Koyukuk Tribal Justice Expansion

The Koyukuk Native Village is a federally recognized tribe located in Koyukuk, Alaska.  With this funding the Koyukuk Native Village will: Hire a Project Coordintor to research, through cultural gatherings where testimony will be heard and recorded on coping skills that were culturall-based to combat alcohol abuse and conduct individual interviews with elders on how they coped with trauma to recover from alcohol abuse.  The Koyukuk Native Village will additionally hold a series of culturally-based gatherings during which time community members will learn from the elders what traditional knowledge was used and how that knowledge was applied in coping with historical trauma.  It is the hope that this research will result in the compiliation of methods to be used in cultural healing practices that will allow for community members to develop a sense of belonging to the community and foster a sense of contributing to their community.  The goal is to reduce the amount of alcohol abuse and to prevent reentry into the criminal justice system through traditional healing proactices as learned from the elders.  The Koyukuk Native Village holds a strong committment to the community in providing a place of healing and growth both with the youth and the elders.   Bridging the gap between elders and the next generations through storytelling and cultural activities can reduce the rates of reentry into the justice system.