Poldine Carlo

Poldine Demoski Carlo was a Koyukon Athabascan who was born in Nulato, Alaska in 1920. She was raised by her grandparents, Joseph and Anna Stickman, who were known as two of the most powerful medicine people living on the Yukon River. She grew up living a subsistence-based lifestyle, speaking her Native language, and learning to have a deep respect for people and the natural world. Poldine married William "Bill" Carlo in 1940, and they had eight children. She was active in civic affairs and when she moved to Fairbanks in 1957 and discovered that there was no organization to support Alaska Natives in the city, she and her husband, and other friends started the Fairbanks Native Association (FNA) who purpose was to help the Native population in Fairbanks. She also was an active member of the Denakkanaaga Board of Directors, the University of Alaska Chancellor’s Advisory Committee, and Alaska Native Education Advisory Board, North Start Borough Senior Citizens Commission, Alaska Bicentennial Commission Board, Aboriginal Senior Citizens of Alaska and many other organizations.  and was seen participating in every Doyon Limited Shareholder meeting until her passing. In 2001, she received an honorary Doctorate of Law Degree from the Univeristy of Alaska Fairbanks, and FNA named their Headstart Program building the "Poldine Carlo Building."

Poldine was proud of her Native heritage and was comitted to sharing it and passing it along to the next generations. So, for more than 15 years, she shared Athabascan traditions with children through a program of cultural enrichment and Native education at the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. She wrote the novel Nulato: An Indian Life on the Yukon describing life in the 1920’s and 1930’s in Nulato in order to provide insight into the Athabascan way of life and share her culture with all. She served as an elder/mentor during the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. She also loved Athabascan singing and dancing and was an active member of the Koyukon Athabascan Singers.

Poldine Carlo passed away in 2018. For more about Poldine Carlo, see her obituary in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner newspaper and her profile on the Fairbanks Native Association website.