Good Morning/Afternoon, NUNAverse,
The potential burial sites of at least 50 Indigenous children were found on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School, a former Residential School in British Columbia, according to the first phase of the investigation led by the nearby Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN). First Nations Chief Willie Sellars and project lead on the investigation, Whitney Spearing, outlined the preliminary findings and next steps in a Williams Lake First Nation’s Facebook Live event on Tuesday afternoon. Moving forward, Chief Sellars said the WLFN is prioritizing further analysis of the potential burial sites, preservation of site evidence by enacting certain security measures, engaging with communities where children are known to be missing or deceased, and a continuation of archival research.
Tribes on the Northern California coast are reclaiming a bit of their heritage that includes ancient redwoods that have stood since their ancestors walked the land. Save the Redwoods League announced Tuesday that it is transferring more than 500 acres on the Lost Coast to the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council. The group of 10 tribes that have inhabited the area for thousands of years will be responsible for protecting the land dubbed Tc’ih-Léh-Dûñ, or “Fish Run Place,” in the Sinkyone language. Priscilla Hunter, chairwoman of the Sinkyone Council, said it’s fitting they will be caretakers of the land where her people were removed or forced to flee before the forest was largely stripped for timber. The transfer marks a step in the growing Land Back movement to return Indigenous homelands to the descendants of those who lived there for millennia before European settlers arrived.
The Cherokee Nation Film Office has announced a $1 million incentive geared at enticing more film and television productions to shoot within the boundaries of Cherokee Nation. In doing so they aim to take advantage of the recent boom in film and television production in Oklahoma. The film office’s mission is to increase the presence of Native people in every level of the film and television industries, while creating opportunities for economic development and jobs in the Cherokee Nation. Applications for the new film incentive will open on March 1, 2022. With a yearly cap of $1 million, this incentive will offer a base 20% cash rebate on production costs rather than a tax rebate. To qualify, a production’s spending must take place within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation in Northeastern Oklahoma.
Keep reading for a full news update.
Health:
Free COVID-10 Testing Kits Available: Here’s How To Get Yours
Native News Online, January 25
The Indian Health Service (IHS) urges Indian Country to order FREE COVID-19 testing kits. They are now available through the US Postal Service. To order, you only need to provide your name and residential mailing address. No ID, credit card, or health insurance information is required. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. If you have difficulty accessing the internet or need additional support placing an order, you can call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY: 1-888-720-7489) to get help in English, Spanish, and more than 150 other languages – from 8:00 am to midnight Eastern Time, seven days a week.
COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Drive Is Faltering In The US
AP News, Mae Anderson, January 25
The COVID-19 booster drive in the U.S. is losing steam, worrying health experts who have pleaded with Americans to get an extra shot to shore up their protection against the highly contagious omicron variant. Just 40% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the average number of booster shots dispensed per day in the U.S. has plummeted from a peak of 1 million in early December to about 490,000 as of last week. Also, a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that Americans are more likely to see the initial vaccinations — rather than a booster — as essential. Overall, the U.S. vaccination campaign has been sluggish. More than 13 months after it began, just 63% of Americans, or 210 million people, are fully vaccinated with the initial rounds of shots. Mandates that could raise those numbers have been hobbled by legal challenges.
Boarding Schools:
Burial Site Of At Least 50 Indigenous Children Found On Grounds Of Former Residential School In Canada
Native News Online, Jenna Kunze, January 25
The potential burial sites of at least 50 Indigenous children were found on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School, a former Residential School in British Columbia, according to the first phase of the investigation led by the nearby Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN). First Nations Chief Willie Sellars and project lead on the investigation, Whitney Spearing, outlined the preliminary findings and next steps in a Williams Lake First Nation’s Facebook Live event on Tuesday afternoon. Nearly 5,000 viewers tuned in to the hour-long meeting. Orange hearts splattered throughout the comments —the color that has come to represent residential school resiliency and solidarity. Moving forward, Chief Sellars said the WLFN is prioritizing further analysis of the 93 potential burial sites, preservation of site evidence by enacting certain security measures, engaging with communities where children are known to be missing or deceased, and a continuation of archival research.
Today’s announcement brings the number of unmarked graves in the country that have been discovered since May to over 1,350, including: 215 in Kamloops, 182 in Cranbrook, and more than 160 found on Penelakut Island, all in British Columbia, and 751 in Marieval, Saskatchewan.
Williams Lake First Nation In B.C. Finds 93 Possible Burial Sites At Former Residential School
APTN National News, January 25
Williams Lake First Nation in British Columbia says a preliminary geophysical investigation has identified 93 reflections that could indicate the number of children buried around the site of a former residential school. Chief Willie Sellers says only excavation would confirm the presence of human remains and much more work is needed to make final determinations.
According to Sellers, out of the 93 reflections, 43 may be associated with a historic cemetery – and the remaining 50 are not. He says 14 of 470 hectares around the former St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School have so far been examined as part of a process to discover what happened to children who didn’t return home. The investigation near Williams Lake comes after the use of ground-penetrating radar led to the discovery last year of what are believed to be 215 unmarked graves at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. Searches are ongoing at a number of schools across the country as communities use various forms of technology to search for lost children. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission estimated the number at around 4,000.
Native Women Face The Highest Rates Of Stalking, And It Leads To ‘Missing And Murdered’
Native News Online, Avery Lill, January 25
Nearly half of Native women experience stalking, according to the National Institute of Justice. That’s a higher prevalence than women of any other race or ethnicity. Stalking can include unwanted contact, calls, texts, gifts, surveillance and threats– anything that’s directed toward a specific person and would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety. It is abuse in itself, and it often escalates to threats and physical violence. Yet it’s frequently minimized or overlooked in conversations about violence against Native people. Cristen Alexandria, Community Education Coordinator for Sexual Assault Services Organization in Durango and Ignacio, CO, said that people often associate stalking with “the most extreme situation.” They encourage people to know their boundaries, trust their intuition when those are violated, and get support from their friends and family or advocacy organizations like SASO. Most people who stalk Native women are non-Native men. Systemic racism is among the many barriers to safety and justice that contribute to the high rates of stalking for Indigenous women.
MMIW:
Native Women Face The Highest Rates Of Stalking, And It Leads To ‘Missing And Murdered’
Native News Online, Avery Lill, January 25
Nearly half of Native women experience stalking, according to the National Institute of Justice. That’s a higher prevalence than women of any other race or ethnicity. Stalking can include unwanted contact, calls, texts, gifts, surveillance and threats– anything that’s directed toward a specific person and would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety. It is abuse in itself, and it often escalates to threats and physical violence. Yet it’s frequently minimized or overlooked in conversations about violence against Native people. Cristen Alexandria, Community Education Coordinator for Sexual Assault Services Organization in Durango and Ignacio, CO, said that people often associate stalking with “the most extreme situation.” They encourage people to know their boundaries, trust their intuition when those are violated, and get support from their friends and family or advocacy organizations like SASO. Most people who stalk Native women are non-Native men. Systemic racism is among the many barriers to safety and justice that contribute to the high rates of stalking for Indigenous women.
Other:
California Redwood Forest Returned To Native American Tribes
AP News, Brian Melly, January 25
The descendants of Native American tribes on the Northern California coast are reclaiming a bit of their heritage that includes ancient redwoods that have stood since their ancestors walked the land. Save the Redwoods League planned to announce Tuesday that it is transferring more than 500 acres (202 hectares) on the Lost Coast to the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council. The group of 10 tribes that have inhabited the area for thousands of years will be responsible for protecting the land dubbed Tc’ih-Léh-Dûñ, or “Fish Run Place,” in the Sinkyone language. Priscilla Hunter, chairwoman of the Sinkyone Council, said it’s fitting they will be caretakers of the land where her people were removed or forced to flee before the forest was largely stripped for timber. The transfer marks a step in the growing Land Back movement to return Indigenous homelands to the descendants of those who lived there for millennia before European settlers arrived.
Kennedy Center’s 50th Anniversary Program Includes Indigenous Voices
Native News Online, Darren Thompson, January 25
As part of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Art’s 50th anniversary, the arts organization has chosen 50 people whose work reflects cultural inclusivity and compassion for its The Kennedy Center Next 50 program. The program includes 50 artists, cultural leaders, arts organizations, and community members from many walks of life including Qacung aka Stephen Blanchett (Yup’ik), Ty Defoe (Ojibwe/Oneida), Tony Duncan (Three Affiliated Tribes/San Carlos Apache), and Lori Pourier (Oglala Lakota). The Kennedy Center Next 50 program includes 50 leaders as well as organizations that are lighting the way forward, according to the Kennedy Center.
Nominees Announced For The Native American Music Awards
Native News Online, Pauly Denetclaw, January 25
Mohawk artist Julian Taylor felt excited but very anxious upon hearing about his Native American Music Award nominations for his 2020 album “The Ridge.” Taylor is nominated in five categories, Best Debut Artist, Best Country Recording, Best Male Vocalist, Best Folk Recording and Best Country Video. The award show has debuted 15 new categories for music videos. Another nominee is Darren Thompson, who also publishes at Native News Online. He is nominated for Best Flute Recording and is up against two people whose work he admires. This is Thompson’s second nomination for a Nammy as a flutist. In 2016, he was nominated for Flutist of the Year. He is Ojibwe and Tohono O’odham from Lac du Flambeau in northern Wisconsin. In the notable category, Artist of the Year, the nominees are Aaron White (Navajo/Ute), Connor Chee (Navajo), Fawn Wood (Cree and Salish ), Kakike Irv Lyons, Jr (Oneida), Jace Martin (Iroquois Mohawk), Kelly Derrickson (First Nations), R. Carlos Nakai (Dine/Ute), and Sten Joddi (Mvskoke Creek Nation of Oklahoma). In Best Group/Duo of the Year, the nominees are Blackbird (Cherokee/Dakota/Yaqui), Black Lodge Singers (Blackfeet), Crazy Flute (Cherokee), Eagle & Hawk Liberty (Ojibway), The GroovaLottos (Mashpee Wampanoag), The Ripcords (Onondaga Nation), Twin Flames (Inuit, Mohawk/Metis), and Young Spirit.
More Solar Coming To Navajo Nation
AP News, January 25
An Arizona utility has signed an agreement with the Navajo Nation to get solar power from a new facility on the reservation. The Salt River Project and the Navajo Nation already had partnered on two other solar facilities in Kayenta that serve 28,500 homes and businesses on the reservation. SRP and the tribe extended the agreement Thursday on the initial Kayenta project that was was set to expire. The entities also signed a power purchase agreement for a new facility in Cameron, a tribal community on the route to the east entrance of Grand Canyon National Park. Tribal lawmakers approved the lease for the Cameron Solar project last March. The solar plant is expected to produce 200 megawatts of energy for the Salt River Project. About 400 people will be employed during construction, and Navajos will be given preference for the jobs.
Cherokee Nation Reveals $1 Million Incentive To Bring More Film And TV Projects To The Boundaries Of The Cherokee Nation
Deadline, Valerie Complex, January 25
The Cherokee Nation Film Office has announced a $1 million incentive geared at enticing more film and television productions to shoot within the boundaries of Cherokee Nation. In doing so they aim to take advantage of the recent boom in film and television production in Oklahoma. The film office’s mission is to increase the presence of Native Americans in every level of the film and television industries, while creating opportunities for economic development and jobs in the Cherokee Nation. Applications for the new film incentive will open on March 1, 2022. With a yearly cap of $1 million, this incentive will offer a base 20% cash rebate on production costs rather than a tax rebate. In order to qualify, a production’s spending must take place within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation in Northeastern Oklahoma.
Alaska Native Historic Documents Gifted To University Library
Native News Online, Jenna Kunze, January 25
Historic documents from the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA)—a monumental land claim that ultimately set the stakes by which Alaska Natives live in terms of land allotment and shareholder corporations—were donated to a university library in Anorchage on Wednesday. The papers belonged to Ted Stevens, a former Republican US senator from Alaska who played a role in the settlement’s passage. The collection includes maps, photographs, official correspondence between the Senator and constituents on the impacts of the bill. Now, more than a decade after the Senator’s death in a plane crash, the non-profit foundation in his namesake is donating his ANCSA-related records to the University of Alaska Anchorage Consortium Library. The significance of the transfer, in the words of the foundation’s director Karina Waller, is to create a public Alaska leaders archive.
Cree Artist Who Painted 155 Hockey Sticks For World Juniors Tournament Hoping They’ll Be Used
APTN National News, Chris Stewart, January 25
At the request of Hockey Canada, artist Jason Carter was asked to paint hockey sticks that would be given out to each player of the game and dignitaries during the World Junior Hockey Championships being held in Red Deer and Edmonton, Alta. The sticks show a bear under the Northern Lights with mountains in the background. Carter, who is from Little Red River Cree Nation, says many of the 155 sticks were gifted at the tournament. But because of the spread of COVID-19, the popular Christmas time tournament that features teams from ten countries with players under the age of 20, was cancelled. Carter isn’t quite sure where the rest of the sticks are – only that Hockey Canada says they have them. He says organizers are hoping to hold the event in the summer where they’ll be used.