Good morning, NUNAverse:
Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration warned that Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine can lead to an increased risk of a rare neurological condition known as Guillain–Barré syndrome, which occurs when the immune system damages nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and occasional paralysis. Although regulators have found that the chances of developing the condition are low, they appear to be three to five times higher among recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine than among the general population in the United States, according to people familiar with the decision. The warning was attached to fact sheets about the vaccine for providers and patients.
The Washington Football Team on Monday announced that its new team name, and associated imagery, will have no reference to Native imagery, names, or culture. The announcement came a year after Washington announced it would be dropping its previous name and logo following years of criticism by Native leaders, allies, and organizations. The team hasn’t officially made a decision on its new team name, but the announcement is seen as a step in the right direction. After Washington dropped its name, it pledged to conduct extensive efforts on selecting the team’s name by listening and learning from Native leaders and individuals throughout the country. “Warriors” was a suggested name and considered a contender, but Washington’s team president wrote that it would not be considered, citing conversations with various communities.
The Chattooga Conservancy announced on Friday that it had found a “wooden dugout canoe” in the Chattooga River that could be from when tribes inhabited the area prior to European colonization. The organization is now working alongside the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology as well as the Forest Service to recover the rare historical artifact. A platform, or cradle, was assembled to help transport the canoe. If the discovery turns out to be what the organization suspects, it will be the second such canoe found in the Chattooga. The first was found in 2004 and is currently on display at the Oconee History Museum in Walhalla.
Keep reading for a full news update.
COVID-19:
Some States Move TO block COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements In Public Schools
CNN, Jacqueline Howard, July 13
As the return to school approaches, some states are prohibiting public schools from requiring Covid-19 vaccinations or proof of vaccination for students ranging from pre-K to university.
A CNN analysis has found that at least seven states — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Montana, Oklahoma and Utah — have enacted legislation this year that would restrict public schools from requiring either coronavirus vaccinations or documentation of vaccination status.
F.D.A. Attaches Warning Of Rare Nerve Syndrome To Johnson & Johnson Vaccin e
New York Times, Sharon LaFraniere, Noah Weiland, July 12
The Food and Drug Administration warned on Monday that Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine can lead to an increased risk of a rare neurological condition known as Guillain–Barré syndrome, another setback for a vaccine that has largely been sidelined in the United States.
Native Mascots:
Washington Football Team’s Future To Include No Connection To Native Imagery
Native News Online, Darren Thompson, July 12
The Washington Football Team on Monday announced that its new team name, and associated imagery, will have no reference to Native American imagery, names, or culture. The announcement came a year after Washington announced it would be dropping its “Redsk!ns” name and logo on Washington’s website, after years of criticism by Native leaders, allies, and organizations. The Washington National Football League’s team hasn’t officially made a decision on its new team name, but the announcement is seen as a step in the right direction. After Washington dropped its name, it pledged to conduct extensive efforts on selecting the team’s name by listening and learning from Native American leaders and individuals throughout the country. “Warriors” was a suggested name and considered a contender, but Washington’s team president wrote that it would not be considered, citing conversations with various communities.
Washington NFL Team Says No Native-themed Mascot
Indian Country Today, Kolby Kickingwoman, July 12
The Washington Football Team is moving on from any connection to a Native-themed mascot, according to an announcement Monday. The announcement comes nearly one year to the day of retiring the previous racist Native-themed mascot. No, a new name was not selected but team president Jason Wright wrote in a blog post on the team’s official website that a short list of team names remain, and the new name and team logo will not have any linkage to Native imagery or iconography. Although he wasn’t in his current position when the decision to change the name was made, Wright wrote that it is the right thing to do.
Canzano: Winterhawks Dropping Native American Logo For A Fresh Look – And It Can’t Come Fast Enough
Oregon Live, John CAnzano, July 12
Portland’s hockey franchise needed a set of jerseys in 1976. The Chicago Blackhawks had a pile of used ones. Don’t know if you know this, but the Winterhawks’ biggest acquisition in that inaugural season was to accept the donation of an old set of Blackhawks’ jerseys.
MMIW:
How Did Allison Highwolf Die? Distrust Fuels A Mystery In Indian Country.
The New York Times, Elizabeth Williamson, July 11
When a Northern Cheyenne family questioned their daughter’s untimely death, official indifference deepened their pain — and their suspicions. Six years later, the circumstances of Ms. Highwolf’s death remain a mystery, one of many involving Native women who disappear or meet violent ends with alarming regularity. Her family and the local authorities agree that the case was shoddily handled and the initial investigation haphazard, as is often the case for Native Americans. In Montana, Native Americans, mostly young women, accounted for one-third of the 110 active missing persons cases in the missing persons’ clearinghouse at the end of 2019, according to a 2020 study by the state’s Justice Department. Big Horn County, where Ms. Highwolf’s body was found, and neighboring Rosebud County, home of the Northern Cheyenne reservation, lead the state for the number of missing people reported per capita.
Boarding Schools:
A Federal Probe Into Indian Boarding School Gravesites Seeks To Bring Healing
WITF, Noelle E. C. Evans, July 12
The United States is about to undertake a national investigation into hundreds of American Indian boarding schools that from the 1800s through the 20th century served to “kill the Indian to save the man,” according to one school’s founder.
It’s Past Time To Unearth And Acknowledge Our Role In Native American Boarding Schools
Baptist News Global, Laura Ellis, July 12
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced the United States will launch an initiative to search for possible burial sites at the former grounds of the federally created Native American boarding schools that forcibly removed thousands of children from their culture and communities.
Other:
Native American Remains Discovered In Columbus That May Be 2,000 To 3,000 Years Old
CBS 4, Mike Sullivan, July 13
Construction in Columbus has led to the discovery of Native American remains that may be thousands of years old.
“We don’t really know how old they are. Our best guess is in that 2,000 to 3,000 years old range,” said UIndy archaeology professor Christopher Schmidt who has been analyzing the remains.
Rep. Sharice Davids Provides Information On Expanded Child Tax Credit
Native News Online, July 12
Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS) held a press conference on Monday to explain the expanded Child Tax Credit. New monthly payments begin reaching families’ bank accounts on Thursday. Davids, a tribal citizen of the Ho-Chunk Nation, voted in support of the American Rescue Plan, which expanded and improved the Child Tax Credit to provide more relief to more families through monthly advance payments of up to $300 per child. As the IRS begins to send out monthly payments starting July 15, it is important that eligible families have all the information needed to receive this benefit.
Cherokee Basketball Star Joins Ranks Of Wnba
Cherokee Phoenix, D. Sean Rowley, July 12
Cherokee Nation citizen Chelsea Dungee is living her dream, but would admittedly like to be living more of it. The former guard for the University of Arkansas is now playing in the WNBA after being drafted fifth overall by the Dallas Wings. Through her first 10 games, her playing time totaled 37 minutes. Dungee is nonetheless thrilled to be playing professional basketball. Her selection in the draft was a bit higher than projected, and she didn’t have to relocate to another time zone. As a youth, Dungee was very much aware of her Cherokee lineage, and she said it helped shape her.
Canoe Found In South Carolina River Could Be Window To Native American Past
WLTX, Christopher Buchanan, July 11
A local agency has made a potentially astonishing discovery in a river that runs through part of South Carolina. The Chattooga Conservancy announced on Friday that it had found a “wooden dugout canoe” in the Chattooga River that’s not just old, it could be from when Native Americans still inhabited the area centuries ago. The organization is now working alongside the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology as well as the Forest Service to recover the rare historical artifact. A platform, or cradle, was assembled to help transport the canoe. If the discovery turns out to be what the organization suspects, it will be the second such canoe found in the Chattooga. The first was found in 2004 and is currently on display at the Oconee History Museum in Walhalla.
Call For Artwork For The 26th Annual Cherokee Homecoming Art Show
Native News Online, July 12
Artwork is now being accepted for the 26th annual Cherokee Homecoming Art Show & Sale, which is being held in coordination with the 69th annual Cherokee National Holiday, scheduled for Aug. 27 – Sept. 25 at the Cherokee National Research Center. Due to continued concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic, the show is being offered both virtually and in person.