Good Morning, NUNAverse,
In the packed Riverside Indian School gymnasium on Saturday, July 9, 2022, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) and Assistant Secretary of the Interior Bryan Newland (Bay Mills Indian Community) began the Road to Healing Tour. Haaland and Newland were joined by other Department of the Interior staff, numerous Oklahoma tribal officials, tribal community members, and several survivors of the Riverside Indian Boarding School. Haaland said she wants to use her position as Secretary of the Interior for the good to address the intergenerational impacts caused by the Indian boarding schools. Newland underscored the importance of the session as a means to garner information about experiences of the survivors of Indian boarding schools. Riverside Indian School remains open today and is operated by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). The school has a student body of about 800 Native students, some of whom are homeless or are in the foster care system. Surrounding the school are several tribes, such as the Wichita, Delaware. Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache tribes.
A federal judge in North Dakota has denied the state’s request to throw out a lawsuit brought by two tribes that allege the state’s new legislative map dilutes tribal members’ voting strength. The lawsuit filed in February by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and the Spirit Lake Tribe alleges that the state’s Republican-led Legislature’s new map violated the Voting Rights Act. U.S. District Judge Peter Welte’s ruling Thursday dismissed the state’s argument that the tribes lacked the standing to sue. Welte, who is based in Fargo, said the state’s argument was without merit and the tribes “do have standing to protect the voting rights of its members.” The Legislature approved the map in November. It separates the state House districts on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in northern North Dakota and the Fort Berthold reservation, which is home to the three affiliated tribes and in the west of the state. Turtle Mountain argues that the map “packs” tribal members into a single House district on its reservation while diluting their vote with non-native voters in the non-reservation subdistrict. Turtle Mountain and Fort Berthold were the only tribes of five that occupy reservations in the state that had the needed population to qualify under the Voting Rights Act for split House districts, which is about 8,450 people at present for each divided district.
The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe and the Rayonier timber company — which purchased the company from the family of the original colonizers — recently announced plans to sell 18.4 acres of land, the site of a former lumber mill that displaced the tribe from its home near Puget Sound, as a “conservation easement” where development would be restricted. The deal, announced in August 2021, was the latest in a series of land and rights purchases designed to return control of more land to the Port Gamble S’Klallam. In 2019, the tribe and Pope Resources — now owned by Rayonier — negotiated an agreement to purchase 937 acres of land adjacent to the north boundary of the tribe’s reservation on the east side of the Port Gamble inlet, on the narrow peninsula between Hood Canal and Puget Sound. That would increase the reservation’s size by over 50 percent. The deals are particularly significant because while many other resource-extraction companies have changed hands, the family that originally dispossessed the tribe of their land were still the majority shareholders of Pope Resources when negotiations began in 2013.
The first climate agreement focusing on Indigenous perspectives continues to gain international support after the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues urged its member states to adopt the agreement in its final report which was released last month. Known as the Escazú Agreement, the plan was a recurring topic throughout the permanent forum’s 21st session, and its side events, in April and May in New York City, in which government, tribal and community leaders discussed vital issues affecting Indigenous populations throughout the world. The permanent forum’s annual session is considered the world’s largest gathering of Indigenous leaders and the final report provides expert advice and recommendations on Indigenous issues to the UN system through the economic and social council. In 2000, the United Nations Economic and Social Council established the permanent forum to discuss Indigenous issues relating to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health, and human rights. The council is then expected to make recommendations to the UN General Assembly, member states and other agencies. It’s considered a vital instrument for disseminating information about Indigenous people on an international level.
Keep reading for a full news update.
Boarding Schools:
Interior Leaders Hear Poignant Testimonies At The Beginning Of The “Road To Healing” Tour At Oklahoma Indian Boarding School
Native News Online, Levi Rickert, July 8
In the packed Riverside Indian School gymnasium on Saturday, July 9, 2022, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) and Assistant Secretary of the Interior Bryan Newland (Bay Mills Indian Community) began the Road to Healing Tour. Haaland and Newland were joined by other Interior Department staff, numerous Oklahoma tribal officials, tribal community members, and several survivors of the Riverside Indian Boarding School. Haaland said she wants to use her position as Secretary of the Interior for the good to address the intergenerational impacts caused by the Indian boarding schools. Newland underscored the importance of the session as a means to garner information about experiences of the survivors of Indian boarding schools. Riverside Indian School remains open today and is operated by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). The school has a student body of about 800 Native students, some of whom are homeless or are in the foster care system. Surrounding the school are several tribes, such as the Wichita, Delaware. Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache tribes.
Tribal Elders Recall Painful Boarding School Memories
AP News, Sean Murphy, July 6
Tribal elders who were once students at government-backed Indian boarding schools testified Saturday about the hardships they endured, including beatings, whippings, sexual assaults, forced haircuts, and painful nicknames. They came from different states and different tribes, but they shared the common experience of having attended the schools that were designed to strip Indigenous people of their cultural identities. As the elders spoke, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), from New Mexico and the first Native cabinet secretary in U.S. history, listened quietly. The event at the Riverside Indian School, which still operates today but with a vastly different mission, was the first stop on a yearlong nationwide tour to hear about the painful experiences of Natives who were sent to the government-backed boarding schools. Haaland’s agency recently released a report that identified more than 400 of the schools, which sought to assimilate Native children into white society during a period that stretched from the late 18th century until the late 1960s.
Law:
Judge Refuses To Dismiss Tribes’ Lawsuit Over Redistricting
AP News, James MacPherson, July 6
A federal judge in North Dakota has denied the state’s request to throw out a lawsuit brought by two tribes that allege the state’s new legislative map dilutes tribal members’ voting strength. The lawsuit filed in February by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and the Spirit Lake Tribe alleges that the state’s Republican-led Legislature’s new map violated the Voting Rights Act. U.S. District Judge Peter Welte’s ruling Thursday dismissed the state’s argument that the tribes lacked the standing to sue. Welte, who is based in Fargo, said the state’s argument was without merit and the tribes “do have standing to protect the voting rights of its members.” The Legislature approved the map in November. It separates the state House districts on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in northern North Dakota and the Fort Berthold reservation, which is home to the three affiliated tribes and in the west of the state. Turtle Mountain argues that the map “packs” tribal members into a single House district on its reservation while diluting their vote with non-native voters in the non-reservation subdistrict. Turtle Mountain and Fort Berthold were the only tribes of five that occupy reservations in the state that had the needed population to qualify under the Voting Rights Act for split House districts, which is about 8,450 people at present for each divided district.
Sovereignty:
Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe And Rayonier Negotiate Historic Deals To Purchase Land Back
Native News Online, Lindsay Vansomeren, July 6
The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe and the Rayonier timber company — which purchased the company from the family of the original colonizers — recently announced plans to sell 18.4 acres of land, the site of a former lumber mill that displaced the tribe from its home near Puget Sound, as a “conservation easement” where development would be restricted. The deal, announced in August 2021, was the latest in a series of land and rights purchases designed to return control of more land to the Port Gamble S’Klallam. In 2019, the tribe and Pope Resources — now owned by Rayonier — negotiated an agreement to purchase 937 acres of land adjacent to the north boundary of the tribe’s reservation on the east side of the Port Gamble inlet, on the narrow peninsula between Hood Canal and Puget Sound. That would increase the reservation’s size by over 50 percent. The deals are particularly significant because while many other resource-extraction companies have changed hands, the family that originally dispossessed the tribe of their land were still the majority shareholders of Pope Resources when negotiations began in 2013.
Other:
First Climate Agreement To Center Indigenous Voices Gains International Support
Indian Country Today, Carina Dominguez, July 8
The first climate agreement focusing on Indigenous perspectives continues to gain international support after the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues urged its member states to adopt the agreement in its final report which was released last month. Known as the Escazú Agreement, the plan was a recurring topic throughout the permanent forum’s 21st session, and its side events, in April and May in New York City, in which government, tribal and community leaders discussed vital issues affecting Indigenous populations throughout the world. The permanent form’s annual session is considered the world’s largest gathering of Indigenous leaders and the final report provides expert advice and recommendations on Indigenous issues to the UN system through the economic and social council. In 2000, the United Nations Economic and Social Council established the permanent forum to discuss Indigenous issues relating to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health, and human rights. The council is then expected to make recommendations to the UN General Assembly, member states and other agencies. It’s considered a vital instrument for disseminating information about Indigenous people on an international level.
AFN Chiefs Vote To End Suspension of National Chief, Pass Financial Review
Native News Online, Andrew Kennard, July 6
Delegates of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) voted against continuing the suspension of National Chief RoseAnne Archibald and to heed her calls for an investigation. The AFN is a national advocacy organization that represents First Nations across Canada. On June 17, the AFN’s executive committee and national board of directors voted to suspend Archibald with pay, pending an investigation into four complaints against her. In a statement Tuesday, the AFN asked Archibald to stop making any actions or statements “that amount to serious breaches of the confidentiality and privacy of AFN employees, service providers and others, including making broad allegations of misconduct.” The AFN said Friday that the First Nations-in-Assembly reaffirmed their support for Archibald. CBC News reported Tuesday that the assembly voted down a resolution to continue Archibald’s suspension, and Global News reported Thursday that they passed a resolution to review the AFN’s financial policies.
Navajo Ultramarathon Runner Looks To Earn A New Belt Buckle In Death Valley
Native News Online, Ben Pryor, July 8
The self-described “world’s toughest foot race,” the Badwater 135 Ultramarathon, begins Monday, July 11 in the Badwater Basin of California’s Death Valley. Eli Neztsosie (Navajo) is the lone Native runner in the race. The extreme heat of Badwater is what makes this race uniquely intimidating. Temperatures on race day are expected to reach 119F, while pavement temperatures are known to reach 200F. Stories circulate as to the severity of the pavement, including tales of the soles of the runner’s shoes melting. A few years ago, Death Valley recorded the hottest temperature on earth – an infernal 130F. Due to the extreme risks, the race has strict qualifying standards for entry. Runners representing 23 countries will participate in this year’s race. Runners who complete the course within the 48-hour time limit earn the coveted silver belt buckle. Badwater is one of the world’s most challenging and extreme sporting events, covering 135 miles from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney.
Cherokee Nation Temporarily Expands Clothing Assistance For All Cherokee Children Regardless Of Age, Residency, Or Income
Indian Country Today, July 8
The Cherokee Nation is providing $150 in clothing assistance for every qualifying Cherokee child regardless of age, residency, or income, with applications accepted now through 5 p.m. on Friday, July 29 – find application here. This marks the first time the program has been available to children under the age of 5 and not enrolled in school. The Cherokee Nation clothing assistance program was established to assist Cherokee families in purchasing new clothes for children ahead of the upcoming academic year. This year’s clothing assistance program makes the third consecutive year the tribe has provided funds regardless of income or residency.
Teachers Gather For Annual ND Indian Education Summit
AP News, July 8
Dozens of teachers from around North Dakota are getting a cultural education from the state’s tribes. More than 250 educators are attending the North Dakota Indian Education Summit Thursday and Friday at the Capitol in Bismarck where they are participating in breakout sessions and taking in cultural presentations, such as Native dancing in traditional regalia. Some of the breakout sessions include teaching Indigenous culture successfully in today’s schools and implementing Native topics into schools’ curriculum. One of the summit’s objectives is to unify the education system in North Dakota to bring different cultures together, organizers said.
Taika Waititi Takes A Hammer To Thor In ‘Love & Thunder’
Associated Press, Jake Coyle, July 8
To a large degree, modern blockbuster moviemaking has depended on the appeasement of fans to keep franchise juggernauts smoothly humming. But in making “Thor: Love and Thunder,” Taika Waititi (Māori) had no interest in that. He approached the film from the opposite direction. What would actually make fans angry? “I wanted to show him in a light that most Thor fans wouldn’t really want if you were to tell them,” Waititi says. “If you were to say them: ‘Yeah, I’m going to make Thor in love,’ it’s probably the last thing that a Thor fan really wants to hear.” “Thor: Love and Thunder,” which opened last week on Thursday, is Marvel’s fourth Thor movie and Waititi’s second after the 2017 smash success “Thor Ragnarok.” That film, a hit with fans and critics, reinvented Chris Hemsworth’s god of thunder and introduced a looser, idiosyncratic tone to Marvel’s most monolithic hero. But if “Ragnarok” was Waititi’s version of a Marvel movie, “Love and Thunder” might simply be a Taika Waititi movie, without equivocation. Of the 29 films thus far in the Marvel cinematic universe, none may be so distinctively the work of its filmmaker.