Willie Kasayulie

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 in Oregon, and later a high school in Vermont. 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.

In 1996, Kasayulie, a registered Democrat, ran as an independent to the Alaska House of Representatives district 39, challenging Democratic incumbent Ivan Ivan.

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

Electoral history