik) served as CIRI’s president and CEO from 1972 to 1998 and on the CIRI Board of Directors from 2002 to 2023. His career achievements while at CIRI included negotiating the historic Cook Inlet Land Exchange, a three-way land exchange among CIRI, the State of Alaska and the federal government that helped lay the foundation for CIRI’s future success; significantly growing CIRI’s asset base; and helping establish ANHC, the Alaska Native Justice Center and Koahnic Broadcast Corporation.
Autumn Apok Ridley Award: Miley Amisiimaq Kakaruk
The Autumn Apok Ridley Award recognizes a young person whose love of culture and ways of life are exemplified in their learning and sharing of these teachings. The award is named after CIRI Descendant the late Autumn Apok Ridley (Inupiaq, Tsimshian, Tlingit), a world-record holder in the Native Youth Olympic Games and World Eskimo Indian Olympics and passionate advocate for Alaska Native culture.
CIRI Descendant Miley Amisiimaq Kakaruk (Inupiaq) is an artist, president of the West Anchorage High School Culture Club, varsity gymnast, Native Youth Olympic Games athlete, member of the National Honor Society and a First Alaskans Institute Elders & Youth Committee representative. She endeavors to ensure all Alaska Native youth are seen and proud to express their culture and heritage.
