Independent News from the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance

The Daily Spark

Quick Stories, Must Reads

Brother charged with second-degree murder after remains found on Spirit Lake Reservation

Small sparks from Indian Country, built to catch fire | Concise summaries of the most important news

Implementation of North Dakota’s Feather Alert system causes confusion

The alert ‘didn’t go out properly’ amid disappearance of Spirit Lake citizen

5 min readJolan Kruse

Remains found during search for Isaac Hunt

Identification not yet made

1 min readJolan Kruse

‘How do I have an ICE hold, when I’m Native American?’

Leticia Jacobo speaks out after family and community rally to prevent her deportation

6 min readBrian Bull

North Dakota MMIP Task Force holds first meeting

The team discusses issues in MMIP resources and responses

3 min readJolan Kruse

North Dakota counties most harmed by SNAP cuts are those on reservations

6 min readGabrielle Nelson

Stolen Children

Nearly forgotten: The Puyallup boy buried 2,700 miles from home

3 min readFrank Hopper

‘We need involvement’: Indigenous leaders demand change at COP30

5 min readGabrielle Nelson

Community Vision

North Dakota Native-led nonprofit eyes massive cultural center project in Bismarck

4 min readPeyton HaugNorth Dakota Monitor

How search and rescue technology helps find missing people — and its role in MMIP cases

1 min readJolan Kruse

Dentalium image

Special Feature

For the love of dentalium

Harvested in the Pacific and traded inland, dentalium shells served Indigenous peoples as valuable currency, status symbols, and sacred items for millennia, a tradition that persists. Read our coverage.

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The Daily Spark

Quick stories, must reads

Powwow

Letting the silence speak: Behind the reporting on the Gathering of Nations Powwow

3 min readGabrielle Nelson

related stories

Look in the mirror: Powwow community reflects on ‘the Last Dance’ for Gathering of Nations

Traditional Practices

What is a memorial at a powwow?

Powwow food vendors essential to savoring the experience

Video Etiquette

Powwow dos and don’ts

For powwow vendors, art runs deeper than business

Buffalo’s Fire and Prairie Public Radio link for live coverage at UTTC powwow

Thousands gather for start of 55th annual UTTC International Powwow

Northern Plains

‘BlueJay’s Canoe’ tackles Native life during pandemic and wildfires

7 min readBrian Bull

Indigenous voices speak loudly at Bismarck ‘No Kings’ rally

Criminal Justice

South Dakota legislators to consider prison proposal

United Tribes Legends Softball Hall of Fame welcomes three players and two teams

UTTC International Powwow flexes its cultural and economic muscle

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe elder accused of threatening lives of federal officers

Law Enforcement

Spirit Lake Nation responds to misconduct allegations at sheriff’s office, calls out ‘urgent need’ for responsive law enforcement

Native Issues

CTUIR elder remains missing after three-day search

4 min readBrian Bull

Missing Persons

Spirit Lake Tribe searches for Danica White: ‘She is more than a missing person’

Community unites in hope of finding Renzo Bullhead before winter

Search for missing elder gets help from AI

Governmental Affairs

Prolonged federal government shutdown spurs tribes to declare states of emergency

Spirit Lake’s Incident Command Team is a model for tribal emergency response

Families still searching for missing Spirit Lake citizens

Native Nations

Tribal leadership

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe swears in new leaders

3 min readGabrielle Nelson

Making cough syrup, building houses: Standing Rock students learn through community engagement

MHA citizens seek accountability in a suit against their Tribal Business Council

MHA Nation decriminalizes medical marijuana

Standing Rock holds its first Red Dress Special

Water Celebration

Community and candy: Fort Yates holds Long Soldier Parade

Cultural Revival

Standing Rock nonprofit connects people with Native traditions

Arts, Culture & Sports

Community Voices

Why is Native American Heritage Month important?

7 min readGabrielle Nelson

Cultural Revival

‘I’m bringing my heritage out onto the runway’

Little people, ghost cars, vengeful spirits: the Indigenous supernatural crosses past and present

Tipi of Terror: Buffalo’s Fire staff share spooky Native stories

Native filmmaker aims to create global network of Indigenous storytellers

State Recognition

North Dakota proclaims First Nations Day and Native American Heritage Month

A shared history: memorial to Japanese American WWII inmates at Fort Lincoln

Opinion

Indigenous Innovation

AISES conference showcases ‘enormous commitment’ to build STEM community

2 min readJodi Rave Spotted Bear

Tribal citizens stuck with an act, an IRA constitution they didn’t support

Tribal Sovereignty

Supreme Court should uphold sovereign status for Native nations in Voting Rights Act case

Twin Buttes Powwow celebrates every child as a champion

Justice Delivered

June 30, heirs’ deadline to file for allotment land royalties

Stories you might have missed

Food sovereignty

From seed to supper: Husband and wife duo share passion for local Indigenous food

Environmental Stewardship

‘Good fire’ at Chaa-lamali: Young Natives practice cultural burn

Police ask for tips in unsolved murder case

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians celebrate grand opening of affordable housing development

Government to government relations

Oglala Sioux Tribe denounces Defense Department’s refusal to revoke soldiers’ Wounded Knee medals

Native community calls for return of MMIP report

Missing and Murdered

Red Dress Special honors MMIP

Pandleton image