“Wombli Kinyon Emakiyapi.” Edward GreyBear was born on October 26th, 1995 to Avamarie GreyBear and Deacon Magnan in Sidney, Montana. Edward, is part of the Lakota, Sioux Hunkpapa tribe and is a direct descendent of Chief Sitting Bull. He is also part of the Ahtna Athabascan Naltsiine clan.

Edward was raised on the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana until the age of five, when he moved to Alaska with his mother. After the move, he attended school in the Copper River School District. One of Edward’s role models is his grandfather Abraham GreyBear Sr. who passed away when Edward was only seven years old. Despite losing him at such a young age, Edward still looks up to him, striving to be the best he can for him.

After the start of his freshman year of high school, Edward quickly realized that he was passionate about the environment and had a great appreciation for science in general. Edward is interested in anything involved with the outdoors, which led him to pursue his love for outdoor recreational sports such as rock/ice climbing, snow/paddle boarding, backpacking and mountaineering. During his years in high school, Edward lived with and helped to care for his two grandmothers, Ina Lincoln (Great Grandmother) and her daughter Vivian GreyBear (Grandmother), along with his mother Ava.

Having graduated high school, Edward is currently in his third year of college at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and during the summers he has been working with Ahtna under an internship program. Within the next year, Edward plans on traveling the world to experience different cultures and generally broaden his perspective on life, in addition to joining the United States Marine Corps following his graduation from UAF. Edward will always have a special place in his heart for his late great grandmother Ina Lincoln, who helped raise him and shared her experience and knowledge of the Athabascan culture.