Good Morning, NUNAverse,
A bill to ensure that Indigenous students across Utah can wear their tribal regalia during high school graduations unanimously passed the Senate Education Committee on Monday. Last week, the bill unanimously passed the House and now goes before the Senate for consideration. The bill would stop any local school agency, such as a school board or school, from preventing Indigenous students from wearing a feather, beaded cultural attire, traditional dress, or moccasins during their graduation ceremonies. The Senate Education Committee passed the bill by a vote of 6 to 0, with one abstention Monday afternoon.
The J.C. Seneca Foundation (JCSF) is partnering with the Center for Indigenous Cancer Research (CICR) at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York. The partnership, announced this morning, aims to support people in the Seneca Nation and surrounding communities dealing with cancer diagnoses and treatment. JCSF, founded in 2012 by Seneca Nation businessman J.C. Seneca, is dedicated to forming partnerships that promote the physical, emotional, intellectuall, and spiritual well-being of Native people. The partnership’s goal is to offer patient navigator and screening services at Seneca’s Native Pride Business on the Tallchief Territory in Irving. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows American Indians and Alaska Natives have significantly higher rates of colorectal, kidney, liver, lung, and stomach cancers than non-Hispanic white people. These cancer patterns are in part due to limited health care access and institutionalized racism, the CDC website says.
The Canadian government Monday agreed to provide affordable childcare to families in Nunavut Territory. Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok said, “The investments that we make into early learning opportunities for our children today determine our future. Safe, reliable, and affordable childcare will not only yield positive outcomes in our children’s development, but it will also help families make ends meet.” The program will save families with children as much as an estimated $14,000 a year. Nunavut’s Minister of Education Pamela Gross said the changes will provide better access to culturally relevant childcare, including funding for Inuktut language resources for childcare facilities, with “the potential to greatly improve the lives of Nunavummiut.”
On Tuesday, January 25, Sweetgrass Golf Course will be awarded the National Golf Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) in Orlando, Florida. Sweetgrass Golf Course is owned and operated by the Hannahville Indian Community, a federally recognized Potawatomi Indian Tribe, and is part of the tribe’s Island Resort & Casino in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Island Resort & Casino is one of the largest golf, casino, and entertainment resort destinations in the Midwest. The tribe recently opened a $33 million expansion, which included an 11-story Palm Tower that increased room capacity to 454. The expansion also includes a high-end steakhouse and a family waterpark.
Keep reading for a full news update.
Health:
J.C. Seneca Foundation Partners With Center For Indigenous Cancer Research At Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Native News Online, Kelsey Turner, January 24
The J.C. Seneca Foundation (JCSF) is partnering with the Center for Indigenous Cancer Research (CICR) at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York. The partnership, announced this morning, aims to support people in the Seneca Nation and surrounding communities dealing with cancer diagnoses and treatment. JCSF, founded in 2012 by Seneca Nation businessman J.C. Seneca, is dedicated to forming partnerships that promote the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual well-being of Native people. The partnership’s goal is to offer patient navigator and screening services at Seneca’s Native Pride Business on the Tallchief Territory in Irving. These services will help people on the Cattaraugus and Allegany territories and surrounding communities learn about and seek treatments for “the many forms of cancers afflicting our people,” Seneca said. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows American Indians and Alaska Natives have significantly higher rates of colorectal, kidney, liver, lung, and stomach cancers than non-Hispanic white people. These cancer patterns are in part due to limited health care access and institutionalized racism, the CDC website says.
Law:
Bill To Allow Indigenous Students To Wear Tribal Regalia At Graduations Advances
The Salt Lake Tribune, Alastair Lee Bitsóí, January 24
A bill to ensure that Indigenous students across Utah can wear their tribal regalia during high school graduations unanimously passed the Senate Education Committee on Monday. Rep. Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, is sponsoring HB30, known as the Student Tribal Regalia Use Amendments. Last week, the bill unanimously passed the House and now goes before the Senate for consideration. If it passes, it will go to the desk of Gov. Spencer Cox to become law. The bill would stop any local school agency, such as a school board or school, from preventing Indigenous students from wearing a feather, beaded cultural attire, traditional dress or moccasins during their graduation ceremonies. The Senate Education Committee passed the bill by a vote of 6 to 0, with one abstention Monday afternoon. Rep. Romero sees no opposition to the bill, especially after the committee heard from Corrina Bow, chairwoman for the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah on Monday afternoon. Bow talked about how important it is that children from Utah’s eight sovereign tribal nations be able to celebrate their cultural identities at their educational milestones.
Other:
Canada To Provide $10-A-Day Child Care To Inuit Families
Indian Country Today, January 24
The Canadian government Monday agreed to provide affordable child care to families in Nunavut Territory, the Inuit peoples’ homeland. Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok said, “The investments that we make into early learning opportunities for our children today determine our future. Safe, reliable, and affordable child care will not only yield positive outcomes in our children’s development, but it will also help families make ends meet.” The program will save families with children as much as an estimated $14,000 a year. Nunavut’s Minister of Education Pamela Gross said the changes will provide better access to culturally relevant childcare, including funding for Inuktut language resources for child care facilities, with “the potential to greatly improve the lives of Nunavummiut.”
Tribally-Owned Golf Course Awarded National Golf Course of the Year
Native News Online, Darren Thompson, January 24
On Tuesday, January 25, Sweetgrass Golf Course will be awarded the National Golf Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) in Orlando, Florida. Sweetgrass Golf Course is owned and operated by the Hannahville Indian Community, a federally recognized Potawatomi Indian Tribe, and is part of the tribe’s Island Resort & Casino in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Island Resort & Casino is one of the largest golf, casino, and entertainment resort destinations in the Midwest. According to the Michigan Golf Journal, the Hannahville Indian Community opened the bingo hall in 1981, then expanded to include a casino in 1991. In the late 1990’s, the Tribe expanded the casino, and added a showroom and convention center. The Tribe recently opened a $33 million expansion, which included an 11-story Palm Tower that increased room capacity to 454. The expansion also includes a high-end steakhouse and a family waterpark.
‘Cyberpunk 2077’ Reveals Two Of Its Main Characters Are Actually Native American
Forbes, Paul Tassi, January 24
As we sit and wait for any actual substantive information about future Cyberpunk 2077 content, we have to make do with what we’ve got. And that would be quest director Pawel Sasko back streaming again and answering questions posed by fans. This past week, he answered a question I found rather interesting, where he was asked what race that characters River Ward and Panam Palmer were meant to be. I wasn’t actually sure there was supposed to be a firm answer to this, but it turns out the Cyberpunk 2077 story team actually had a clear idea in mind. Both characters are actually meant to be Native American.