NANA
Deb Billingsley Retires After 33 Years at NANA
Deb Billingsley , senior executive administrative assistant , retired on July 29 , 2022 , after 33 years of service to NANA . “ I started in 1989 ,” Deb said , “ when my family moved back to Alaska .”
Deb ( Jones ) was born in Kotzebue and was raised by her ataata and aana , Jack and Amy Jones . “ My grandparents were great role models ,” she said . “ They encouraged me and my sister Linda ( Adams ) to work hard , do well in school and give 110 percent . Whatever task we were given had to be done properly and to the end .”
Jack was the superintendent of the Friends Church in Northwest Alaska . Before he had a snowmachine , he traveled by dog team to the villages . His wife , Amy , sewed him warm clothes for his long journeys .
Jack and Amy also made beautiful tools and implements . A bola for hunting birds — that he carved from moose bone , and she tied with braided seal sinew and feathers — found its way to the National
Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian .
“ They weren ’ t afraid of life ’ s challenges ,” said Deb . “ In spring and summer , we fished and hunted at camp in Sisualik . We boated upriver to pick berries . By the time we got back to Kotzebue , the weeds had grown taller , and the smells were different , like we ’ d been gone a long time . In winter , Taata hauled ice from the lake in the hills behind Kotzebue . That was our drinking water . When I was little , those hills seemed so far away .”
When asked about her first memory of NANA , Deb said , “ I remember how representatives met with Elders in the 1970s ,” she said . “ They gathered in homes — ours was one — to study maps and possibly plot out allotments .”
Deb ’ s first paying job was as a salesclerk at Val-U-House in Kotzebue . It was a general store that sold everything from fabric to furniture .
We congratulate Deb Billingsley , a shareholder originally from Kotzebue , on her retirement from NANA .
“ My ataata told me , ‘ Paniiŋ ( daughter ), you need to show up for work at least 15 minutes early , so you can put your coat away , make coffee , and get set up , so that you are ready to open for business . At the end of the day , take time to prepare for the next day .’ That advice has stayed with me all my life .” Deb said . At NANA , she was routinely at work by 7 a . m . and was often the last to leave .
“ Taata told us to listen and learn , learn from your mistakes and don ’ t be afraid to try anything .” At NANA , Deb appreciated the opportunity to always learn new things . “ I want to encourage others who might have some apprehension about trying new things ,” she said .
When asked what she wants people to know about working at NANA , Deb said , “ There are so many people within the company who want great things for NANA and its shareholders . I ’ m grateful for these people , past and present .”
Opt-In for Electronic Delivery of Your Annual Report
Second Edition of Iñupiatun Dictionary in Progress
NANA mails out thousands of annual reports to shareholders every year . For 2022 , shareholders can opt-in to receive the report and proxy statement electronically . This convenient option will reduce the amount of paper shareholders receive and save NANA money on printing and mailing costs .
If you want to receive the annual report electronically , log in to your nanatkut . com account , input your email address and check the box that says you will opt in . If you opt-in to receive the
|
report electronically , you will not receive a physical copy in the mail .
All shareholders , 18 and older , are eligible to create a nanatkut . com account . Use the email address on file with shareholder records , your date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number . If you ' ve registered for an account in the past year , no further action is required . If you have questions about the portal , please contact shareholder records at ( 907 ) 442-3301 or records @ nana . com .
|
|
|
NANA and the Aqqaluk Trust will release a second edition of the Iñupiatun Dictionary , which was first printed in September 2005 . To compile the first edition , Amaġuq Wolf Seiler spent more than 40 years listening to and studying our language . Working with Iñupiaq speakers , he carefully collected and transcribed the words used to describe our way of life .
“ The language of a people is the soul of the people ,” wrote Amaġuq in the preface to the original dictionary . “ The Iñupiaq way of life and the Iñupiatun language are unique in the world .”
Elders who serve on the Iñupiaq Language Commission and on the Regional Elders Council guided the effort to update and expand the dictionary . To complete the project , they collaborated with other Iñupiaq speakers in the region .
|
“ Our Elders seek to retain and restore our language for future generations ,” wrote Piquk Linda Lee in the forward to the second edition . “ They understand that the revitalization of our language is vital to the continuity of our Iñupiaq culture and traditions .”
The dictionary is an important tool to make our language more accessible . “ The Iñupiaq language is part of who we are as Iñupiat ,” continued Piquk . “ It allows us to communicate our cultural practices , rich history and important knowledge .”
The Iñupiatun Dictionary will be available to shareholders once it is printed . Shareholder records is working on a process to distribute the dictionary to each shareholder household .
|
|
|
|
The second edition of the Iñupiatun Dictionary will be distributed to NANA shareholders in the next year . |
The Hunter | 2022 September
7