Good morning, NUNAverse:
NBC News reports that while COVID-19 cases involving fully vaccinated people have increased in recent weeks, experts say there is little reason to worryabout these so-called “breakthrough infections.” As the pandemic lingers and more transmissible variants of the virus circulate widely, it’s expected that the number of breakthrough infections will rise. Yet studies have shown that most cases in vaccinated people are mild — if a person develops symptoms at all — and research indicates that vaccines still provide strong protection, even against the known variants.
Following last week’s exhumation of nine Native youth who were buried at the former Carlisle Indian Industrial School for more than a century, Army officials said they are working with additional requests for disinterment. At least 173 children still remain buried at the Carlisle Barracks, according to records kept by the Carlisle Indian School Digital Research Center. Fourteen of those children are in headstones marked as “unknown,” though the Research Center, in partnership with efforts from the Cumberland Valley Historical Society, believes it has identified five of those children. Officials said that, in 2016, the Army notified all federally recognized tribes that it had Native children buried in its cemetery, and will be doing so again “to help specifically as (they) address the unknowns.” When asked if the Army will contact the primary next of kin of the interred children still buried at Carlisle, officials said the process can only work the other way around.
While the Portland Winterhawks recently changed their logo from a racist depiction of a Native man – the same logo used by Chicago’s hockey team – to a hawk, the Portland Mercury reports that no Native leaders were consulted or involved in the change discussions. The team’s current leadership said the logo change was rooted in a desire to create a new identity — but not because their past one was offensive. At the official unveiling of the new logo, no recognition was given to the Indigenous community that pressured the team to overhaul its.
The College of Health Institute for Indigenous Studies (IIS) has been awarded nearly $1.8 million from the American Cancer Society (ACS) to test the efficacy of a culturally tailored program aimed at reducing Native smokeless tobacco use. The project focuses on multi-tribal communities in urban locations that face disparities related to greater exposure to toxic chewing tobacco and high poverty rates, coupled with low access to care.
Keep reading for a full news update.
COVID-19:
What Breakthrough Infections Mean For The Covid Vaccines
NBC News, Denise Chow, July 22
A series of recent coronavirus infections among vaccinated athletes and government staffers has focused attention on an apparent rise in so-called breakthrough infections. But while cases involving fully vaccinated people have increased in recent weeks, experts say there’s little reason to worry.
Navajo Confident About Reopening Amid Delta Variant Spreading
Cronkite News, Rae Johnson, July 21
Cases of the delta variant are rising quickly in the U.S., but Navajo officials say they made the right decision earlier this month to reopen parts of the nation at 50% capacity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now estimates the fast-spreading delta variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is responsible for more than 83% of cases in the U.S, a sharp uptick from the 50% reported the first week of July. In a statement Sunday, the Navajo Department of Health reported 30 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend. Two new deaths were reported Saturday, bringing the total up to 1,366. There were six new cases reported as of Monday. Despite the new cases, Navajo President Jonathan Nez and health officials are confident about gradually opening the reservation to visitors.
Law:
Alaska Native Groups Sue Gov. Dunleavy Over Draining A Subsidized Power Fund
Native News Online, Jenna Kunze, July 21
On Monday, Alaska’s largest Native organization and several other groups sued state Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration over its move to drain a pool of money that subsidizes high rural energy prices for roughly 84,000 Alaskans in 194 communities. The so-called Power Cost Equalization Endowment Fund was created in 2000 “to equalize power cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) statewide at a cost close or equal to the mean of the cost per kWh in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau,” according to the Treasury Department. The rural communities it serves are largely diesel fuel reliant. The major plaintiff in the suit, the Alaska Federation of Natives, is the largest statewide Native organization. AFN’s membership includes 168 federally recognized tribes, 166 village corporations, eight regional corporations and 12 regional nonprofit and tribal consortiums.
Boarding Schools:
U.S. Army Says There Are ‘Several Requests’ From Families For Disinterment Of Children Buried At Carlisle
Native News Online, Jenna Kunze, July 21
Following last week’s exhumation of nine Rosebud Sioux youth who were buried at the former Carlisle Indian Industrial School for more than a century, Army officials said they are working with additional requests for disinterment. At least 173 children still remain buried at the Carlisle Barracks, according to records kept by the Carlisle Indian School Digital Research Center. Fourteen of those children are in headstones marked as “unknown,” though the Research Center, in partnership with efforts from the Cumberland Valley Historical Society, believes it has identified five of those children. Officials said that, in 2016, the Army notified all 574 federally recognized tribes that it had Native children buried in its cemetery, and will be doing so again “to help specifically as (they) address the unknowns.” When asked if the Army will contact the primary next of kin of the interred children still buried at Carlisle, officials said the process can only work the other way around.
Native Mascots:
Portland Native American Leaders Shut Out Of Winterhawks Logo Change Discussions
Portland Mercury, Alan Zielinski, July 20
The Winterhawks change comes amid a movement by a number of national sports teams to replace their racist names or logos in recent years. That intention is much less obvious with the Winterhawks’ makeover. The team’s current leadership said the logo change was rooted in a desire to create a new identity—but not because their past one was offensive. The way Winterhawks head coach Mike Johnston tells it, the change was simply meant to replace a logo that was borrowed from another team. At the official unveiling of the new logo, no recognition was given to the Indigenous community that pressured the team to overhaul its identity—let alone an apology to those hurt by its offensive legacy.
Other:
Remains Of Missing Turtle Mountain Band Of Chippewa Tribal Member Found In Lake Superior
Native News Online, Darren Thompson, July 21
On Monday, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) announced that a man’s remains were found in several five gallon buckets and a tote bag on the bottom of Lake Superior on July 15. His name is Richard “Ricky” Anthony Balsimo and he’s a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in North Dakota. The family says he was last seen in Minneapolis late June 19. Police say he was last seen in St. Paul on June 20. Suspicions began to arise by the family after several days of unresponsive text messages and phone calls to both Balsimo and a couple of known acquaintances. Ricky’s parents, Richard and Kim Balsimo, tried to file a missing person’s report to the St. Paul Police Department on June 29, but the police officer who took their statement said Ricky had an active warrant.
Ojibwe Basket Weaver Works To Save Tradition And The Environment
Indian Country Today, Mary Annette Pember, July 21
Stone, a citizen of the Bad River Band of Ojibwe, has been making baskets from the black ash tree, native to the northern U.S. and Canada, for more than 20 years. Black ash trees grow in cold, deep swamps and riverbanks like those surrounding Lake Superior on the Bad River Reservation. Although the smooth, durable bark has long been used by Native peoples to fashion baskets and other tools, Stone was surprised to find that there were no longer any basket makers in Bad River. Thus began her personal mission to learn as much as she could about the craft and the tree itself. Stone has traveled throughout the country visiting with Indigenous black ash basket makers and spent years researching the craft.
Texas Senate Passes Bill That Removes Requirement To Teach Ku Klux Klan As ‘Morally Wrong’
NBC News, Minyvonne Burke, July 21
The Texas Senate has voted to pass a bill that would remove a requirement for public school teachers to teach that the Ku Klux Klan is “morally wrong.”
New Project Aims To Reduce Smokeless Tobacco Use IN American Indian Communities
News Medical, Emily Henderson, July 21
The College of Health Institute for Indigenous Studies (IIS) has been awarded nearly $1.8 million from the American Cancer Society (ACS). The project will test the efficacy of a culturally tailored program aimed at reducing American Indian smokeless tobacco use.