The team is scheduled to play the opening game against England on Thursday, July 15, but will not be able to depart until Tuesday night if the issued can be resolved immediately. This leaves the team no time to rest or practice before the opening game, threatening their ability to win. “This delay has now become extremely urgent and it must be corrected by July 12th or all the practice and preparation will be wasted, and these young men’s hopes and dreams of will be trampled,” said Percy Abrams, the National’s executive director. “We’re urging all our supporters to contact the White House staff at 202.456.4771 to urge the Department of Homeland Security to allow us clearance so that our team can compete.”

The delay is also creating an enormous financial burden since travel arrangements for airline tickets, hotels, lodging, meals, and transportation must all be changed, costing the team and family members more than $23,000. The Nationals fund raise all year long for the $300,000 budget necessary for them to compete in the world championships, a distinction that is hard-earned. “Our young athletes are competing at the highest level of competition against other countries,” said Denise Waterman, a member of the team’s board of directors. “They are excellent role models and have worked all year to prepare, so we hope this gets resolved quickly. The great irony is that the game of lacrosse was founded by our people on Iroquois territory, so we hope others can respect the history and origins of game, and not impede our team from competition.”

 Three weeks ago, the Haudenosaunee sent notice to the British Consulate in New York requesting permission for application for visas. The Iroquois Nationals are traveling on passports issued by the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois Confederacy, comprised of the Onondaga, Seneca, Mohawk, Oneida, Tuscarora and Cayuga nations, who have used their passports to travel internationally for more than 30 years. While the passports have been widely accepted in the past, the British Consulate notified the team two days ago that they would only issue visas with written assurance from the Department of Homeland Security regarding clearance. That same day, the U.S. State Department advised the Iroquois National’s legal adviser that they could expedite U.S. passports for the team to travel to Manchester, but will not provide clearance to travel on Haudenosaunee passports.

 “We cannot do that because we are a sovereign nation. We are our own people,” said Waterman. “We are participating in an international tournament, and to play in an international tournament, you have to be a country. We’ve been recognized by this organization as a nation with our own citizens, our own land, and our own sovereignty. We have been sending teams to international competition since 1990 and have never before had a problem traveling to Japan, England and Australia.”

The Confederacy was established as a formal government before the United States and Canada were countries, and is recognized as an independent nation with homelands that straddle the U.S. and Canadian border. The past several years the Confederacy has been in negations with Homeland Security on travel documents, and they are concerned that the current situation may dampen that relationship. Onondaga attorney Tonya Gonnella Frichner, a member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, is urgently working to help resolve the issue. “We respect that there are issues with borders and security, and we want to meet all the criteria of any government, but we’re also asking for an accommodation of our own credentials,” she said. “The Iroquois Nationals represent the Iroquois Nation, and they are traveling on Haudenosaunee credentials because that’s who we are representing. It wouldn’t make sense to travel on the on the passports of our competitors. These outstanding athletes – indigenous peoples of North America – should not be blocked from returning to our own territory.”

Oren Lyons, Onondaga Faithkeeper and a former All-American lacrosse goalie, said lacrosse is called the “Creator’s game,” in their culture. “When you talk about lacrosse, you’re talking about the lifeblood of the Six Nations. The game is ingrained into our culture and our lives. This is our game and our gift to the world.” Lyons – an author, former college professor and international advocate for indigenous rights who helped draft the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – has traveled to many countries on a Haudenosaunee passport for three decades, and is hopeful the situation will eventually be resolved in their favor.

The travel delays, however, will likely impact their ability to play at their best due to a lack of rest before the opening game. The compelling story of the Iroquois Nationals will be featured in the next issue of Sports Illustrated. For more information and photos, go to the Iroquios Nationals website.

Other articles can be found at Indian Country Today.

Denise Juneau in the KBGA studio with Jodi Rave, Tribal Scene Radio

Congratulations to Denise Juneau, a fellow member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, for her most recent recognition. The The Office of Public Instruction just shared this information on Friday:

HELENA – On May 8, 2010, Carroll College will confer an honorary doctorate degree on Montana’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau. At the 2:00 pm ceremony on Saturday, 265 graduates will receive their degrees during Carroll College’s commencement ceremonies, which will occur in the Carroll College PE Center. The Honorary Degree: Doctor of Humane Letters.

“I am honored to receive this distinguished award and look forward to continuing to contribute to the advancement of academic excellence in Montana,” said Juneau.

Denise Juneau was elected in 2008 as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Ms. Juneau is the first American Indian to be elected to statewide executive office in Montana. Juneau also serves on the Executive Board of Directors for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). She graduated from Browning High School, in Browning MT. She then earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English from Montana State University; her Master’s of Education Degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education; and her law degree from the University of Montana. Ms. Juneau was selected as the 2009 Educator of the Year by the National Indian Education Association.

Juneau was recently a guest on Tribal Scene Radio. The past programs are online at KBGA. Go to the April 16 show for Denise Juneau Indian education interview.

Jodi Rave

American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association

“I’m excited to welcome Rebecca to AIANTA. We expect great things from her,” said Osceola. “Her passion, experience, relationships and drive will be key to taking AIANTA to the next level of national leadership in native tourism. Tourism is an important economic driver for Indian Country and gives us an opportunity to share our culture and our unique sovereign status with other peoples – both nationally and internationally.”

Said co-founder Edward Hall III: “Rebecca’s unique background and skills are tremendous assets to bring to the leadership of AIANTA. I believe we have the person who will help carry the opportunity of Indian Country tourism to the tribes and industry leaders.” As the capital outlay manager for the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department, Martinez was responsible for administering state appropriations to hundreds of tribal projects and related programs.

For the full story, go the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association Web site.

AIANTA is a nonprofit association of Native American tribes and tribal businesses organized in 1999 to promote Indian Country tourism. The Association is made up of member tribes from six regions: Eastern, Plains, Midwest, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, and Alaska. The purpose of the Association is to serve as the voice and resource for it’s constituents in marketing tourism, providing training and educational resources to Tribal members, and serving as the liaison between Indian Country and governmental and private entities for the development, growth, and sustenance of Indian Country tourism.

Jodi Rave

I too am a UM graduate, past Kyi-yo club president and powwow coordinator for two years. What took place this weekend was sad and unfortunate. And, there is some truth in most of the comments made here regarding the powwow this weekend – good and bad.

First thing first. The club does need to apologize for not communicating to the people who were planning on going and who did travel to Missoula, that they were not going to meet the advertised commitments. Sometimes, simple honesty and communication goes a long way toward healing.

Second, understanding and forgiveness are supposed to be important values for all Indian people. Those who are upset and disappointed should try to find forgiveness, rather than being angry and criticizing.
We have all made mistakes in our lives, none of us is perfect.

Third, the Indian student population of UM needs to come together, stop blaming and bickering among themselves, accept personal responsibility for what they did or didn’t do, and then forgive themselves, learn, make a commitment that this will not happen again, and move on. It is a time for reflection, and personal and organizational healing. Ask your elders for spiritual help, including people like Earl Old Person and Barney Old Coyote, along with others from all the student tribes. The dedication of the new Native Center in May would be a good opportunity to start the healing process.

Just as in life in general, the Indian student population of UM is viewed by the larger society as a group. What the Kyi-yo club does reflects on everyone whether you were part of the club, part of the powwow or not.
There should be no “Crow” club or no “Blackfeet” club or no “Salish Kootenai” club, it is the Indian students’ club. It is everyone’s club.

It is also time to learn. It is a tremendous effort to put on the Kyi-yo powwow. During powwow week, school work and family life often take a back seat. So, the club needs to be realistic. If the powwow is going to be a competition powwow, be realistic about what can be paid for prize money and how many places can be paid. Three places is probably enough.

Make a concerted political effort to change the UM approach the rental of the Adams Center (it has always been one of the greatest financial burdens of the powwow), demand at least a cut of the concessions or ban the concessions, and/or demand a greater allocation from the Student body. It is time to call UM on its commitment to cultural diversity.

Start a marketing and fundraising effort with Missoula businesses who benefit from the powwow. Offer to direct powwow participants to those businesses and make a real effort to get the powwow people to patronize only those business while in Missoula – publish a list of business who contributed, along with a list of those businesses who were asked to contribute but did not.. And, make a concerted, planned effort to find one or more long-term corporate sponsors.

If being in the Adams Center after midnight is costing more money, then make a concerted effort to be done by that time. It has been done in the past. Eliminate all specials and honor dances except two. Allow one honor dance on Friday night for all families who want to honor students and one honor dance on Saturday night for the club itself. Limiting time for royatly specials and giveaways needs to be given serious consideration. And, some simple things like using only odd numbers in awarding points will help with eliminating ties and the need for runoffs, tallying points and handing out prizes for the completed categories while still completing the remaining categories, will all help move the powwow along.

I attended the Kyi-powwow this year. I was one of the competition dancers. While the dance did seem smaller than in some years, for the most part I enjoyed myself as I always do. However, I left right after my dance competition, and was not around when whatever happened later took place. Whatever happened could have been avoided, or at least minimized in the sense of anger and frustration by simply communicating honestly. If any lesson is learned here, let be that.

Good luck and Creator’s blessings to all the Club members, past, present and future. Blessings too to all the drummers, dancers, students and families, that all travel safely on your journey through powwow country this summer and through life.

Joe M.

Jodi Rave

Gerard Baker, a member of the Mandan/Hidatsa Tribe of the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota, is a man of vision. And yet he is vilified by those white people who know nothing about the history of the Black Hills of South Dakota.

When Baker was appointed as Superintendent of the Mount Rushmore Memorial he saw the faces of four white presidents carved on the mountain. But he saw those faces through the eyes of an Indian. He chose not to diminish the glow that history has bestowed upon George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Teddy Roosevelt, but to add to that luster by introducing elements of the Native people who preceded the Memorial by centuries.

Very quietly, but with dignity, Baker began introducing elements of the Native culture and traditions to the Memorial. He had several tipis constructed near the site and introduced Native speakers to talk to the tourists and visitors about the history of the Hills and of the region. Aside from having the opportunity to view the sculpted faces of the four presidents, the visitors to the Memorial soon flocked to hear the Native speakers and to look at the other Native art and artifacts brought to the Memorial by the Lakota and other tribes of the Northern Plains.

The Native speakers and exhibits soon became two of the most popular features at the Memorial much to the chagrin of many white residents of Rapid City and the surrounding region. These are our Hills and our presidents on display and the Indian things Baker is bringing to the Memorial do not belong there, was the biggest and probably the most ridiculous complaint.

When Baker was re-assigned to be the first ever Assistant Director for Indian Relations for the National Park Service, a post the NPS recognized as extremely important, the reaction by the local partisans was as expected. Wrote Scott Odenbach of Spearfish, S. D. in the local daily, “Native American cultural diversity rather than the Memorial’s intended purpose: celebrating the lives and ideals of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln,” seemed to be the main focus of Superintendent Baker. On Baker’s new assignment Odenbach wrote, “Isn’t this an example of the job description finally catching up with the job functions performed?”

Wrote James Reichert of Rapid City, “That’s great! Now maybe we can keep Mount Rushmore safe from terrorist activities. And can we ask his replacement to move the tipi down the road to the Native American monument? It is inappropriate for a superintendent to impose his personal values upon a national monument.”

We suppose Mr. Reichert was talking about moving the tipis to Crazy Horse Memorial, which is down the road and it is evident that he never once considered the proven fact that the Native exhibits are extremely popular with visitors to the Memorial and that the majority of Native Americans living in this region find the addition of these exhibits by Mr. Baker to be one of the best things that ever happened at the Memorial.

The local white folks should have known that Mount Rushmore was sculpted even while the ownership of the very land where it stands was involved in litigation between the United States and the tribes of the Great Sioux Nation. In other words, the United States allowed Gutzon Borglum to carve on the mountain while the land was a part of a lawsuit to determine ownership. About the illegal taking of the Black Hills by the United States, Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun wrote, “A more ripe and rank case of dishonest dealings may never be found in our history.”

After the whining dies down and after all is said and done, Gerard Baker, will be admired and respected by not only the Native Americans of this region, but also by thousands of non-Natives, as the single most important superintendent ever to grace that job position at the Memorial. He had the vision to see beyond the racial prejudice that has permeated this region for more than 100 years and to implement the Native culture and traditions into the daily activities at the Memorial in hopes of opening a new sensitivity of this regions diversity, but by also creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding between all races.

Racism, clear and simple, is behind the public vilification of a great man for having the vision and better yet, the authority to do something that should have been done 50 years ago.

Mount Rushmore is a better place because of Gerard Baker and I hope that the implementation of his vision will be continued by his replacement so that when the Native children from the surrounding reservations make their school trips to the Memorial, they will continue to see the exhibits and listen to the voices of the Native speakers reminding them that they were here first and no one can take that away from them.

Tim Giago, an Oglala Lakota, is the publisher of Native Sun News. He was the founder and first president of the Native American Journalists Association, the 1985 recipient of the H. L. Mencken Award, and a Nieman Fellow at Harvard with the Class of 1991. Giago was inducted into the South Dakota Newspaper Hall of Fame in 2008. He can be reached at editor@nsweekly.com.

Jodi Rave

Fredricka Hunter inside the Dear Readers:

I am sharing the following email sent by University of Montana President George Dennison. It’s in reference to the new — and absolutely beautiful architecture — Native building, which is set for dedication on May 13. the president’s message underscores the importance and the need for the new building. It’s certainly already given American Indian students an unprecedented presence on campus. It’s truly amazing. Here’s a story I wrote on the building for The Montanan.

Please read Dennison’s thoughts, in his own words:

I regret to have to inform the campus community that some unknown person or persons committed acts of vandalism that marred the newest facility on the campus even before we have had the opportunity to dedicate it. The Payne Family Native American Center has the role and mission to serve the campus community as well as the Native American communities around the State. I believe I speak for most people when I express our pride in having this special facility made possible by the generosity of the donors. No other campus in the country has such a facility. That communal pride strikes me as entirely appropriate and inspirational.

I must also say, however, that I find this behavior baffling. Why would anyone—whether a member of the campus community or not—deliberately deface such a wonderful facility with symbolic importance to the campus and surrounding communities? As I recall, the campus experienced something similar with regard to a temporary structure—a sukkah holding great religious significance—erected on the campus by members of the Jewish community. In response, I sent an appeal to the campus requesting help in the protection of the sukkah. The campus community responded quickly and overwhelmingly in a very positive way. I ask once again that we all observe what happens on campus and report any activities that appear to threaten the grounds, facilities, and campus members. We have a campus environment and community spirit that has no tolerance for socially destructive behavior. Let us rally once again and insist upon respect for others and for our community.

Thank you for whatever you can do to assist in the maintenance of our wonderful community.

President George Dennison.

Jodi Rave

The University of Montana — Native American Law Students Association — is hosting Indian Law Week starting today. Actually, the week-long event kicks off tonight with guest speaker State Superintendent Denise Juneau. I interviewed Shane Morigeau, NALSA president, and Maylinn Smith, director of the UM Indian Law Clinic last week. Check out the Tribal Scene Radio program show to listen to the interview. Also, I’ll be interviewing keynote speakers and panelists for this week’s Tribal Scene Radio show. So tune in for the live stream at KBGA  Missoula or check out the archives for a recording of the show. The theme of Indian Law Week at UM this year is “Indian Education for All.” The NALSA students and their professors have organized an event that will draw speakers from around the country to discuss issues that impact Indian Country and everyone who interacts with American Indians. The event is free and open to the public. Go to the UM Law School to listen to speakers.  On Thursday, the NALSA students will present the Ray Cross and Elouise Cobell awards. Read on for more details:

Monday, April 12, 2010

Welcome and Keynote Address
7:00 – 8:00 pm
Commons area and Room 101

Opening Drum – Chief Cliff, a Kootenai drum group from the Flathead Indian Reservation

Welcome – Dean Irma Russell

Key Note Address: “Obstacles in Indian Education and Why Indian Issues Need to be Incorporated”
Denise Juneau, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

“Indian Law and the Court of the Conqueror”
Noon – 1:30 pm
Castles Center (Lunch provided)
Approved for 1.5 CLE credits

Ray Cross, Professor, The University of Montana School of Law
Eldena Bear Don’t Walk, Board of Directors for Plains Justice, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Crow Nation Appellate Judge
Brian Upton, Staff Attorney for Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

“Indian Child Welfare Act Compliance in Montana“
Noon – 1:30 pm
Castles Center (Lunch provided)

Jennifer Hill-Hart, Margery Hunter Brown Research Fellow

“Incorporating Indian Issues into Primary, Secondary, Collegiate, and Law School Education: Problems and Limitations”
4:30 – 6:00 pm
Room 101

Gyda Swaney, Associate Professor, The University of Montana, Department of Psychology
Kristen Juras, Assistant Professor, The University of Montana School of Law
Cynthia Ford, Professor, The University of Montana School of Law
Julie Cajune, Nkwusm (Salish Language Revitalization Institute), Development Director

“Importance of Incorporating Indian Issues in Educational Settings”
6:30 – 7:30 pm
Room 101

Sam Deloria, Director, American Indian Graduate Center and former American Indian Law Center Director

Thursday, April 15, 2010

“Intersection of Environmental Law and Indian Law”
Noon – 1:30 pm
Room 101 (Lunch provided)
Approved for 1.5 CLE credits

Elizabeth Kronk (Facilitator), Assistant Professor, The University of Montana School of Law
Andy Huff, Legal Counsel in State Governors Office for Advisement on Indian Law Policy Issues
Gail Small, Director, Native Action
Rich W. Janssen, Acting Natural Resources Department Head, Division Manager of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources Department, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes

Evening with NALSA Mix and Mingle
6:00 pm
Lower Second Level
$5 at the door includes appetizers and drinks

Banquet and Honoring of the Mi-Ha-Ka-Ta-Kis Award Recipient (Raymond Cross Award) and Elouise Cobell Award Recipient

Elouise Cobell Award –  First Year of Award
Elouise Cobell, Lead Plaintiff in Cobell v. Salazar

“Mi-Ha-Ka-Ta-Kis Award”- Joe McDonald, President, Salish Kootenai College

Flute Music Provided by Kasey Nicholson, Gros Ventre

Friday, April 16, 2010

“Ethical Issues within Indian Country and Substance Abuse/Mental Health Issues”
1:00 – 3:00 pm
Room 101
Free to Indian Law Section Members, $50.00 for Non-section members
Approved for 2 ethics CLE credits (includes 1 SAMI CLE credit)

Maylinn Smith, Associate Professor, The University of Montana School of Law
Mike Larson, Montana State Bar, Hotline Counselor for Lawyers Helping Lawyers Network

To enroll in the Indian Law Section, visit the State Bar of Montana web site.

The recent announcment of the absolute retirment of the controversial mascot at the University of North Dakota won’t go away for a long time. Native students have long had a hard time fighting off racist attacks over the mascot. Those attacks are continuing, according to friends and sources familiar with Grand Forks.  The racism is being spurred by the following actions related to North Dakota’s educational leaders. Read on.

From the Grand Forks Herald:

MAYVILLE, N.D. — In the end, the decision came with a shrug and a sigh. The Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, cherished symbols of UND athletic teams for nearly 80 years, must be consigned to history, the State Board of Higher Education ruled here Thursday. The board directed Chancellor Bill Goetz to immediately advise UND President Robert Kelley by letter that the university should begin its transition away from the logo and nickname.

Kelley, who was at the meeting, said afterward that he plans to call the president of the Summit League Friday “and say that the board finally acted,” clearing the way for UND’s application for league membership. UND officials called a news conference for Friday morning and posted on its Web site an initial piece of the planned transition: The university athletic teams will continue to be called the Sioux through the 2010-2011 school year while the school considers alternatives.

Board President Richie Smith brought up the logo issue at the end of an all-day meeting, noting that the North Dakota Supreme Court earlier Thursday had affirmed a district court ruling against logo supporters in the Spirit Lake Sioux tribe.

The board had voted in a May 2009 meeting in Dickinson, N.D., to retire the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo starting Oct. 1, a deadline later extended to Nov. 30, unless the university could win approval and a 30-year commitment from the two namesake tribes.

Spirit Lake voters had OK’d continued use of the symbols in April 2009, but Standing Rock tribal officials have thus far refused to hold a referendum.

The tribes’ approval was mandated by the settlement of a lawsuit UND brought against the NCAA, which considers Indian nicknames and logos abusive. 

The hard-fought, four-year legal battle aroused great passions on both sides, and it was complicated by divisions within the tribes — divisions which logo opponents cited as evidence of the nickname’s negative impact on tribal life and, especially, Indian students at UND.

The wrangling came to a head in recent months as some logo supporters at Spirit Lake sought an injunction against the board dropping the nickname until arrangements could be made for a referendum or tribal council vote at Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.

A district court judge ruled against the logo supporters and threw out the injunction, and the state Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s action Thursday morning — issuing its opinion about the time the State Board assembled in Mayville for its monthly meeting.

Jodi Rave

Dear Sir or Madame:
My name is Ken Bear Chief and I am an Investigator/Victim Liaison working with Tamaki Law Offices located in Yakima, Washington. For the past two years I have been assisting Native Americans who, as children, were abused by clergy, from the 1940s through the present, at Jesuit and Catholic mission schools, churches, and parishes in Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
During this time I have interviewed well over 100 survivors of abuse. The devastation and havoc that was manifested in the lives of childhood victims of abuse is readily apparent in all Native American Reservation communities where these mission schools were primarily located from the 1880s to the mid-1970s, and where some continue to operate to this day.
As an enrolled tribal member living on a reservation, and I know firsthand that our Indian communities have the highest rates of depression, suicide, domestic violence, divorce, alcoholism/substance abuse, child abuse, incest, murder, and rape in America. I never knew, until I began investigating this case, that much of this is directly linked to the traumatic childhood abuses suffered by Native Americans who attended Jesuit, Catholic, or BIA residential schools that operated on reservations throughout the United States.
Decades of abuse of Native American children by clergy has created a vicious cycle of multi-generational abuse in our Native American communities. Sadly, even those who never attended a mission school or a BIA school have been victimized by family members and others who were raped, beaten, and emotionally abused at these schools. Studies show that the history of abuse at the residential schools is a historical fact which has been brushed under the rug by the church and the government, but continues in our tribal communities in one form or another to this day…

I encourage anyone who suffered childhood abuse at Catholic or Jesuit Mission Schools to come forward now. Tamaki Law Offices wants to speak with anyone who suffered childhood sexual abuse at a Holy Rosary, St. Francis, Marty Indian School, St. Joseph Indian school, or anywhere else that the sexual abuse may have occurred to contact us for an evaluation of your claim.
Due to the passage of S. Dakota House Bill 1104, which was signed by Governor Mike Rounds amending the Statute of Limitations, time is of the essence. This law will be in effect on or about July 1, 2010.
Now is your last opportunity to come forward. Until this law goes into effect, Tamaki Law Offices will continue to reach out to survivors of childhood sexual abuse in South Dakota’s Reservations. If you are a victim of childhood sexual abuse and you wish to consult with an attorney privately and confidentially, you may call toll free (800) 888-9564. You must act quickly in order to preserve you right to obtain justice, fight back, stand up for your rights, hold your abuser accountable, and help insure that this form of institutional injustice is never allowed to happen again.

Go here for the full ken bear chief article on sexual abuse.

Thanks for reading.

Jodi Rave

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes just released this news today:

PABLO, MT – On invitation from the White House, the National Wildlife Federation and National Tribal Environmental Council, Chairman James Steele, Jr, of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will travel to the International Climate Change talks in Copenhagen Denmark in order to participate on a White House panel. With sponsorship from the National Wildlife Federation, Chairman Steele will join the National Tribal Environmental Council delegation. The 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15), commonly referred to as the Copenhagen Summit 2009, takes place at Bella Center in Copenhagen from the 7th to the 18th of December, 2009. Chairman Steele’s panel is scheduled for December 17 at 10:30 a.m. and is titled Leadership and Innovation by States and Tribes in the United States. He will be on a panel along with the governor of Wisconsin, Jim Doyle; Congresswoman Kate Knuth of Minnesota; and Colorado Governor advisor, Alice Madden. They will discuss efforts to reduce greenhouse gasses.

“I consider this a great honor to attend this historic event. American Indians and the Salish and Kootenai Tribes have long been leaders in pursing ways to protect our lands from pollution and destruction,” said Steele. “Our home reservation features pristine wilderness, waters and animal life. This didn’t happen by chance or luck. We’ve worked very hard to maintain our natural areas and we’re also reclaiming lands. Each day seems to bring a new threat to our lands. I welcome this chance to tell our story.”

Chairman Steele was invited to participate due to the leadership role that CSKT is taking in addressing climate change and because of the leadership role that Montana’s tribes have taken in the current climate change legislation being considered in Congress.

The Climate Conference in Copenhagen has been called an essential gathering for the world’s climate because it is the last time governments will meet officially before the 2012 Kyoto Protocol, designed to prevent climatechanges and global warming, runs out. Representatives from 170 countries are expected to be in Copenhagen. Organizers are planning for crowds of 8,000 officials, journalists and NGO for the landmark event. Denmark is hosting the event in its capital city of Copenhagen.

Meanwhile, some folks are taking action on behalf of the Crow Creek Reservation. Robin Carneen is going talk about the matter on her radio show. The topic: Eric Klein, founder  of Can-do, is helping with a fundraiser. I’ve looked at some videos on the Can-do Web site. Powerful images.

 Here’s what Carneen at Blog Talk Radio posted online earlier about her upcoming show: 

Can-do.org: “ RIDE FOR LIGHTS Campaign - Founder Eric Klein & others want to raise awareness and funds to put an end to the abuses and human rights violations taking place today on the Crow Creek Reservation….From December 13th -26th he will be riding horseback alongside others in the “Mankato Reconciliation Ride”- to honor the 38 people killed in the largest mass execution in the history of USA on December 26, 1862 in Mankato, MN. “On that day, 38 Dakota men were marched in single file to a scaffold guarded by 1,400 troops in full battle dress. The pull of a single lever ended the lives of 38 Dakota men as a crowd of citizens witnessed the largest mass execution on US soil in the history of United States. In addition to the mass execution, 265 Dakota men were sent to prison near Davenport Iowa while 1,300 Dakota men, women, and children were exiled to a concentration camp known today as The Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota”….injustices to the descendants and tribal members of Crow Creek continue to cause great suffering. The goal of CAN-DO’s “RIDE FOR LIGHTS” Campaign is to establish a fund to ensure that NO ONE on the Crow Creek Reservation goes without power this winter. Please, write to the Senators and government officials listed in the [Crow Creek Takes Their Voice D.C. video]. Get the word out via Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, emails and any press contacts you may have. We can make a difference and stop these violations. Help put an end to these abuses. Make Human Rights a priority here at home and please don’t forget to tune in to www.VirtualVolunteer.tv and “join” us LIVE throughout our 13 day journey from Lower Brule, SD to Mankato, MN.” From Chairman Sazue of Crow Creek: “Recently, the IRS has seized and auctioned 7100 acres of our prime development land on the Crow Creek Reservation.” Chairman Suzue has started a fast & will also be our guest!

Jodi Rave

“Today’s report highlights what so many of us at the Department are working to address – the resource and capacity challenges faced by tribal law enforcement in their communities. Many of these issues were raised during the Department’s Tribal Nations Listening Session with the Attorney General. We will continue to work with our tribal partners to address these issues and improve public safety in Indian Country.”

The study can be found at this link.

Jodi Rave

Did you know October if Fair Trade Month?

To become a Fair Trade Certified product, five principles need to be followed:

Fair Trade principles include:

•Fair prices: Democratically organized farmer groups receive a guaranteed minimum floor price and an additional premium for certified organic products. Farmer organizations are also eligible for pre-harvest credit.
•Fair labor conditions: Workers on Fair Trade farms enjoy freedom of association, safe working conditions, and living wages. Forced child labor is strictly prohibited.
•Direct trade: With Fair Trade, importers purchase from Fair Trade producer groups as directly as possible, eliminating unnecessary middlemen and empowering farmers to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
•Democratic and transparent organizations: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers decide democratically how to invest Fair Trade revenues.
•Community development: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers invest Fair Trade premiums in social and business development projects like scholarship programs, quality improvement trainings, and organic certification.
•Environmental sustainability: Harmful agrochemicals and GMOs are strictly prohibited in favor of environmentally sustainable farming methods that protect farmers’ health and preserve valuable ecosystems for future generations.

It seems American Indian could become a part of the Fair Trade process. I’ve sent an email to ask as much, considering the tremendous arts and crafts market in Native America. Here’s what TransFair USAstates on it’s Web site about new product research: “We are very much interested and compelled to extend our certification to non-agricultural products. Our vision at TransFair USA includes delivering a Fair Trade model to any population that is disadvantaged as a result of supply chain inequities and disadvantageous terms of trade. We are thrilled and humbled that non-agricultural industries have recognized the success of Fair Trade in agriculture and have approached TransFair USA to explore if the rigor of Fair Trade Certification can be applied to their respective industry.”
 I suggest American Indian communities try to get involved as a way to provide a market for tribally-produced goods.

Meanwhile, any business owners who are interested in the Fair Trade Missoula Campaign can pledge to support Fair Trade. It’s easy. Here’s a link to the pledge form.

Please contact Katie Ghen Simpson, store manager,at the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center if you have any questions. She can be reached at 406-543-3955 or by e-mail at
Katie@jrpc.org

Jodi Rave

Sen. Ted Kennedy, Reuters Photo

“Clearly, effective education lies at the heart of any lasting solution. And that education should no longer be one which assumes that cultural differences mean cultural inferiority.”

Sen. Edward Kennedy, Foreword to Indian Education: A National Tragedy – A National Challenge, 1969.

I’m home watching the MSNBC live coverage of Sen. Ted Kennedy’s funeral services at the JFK Library in Boston. I just read the National Indian Education Association’s tribute to Kennedy, a man who played a key role in some of the most important Indian education legislation ever passed by Congress.

Here’s the NIEA statement, a salute to Kennedy:

The National Indian Education Association extends our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Senator Edward Kennedy. A tireless champion of education and opportunity for all people, Senator Kennedy was a powerful advocate for the education of Native children, always seeking ways to ensure that the U.S. government honored its legal, moral, and ethical obligations to Native communities. As Chairman of the Senate subcommittee on Indian Education, Senator Kennedy oversaw the 1969 special report Indian Education: A National Tragedy – A National Challenge, calling for accountability for the failures of the federal government in Indian education, advocating for increased Native control, and leading to the establishment of the Office of Indian Education under the U.S. Department of Education. His integral role in the passage of the Indian Education Act of 1972 paved the way for greater Native self-determination in education, a goal he continually supported and affirmed through multiple pieces of legislation and policy, including the 1978 Tribally Controlled College and University Assistance Act. Over the years, Senator Kennedy always made the needs of Native students a top priority and responsibility; his door always open to tribal delegations, Native organizations, and Native people themselves. And while his legacy of service and support for Native communities will be profoundly missed, the greatest legacy that Senator Kennedy leaves us is our inheritance of his work in building a better future for Native children across generations. We share our deepest gratitude and sincerest grief in marking the passing of this extraordinary leader, advocate, and person.

 

Jodi Rave

Jodi Rave

SEATTLE – Following their tour of the Tulalip Reservation, Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden and Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli today announced that more than $5 million has been awarded to tribal communities in Washington. The Department of Justice awarded more than $2.16 million in Recovery Act funds to three Washington Tribal Governments by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and more than $3.3 million in FY2009 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants to 16 Washington tribal law enforcement agencies.

“The Department of Justice is well aware that Indian Country is struggling with complex law enforcement issues involving violent crime, violence against women and crimes against children, and that tribal communities are doing what they can with limited resources,” said Deputy Attorney General Ogden. “We stand here as partners in this fight and are pleased to demonstrate our commitment with these grants for tribal communities in the State of Washington.”

“Among the things that make me feel confident about this administration’s focus on Indian Country is that much of this money was specifically designated within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,” said Associate Attorney General Perrelli. “These funds will have an immediate impact on the quality of services offered to survivors and their children by providing advocacy and support services for those who need to be kept safe in emergency situations, and for victims who choose to leave their abusive relationships.”

The Justice Department officials were in Seattle for the first of two working sessions with tribal leadership and law enforcement experts leading up to the Attorney General’s Tribal Nations Listening Conference, part of an ongoing Justice Department initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on tribal justice in Indian Country.

The grants will help combat violence against women in tribal communities and will support efforts by tribal police to reduce crime and disorder, and to enhance the services that they provide.

Recovery Act Violence Against Women Grants

The landmark American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), signed into law by President Obama, provides the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women with $20.8 million for the Indian Tribal Governments Program to decrease the number of violent crimes committed against Indian women, help Indian tribes use their independent authority to respond to crimes of violence against Indian women and make sure that people who commit violent crimes against Indian women are held responsible for their actions. Today, the Department of Justice awarded more than $2.16 million in Recovery Act funds to three Washington Tribal Governments. The award period is 36 months:

The Tulalip Tribes of Washington has been awarded $899,999 to renovate a tribal facility for use as the Legacy of Healing Advocacy Center and Safe House. The funding will support the creation of five full-time jobs, including a manager who will oversee the program and four new Residential Aides. The tribe will also hire a contractor for building and security renovations and a consultant to work with staff to develop shelter program operating policies and procedures. The tribe will implement staff and volunteer training and community outreach and education, as well as provide ongoing education and support groups for Safe House and Transitional Housing clients.

The Squaxin Island Tribe will receive $633,968 through its Northwest Indian Treatment Center in Washington to increase the number and quality of wrap-around services provided to women who have experienced domestic violence. The tribe will hire a Domestic Violence Resource Coordinator for post-treatment case management, resource coordination and outreach, coordinating with WomenSpirit Coalition to provide training and transitional housing assistance for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking.

The Swinomish Indian Community, in Skagit County, will receive $633,703 to establish an educational assistance program and shelter/safe house for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. The project will improve services available to help Indian women who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, develop and enhance effective plans for the tribal government to reduce violent crimes against Indian women and keep them safe and strengthen tribal criminal justice system’s ability to get involved with stopping violence against Indian women.
FY2009 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Grants

Today’s COPS grants were awarded under the Tribal Resources Grant Program (TRGP), which is administered by the Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The grants can be used to hire new officers, purchase crime-fighting technology systems and basic law enforcement equipment and can also be used to procure training and technical assistance. Today, the Department awarded more than $3.3 million to 16 Washington tribal law enforcement agencies to support efforts by tribal police to reduce crime and disorder and to enhance the services that they provide.

A number of tribal police departments in Washington received specific funding to hire new officers, for a total of more than $1.3 million to hire 7 new officers:

Grant Recipients Grant Amount
Tulalip Tribes of Washington $423,170 (2 officers)

Sauk-Suiattle Police Department $184,637 (1 officer)
Chehalis Tribal Police Department $170,342 (1 officer)
Spokane Tribe of Indians $198,213 (1 officer)
Nooksack Indian Tribe $185,826 (1 officer)
Port Gamble S’Klallam Indian Tribe $179,759 (1 officer)

Ten tribal police departments also received more than $2 million for equipment and training:

Grant Recipients Grant Amount
Makah Tribal Council $193,430
Chehalis Tribal Police Department $183,870
Nisqually Indian Tribe $152,100
Suquamish Tribe $199,900
Lower Elwha Klallum Tribe Police Department $185,000
Snoqualmie Tribal Police Services $119,701
Skokomish Indian Nation $200,000
Squaxin Island Tribe $198,895
Upper Skagit Indian Tribe $172,300
Yakama Nation Police Department $400,000

The grants announced today are part of a broader federal initiative to bolster the capacity of tribal law enforcement agencies. All federally recognized tribes with established police departments were eligible to apply for funding.

Jodi Rave

Gyasi Ross

Gyasi Ross, a motivational speaker, lawyer and more recently a columnist, has reached the midway section of his 26-column-writing agreement with Indian Country Today. His latest column acknowledges Native women and their leadership. Here’s a snippet of his last column: “To my mom and sisters, being the boss did not mean that you ran amuck and dominated others. It meant that you had more responsibility to raise other “bosses.” It meant that they worked to raise strong and responsible Skin men to make sure that the next generation of Skin women wouldn’t have to be the boss all by themselves. My guess is that my sisters and mom would’ve loved to have had a man in the house to help lessen their immense responsibility. But men weren’t around. So my mom and sisters raised me to be the loud and vocal man.”

Ross said he put a lot of work into this last column and it shows. I’d say it’s probably his best so far. Ross succeeds in keeping it real. Does he get everything right? Well, there’s quite a few points that could be argued, such as the authoritative role Native women once played in traditional Indian society. Point being, Ross isn’t afraid to raise these issues. He gets to them in a round-the-block sort of way, like talking about the free school lunch programs he qualified for as a kid. How many of us could relate to that story? I remember those days when all the free-lunch kids meal tickets were pink when everyone else was given a blue ticket. Am I digressing? Back to Ross. He’s spins many yarns in his story of women. Did you know he flailed about in college for awhile and that his grades weren’t so hot? He’s actually even a lit bit modest — imagine that — about his college career. He never mentions that he eventually got it together and earned a law degree from Columbia University in New York. The point of all this is that Ross manages to tie all these experiences to the women of Indian Country. And even when he doesn’t quite make the connection, he offers a lot of funny anecdotes to his storytelling. His latest column, which has a strong-woman theme is timely, considering the majority of powerhouse Natives working for President Barack Obama are all top-notch, female Indian women, including Jodi Gillette, Hillary Tomkins, Yvette Roubideaux, Mary McNeil and Kimberly Teehee. One more big appointment needs to be made to fill the direct position at the Administration for Native Americans. And, its a sure bet that spot will be filled by yet another amazing Native woman.

So, what will Ross be writing next?

Jodi Rave

Wolf maiden ad for Washington, D.C. pool party

Read the following advertisement reprinted in Newspaper Rock blog. The pool party organizers were doing their best to coax people to attend “Indian summer camp. “  It wasn’t a joke. The ad recently riled up a lot of Washington, D.C. folks who succeeded in getting the pool party organizers to change the theme of the get-together.

Check out an excerpt of the ad:

We want to see people breaking out the feather headdresses and moccasins. Or go the cowboy route and bring some water pistols to take down the savages.

btw, this guy was Italian, Native Americans don’t give a shit about the environment

If you roll up in a van with some sweet art on it, you get in free.

You can read all the comments and the rationalization of the organizers for being out of touch with reality. But, they argue, it makes sense to them.

I’ve said it once, but it’s worth repeating: We need more Native voices on the Internet and in the media to create a much stronger Native presence and awareness in American society. Only then will Indian-themed pool parties become a relic of the past. Unfortunately, discrimination continues to thrive in the workplace, in our communities and in the nation’s capital.

Jodi Rave

WASHINGTON, August 19, 2009 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today
announced that Indian Tribal Organizations and States operating the Food
Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) will receive
approximately $1 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
to purchase equipment and improve facilities needed to provide food
assistance.

“It is imperative that people in the United States have access to safe
and nutritious food, and through the Recovery Act, we’re investing
resources to enhance the availability of food on Indian Reservations and
tribal lands,” said Vilsack. “The Obama administration is committed to
increasing the health and nutrition of people throughout the country,
and these Recovery Act investments will help further that goal.”

Through FDPIR, USDA purchases food that is provided to low-income
households, including the elderly, living on Indian reservations, and to
Native American families residing in designated areas near reservations
and in the State of Oklahoma. Currently, there are 271 tribes receiving
benefits under FDPIR through 98 Indian Tribal Organizations and 5 State
agencies. Almost 100,000 individuals receive a monthly FDPIR food
package.

Today’s announcement is the first in a series of FDPIR Recovery Act
allocations; altogether $5 million in Recovery Act funding will be
provided.
Indian Tribal Organizations and government agencies benefiting from
today’s announcement include:

Arizona:
Gila River Indian Community
Navajo Nation

California:
Riverside/San Bernadino County Indian Health Southern California Tribal
Chairman’s Association Yurok Tribe

Idaho:
Nez Perce Tribe
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes

Kansas:
Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas
United Tribes of Kansas and Southeast Nebraska

Mississippi:
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

North Carolina:
Cherokee Tribe of North Carolina

New Mexico:
Pueblo of Acoma

Nevada:
Yerington Paiute Tribe

Oklahoma:
Muscogee Creek Nation

South Dakota:
Lower Brule Sioux Tribe

Washington:
Quileute Indian Tribe
Quinalt Indian Nation
Spokane Tribe of Indians

Wyoming:
Shoshone Tribe

#

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a
complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil
Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call
(800) 795-3272(voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).
USDA News
oc.news@usda.gov
202 720-4623

Jodi Rave

Read the rest of the blog post here.

This is the first blog or video of Teehee I’ve seen since President Barack Obama announced on June 15, 2009 that she would be his Native policy advisor.

Jodi Rave

I’ll be joining the group Wednesday. We will meet in Babb. And then we will go to Chief Mountain, a sacred site among the Blackfeet Tribe. Check in later. I plan to post some photos of the occasion.

Jodi Rave

I’m here at the Indian Telecommunications Initiative Workshop and Round Table Discussion here in Rapid City where experts are discussing broadband access in Indian Country. Eric Jensen, policy advisor to the National Telecommunications and Information  Administration, said the technology gap in Indian Country is endangering the lives of Native people. To wit: On the Navajo Reservation, 6 of 10 people arent’ able to call 911 because the service doesn’t exist for them, said Jensen.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a law that allocates $7.2 billion to expand broadband access to rural and unserved areas in the U.S. The application deadline is Aug. 15.

Jodi Rave

Thanks to Margo Gray-Proctor, Chairwoman of the NCAIED board of directors for passing along the information.

Jodi Rave

Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A new Navajo language summer school is being offered
by Albuquerque Public Schools this year in New Mexico.

The program aims to help American Indian children in the area stay connected
to their heritage and motivate them to achieve more academically.

The Santa Fe-based Indigenous Language Institute which tries to preserve
native languages says New Mexico, Washington, Oregon and North Dakota lead
the country in allowing Native Americans to teach their languages in public
school classrooms.

Robert Cook, the president of the National Indian education Association,
says native language schools are growing nationwide.

Jodi Rave

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. – Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli will address the National Congress of American Indians during the First General Assembly of their 2009 Mid-Year Conference on Monday, June 15, at 10:00 A.M. ET in Niagara Falls, N.Y. In his remarks, Perrelli will announce a new major Justice Department initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on tribal justice in Indian Country.

WHO: Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli

WHAT: Announcement of a new major initiative on tribal justice

WHEN: MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2009

10:00 A.M. ET

WHERE: The Conference Center Niagara Falls

101 Old Falls Street

Niagara Falls, N.Y.

NOTE: The First General Assembly will begin at 8:00 A.M. ET, and Associate Attorney General Perrelli is scheduled to deliver remarks at 10:00 A.M. ET. Perrelli will be available for media interviews immediately following his remarks. Contact Melissa Schwartz at (202) 305-5625 to schedule interviews or for press inquiries regarding logistics.

Jodi Rave

If you’re interested in Indian scrabble games, Native language T-shirts or other interesting stories on language revitalization, check out the Pictographs Web site. Thanks to Rob Schmidt for making the information available for all of us. And if any other reader has similar information to share about tribal language links, send them my way!

Jodi Rave

Tashká’na,

Good Tuesday morning:

The Mandan or Nu’eta language is one of the endangered languages of the world. I’m working with my relatives at Fort Berthold to share regular posts of Nu’eta words to help more people learn the language. I have been listening to tapes of Edwin Benson, who is my grandson according to our Mandan clan system. Thanks to Lanny Real Bird and Cory Spotted Bear for all their dedicated work to language revitalization. Soon, I will add audio clips spoken by Benson, the last man alive born into Nu’eta (we the people) as a first language.

Meanwhile, here is today’s word:  íwahekosh (I know).

I’ve decided to post as much language revitalization information as I can to help bring attention to indigenous languages, which are disappearing in the blink of an eye. Within the next decade, 70 speakers are 70 years and older. As an enrolled citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, I am working with relatives in my community to help each other share and learn the endangered Nu’eta language, which is the language of the Twin Buttes community on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota. I thank my cousin Cory Spotted Bear for all the work he’s been doing with Benson as part of a master-apprentice program. Spotted Bear has made made all these words available for us to share.

Thanks.

Jodi Rave

Edwin Benson, the last man alive born into Nu’eta as a first language.

Photo courtesy: Cory Spotted Bear.

Tashká’na,

Indigenous languages are disappearing in the blink of an eye. Within the next decade, 70 Native languages in the United States are expected to disappear. Many of the remaining speakers are 70 years and older. As an enrolled citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, I am working relatives in my community to help each other share and learn the endangered Nu’eta language, which is the language of the Twin Buttes community on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota. I will work with Cory Spotted Bear to make the language available to anyone who wants to learn.  the last man alive born into Mandan as a first language.

Here is the fifth word. Note: I am working on adding audio clips to the words spoken by Edwin Benson (photo left). Benson is 78 and lives in Twin Buttes.

5.       húúta              (come)

Thanks.

Jodi Rave

Edwin Benson, the last man alive born into Nu’eta as a first language.

Photo courtesy: Cory Spotted Bear.

Indigenous languages are disappearing in the blink of an eye. Within the next decade, 70 Native languages in the United States are expected to disappear. Many of the remaining speakers are 70 years and older. As an enrolled citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, I am working relatives in my community to help each other share and learn the endangered Nu’eta language, which is the language of the Twin Buttes community on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota. I will work with Cory Spotted Bear and Edwin Benson to make the language available to anyone who wants to learn. I am working on adding audio clips to the words spoken by Benson, the last man alive born into Mandan as a first language. Benson is 78 and lives in Twin Buttes.

Here is the fourth word.

xiksoh      (bad)

Thanks.

Jodi Rave

Edwin Benson, the last man alive born into Nu’eta as a first language.

Photo courtesy: Cory Spotted Bear.

You can also follow Tuswecatiospaye on twitter.

Thanks to Carlow and all the people who are teaching our languages. Language community workers are all unsung heroes. A Lakota, Dakota, Nakota language summit is scheduled for November.

I’ve also included a French Web site that has a long list of Lakota words. Foreigners are taking the time to learn Native languages here in the United States. What are we doing?

Jodi Rave

Here’s a video about a Tlingit language immersion retreat. We can learn our Native languages by taking simple steps, like learning five words a day. And using those words with our children. The video is encouraging for anyone working on revitalization. It’s important to start somewhere, considering 70 Native languages could disappear in the United States in the next decade.

Jodi Rave