By John Sallee
Manager, Shareholder and Descendant Communications
Hey, nieces and nephews, Shareholders and Descendants, and everyone in between—pull up a chair! Your Fun Uncle is back with Village Vibes: equal parts auntie side-eye, Elder wisdom and “wellness” that ends with somebody feeding you (whether you’re looking to cut calories or not).
Ninilchik is that Alaska village, where time moves slowly—the flowing tides, the serene sky, the Elder who can sense “soup’s ready” with zero technology and pinpoint accuracy.
And while the outside world measures “health” with calorie counters and step trackers, Ninilchik sticks to the old school plan: taking care of one another, each and every day. The Ninilchik Traditional Council (NTC) navigates that care through upgraded health-delivery systems that are easier to access and navigate. The local algorithm: Elders up front, kids safe, full plates all around.
Here’s the real glow-up: NTC is rolling out an electronic health record system this spring—with a patient portal for scheduling, messaging and managing records—because getting an appointment shouldn’t feel like a scavenger hunt.
Wellness isn’t only clinical—it’s communal. NTC’s Health & Wellness Club keeps folks grooving, even when winter whispers, “Netflix… you know you want to.”
Now, the real VIPs: kids and the adults raising them. NTC’s It Takes a Village Childcare Center is licensed for up to 24 children, serving infants through school-age. Add in the Early Learning Program for pre-elementary kids, and you’ve got an ecosystem of tiny mittens, snack negotiations and life skills—right down to the timeless art of the afternoon power nap.
For teens, the Youth Outreach Program is the anti-doomscroll plan: prevention-based support and safe alternatives to risky downtime—spaces and activities that keep kids engaged and connected. As CIRI Shareholder and NTC Executive Director Ivan Encelewski puts it, the work is “practical and hopeful.” If you’re wondering what keeps youth engaged in this program, here’s the secret sauce: belonging—the kind you can’t download and AI can’t replicate.
Now, you can’t mention Ninilchik without mentioning salmon. And yes, NTC is doing “Avengers”- level work advancing Tribal fishery issues and supporting community food security. Through the Tikahtnu Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, seven Cook Inlet Tribes are banding together—no capes, just gill nets and permits. Ivan says it took over 20 years to secure recognized subsistence rights, and now they’re using that blueprint to help build a Tribal fishery in Cook Inlet.
Ninilchik’s vibes are the kind of care that shows up real, steady and right on time. Overpriced Malibu retreats can keep their sound baths; Ninilchik’s got aunties who notice when you haven’t eaten—and then feed you.
