The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports he grew up in a sod igloo and spent almost his entire life in the Brooks Range village of 250 people. He led a town meeting just last week.
His father, Simon, was the founder of Anaktuvuk Pass, which was settled by Nunamiut Inupiat Eskimo who ended their nomadic lifestyle for village life.
George Paneak served as mayor since 2004. In recent years he worked with the Cold Climate Housing Research Center to design a prototype "green home" using solar panels and soy-foam insulation and Eskimo knowledge of living underground for warmth.
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