Good Morning NUNAverse,
On Thursday October 14, nearly 50 people, mostly Indigenous, occupied the Department of Interior building in Washington, D.C. as part of a weeklong series of demonstrations demanding the current administration declare a climate emergency and stop approving fossil fuel projects. Native News Online reported that the People vs. Fossil Fuels event started on Monday, Indigenous Peoples Day, where more than 130 people were arrested for protesting outside the White House and “Expect Us” was spray-painted on the statue of Andrew Jackson. On Tuesday, two people climbed the flagpole at the Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division Office in Washington, D.C., and replaced the American flag with a flag that read: “Consultation is not Consent.”
Last Monday, tribes across Indian Country commemorated Indigenous Peoples’ Day from Alcatraz Island to New York City and throughout hundreds of tribal communities in between. The commemorations and celebrations featured singing, dancing and speeches laced with truths recognizing the struggles Indigenous people face today. The next day, Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). On Fox News Primetime, hosts Rachel Campos-Duffy and Jesse Watters devoted a segment of their program to call out the Vice President for saying America should reckon with its shameful past. Campos-Duffy was joined by her husband, former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy, Fox News contributor, to defend Christopher Columbus.
An advisory board on political redistricting is scheduled Friday to decide on its recommendations for realigning the boundaries of U.S. House and state legislative seats across New Mexico. Recommendations of the Citizens Redistricting Committee are a nonbinding reference point for the Legislature as it enters the once-a-decade process of drawing new political boundaries. New Mexico’s Democratic-led Legislature plans to convene in December to redraw boundaries for the state’s three congressional districts, 112 legislative seats and a commission that oversees public charter schools. A coalition of 19 Native communities have submitted a detailed redistricting proposal. The Navajo Nation has endorsed separate maps.
While Los Angeles County recently celebrated the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the day remains Columbus Day as a federal holiday, Jissel Vasquez, an eighth-grade student at George Washington Carver Middle School, wore a sign that read, “He is no hero” to school, denouncing Christopher Columbus in honor of her family’s Native heritage. Vasquez said the fact that she made her own statement on campus felt good, and while it was well received, she’s hoping more people may join her.
Keep reading for a full news update.
Politics:
Beyond Blunt Truths About Columbus Day, Biden Presses For Real Progress For Indigenous People
The Washington Post, Joe Davidson, October 15
President Biden made history this month as the first president to commemorate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, but it was his observance about Christopher Columbus that was notable for its blunt truths. Dual presidential proclamations marked Monday, traditionally only Columbus Day, as opposite sides of the same historical coin. One recalled Columbus getting lost while seeking Asia, landing instead in the Bahamas in 1492. Monday also was the call to order for the 78th National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) convention. The virtual gathering drew a bevy of Biden officials before ending Thursday. The Biden administration pushed its efforts to meet its promise of “equality and opportunity for all people” real by sending a slew of top policymakers to address the convention. The headliner was Vice President Harris, who was followed by five Cabinet secretaries and other top appointees, an impressive exhibition of alliance that activists want backed by action.
Deadline Arrives For Redistricting Advice In New Mexico
AP News, Morgan Lee, October 15
An advisory board on political redistricting is scheduled Friday to decide on its recommendations for realigning the boundaries of U.S. House and state legislative seats across New Mexico. Recommendations of the Citizens Redistricting Committee are a nonbinding reference point for the Legislature as it enters the once-a-decade process of drawing new political boundaries. New Mexico’s Democratic-led Legislature plans to convene in December to redraw boundaries for the state’s three congressional districts, 112 legislative seats and a commission that oversees public charter schools. A coalition of 19 Native American communities have submitted a detailed redistricting proposal. The Navajo Nation has endorsed separate maps.
MMIW:
‘They Just Didn’t Care’: Families Of Missing Native Women Call Out Indifferent Police
The Guardian, Hallie Golden, October 15
There has long been a devastating epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in the US. Yet too often their cases receive little to no news media attention and their families can face doubts and delays from law enforcement agencies. Kerri Colfer, who is Tlingit and the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center’s senior native affairs adviser, said she had noticed many instances where law enforcement officers have victim-blamed Native women and been slow to investigate or declare them missing. In 2018, the Urban Indian Health Institute released a report documenting hundreds of cases of missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls across 71 US cities. More than 150 of the cases they found were not included in law enforcement records. Its authors determined that more than 95% of the cases in the report had not received coverage by a national or international news agencies.
Native Mascots & Representation:
Fox News Attacks Native Americans After Vice President Harris Calls On Americans To Reckon With Its Shameful Past
Native News Online, Levi Rickert, October 17
On Monday, tribes across Indian Country commemorated Indigenous Peoples’ Day from Alcatraz Island to New York City and throughout hundreds of tribal communities in between. The commemorations and celebrations featured singing, dancing and speeches laced with truths recognizing the struggles Indigenous people face today. The next day, Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black, Asian and woman vice president of the United States, addressed the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). On Fox News Primetime, hosts Rachel Campos-Duffy and Jesse Watters devoted a segment of their program to call out the vice president for saying America should reckon with its shameful past. Campos-Duffy was joined by her husband, former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy (R), Fox News contributor, to defend the lost voyager. Soon their defense of Columbus turned into an attack Native Americans.
LAUSD 8th Grader Wears Sign denouncing Christopher Columbus to School on Indigenous Peoples’ Day
ABC7, October 16
Los Angeles County celebrated the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, replacing Columbus Day, though the day remains a federal holiday. A middle school student in south L.A. made a powerful statement about why that should end.
Other:
Bureau Of Indian Affairs Headquarters Occupied
Native News Online, Darren Thompson, October 15
On Thursday October 14, nearly 50 people, mostly Indigenous, occupied the Department of Interior building in Washington, D.C. as part of a weeklong series of demonstrations demanding the current administration declare a climate emergency and stop approving fossil fuel projects. Native News Online reported that the People vs. Fossil Fuels event started on Monday, Indigenous Peoples Day, where more than 130 people were arrested for protesting outside the White House and “Expect Us” was spray-painted on the statue of Andrew Jackson. On Tuesday, two people climbed the flagpole at the Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division Office in Washington, D.C., and replaced the American flag with a flag that read: “Consultation is not Consent.”
Cherokee Nation Opening Doors To Film And Television
Native News Online, Chuck Hoskin Jr., October 17
Not very long ago, Native Americans were hard to find in the film industry. Even when a Native character appeared on screen, they were often portrayed by actors who did not come from Native communities. With some notable exceptions, Native writers, directors and other creative talent were even more rare. Stories were told about us, but they weren’t our stories. Thankfully, this is now changing, and the change also brings great economic opportunities for Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation. With a wealth of cultural heritage, talented workforce and diverse locations, Oklahoma is quickly becoming one of the most desirable states for the film and television industry. As the industry continues to bloom, Cherokee Nation will remain at the forefront of the sector’s growth. We are opening doors to make it possible for Oklahomans to train and work locally while pursuing their dreams in all types of positions, including screenwriting, filmmaking, on-screen talent, behind-the-scenes crew, production and much more.
Colleges Collaborate To Preserve Tribal Language, Culture
AP News, October 17
The tribal college on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks are working together on a project to digitally preserve Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara language and culture. The schools will use a $500,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to fund the initiative, which includes a separate effort to boost the study of American Indian history in the Dakotas. Faculty and students at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College in New Town will conduct oral interviews with Three Affiliated Tribes elders and then inventory, preserve and digitize what officials say is “critically endangered” language resources and other at-risk traditional knowledge. The UND team will help with the digital collection.
First Native Person To Cross Boston Marathon Finish Line
Indian Country Today, Aliyah Chavez, October 16
A 25-year-old Hopi running phenom continues the legacy of Native runners showing up on big stages. Kyle Sumatzkuku, Hopi, ran alongside some of the world’s best runners and was the first Native person to cross the finish line at the 125th Boston Marathon on Monday. Sumatzkuku ran 26.2 miles with an impressive finishing time of 2 hours, 26 minutes and 17 seconds. His average time per mile was 5 minutes and 35 seconds per mile. To put that into perspective, the first place finisher overall was Benson Kipruno from Kenya. His pace was 4 minutes and 58 seconds per mile. The Boston Marathon, which is one of the world’s six major marathons, was held unintentionally on Indigenous Peoples’ Day. To his surprise, Sumatzkuku says this occasion gave him strength. On race day, Sumatzkuku says he needed to catch a bus then walk approximately a mile to get to the starting line.
Montana State University Dedicates American Indian Hall
AP News, October 16
Montana State University celebrated the grand opening of its American Indian Hall over the weekend, saying it will serve as a bridge between Native American culture and all other cultures on campus. The event Saturday began with a procession from the current American Indian Center — just over 1,000 square feet (93 square meters) in the basement of Wilson Hall — to the new $20 million, 31,000-square-foot (2,880 square meter) building. The procession was led by a Native American honor guard followed by flag bearers with the state flag and flags from Montana’s tribal nations, along with tribal dancers. The building will house the university’s Department of Native American Studies and a working space for the Senior Diversity and Inclusion officer. Classes will start there in January.
West Nile Mitigation Keeps Yuma County, Cocopah Reservation Free Of Virus
Cronkite News, Christian Serrano, October 15
With Arizona’s healthy monsoon and an explosion of mosquito-borne West Nile virus cases, Yuma County has partnered with the Cocopah Indian Tribe south of Yuma to create an effective shield against the disease. For the first time, Yuma County’s Pest Abatement District provided training and supplies to the reservation for mosquito surveillance and mitigation. That allowed the tribe the flexibility to react to rising cases in real time and use a variety of methods to prevent infections. Their timing turned out to be fortunate. So far, the county has had zero cases in a year when parts of the state are seeing record infections, thanks to ample summer storms. Maricopa County alone has reported 182 cases as of mid-October, compared with just a few last year. Deaths statewide so far have reached 24, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
MIT Grapples With Early Leader’s Stance On Native Americans
AP News, Philip Marcelo, October 15
As the third president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Francis Amasa Walker helped usher the school into national prominence in the late 1800s. But another part of his legacy has received renewed attention amid the nation’s reckoning with racial justice: his role in shaping the nation’s hardline policies toward Native Americans as a former head of the U.S. office of Indian Affairs and author of “The Indian Question,” a treatise that justified forcibly removing tribes from their lands and confining them to remote reservations. MIT is now grappling with calls from Native American students and others to strip Walker’s name from a campus building that is central to student life — part of a broader push for the nation’s higher education institutions to atone for the role they played in the decimation of Native American tribes.
Indigenous Mapping Workshop Encourages Sovereignty Through Cartography
Native News Online, Jenna Kunze, October 15
DeRoy—a sundance chief and a cartographer by trade—co-founded a consulting group that provides research and training to Indigenous communities across Canada and beyond. In 2014, part of that training centered on mapping when he launched the first annual Indigenous Mapping Workshop to empower community members by teaching them how to use geospatial technology to help visualize their space and place. From November 1-5, the Indigenous Mapping Workshop will host its seventh workshop virtually. Participants will learn technical skills, listen to speakers, and hear from panelists about applying skills in the field. In the past, workshop participants have mapped out climate shifts, traditional hunting grounds, connections to historic places on the land, and languages.
A Call To Preserve Navajo Language Leads Two Sports Broadcasters On Historic Path
Cronkite News, Hannah Bronkema, October 14
There is no literal translation of the word “touchdown” in Diné, but that hardly mattered. History was made in the “Land of Enchantment” in September as two men from the Navajo Nation broadcast a college football game in their native language. Known as the “Rio Grande Rivalry,” the Division I game between the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University marked a pivotal juncture with the sport and the way it is called over the radio. While Cuyler Frank and Glenn King reveled in their historic moment, the road following the momentous occasion matters the most to the Navajo Nation duo, with a desire to preserve their native language at the epicenter of what they do.