"On Jan. 25, the 2010 Census kicks off in the Inupiat Eskimo village of Noorvik, Alaska.

No roads lead to this community, so Census workers will arrive by air, snow machine or dog sled – and they will need to get there early before the ice melts and the residents leave for fishing and hunting season.

It is important to recognize the significance of Noorvik as the first place the census count begins. Our community of American Indians and Alaska Natives is one of the nation’s hardest populations to count, because of language barriers, barriers to travel and transportation to remote and rural communities, and a historic mistrust of government institutions and efforts.

Counting all Alaskans is critical, but it is especially so for Alaska Natives, given the unique, historical relationship between the United States federal government and that community. An accurate count of Alaska Natives means fair access to federal resources and fair representation in state legislatures and the United States Congress.

But equally important, it determines the annual distribution to states and tribes – and our communities and children – of more than $400 billion in federal funds annually over the next 10 years.

This federal money based on census data is used for everything from schools and roads to health care for low-income residents, veterans and senior citizens."

Get the Story:
Jefferson Keel: Let’s make Indian country count (Indian Country Today 1/25)

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Census Bureau kicks off 2010 count in Inupiat village (1/25)