Larry Merculieff has served as a cultural, economic, political and spiritual bridge between indigenous and mainstream peoples and perspectives for almost four decades. Having enjoyed a traditional upbringing amongst his people, the Aleuts of the Pribilof Islands in Alaska’s Bering Sea, Merculieff advocates powerfully for the meaningful application of traditional knowledge and wisdom conveyed by indigenous Elders in dealing with modern day challenges. Merculieff has advocated for indigenous subsistence rights, community wellness, and environmental protection in a wide array of contexts, founding or co-founding multiple organizations and communicating via a wide range of public media at local, state, national and international levels. He is a co-founder and former chairman of the Alaska Indigenous Council on Marine Mammals; former chairman of the Nature Conservancy, Alaska chapter; former co-director of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society, Alaska chapter and member of the national board; as well as co-founder of the International Bering Sea Forum, The Alaska Forum on the Environment, and Alaska Oceans Network. He served on the National Research Council Committee on the Bering Sea Ecosystem and was one of four Native Americans to present at the White House Conference on the Oceans during the Clinton administration where he was selected to have a dialogue with former Vice-President Al Gore in the Conference plenary session.
Merculieff was featured in National Wildlife Magazine as an “American Hero” for bringing national and international attention to adverse changes in the Bering Sea ecosystem; his life and teachings are featured in a book entitled “Native Men of Courage ” by Second Story Press. His lifelong efforts on behalf of his people and the environment have been honored with the Buffet Finalist Award for Indigenous Leadership (2007); the Alaska Forum on the Environment Environmental Excellence Award for lifetime achievement (2007); the Rasmuson Foundation Award for Creative Nonfiction (for writing his life story, 2006); and the Alaska Native Writers on the Environment Award from the Alaska Conservation Foundation (2004). A book about his life and wisdom entitled The Book of Aleut Wisdom: Words of an Aleut Messenger ( Paroles d’un passeur Aléoute) was released in October,2009 by French publisher Les Intouchables. The book is all in the French language.
