Gov. Bill Walker addresses AFN convention

For the first time as Alaska's governor, Bill Walker on Thursday spoke at the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention. Topics he covered included background on his life, current state fiscal uncertainty and the "Fairbanks Four," as well as his gubernatorial election campaign that was happening this time last year.

Walker had to pause and collect his emotions when talking about the AFN campaign endorsement the pair received during the 2014 convention.

“We didn’t do this in the traditional way. We did it in the Alaskan way," Walker said to the crowd of more than 3,000. "When you win by 2 percent, you do a whole lot of thank-yous. And I thank you for that 2 percent, because that’s what made the difference and put us into office. You did that. Thank you very much -- very much.”

Also during his speech, Walker presented the 2015 Shirley Demientieff Award to Poldine Carlo of Fairbanks.

“For decades, Poldine has spent countless hours mentoring and sharing her culture with younger generations," Walker said in a press release. "She is heavily involved in issues important to her community, and she has blessed the lives of so many Alaskans.”

Born in the Yukon River village of Nulato in 1920, Carlo was raised by her grandparents, Joseph and Anna Stickman. Throughout her life, she has been a Koyukon Athabascan culture bearer, passing on the language and Native values that are deeply important to her.

In 1978, Poldine wrote “Nulato: An Indian Life on the Yukon,” which tells the story of her life as a young Athabascan woman growing up in the 1920s and 1930s. Poldine is the mother of eight and has many grandchildren, and at the age of 94 attends every board meeting for the Fairbanks Native Association, Doyon Ltd. and Denakkanaaga.

Presented by the governor each year at AFN, the Shirley Demientieff Award recognizes an individual or organization for outstanding advocacy efforts on behalf of Alaska Native women and children.