Podcasts about indian affairs

To Support The Show:  Patreon.com/islandsofcoherence Subscribe, Like, Comment, and Hit the Bell for Notifications on YouTube Follow us on Instagram (@islands.of.coherence) and Tik Tok (@islandsofcoherence) Joining us this week for the show is member of the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation of South Dakota, Tiokasin Ghosthorse. In this conversation we explore the nature of language in how it shapes our ability to relate with ourselves and the world. From that foundation we take a look at solutions to the interlocking crises of the present day.  Tiokasin Ghosthorse is a member of the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation of South Dakota, an educator, musician, and internationally recognized speaker on peace and Indigenous issues. He is the founder, host, and executive producer of First Voices Radio, a program he started in 1993 that is now syndicated to over 120 public, community, and commercial radio stations across the US and Canada. A survivor of Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding schools, he has spent decades speaking on Indigenous cosmology, language, and humanity's relationship with the Earth — work that led to a 2016 Nobel Peace Prize nomination from the International Institute of Peace Studies and Global Philosophy. He's also a master musician who performs the traditional Lakota cedar flute worldwide, and has been featured at venues including the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, Lincoln Center, and the United Nations. Show Topics - How Humans Forgot Their Connection to the Planet - Lakota Language as a Living Language - English's Blind Spots - Is There a Greater Purpose for this Disconnection? - Decentering Humans - Recognizing Beauty and the Music of All Things - The Energetic Signature of Cities - Colonization Mindset - Reconnecting with Natural Languages - Grandmother's Songs - Intuition, Gratitude, and Ceremony

House Committee on Natural Resources Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 10:15 AM Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittees Oversight and Investigations, and Indian and Insular Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country.” Witnesses Panel one Mr. Charles Addington Principal Director, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC, on behalf of The Hon. Doug Burgum Mr. OJ Semans Sr. Executive Director, Coalition of Large Tribes, Mission, SD Ms. Abigail Echo-Hawk Executive Vice President, Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, WA Dr. Grace Bulltail Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI Dr. David Mittelman Chief Executive Officer, Othram Inc., The Woodlands, TX https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418895 https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=119433

House Committee on Natural Resources Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 10:15 AM Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittees Oversight and Investigations, and Indian and Insular Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country.” Witnesses Panel one Mr. Charles Addington Principal Director, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC, on behalf of The Hon. Doug Burgum Mr. OJ Semans Sr. Executive Director, Coalition of Large Tribes, Mission, SD Ms. Abigail Echo-Hawk Executive Vice President, Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, WA Dr. Grace Bulltail Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI Dr. David Mittelman Chief Executive Officer, Othram Inc., The Woodlands, TX https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418895 https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=119433

House Committee on Natural Resources Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 10:15 AM Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittees Oversight and Investigations, and Indian and Insular Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country.” Witnesses Panel one Mr. Charles Addington Principal Director, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC, on behalf of The Hon. Doug Burgum Mr. OJ Semans Sr. Executive Director, Coalition of Large Tribes, Mission, SD Ms. Abigail Echo-Hawk Executive Vice President, Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, WA Dr. Grace Bulltail Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI Dr. David Mittelman Chief Executive Officer, Othram Inc., The Woodlands, TX https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418895 https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=119433

House Committee on Natural Resources Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 10:15 AM Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittees Oversight and Investigations, and Indian and Insular Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country.” Witnesses Panel one Mr. Charles Addington Principal Director, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC, on behalf of The Hon. Doug Burgum Mr. OJ Semans Sr. Executive Director, Coalition of Large Tribes, Mission, SD Ms. Abigail Echo-Hawk Executive Vice President, Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, WA Dr. Grace Bulltail Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI Dr. David Mittelman Chief Executive Officer, Othram Inc., The Woodlands, TX https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418895 https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=119433

House Committee on Natural Resources Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 10:15 AM Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittees Oversight and Investigations, and Indian and Insular Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country.” Witnesses Panel one Mr. Charles Addington Principal Director, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC, on behalf of The Hon. Doug Burgum Mr. OJ Semans Sr. Executive Director, Coalition of Large Tribes, Mission, SD Ms. Abigail Echo-Hawk Executive Vice President, Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, WA Dr. Grace Bulltail Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI Dr. David Mittelman Chief Executive Officer, Othram Inc., The Woodlands, TX https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418895 https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=119433

House Committee on Natural Resources Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 10:15 AM Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittees Oversight and Investigations, and Indian and Insular Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country.” Witnesses Panel one Mr. Charles Addington Principal Director, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC, on behalf of The Hon. Doug Burgum Mr. OJ Semans Sr. Executive Director, Coalition of Large Tribes, Mission, SD Ms. Abigail Echo-Hawk Executive Vice President, Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, WA Dr. Grace Bulltail Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI Dr. David Mittelman Chief Executive Officer, Othram Inc., The Woodlands, TX https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418895 https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=119433

House Committee on Natural Resources Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 10:15 AM Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittees Oversight and Investigations, and Indian and Insular Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country.” Witnesses Panel one Mr. Charles Addington Principal Director, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC, on behalf of The Hon. Doug Burgum Mr. OJ Semans Sr. Executive Director, Coalition of Large Tribes, Mission, SD Ms. Abigail Echo-Hawk Executive Vice President, Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, WA Dr. Grace Bulltail Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI Dr. David Mittelman Chief Executive Officer, Othram Inc., The Woodlands, TX https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418895 https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=119433

House Committee on Natural Resources Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 10:15 AM Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittees Oversight and Investigations, and Indian and Insular Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country.” Witnesses Panel one Mr. Charles Addington Principal Director, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC, on behalf of The Hon. Doug Burgum Mr. OJ Semans Sr. Executive Director, Coalition of Large Tribes, Mission, SD Ms. Abigail Echo-Hawk Executive Vice President, Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, WA Dr. Grace Bulltail Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI Dr. David Mittelman Chief Executive Officer, Othram Inc., The Woodlands, TX https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418895 https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=119433

House Committee on Natural Resources Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 10:15 AM Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittees Oversight and Investigations, and Indian and Insular Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country.” Witnesses Panel one Mr. Charles Addington Principal Director, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC, on behalf of The Hon. Doug Burgum Mr. OJ Semans Sr. Executive Director, Coalition of Large Tribes, Mission, SD Ms. Abigail Echo-Hawk Executive Vice President, Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, WA Dr. Grace Bulltail Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI Dr. David Mittelman Chief Executive Officer, Othram Inc., The Woodlands, TX https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418895 https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=119433

House Committee on Natural Resources Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 10:15 AM Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittees Oversight and Investigations, and Indian and Insular Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country.” Witnesses Panel one Mr. Charles Addington Principal Director, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC, on behalf of The Hon. Doug Burgum Mr. OJ Semans Sr. Executive Director, Coalition of Large Tribes, Mission, SD Ms. Abigail Echo-Hawk Executive Vice President, Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, WA Dr. Grace Bulltail Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI Dr. David Mittelman Chief Executive Officer, Othram Inc., The Woodlands, TX https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418895 https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=119433

Tribal fishing access sites along the Columbia River will be getting needed upgrades and repairs, based on the findings of a new federal report, as Isobel Charle reports. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found some infrastructure at 31 fishing access sites along the river – including docks and fish cleaning stations – is breaking down. Laurie Jordan is with the Columbia River Inter Tribal Fish Commission, which works with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to maintain the sites. She says they are known as jewels of Tribal sovereignty that are still shimmering along the sprawling waterway “I just can’t stress how fundamental the ability to maintain access to the river and to exercise the fishing right is to the member Tribes of our commission. The treaty rights are a property right. It was taken, and you gotta compensate for that.” The fishing access locations were built by the federal government after 1930s dam construction flooded traditional fishing areas. Under their treaties, four Columbia River Tribes retain fishing rights. Jordan says the Tribes look forward to improvements, including restroom repairs, additions, and updates to water systems. Anna Maria Ortiz is with the GAO. She says the report also looked at why the repairs have been delayed for so long. “If BIA could be more effective in terms of its internal communications, the way it maintains data, and its funding formula, it would have a better chance at improving the safety and sanitation of these sites.” Jordan adds with all the steps to secure funding, design the changes, permits and construction, it will likely take a couple years before the repairs and updates are done. The damaged Hopi headdress (kopatsoki) from the Desert View Watchtower at Grand Canyon National Park. (Courtesy National Park Service) Grand Canyon National Park rangers are still seeking the public's help identifying a tourist who damaged a tribal artifact last month while trying to photograph it. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more on the broken piece and its famed artist. According to witnesses, a white man – believed to be in his 60s or 70s – fell while standing atop furniture inside the Desert View Watchtower. Staff rendered first aid to the man, who left before law enforcement was dispatched. The colorful, hand-carved wooden crown worn during Butterfly Dance ceremonies was fashioned years ago by the late Fred Kabotie. Kelley Hayes-Gilpin is with the Museum of Northern Arizona. “If people have heard of one Hopi artist, it'll be Fred Kabotie.” Kabotie worked alongside architect Mary Coulter to depict Kiva murals inside the South Rim watchtower. Meg Kabotie is one of his granddaughters. “I remember one of the stories. There was like a certain color of blue that she was trying to get. He kept having to go up and down the ladder and it still wasn't the right color and he finally slashed open the whole tube of paint – just kind of a renaissance man.” The damaged headdress is being evaluated to see whether repairs can be made. “It's hard to see people not caring about beautiful pieces of artwork or artifacts or things that are very sacred and special, and just kind of being dumb tourists.” The oil painting “Washington the Soldier” by Jacques Auguste Regnier depicts the battle. (Courtesy Library of Congress) On this day in 1755 at the Battle of the Monongahela, French forces and their Indigenous allies defeated a British army led by Edward Braddock. Warriors from several Indigenous nations, including members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy on different sides of the conflict, played a major role in the outcome. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Thursday, July 9, 2026 – Native programs aimed at cultivating responsible tourism

Eileen shares a novel featuring two conflicted Bureau of Indian Affairs agents one hundred years apart.

WHEN THE RADIO WENT SILENT: A Life on the Road Between Duty and Home by JAMES S. Wynecoop https://www.amazon.com/WHEN-RADIO-WENT-SILENT-Between/dp/1291853561 When the radio went silent, the job doesn’t become quieter. It becomes personal. Every badge covers a human heart that holds memories no one dise can see. Calls that end in nightmares Faces of victims that haunt your sleep, Critical decisions that weigh on your conscience long after your shift is over. In small towns, those victims could be your neighbors. Your friends. Family. And knowing that fact never really gets oasion. When the Radio went Silent is not about heroism. It is about survival, Surviving the weight of life and death decisions that you carry home with you each day. Learning to embrace silence as both a blessing and a punishment. Realizing the invisible price of public service on cops, their families, and their communities. And finding quiet desperation in the momarits when you need help the most. In raw, compassionate, and hard-learned detail, When the Radio went Silent tells you what it’s really like to wear the badge. Not only for police and first responders, but for anyone who’s ever shouldered great responsibility. buried a heavy secret, or struggled to find purpose after everything went quiet. Because when the radio went silent, your job is often just beginning. About the author Biography — James S. Wynecoop James S. Wynecoop began his public safety career in 1975 at the age of nineteen, becoming one of the youngest Tribal Police Officers on the Spokane Reservation. Those early years laid the foundation for a lifetime of service rooted in community, responsibility, and cultural heritage. In 1985, Wynecoop traveled north to Alaska's North Slope, where he served as a Security Officer, Firefighter, and EMT in one of the most remote environments in the United States. Building on his experience, he founded Argus Security, a company that grew rapidly under his leadership—employing more than 500 security officers before being acquired in 1989. Returning to law enforcement in 1990, Wynecoop accepted the position of Police Captain for the community of La Push, Washington. He later continued his federal service as a Police Officer with the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, serving the North Idaho District and the Nez Perce Reservation until the position was eliminated by a reduction in force. In 1999, Wynecoop joined the Kalispel Tribe of Indians to establish security operations for the Tribe's new casino. His leadership and vision propelled him into broader responsibility, and he was soon promoted to Executive Director of Public Safety. In this role, he oversaw the Police Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Medical Services, helping guide the growth of the Tribal community's modern public safety system. After more than four decades in policing, security, fire, and emergency services, James S. Wynecoop retired in 2022—leaving behind a legacy of leadership, service, and commitment to Tribal communities across the Northwest and Alaska.

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Legislative Hearing to receive testimony on several bills Date: June 3, 2026 Time: 2:00 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Agenda: S. 630, Quapaw Tribal Settlement Act of 2025 (Mullin) S. 1514/H.R.2389 Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act (Cantwell/Randall) S. 2796, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act (Padilla) S. 2871/H.R. 2400, Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025 (Padilla/LaMalfa) S. 3219, Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025 (Heinrich) S. 3475/H.R. 2916, a bill to authorize, ratify, and confirm the Agreement of Settlement and Compromise to Resolve the Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim in the State of New York, and for other purposes (Gillibrand/Stefanik) Witnesses Panel 1 Mr. Bryan Mercier Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. Mr. John Crockett Deputy Chief, Forest Service Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. Committee Notice: https://www.indian.senate.gov/hearings/legislative-hearing-to-receive-testimony-on-several-bills/

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing to “Examine the President's Budget Requests for Fiscal Year 2027 for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service” Date: May 20, 2026 Time: 2:30 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Witness List: The Honorable William “Billy” Kirkland Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. Mr. Clayton Fulton Chief of Staff Indian Health Service Department of Health and Human Services Washington, D.C Accompanied by Ms. Jillian Curtis, Director, Office of Finance and Accounting, Indian Health Service More on Indianz.Com: https://indianz.com/News/2026/05/20/senate-committee-on-indian-affairs-holds-business-meeting-and-budget-hearing/

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing to “Examine the President's Budget Requests for Fiscal Year 2027 for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service” Date: May 20, 2026 Time: 2:30 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Witness List: The Honorable William “Billy” Kirkland Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. Mr. Clayton Fulton Chief of Staff Indian Health Service Department of Health and Human Services Washington, D.C Accompanied by Ms. Jillian Curtis, Director, Office of Finance and Accounting, Indian Health Service More on Indianz.Com: https://indianz.com/News/2026/05/20/senate-committee-on-indian-affairs-holds-business-meeting-and-budget-hearing/

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing to “Examine the President's Budget Requests for Fiscal Year 2027 for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service” Date: May 20, 2026 Time: 2:30 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Witness List: The Honorable William “Billy” Kirkland Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. Mr. Clayton Fulton Chief of Staff Indian Health Service Department of Health and Human Services Washington, D.C Accompanied by Ms. Jillian Curtis, Director, Office of Finance and Accounting, Indian Health Service More on Indianz.Com: https://indianz.com/News/2026/05/20/senate-committee-on-indian-affairs-holds-business-meeting-and-budget-hearing/

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing to “Examine the President's Budget Requests for Fiscal Year 2027 for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service” Date: May 20, 2026 Time: 2:30 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Witness List: The Honorable William “Billy” Kirkland Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. Mr. Clayton Fulton Chief of Staff Indian Health Service Department of Health and Human Services Washington, D.C Accompanied by Ms. Jillian Curtis, Director, Office of Finance and Accounting, Indian Health Service More on Indianz.Com: https://indianz.com/News/2026/05/20/senate-committee-on-indian-affairs-holds-business-meeting-and-budget-hearing/

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing to “Examine the President's Budget Requests for Fiscal Year 2027 for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service” Date: May 20, 2026 Time: 2:30 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Witness List: The Honorable William “Billy” Kirkland Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. Mr. Clayton Fulton Chief of Staff Indian Health Service Department of Health and Human Services Washington, D.C Accompanied by Ms. Jillian Curtis, Director, Office of Finance and Accounting, Indian Health Service More on Indianz.Com: https://indianz.com/News/2026/05/20/senate-committee-on-indian-affairs-holds-business-meeting-and-budget-hearing/

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Business Meeting to consider several bills Date: May 20, 2026 Time: 2:30 PM Location: Dirksen Room: 628 Agenda: S.236, To amend the Act of August 9, 1955 (commonly known as the “Long-Term Leasing Act”), to authorize leases of up to 99 years for land in the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation and land held in trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), and for other purposes. A hearing on the bill took place on December 17, 2025. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,083 acres in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe in Washington state. A hearing took place on December 17, 2025. S.2098, the Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025. transfers land from the Indian Health Service to the Southcentral Foundation to provide health services for the Native community in Anchorage, Alaska. Similar bills have been enacted into law for other tribal health providers in Alaska. A hearing took place on February 4. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act. The bill places about 265 acres in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians in California. A hearing took place on December 17, 2025. H.R.681, To amend the Act of August 9, 1955 (commonly known as the “Long-Term Leasing Act”), to authorize leases of up to 99 years for land in the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation and land held in trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), and for other purposes. H.R.2302, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act H.R.2388, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act H.R.3620, the Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025 More on Indianz.Com: https://indianz.com/News/2026/05/20/senate-committee-on-indian-affairs-holds-business-meeting-and-budget-hearing/

The University of Arizona recognized Friday roughly 70 Native American graduates with a special celebration. As KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, an Indigenous actor was the event's keynote speaker. Dallas Goldtooth (Diné and Mdewakanton Dakota) is arguably best known for his role in the Peabody Award-winning FX series, “Reservation Dogs”. Goldtooth plays a comedic spiritual guide to a teen living in an Oklahoma rez town. He co-founded the 1491s, an all-Native sketch comedy group that uses humor as a way to tackle stereotypes of Indigenous people and complex social issues. Native Americans make up about 4% of the university's student body. Ice is seen held in place on the Kuskokwim River downriver from Aniak on May 8, 2026. (Photo: Samantha Watson / KYUK) The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs says it is distributing $20 million in emergency funding to more than a dozen Alaska Native communities in response to shortages of essential supplies and urgent infrastructure needs. As KYUK's Evan Erickson reports, the lion's share of the funding, $16 million, is going to the Kuskokwim Delta coastal village of Chefornak to address the impacts of severe erosion, permafrost thaw, and failing infrastructure. According to a press release, the funds are intended to restore damaged wetlands, address unsafe structures, relocate at-risk homes, and reconstruct the community's barge landing. Chefornak and 15 other communities spread across a vast swath of the state will also receive a portion of an additional $4 million that the federal government is using to purchase thousands of gallons of heating fuel, along with potable water supplies, and firewood. The press release says delayed spring barge deliveries, restricted water systems, and extreme winter conditions led to supply shortages in the communities receiving assistance. The announcement comes after Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Billy Kirkland was in Alaska to meet with tribal leaders. Kirkland appeared alongside U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in Anchorage and Bethel as part of hearings of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on federal disaster support and the question of climate-driven village relocation. Students learn about Mark 3 pumps as part of their field day during spring training. (Courtesy Alaska DNR Division of Forestry and Fire Protection / Facebook) Alaska Native organizations and wildfire officials are preparing for another challenging fire season as communities face growing climate-related threats. Officials say dry spring conditions and warming temperatures are increasing wildfire risks in rural communities across the state. The Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection says many Alaska wildfires are caused by human activity, including escaped burn piles, campfires, and sparks from equipment or vehicles. Officials are urging residents to prepare emergency kits, create evacuation plans, and clear brush and other flammable materials away from homes and buildings. Alaska Native organizations are also working with communities on climate adaptation, emergency preparedness, and public health planning efforts tied to wildfire smoke and extreme weather. Meanwhile, tribal leaders in western Alaska are calling for stronger tribally led disaster response systems as communities face increasing wildfire and environmental threats. Some rural communities are also concerned about how major wildfires could impact subsistence activities, travel routes, and deliveries of food, fuel, and other critical supplies during the summer months. Fire officials say even a single spark can quickly ignite dry grass during spring conditions.  Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Monday, May 11, 2026 – What's in the near future for urban elder health care?

Dallas welcomes two very special guests to the podcast — his mom, Hope Anne Two Hearts, and his sister, Georgina Drapeau — visiting from the Lower Sioux Indian Community in southwestern Minnesota. Spoiler alert: it becomes very clear where Dallas gets his comedic timing from.In this deeply personal episode, Dallas shines the spotlight on his mom as she reflects on joining AIM, participating in the 1972 takeover of the Bureau of Indian Affairs office in Washington, D.C., raising her children on their treaty lands, and dedicating her life to bringing Native women together through ceremony, prayer, and cultural teachings to ensure ancestral ways continue for future generations.It's a conversation rooted in love, resistance, family, and community — with plenty of hearty Indigenous laughter along the way.+++Produced by Matika Wilbur --@matikawilburEpisode Edit & Social Media: Mandy Yeahpau @dontguacblocA/V Production and Mastering: Pancho Sánchez -- @videosdelsanchoScoring: Mato Wayuhi -- @matowayuhiEpisode Artwork: Kitana Connelly @creatortwahnaText us your thoughts!Support the showFollow us on Instagram @amrpodcast, or support our work on Patreon.  Show notes are published on our website, Allmyrelationspodcast.com. Matika's book Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America is available now!  T'igwicid and Hyshqe for being on this journey with us.

New funding is supporting efforts to help fossil fuel-dependent communities in our region adapt to other forms of energy. One of the projects will focus on the Four Corners region, including the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe. The Mountain West News Bureau's Kaleb Roedel has more. The work is part of an effort led by the nonprofit group Resources for the Future and partner universities. The Four Corners project is backed by about $70,000 and focuses on a Mountain West region long shaped by coal production and power plants and, lately, rising energy costs. Daniel Raimi helps lead the initiative. He says the focus is not simply on replacing fossil fuel jobs. “It doesn’t have to be solar or wind or geothermal or nuclear or anything else. There might be a great opportunity in aerospace, or there might be a great opportunity in some kind of medical sciences, or there might be a great opportunity in tourism.” He says it is about helping tribal communities build new economic paths — on their own terms. President Ronald Reagan speaking at the Christopher Columbus statue dedication at Baltimore's Inner Harbor on October 8, 1984. (Public domain) The Trump administration has placed a one-ton statue of controversial Italian explorer Christopher Columbus on White House grounds. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more. A national Italian American coalition gifted it to President Donald Trump. The towering 13-foot statue is actually a replica of one first presented by Ronald Reagan to the city of Baltimore. It was toppled by protesters in 2020, but never replaced. Italian-born Massimo Sommacampagna is part of the national group and president of the AZ Italian American Chamber of Commerce. He says they celebrate Columbus Day as an American civic holiday. “Not necessarily the individual and the atrocities that he's been known for in the past.” Especially against Native Americans. David Martinez is Akimel O'odham and runs ASU's Institute for Transborder Indigenous Nations. “I mean he bragged about abusing Indigenous women in his diaries.” He thinks erecting a statue of Columbus sends a strong message. “Then you're saying that all of the historical trauma that colonization inflicted on Indigenous people was worth it.” Meanwhile, Phoenix and cities across the country are moving swiftly to erase markers of Cesar Chavez, following allegations of rape and sexual abuse. Martinez believes Americans would feel differently about the Yuma-born labor rights icon if he came to prominence centuries prior. “If Chavez was 400 years ago, we’d probably be seeing a different reaction right now. More people would be inclined to preserve the historic symbolism of Chavez and ignore the criminal behavior.” Arizona lawmakers are looking to abolish a state holiday named after him. Tribal leaders are raising concerns about potential federal cuts that could impact services across Indian Country. The issue came up during a congressional hearing last week in Washington, D.C., on funding for tribal programs. During the hearing, Mark Macarro, president of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), says, “Just this week, we learned that the Bureau of Indian Affairs is planning significant cuts to staff critical in administering programs.” Leaders say those changes could delay funding and disrupt services tribal communities rely on. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Tuesday, March 31, 2026 — The Menu: “A Feather and a Fork” cookbook and preserving ooligan (smelt fish)

Photo: A scenic overview of the Colorado River from the Navajo Bridge near Jacob Lake. (Gabriel Pietrorazio / KJZZ) The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has invited tribal leaders to testify on Capitol Hill today. As KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, the Northeast Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act is the hearing's subject. This $5 billion deal would resolve claims for three parties, including the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe. For San Juan Southern Paiute President Carlene Yellowhair, this proposal is not just about securing precious water in the Southwest. If passed, it would also set aside 5,400 acres for a new reservation in Arizona. “We want to settle, because we want our land, our home, a place to build. We lost all of our elders. They started it and we just want to finish it.” The tribe has more than 300 members, including Vice President Johnny Lehi Jr. “You know, the land and the water, that's what we needed to become more sovereign.” Prisoner Mark Andrews is housed at Spring Creek Correctional Center in Seward, Alaska. (Photo: Anne Hillman / Alaska Public Media) The Alaska Supreme Court heard arguments this month on whether prisoners can be forcibly medicated with psychiatric drugs — without a court hearing and the right to a lawyer. In the state corrections system, Alaska Native people are incarcerated at about twice the rate of white Alaskans. Alaska Public Media's Rachel Cassandra has more. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) brought the case against the Department of Corrections (DOC) on behalf of a prisoner, Mark Andrews. He says he has been unjustly drugged with powerful psychotropic medication for most of the last seven years, without due process or access to legal counsel. The Department policy currently allows prisoners to be drugged against their will if they are gravely disabled or are in imminent risk for harming themselves or others. Doron Levine is a lawyer for the ACLU. He argued at the hearing that the policy infringes on rights protected by the state constitution. “Few things are more personal than someone’s body, and arguably, nothing is more personal than a person’s mind. It’s the locus of a person’s identity, and it’s a last refuge of freedom for people who are incarcerated.” Under department policy, prisoners have the right to hearings every six months with department staff. And they have the right to appeal the decision to a department committee. The ACLU argues that Andrews did not have sufficient access to hearings or an appeal. Justice Jennifer Henderson questioned Kimber Rogers, the attorney representing DOC. Justice Henderson says the facts seem to suggest that the prisoner was denied the rights promised in the department's policy. Justice Henderson: How do you respond to that? Kimber Rogers: Your Honor, I agree that there were definitely some problems, and Mr. Andrews’ hearings, but I don’t think that that’s important. JH: There were more than some problems. There were long periods of time where there were no hearings, for example. KR: Well, Your Honor, I would dispute that actually. The ACLU lawyer argued that there should be a hearing in a courtroom because DOC staff may be biased to protect the institution over the person, but Rogers says a hearing inside prison is the best approach. When the Supreme Court issues a ruling, the decision could apply to the approximately 22 Alaska prisoners who are being forcibly drugged. U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) The National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) is applauding the House passage of the Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act. The bill to improve access to homeownership for Native families on tribal trust land is led by U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and passed last week. NAIHC executive director Rudy Soto says the bill improves coordination between the Bureau of Indian Affairs, lenders, and tribal communities, establishes timelines, and helps Native families, veterans, and tribal citizens who want to achieve homeownership. The Senate previously approved the measure and it now heads to the president's desk. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Wednesday, March 11, 2024 – Michigan backs away from Boarding Schools report

House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs Legislative Hearing on H.R. 2827, H.R. 6162 and H.R. 7065 Wednesday, March 4, 2026 | 10:15 AM On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills: H.R. 2827 (Rep. Cole), To provide for the equitable settlement of certain Indian land disputes regarding land in Illinois, and for other purposes. H.R. 6162 (Rep. Stansbury), “Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025” H.R. 7065 (Rep. Langworthy), “Seneca Nation Law Enforcement Efficiency Act” Panel I (Members of Congress) The Honorable Tom Cole [H.R.2827] The Honorable Melanie A. Stansbury [H.R.6162] The Honorable Nicholas A. Langworthy [H.R.7065] Panel II (Administration Witnesses) Mr. Bryan Mercier [H.R.2827, H.R.6162, and H.R.7065] Director Bureau of Indian Affairs U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. Panel III (Outside Experts) The Hon. Douglas Lankford [H.R.2827] Chief Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Miami, Oklahoma The Hon. J. C. Seneca [H.R.7065] President Seneca Nation of Indians Irving, New York Ms. Monique Fragua [H.R.6162] (Minority Witness) President and CEO Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Albuquerque, New Mexico More on Indianz.Com: https://indianz.com/News/2026/03/02/house-subcommittee-on-indian-and-insular-affairs-sets-hearing-on-three-bills/

The U.S. House of Representatives considers S.723, the Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025, on March 3, 2026. S.723 requires the Bureau of Indian Affairs to process residential and business mortgages on tribal lands within certain deadlines. Following consideration, a recorded vote on S.723 was requested.

In 2017, Olivia Lone Bear disappeared from the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota. Months later, her truck was discovered submerged in a reservoir, but the answers never surfaced. As the investigation stalled, the story of a missing mother and the community that searched tirelessly for her became part of a larger, devastating pattern: the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women whose cases remain unsolved, yet refuse to be forgotten.If you have any information regarding the death of Olivia Lone Bear, you are urged to contact the FBI at: 1-800-CALL-FBI, or you can submit a tip at fbi.tips.govCheck out Adventures with Purpose Connect with us on Social Media!You can find us at:Instagram: @bookofthedeadpodX: @bkofthedeadpodFacebook: The Book of the Dead PodcastTikTok: BookofthedeadpodOr visit our website at www.botdpod.comFeaturing a Promo for True Crime Connections:True Crime Connections is a survivor-led podcast where stories of abuse, trauma, and resilience are shared with raw honesty and purpose.Listen hereBody found in submerged truck believed to be missing mother of five. (2018, August 3). NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/missing-in-america/fbi-confident-body-found-submerged-truck-belongs-missing-mother-olivia-n897546BREAKING: New information in Olivia Lone Bear case. (2019, November 20). KX News. https://www.kxnet.com/news/local-news/breaking-new-information-in-olivia-lone-bear-case/Dura, J. (2018a, February 3). Searchers comb Bismarck for missing woman as volunteer effort expands. The Jamestown Sun, A4.Dura, J. (2018b, February 4). Bureau of Indian Affairs takes lead in Lone Bear Case. The Bismarck Tribune, 1.Dura, J., & Emerson, B. (2018a, December 28). Lone Bear case awaits answers. The Bismarck Tribune, A1.Dura, J., & Emerson, B. (2018b, December 29). 14 months after North Dakota woman was last seen alive, family and tribes await answers. The Dickinson Press, A3.Emerson, B. (2019, April 9). Stenejhem: Lone Bear report of death exempt from open records. The Jamestown Sun, B4.Emerson, B., & Dura, J. (2019, August 2). One year later, no answers from FBI about death of Olivia Lone Bear. Grand Forks Herald, B2.Family frustrated by lack of search efforts in Native America woman Olivia Lone Bear's disappearance. (2017, December 11). NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/missing-in-america/family-frustrated-lack-search-efforts-native-america-woman-olivia-lone-n828561Hopkins, R. (2018, September 11). When the missing and murdered Indigenous women crisis hits home. Teen Vogue. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/when-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-epidemic-hits-homeKeeler, J., & Keeler, J. (2024, January 24). ‘No crime scene': The search for Olivia Lone Bear. High Country News. https://www.hcn.org/issues/50-12/tribal-affairs-no-crime-scene-the-search-for-olivia-lone-bear/Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) | NIWRC. (n.d.). https://www.niwrc.org/mmiwr-awarenessObituary for Olivia Keri Lone Bear at Langhans Funeral Homes, Inc. (2018, August 5). https://www.langhansfuneralhome.com/obituary/olivia-lone-bearOgden, E. (2018, January 2). $5000 more reward offered in search of Olivia Lone Bear. The Dickinson Press, 2.OLIVIA LONE BEAR. (n.d.). FBI. https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/olivia-lone-bearSkurzewski, J. (2019a, July 31). Investigation continues into death, disappearance of Olivia Lone Bear. https://www.kfyrtv.com. https://www.kfyrtv.com/content/news/Timeline-of-events-in-Olivia-Lone-Bear-investigation-513457331.htmlSkurzewski, J. (2019b, November 20). Feds meet with Lone Bear family, offer reward for information. https://www.kfyrtv.com. https://www.kfyrtv.com/content/news/Feds-meet-with-Lone-Bear-family-offer-reward-for-information-565233562.htmlSuspicious death: Olivia Lone Bear | New Town, ND | Uncovered. (n.d.). https://uncovered.com/cases/olivia-lone-bearThe Associated Press. (2019, November 21). Native woman found in Fort Berthold Lake was belted in. Rapid City Journal, A5.Wigginton, C. (2018, July 9). Frustration with investigation mounts. The Bismarck Tribune, A5.If you enjoyed the episode, consider leaving a review or rating! It helps more than you know! If you have a case suggestion, or want attention brought to a loved one's case, email me at bookofthedeadpod@gmail.com with Case Suggestion in the subject line.Stay safe, stay curious, and stay vigilant.

Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Billy Kirkland addresses the National Congress of American Indians on February 10, 2026. Kirkland is a citizen of the Navajo Nation. He was confirmed to his post, a political position at the Department of the Interior, on October 7, 2025. In his position, Kirkland oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education and the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration. Kirkland spoke at NCAI's executive council winter session in Washington, D.C. It was his first appearance at NCAI since being confirmed.

Audio available by 12 p.m. EST For decades, Native women and other women of color were subjected to forced sterilization by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service. New Mexico lawmakers introduced a memorial last week to create a truth and reconciliation commission that would conduct a study into the history, and continuing impacts of this abuse. KUNM's Jeanette DeDios (Jicarilla Apache and Diné) has this report. Senate memorial 14 includes research dating to the 1970s which shows between 25%-50% of Indigenous women ere sterilized, with some of the highest incidents occurring in New Mexico. The memorial would develop a plan to create a state truth and reconciliation commission to research and find all cases of sterilization in the state, gather survivor testimony, and review and recommend educational policy. Keely Badger is a human rights advocate who wrote her dissertation on the forced sterilization of Native women. Lawmakers asked her about challenges finding and accessing records. “I do think that the requests have to come from an official state body, official agencies, to get to the heart of this information. It is going to be more than one person’s ability to accumulate this information.” She says this may have been intentional by the states. “At a national level, they have sealed some of these records for a reason, in the same way that a lot of the information about the boarding school system was very challenging; took decades and decades of research to accumulate to get to a point where we could have a national apology. “I believe that this is one of those situations where it is going to require real political will and advocacy from civil society groups to get to the real heart of this from a national perspective.” If the memorial goes into law, New Mexico would be the first state in the nation to formally investigate and acknowledge these violations. The memorial will head to the senate floor for a vote and if passed, will go to the House of Representatives. White Mountain Apache Chairman Kasey Velasquez speaks about the significance of the Apache trout in Mesa, Ariz. on September 4, 2024. (Photo: Gabriel Pietrorazio / KJZZ Thousands of members from the White Mountain Apache Tribe went to the polls last week to vote in a primary election that resulted in the sitting chairman losing his chance at another term. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports. In a three-way race, Chairman Kasey Velasquez earned a little over 400 votes, while his challengers both received nearly four times as much, according to the tribe's election commission. In the end though, longtime Whiteriver school board member Orlando Carroll got the most votes by a margin of more than 50 ballots. He will face off against Councilman Gary Alchesay in the April general election. Also on Wednesday, the tribe announced that a special prosecutor declined to criminally charge Velasquez under tribal law for allegations of sexual harassment against the HR director. A civil investigation by the tribe is still ongoing. And you will be seeing lots of commemorative Seahawks swag now that Seattle's NFL team has won Super Bowl 60. The ‘hawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13. The BBC reports that many Native American and First Nations people appreciate the team's logo. Turns out, it is based on a carved transformation mask from the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation from the late 1800s. The logo was chosen by the Seahawk's manager in the 1970s. Seattle's Burke Museum traced the origins of it to a photo of a ceremonial mask in an old art book. This led them to the Hudson Museum in Maine. The mask was loaned to Seattle for a ceremony with tribal members and team representatives. The BBC reports that, unlike other major league sports teams, the Seahawks logo has not sparked backlash because it respectfully borrows from Indigenous culture and does not resort to racist stereotypes. Some Indigenous people from Canada and the U.S. say it has inspired them to learn more of their own culture. A ceremony and parade for the Seahawks will be held in Seattle Wednesday morning. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out Native America Calling’s special coverage of the 2026 State of Indian Nations address Monday, February 9, 2026 – 2026 State of Indian Nations

Our region is facing tremendous setbacks for salmon populations and Northwest tribal treaty rights. Fish runs continue to fall short while Indigenous communities bear the brunt of climate change, political polarization, and existential threats to their way of life. Tribes can't overcome these issues alone, but it's not just a matter of finding allies — it's how to get them in the game. The Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition, formed by Salmon Defense, has taken an innovative approach to protect salmon, restore ecosystems, and build climate resilience by uniting unexpected allies, who have often been at odds in the past. ​This diverse coalition includes tribal leaders, scientists, state and local officials, fishers, attorneys, conservation groups, and local industries. Join us on Indigenous Peoples' Day, for a conversation offering a timely reminder that Indigenous knowledge systems are not only vital to climate resiliency but must also be centered in policy-driven solutions. See how cross-cultural dialogue can help foster creativity and how lasting alliances are strengthened by collaboration amongst groups with different viewpoints. Peggen Frank (SeiiNiiSeii) is a leader in salmon conservation, tribal advocacy, and treaty rights protection. Since joining Salmon Defense in 2011, she has helped grow the nonprofit into a powerful conservation organization focused on education, advocacy, and litigation. Her key projects include the Billy Frank Jr. curriculum, a sčədadxʷ (salmon) education video, and the Salmon Warriors campaign. Peggen is an enrolled member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, born and raised on the Wind River Indian Reservation, and now lives in the homelands of the Nisqually Indian people. As Executive Director of Salmon Defense, Peggen manages the likeness and legacy of Billy Frank Jr., ensuring his influence inspires future generations. Kadi Bizyayeva is the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians vice-chairwoman, fisheries director, and Northwest Indian Fisheries commissioner. She was also appointed to the Washington Salmon Recovery Funding Board by Gov. Jay Inslee. Kadi is passionate about her role protecting and conserving tribal treaty rights and believes in honest co-management and finding common ground. Her experience includes assisting with project oversight and policy guidance, as well as accounting and administration in several roles within the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and the Stillaguamish Tribes' Natural Resources Department, where she has worked since 2013. Along with her professional roles and achievements, Kadi is also a wife, mother, and a tribal fisher and hunter. Ron Garner is president of the Puget Sound Anglers State Board, a member of the Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition and a key member of the Western Washington sportfishing community. In 2018, he had the rare honor for a nontribal member – let alone a sportfisherman – of attending a Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission meeting. Ron is passionate about advocating for habitat restoration and reconnection in the Stillaguamish River watershed to promote healthy salmon populations, particularly endangered Chinook. His experience also includes serving on several Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife advisory committees and task forces related to marine wildlife. Along with his sportfishing community leadership experience and advocacy, Ron is a self-employed commercial construction business owner. William Frank III served on the Nisqually Tribal Council for many years in several roles, including chairman, and currently serves as chairman of the Wa He Lut Indian School and the Salmon Defense board. He also runs Medicine Creek Tribal Strategies, an independent consulting firm. William is the son of the late Billy Frank Jr., a nationally recognized leader and activist for tribal rights and protecting salmon. His father helped tribes win the landmark 1975 court case that recognized treaty rights and made tribes co-managers of the salmon resource. This court decision completely changed the landscape in Washington after the Fish Wars or 'fish-ins' of the 1960s and 1970s, a series of civil disobedience protests where tribal fishers were arrested, beaten, and jailed for fishing off reservation in their 'usual and accustomed fishing grounds' – as granted by the treaties negotiated in the mid-1800s. As a leader, fisher, and member of the Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition, he carries on his father's legacy of bringing together diverse groups of experts to advocate for salmon and the environment. Cecilia Gobin (dzahdzah'lahk) is a member of the Tulalip Tribes, based in Tulalip, Washington. She is an experienced Policy Analyst, currently working with the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) where she focuses on the protection and advancement of tribal treaty rights and resources, including habitat protection and salmon recovery. Prior to NWIFC, Cecilia worked in cultural resources for the Tulalip Tribes, and also for the U.S. House of Representatives' House Natural Resources Committee's Office of Indian Affairs, working with policy and legislation related to natural resources and the effects for tribes in Indian Country. She is also a lifetime commercial fisher and remains deeply connected to her community and traditional lifeways. Lisa Wilson has extensive experience in fisheries policy and treaty rights protection. She earned a bachelor's degree in Native Environmental Science from Northwest Indian College, where she produced the documentary Time Immemorial: A Fishing History of the Lummi People as her capstone project. Lisa primarily serves as an elected member of the Lummi Indian Business Council and as vice chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. She is also on the Salmon Defense board, co-chairs the Natural Resources Committee for the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the Lands and Natural Resources Committee for the National Congress of American Indians and is the former Endangered Species Act manager for Lummi Natural Resources. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and the Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition.

From an Iñupiaq Wordle game to a new language immersion program, a wave of efforts to revitalize Iñupiaq language has been sweeping across northern Alaska. Last month, one Utqiaġvik artist received a Rasmuson award to create an Iñupiaq language workbook for kids. The Alaska Desk’s Alena Naiden from our flagship station KNBA has more. Alaina Bankston has loved making art since she was a child. Now that she has a child of her own, she wants to use her art to help him learn the Iñupiaq language. Bankston is an Utqiaġvik artist who recently received a Rasmuson award to create a workbook that will do just that. She will spend a year designing and illustrating a primer for children that teaches the Iñupiaq alphabet and numbers. Bankston says her four-year-old son Qalayauq was her inspiration for the project. “It all kind of started with creating for him and being able to use those resources.” Bankston says she is still on her own language learning journey. She practices speaking with elders and uses dictionaries and the Rosetta Stone app. But Bankston says children learn differently than adults, and she wanted to create educational materials that catered to the youngest learners. “You start kindergarten, you have the whole workbook, you’re learning the alphabet, the numbers, the colors, and we have all that in English. But I’m like, what if we had that in Iñupiaq?” Bankston says some resources for learning Iñupiaq are available through the North Slope Borough School District, but she says regular parents might not have access to them. “It’s really born out of necessity. I’m sure there are resources out there … but they’re not something you could just go pick up at a store or buy online.” Bankston's project is just one example of the language revitalization efforts in the region. Two years ago, the school district restarted its Iñupiaq immersion program, and a few years before that, Alaska Native linguists created a digital Iñupiaq dictionary. And when the popular puzzle game Wordle took off across the country, local linguists and enthusiasts created an Iñupiaq version. “I think we’ve been making big strides recently … with the history of it, it’s definitely a dying language, but I think it’s important we keep it alive.” Bankston says everyone can do their part to preserve the language, and the workbook is one such step for her. Arizona Poet Laureate Laura Tohe (Diné) reads her poetry at the state Capitol on January 14, 2026. (Courtesy Arizona Capitol TV) A former Navajo Nation poet laureate has been named by Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) as the state's second-ever state poet. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more. Laura Tohe has dedicated her life to Indigenous literature, but doesn't want that identity to dominate her tenure. “I don't want people to think that again, you know, I'm just shifting from Navajo Nation to Arizona as a Navajo poet.” And part of her pledge is to help bring poetry to rural communities. While most living on the Navajo Nation have no choice but to haul essentials like water, coal, and wood from far away – for Tohe growing up, it was books. “I did…” Born in Fort Defiance, Ariz., Tohe remembers taking long road trips with her mother to the closest library across state lines in New Mexico. “We did make it to Gallup, and I got a library card. She wanted to make sure I had access.” The U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is holding a hearing Wednesday in Washington, D.C., focusing on Native children. The hearing will examine the draft Native Children's Commission Implementation Act, which focuses on improving justice and safety outcomes for Native children. It includes Tribal-federal coordination on public safety, juvenile justice, and victim services. The hearing will be streamed live on the committee's website. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling Wednesday, January 28, 2026 – Remembering visionary Indigenous journalist Dan David

Photo: A crowd congregates in Mesa, Ariz. where a roadside memorial remembering slain San Carlos Apache teen Emily Pike was taken down nearly a year after she disappeared. (Gabriel Pietrorazio / KJZZ) It was one year ago, on January 27, 2025, that San Carlos Apache teenager Emily Pike went missing from a Mesa, Ariz. group home. Her dismembered remains were discovered a month later in garbage bags more than 100 miles away. No arrests have been made, nor suspects named. Earlier this month, a memorial in Mesa marking where Emily was last seen alive got taken down. As KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, it's the latest rallying cry for justice in the 14-year-old girl's unsolved murder. “Who are we here for?” “Emily Pike.” “Then say her name.” “Emily Pike.” At the corner of Mesa Drive and McKellips Road, dozens of demonstrators met on a recent Saturday as cars drove by honking their horns. “Justice for who?” “Emily Pike.” “Justice for who?” “Emily Pike.” “Who do we love?” “Emily Pike.” “Who do we love?” “Emily Pike.” This is where Emily was last seen alive. Since her disappearance, a chain-link fence hugging the edge of a 28,000-square-foot vacant lot has become home to a roadside memorial for the slain Apache teen. And it just kept on growing as more shared her story. Visitors from near and far have flocked to this bustling intersection, adorned with flowers, stuffed animals, a banner of Emily's face, and lots of red ribbons – each markers of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) movement. That was, until someone suddenly took everything down earlier this month. No matter who did it, Jolene Shorty is still upset. “Look what you guys did. You took down her stuff. There is a respectful way. There is a traditional way to let things go. This is not the way.” For Shorty, she says this is the second tragedy to happen there. “But what I see here my people, what I see here my tribal nations, I see a clean slate, a clean slate to start over. … In a way, they almost helped us. We're going to come back and put up more stuff. We're going to honor them the way we're supposed to.” Delvina Charley (Diné) thinks taking down those mementos adds insult to injury. “This is the respect that we got … we're pushed to the side that our voices meant nothing, that she meant nothing. If this was a different privileged girl, it would have been handled differently.” Since the items were taken down, Emily's family has been in talks with the city of Mesa on planting a tree and placing a bench at Fitch Park – just a few blocks from her last known location. They're also in discussions with the Arizona Department of Transportation about putting up a highway sign honoring Emily at milepost 277 along US 60 near Globe – where her remains were found in the Tonto National Forest. “This girl lost her life thinking nobody cared.” Jared Marquez is San Carlos Apache and treasurer of the Turtle Island Women Warriors. “I've been there, being a 13-year-old kid, never talking to my parents, running around on the reservation, you know, nobody ever truly caring. And it's hard to think what this girl went through – a lot of us could have been through.” As for the investigation into Emily's murder, KJZZ asked the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Missing and Murdered Unit, and the lead agency, Gila County Sheriff's Office, for the status but did not receive any updates. The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) are hosting a webinar titled “Know Your Rights,” followed by a Q&A on Wednesday. NARF will provide practical guidance for Tribal citizens on interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The organizations say it is in response to growing concerns from across Indian Country. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling Tuesday, January 27, 2026 – The concern over rising American imperialism to Indigenous people abroad and at home

Tribes are among those expressing condolences to the family of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot over the weekend by federal agents in Minneapolis. Tribes are also raising concerns for their citizens in the Twin Cities as the Trump administration's immigration actions continue in Minnesota. In a statement, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe offered condolences and said it is standing in solidarity with its Band members and other Minneapolis residents. Tribal leaders are urging their members to carry tribal IDs and report any U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) interactions to the tribe, as leaders meet with federal, state, and local officials. The Sprit Lake Nation, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Rose Bud Sioux Tribe, and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe issued a joint statement saying they stand in solidarity with communities in Minnesota, and expressed condolences to the family of Pretti. The tribes say recent federal actions in Minnesota include the taking of a Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate member, but they did not provide additional information. The tribes say leaders are in contact with federal agencies and are urging tribal citizens to prioritize safety. The First Mesa Elementary School was built on the site of the Polacca Day School on the Hopi reservation. (Courtesy First Mesa Elementary School / Facebook) A teacher who was convicted of sexually abusing Hopi boys for nearly a decade was recently denied parole after the tribe and the U.S. attorney for Arizona penned a letter opposing his release. John Boone was hired as a teacher in 1979 at a Hopi school run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In 1987, the FBI found photos and videotapes of 142 nude boys at his home, and Boone was sentenced to life in prison. “His name is still widely known on the reservation, even though it's been close to 40 years. We still continue to suffer to this day.” That's Hopi Chairman Lamar Keevama. “Unfortunately, we've lost some either to suicide or alcohol or substance abuse. Nothing will ever make up for what was done. It's an open wound that will never go away.” U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine has watched the case closely – even sending a letter to the U.S. Parole Commission in tandem with Hopi leadership. “And with the understanding that federal special trust responsibility doesn't end at the sentencing.” Courchaine also credits his tribal liaison Kiyoko Patterson (Navajo) and pays close attention. “She really stays on this for us.” The US agreed to pay $13 million to 58 victims. He says Boone broke the tribe's trust. “That creates a generational impact … But you've heard it from Attorney General [Pam] Bondi, you've heard it from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, that this Department of Justice has to be ensuring sex offenders and those who prey on children are held accountable and prevented from reoffending at all.” Jaylynn Hicks sits on an old stretch of road at the badlands near Killdeer, N.D., on Thursday, October 16, 2025. (Photo: Chuck Miner) For the first time in 40 years, a Native person is wearing the crown as Miss Rodeo North Dakota. Brian Bull of Buffalo's Fire has the story. 24-year-old Jaylynn Hicks of Dunn Center scored highest in the categories of horsemanship, appearance, and personality. She competed twice before, but persevered and will now travel the rodeo circuit across the country. Hicks is one-quarter French Canadian Chippewa, of the Turtle Mountain Band. The last known Native rodeo queens were Janet Voight in 1986, and Audrey Hall, in 1954. Both were with the Three Affiliated Tribes Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara. Hicks says she's happy to continue this representation. “I love the fact that Native American culture has such a heavy influence on the Western industry. Whether you want to look at the horsemanship, the jewelry with we see such a huge influence.  The leatherwork, the fringe we wear on our jackets. That's all from Native American culture.” Hicks was declared Miss Rodeo North Dakota last year, and was formally coronated earlier this month. Besides educating people about rodeo culture and the Western industry, Hicks will also promote awareness of Angelman syndrome, a genetic condition that affects her niece, Sissy. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling Monday, January 26, 2026 – Federal officials take aim at tribal government contracts

After a 137-year struggle, North Carolina's Lumbee Tribe has received full federal recognition. It fulfills one of President Donald Trump's campaign promises and opens new opportunities for the tribe. The Lumbee are now eligible to receive federal funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which could support education, health care and housing. We look at why the process took so long and what comes next.

Send us a textDebbie Corbett is an archeologist who has been working in Alaska for over 40 years. After 7 years in the 1980s scouting ancient burial grounds all across Alaska for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, she got her master's degree at the University of Alaska Fairbanks where she specialized in Aleutian archeology. She had already spent time in the Aleutian islands and knew that this region and its people was her passion. Forty years later she and fellow archeologist Diane Hanson have written the definitive textbook on the Aleutian islands and its people, Culture and Archeology of the Ancestral Unangax/Aleut of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, published by Springer in 2025. 

Photo: Youth royalty from the Colorado River Indian Tribes stamp the Ireichō – or Book of Names – in Parker, Ariz. on October 25, 2025. (Gabriel Pietrorazio / KJZZ) The internment of Japanese Americans during World War II is among the chapters of U.S. history that the Trump administration is actively working to erase. It is part of a sweeping campaign to remove so-called “disparaging” signs and markers of the country's past and focus only on “American greatness”. In the final installment of his series on the camps, KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio visits the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) to see how others are making sure victims are highlighted in – not erased from – the history books. Inside a strip mall owned by the tribe, hundreds flock to its museum in Parker, Ariz. Director Valerie Welsh-Tahbo says her space used to be an old swimwear shop. Tucked in one teal-hued corner is an exhibit dedicated to the Poston camp's 18,000 internees.  “This was already up here, this structure in this store and I said, ‘Let's hang onto this … just because of where it was situated, and that design, it just spawned that idea.” To honor Poston's past. another way the museum is paying respect is by welcoming Soto Zen Buddhist priest Duncan Ryūken Williams and his Ireichō. “Chō, chō means like a book or a registry, and so we created a book with everybody's names in it, and said, ‘How do we honor everyone?' And we came up with this idea of stamping or placing this mark under people's names.” The Japanese word Irei essentially means “to console the spirits”, and that's what Wiliams hopes his book does by bringing forth personhood and dignity – one name at a time. “A lot of government camp rosters mangle Japanese names, and so we can't honor people if their names are misspelled.” And their goal? “To make sure all 125,284 people whose names are printed in this book get at least one mark of acknowledgement.” There's still 30,000 names unmarked, but Williams has a plan. “We'll just systematically, from the beginning of the book, invite the general public to come and place a mark under the next name in the sequence of names that doesn't yet have a mark.” “I think this person – Hisayo Kotsubo – does not yet have a stamp. She's born in the year 1897 so if I could ask you to just place this stamp right under the letter H.” Their blue-tipped stamp is no bigger than your thumb. Some even practiced that art of dotting with Susan Kamei. “It's a personal story.” Her parents, grandparents, and one set of great-grandparents were internees. Her dad's side was brought to Poston, while her mom's ended up in Heart Mountain, Wyo. “I try to put myself in their shoes.” 84-year-old Janet Brothers doesn't have to imagine, because she lived it. “I was here at camp as a baby. I was six months old … feeling the heat, looking around, and seeing the desert and the mountains, knowing that's what my parents saw every day, was very emotional for me.” The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is remembering the life of former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Northern Cheyenne/R-CO), who died Tuesday at age 92. NCAI President Mark Macarro in a statement said Campbell broke barriers and left a path for those who seek to follow as leaders in Indian Country and in America. Sen. Campbell is being remembered for his work on Indian policy and elevating Indian Country issues, serving on the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The Associated Press reports, his daughter said Campbell died of natural causes surround by family. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Wednesday, December 31, 2025 – Memorable moments in Native film and TV in 2025

Long before World War II, the U.S. forced Native Americans onto reservations. After the Pearl Harbor bombing in 1941, the U.S. forced Japanese Americans into camps. In Arizona, the federal government once again looked to Indian reservations. In part two of his series on World War II internment camps in Arizona, KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more. None of the eight other internment camps in the U.S. were on tribal lands, so why here in Arizona? UCLA anthropology professor Koji Lau-Ozawa has an answer. “John Collier, who was the commissioner of Indian Affairs at the time, advocated for all of the camps to be put on reservation lands. He thought that the Office of Indian Affairs was well suited to this task of managing these confined racialized populations.” The “Indian New Deal”, as FDR called it, was part of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 and tried making amends for past treatment by investing in tribal infrastructure. That was, until the war effort began. “Funds were starting to dry up. This presented an opportunity.” An opportunity to turn Japanese Americans into a source of prison labor to develop tribal resources, as shown by a 1943 propaganda film narrated by Gen. Dwight Eisenhower's brother, Milton, about an internment camp in western Arizona. Brian Niiya says the U.S. embraced a stereotype. “Japanese Americans, with their supposed expertise and farming and agriculture, could help build up the land that would allow for the Native Americans to benefit from – without the consent of the tribes themselves, of course.” Niiya is editor of Densho Encyclopedia, which chronicles the camps' history. Without much legal representation or political clout at that time, the Gila River Indian Community and Colorado River Indian Tribes both tried fighting camp construction, but failed. “Through the Office of Indian Affairs, I think there was just a thought that we could bulldoze our way through.” Once again, today's federal government is butting up against tribal land. The Trump administration's “Alligator Alcatraz” is being built near the Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park. “We're right in the middle of it. We have members that live within 500 feet of the detention center. You know, it's not like this distant thing that it is for a lot of Floridians in Naples or Miami.” Talbert Cypress is chairman of the 600-member Miccosukee Tribe, which brought Alligator Alcatraz to a halt. “We don't go to war anymore with the tomahawk or anything like that. You know, we go to courtrooms now, and we go to meetings with politicians.” (Photo courtesy Maxpixel / Boise City Archives, John Hardy Family Collection, MS084) Children across the country are being raised by relatives or close family friends. The Mountain West News Bureau's Daniel Spaulding has more on a new report highlighting the challenges facing these kinship families, which are more common within Indigenous communities. According to the U.S. Government of Accountability Office (GAO), these households are more likely to experience poverty and mental health issues. Kinship families are common in Mountain West states with high Indigenous populations like New Mexico and Arizona. Kathy Larin at GAO says kin caregiving is an important part of tribal culture, but because many Indigenous caregivers are outside the formal foster care system, they often receive less financial support. “One of the biggest challenges that we heard across the board for grandparents and other relatives that are raising, you know, their relative children is just the financial burden of it.” Larin says states could adopt standards and programs designed to better support kinship families. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling https://www.nativeamericacalling.com/wednesday-december-24-2025-2025-in-native-books/

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds a legislative hearing on December 17, 2025. Four bills are on the agenda: S.236, a bill to authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to lease their lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1508, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act. The bill addresses civil jurisdiction issues for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Utah and authorizes the tribe to lease its lands for up to 99 years without seeking federal approval. S.1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act. The bill places about 1,082 acres in Washington in trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. S.2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. The bill places about 265 acres in California in trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Witness List: Ms. Trina Locke Directorate of Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Trust Services Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of the Interior Washington, DC The Honorable Brian Weeden Chairman Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mashpee, Massachusetts The Honorable Tina Gonzales Chairwoman Shivwits Band of Paiutes Ivins, Utah The Honorable Frances Charles Chairwoman Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Port Angeles, Washington The Honorable Regina Cuellar Chairwoman Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Placerville, California

It's official — with the swipe of President Donald Trump's pen, North Carolina’s Lumbee Tribe is now the 575th federally recognized tribe. Correspondent Matt Laslo has the story from Washington. Dozens of members of the Lumbee Tribe traveled from North Carolina to Washington to be a part of history this week. Tears were heard in the gallery after the U.S. Senate approved the measure granting the Lumbee federal recognition Wednesday. And after President Trump signed it into law Thursday, Lumbee Chairman John Lowery could barely contain his joy. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning, and our joy is here. It's here. We finally achieved what our ancestors fought so long and so hard to achieve.” There are roughly 60,000 members of the Lumbee, making it the largest Native American tribe east of the Mississippi River. North Carolina officials recognized the tribe after the Civil War in 1885, but not federal officials. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) has helped lead the fight in the Senate in recent years. “Yeah, we’re a little bit excited after 137 years, on their part, about 40 years on Senate members part, it’s good to see it get done.” Tillis is retiring at the end of his term next year, but he says the decade-long battle for federal recognition for the Lumbee shows Washington isn't totally broken — even if the tribe and North Carolina lawmakers fought an uphill battle for years now. “A lot of educating and just, you know, prioritize the way. This is the way this works, right? You come in, you use leverage, you have discussions, you build a case. I think that’s what happened. I really appreciate the delegation. This was a well-coordinated effort.” Back in 1956, Congress partially recognized the Lumbee, but that left the tribe locked out of federal health services. And it meant the tribe couldn't operate casinos or marijuana dispensaries like other tribes. Chairman Lowery says it's a new day for the Lumbee. “The 1956 act, which left us in legal limbo, is now erased. It is no more and we are now fully, fairly recognized.” The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians fought the federal recognition of the Lumbee, which passed as a part of an annual $900 billion defense authorization bill. The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in Kansas issued a statement this week to its tribal members about a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contract after the deal was met with public scrutiny. In a video statement, Chairman Joseph Rupnick said the Nation and its subsidiaries have fully divested from the ICE contract. “As a result, Prairie Band, LLC is no longer a direct or indirect owner or participant in, or otherwise affiliated with, any ICE-related projects, contracts, or operations. In our next General Council meeting in January, Tribal Council plans to further address the steps we will take to ensure that our Nation's economic interests do not come into conflict with our values in the future.” Tribal citizens from across the U.S. have raised concerns about ICE and the Trump administration's immigration policies. Native people have also reported being confronted by ICE, including actress Elaine Miles, who has been sharing her story with media outlets about her run-in with ICE agents in November. (Courtesy Elaine Miles) U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, U.S Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and 10 of their Senate colleagues recently sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about reports of ICE encounters with tribal citizens. They are urging her to develop policy and trainings to recognize tribal IDs and requested a response by January 11. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling https://www.nativeamericacalling.com/friday-december-19-2025-native-music-in-2025/

A Tucson, Ariz. resident is facing federal charges for allegedly excavating and trafficking archeological resources from the Gila River Indian Community. The U.S. Attorney's Office says 46-year-old Leo Reynoso stands accused of violating the Archeological Resources Protection Act. Prosecutors said Reynoso allegedly removed several artifacts from the community without authorization. This included jewelry, Indian Trader tokens, crucifixes, and buttons from archeological sites on tribal land. He also stands accused of selling these items without a permit. The archeological value of the items is estimated at $29,000, while the cost of repairing the archeological sites is estimated at $23,000. If convicted, Reynoso faces a $20,000 fine and could get up to two years in prison. U.S. soldiers at a burial for some of those who were killed at Wounded Knee, S.D. on January 1, 1891. December 29 will mark 130 years since the Wounded Knee Massacre. In part two of his story, KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio shares some Native reactions to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's assertion that the soldiers who took part in the violent and tragic incident deserved their Medals of Honor. David Martinez (Akimel O'odham) is founder and director of ASU's Institute for Transborder Indigenous Nations. “Wherever you see America invading, sending troops, trying to intimidate – all that comes from America's original attitude towards the so-called frontier, which was regarded as wild, which was regarded as dangerous, which was regarded as full of savages.” From the Utes across modern-day Utah and Colorado to the Apaches in Arizona and New Mexico, the Army fought over a dozen conflicts predating federal recognition of tribal governments. “There's not a tribe anywhere in North America that did not experience deep, historic trauma.” Even the Bureau of Indian Affairs emerged in 1824 from within the original War Department. Two centuries later, Martinez suggests it's fitting that President Donald Trump has restored the agency's old moniker. “Well, for me, the Department of War is the true name, because, from my point of view as an Indigenous person, the objective in America's conquest of Indian Country was to make Indian Country like America. It did so at the expense of Indian land and people. And so the reservation system that we see around us today, which includes my people, Akimel O'odham, is a product of war.” Lakota attorney Chase Iron Eyes calls the reservations prison camps. “There are those of us who never perceived an end of war. If you look at what the reservation system is, it's not peace, prosperity, and privilege for Native people; it's a little open-air prison camp.” For Iron Eyes, who runs the Lakota People's Law Project, Wounded Knee is deeply personal. “As the great-great grandson of people who were killed at Wounded Knee, nobody in their right mind takes pride in the slaughtering of non-combatants – women and children.” Marlis Afraid of Hawk grew up hearing horror stories from her grandfather, Richard, who was only 13 when he survived Wounded Knee. The 68-year-old Oglala Lakota elder insists Sec. Hegseth is wrong. “He's in denial, look it up. But he's not going to.” Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling Friday, December 12, 2025 — Persistence pays off for tribes working to remove disturbing public monuments

16-year-old White Mountain Apache teen Challistia Colelay was reported missing on October 16, 2025 and later found deceased near Whitewater, Arizona, on November 3. At the time of recording, authorities had not reported any arrests. Since then, the family has stated that a teen suspect is now in custody, though the Bureau of Indian Affairs has not publicly confirmed the arrest. Who is responsible and why are families still left waiting for the truth?Sources:https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/challistia-colelay-arrest-made-white-mountain-apache-girls-death.amphttps://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-breaking/2025/11/14/remains-teen-challistia-tia-colelay-found-whiteriver-arizona/87229219007/https://www.azfamily.com/2025/11/14/feds-offer-5k-reward-after-teen-girl-found-dead-eastern-arizona/?outputType=ampSupport the show

In this episode of Highest Aspirations, Sandra Medrano-Arroyo speaks with Georgina Owen, Indian Education Coordinator at the Colorado Department of Education, about advancing authentic and equitable education for Native American students. Georgina shares how collaboration with tribal nations has shaped Colorado's culturally grounded curriculum, strengthened trust, and ensured that Indigenous voices guide classroom instruction. Listeners will learn about innovative initiatives supporting Indigenous language and culture, efforts to refine identification processes under Title III, and strategies for sustaining meaningful partnerships between schools and tribal communities.Key questions we address:How can state education systems authentically collaborate with tribal nations to create accurate, culturally grounded curriculum?What challenges and opportunities exist in identifying and supporting Indigenous students under federal education policy?What systemic steps can strengthen culturally relevant instruction and ensure Indigenous voices remain central in education?For additional episode and community resources:Download the transcript here.Information on Colorado's American Indian EducationResources from History ColoradoRegister for IMPACT 2025! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Community BriefFor additional free resources geared toward supporting English learners, ⁠visit our blog.Georgina Owen has worked at the state level as an English Language Development (ELD) Specialist and Indian Education Coordinator for more than 11 years. Prior to that, she served as a Title III Coordinator and Exceptional Student Services Specialist for the San Juan BOCES, an adjunct professor at Colorado Christian University, a Title I Reading Specialist, and an elementary teacher. She holds a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership with a principal license from the University of Northern Colorado.Currently, Georgina serves as the Indian Education Coordinator at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). In this role, she manages Title VI, a federal program that supports the academic, cultural, and linguistic needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students. She facilitated the first government-to-government agreement between the CDE and Colorado's federally recognized tribes, represents the CDE as an ex-officio member of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs, and has led the development of Nuu-Ciu Strong: Lessons About the Ute People of Colorado, among other educator resources. In addition, Georgina works with educators across Colorado to strengthen programming that supports Native American students.She has also served on the Colorado Commission to Study American Indian Logos in Schools, Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs Education Committee, the Southwest Native American Education Committee, the Urban Indian Education Committee, the Indian Education State Leaders Network, and the Western Educational Equity Assistance Center Indian Education Community of Practice.

This is the story of a three-year-old girl and the highest court in the land. The Supreme Court case Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl is a legal battle that has entangled a biological father, a heart-broken couple, and the tragic history of Native American children taken from their families. We originally released this story back in 2013, when that girl's fate was still in the balance of various legal decisions. We thought now was a good time to bring the story back, because the Act at the center of the story is still being questioned.When then-producer Tim Howard first read about this case, it struck him as a sad but seemingly straightforward custody dispute. But, as he started talking to lawyers and historians and the families involved in the case, it became clear that it was much more than that. Because Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl challenges parts of the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act, this case puts one little girl at the center of a storm of legal intricacies, Native American tribal culture, and heart-wrenching personal stakes.LATERAL CUTS:What Up Holmes?The GatekeeperEPISODE CREDITS:Reported by - Tim HowardProduced by - Tim HowardEPISODE CITATIONS (so many):Background and Reporting from a range of different perspectives"Couple forced to give up daughter"An introductory article by Allyson Bird, for the Charleston, SC Post and Courier"Supreme Court Takes on Indian Child Welfare Act in Baby Veronica Case" A report for Indian Country Today by Suzette Brewer, who has also written a two-part series on the case."Supreme Court hears Indian child custody case"Tulsa World article by Michael Overall which includes Dusten Brown's account of his break-up with Veronica's mother, and his understanding about his custodial rights. Plus photos of Dusten, Veronica, and Dusten's wife Robin in their Oklahoma home_._Randi Kaye's report for CNN on the background of the case, and interviews with Melanie and Matt Capobianco: "Video: Adoption custody battle for Veronica"Nina Totenberg's report for NPR: "Adoption Case Brings Rare Family Law Dispute To High Court"Reporting by NPR's Laura Sullivan and Amy Walters on current ICWA violations in South Dakota.Dr. Phil's coverage: "Adoption Controversy: Battle over Baby Veronica"Analysis and EditorialsOp-ed by Veronica's birth mom, Christy Maldonado, in the Washington Post: "Baby Veronica belongs with her adoptive parents"Colorlines report "The Cherokee Nation's Baby Girl Goes on Trial:"Americans remain dangerously uninformed about the basics of tribal sovereignty, and what it means for the relationship between the United States and Native tribes and nations.The Weekly Standard's Ethan Epstein argues that ICWA is "being used to tear [families] apart]: "Mistreating Native American Children"Andrew Cohen considers the trickier legal aspects of the case for the Atlantic in "Indian Affairs, Adoption, and Race: The Baby Veronica Case Comes to Washington:"A little girl is at the heart of a big case at the Supreme Court next week, a racially-tinged fight over Native American rights and state custody laws.Marcia Zug's breakdown of the case (Marica Zug is an associate professor of law at the University of South Carolina School of Law who she specializes in family and American Indian law) "Doing What's Best for the Tribe" for Slate:Two-year-old “Baby Veronica” was ripped from the only home she's known. The court made the right decision.Marcia Zug for the Michigan Law Review: "Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl: Two-and-a-Half WAys To Destroy Indian Law"From Walter Olson, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute's Center for Constitutional Studies: "The Constitutional Flaws of the Indian Child Welfare Act"Rapid City Journal columnist David Rooks poses a set of tough questions about ICWA: "ROOKS: Questions unasked, unanswered"Editorial coverage from The New York Times:"A Wrenching Adoption Case""Adoptive Parents vs. Tribal Rights"Contemporary, Historic, and Legal Source MaterialsAdoptive Couple v. Baby Girl on the SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) BlogAudio from the oral arguments in the Supreme CourtOfficial website for ICWA (the federal Indian Child Welfare Act)1974 Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Indian Affairs "on problems that American Indian families face in raising their children and how these problems are affected by federal action or inaction." PDFThe National Indian Child Welfare AssociationThe First Nations Repatriation Institute, which works with and does advocacy for adopteesSignup for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org.Leadership support for Radiolab's science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.