Greetings, relatives:
We start with the nation’s highest court hearing challenges to the Indian Child Welfare Act. On Nov. 9, a law that has been referred to as the “gold standard” for child welfare by many child welfare organizations was up for discussion by the U.S. Supreme Court. Outside, many rallied in favor of the law. READ MORE.
A day before the hearing, U.S. citizens went to the polls for Election Day. Dozens of Native candidates made a run for a chance to represent their communities in state, local races. READ MORE. On the national level, 11 Indigenous candidates were on the ballot for a seat in Congress. READ MORE.
Sticking with Washington D.C, the Cherokee Nation re-upped its efforts to seat a treaty-mandated delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2019, Cherokee Nation citizen Kim Teehee was nominated to serve as the tribe’s first delegate. The Rules Committee held a hearing on Nov. 16. READ MORE.
One of our top stories in November has a connection to basketball. The NBA’s Phoenix Suns are honoring tribes in Arizona with special jerseys. The new jersey has ‘Sun’ printed in each tribal language. The team hosted Native people for an opening night celebration. READ MORE.
Be sure to watch our daily newscast, “ICT Newscast with Aliyah Chavez.”
Here are ICT stories you should read up on.
NEWS
Tribal leaders get Joe Biden’s attention:Some 300 tribal leaders are in the nation’s capital for the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit.
‘If you believe in us, invest in us’:Nov. 30 is Native Women’s Equal Pay Day, a day taken to highlight and recognize the massive wage gap Native women face. Here’s how you can help change it for the better.
Indigenous people flock to DC for ICWA hearing:‘If you take our children, you take our identity.’
Honoring Indigenous service within the Pentagon walls: ‘All those people in the windows, looking out those windows are looking down and looking at our Native veterans.’
Reclaiming the nearly lost art of Inuit tattooing:Artist Holly Nordlum has worked to revive Inuit tattoo designs and practices.
Phoenix’s WWI Memorial Hall turns 100:Hall was built in 1922 to honor 62 boys from the Phoenix Indian Industrial School who enlisted in the first World War.
Chilkat Indian Village says Alaska mine poses risk to watershed:The State of Alaska is letting the project proceed but tribal officials are challenging the permit process.
Cherokee Nation call for delegate to be seated in Congress:Kim Teehee was originally nominated to be tribe’s delegate in 2019.
National youth forum brings together ideas, solutions:Over 100 youth came to Washington to connect with their peers and offer solutions to pressing issues in Indian Country. Here is what three of them had to say about the issues they are most concerned about.
Tribes celebrate plan to remove dams on Klamath:Tribes along the Klamath River hope removing four dams will help restore salmon, considered integral to Indigenous cultures.
Traditional recognition for women veterans:Linda Woods and her eagle staff, Miigizi, recognize and honor female veterans around the world.
Harvard announces return of Native hair samples: Cutting hair symbolized the beginning of assimilation for boarding school students.
Chicago activist ‘walked in the path of her ancestors’:Susan Kelly Power dies at age 97, nearly 70 years after she helped found the nation’s first urban American Indian Center.
Joye Braun, the firestorm, dies at 53:Braun, who was dedicated to environmental issues, will be remembered as the epitome of a Modern Day Warrior.
Alaska tribes debate solutions to salmon shortage:Salmon supplies have depleted in recent years, tribes seek common solutions to a worldwide problem.
Excavation at Red Cloud school finds no human remains:School moves forward with Truth and Healing work to uncover truths about its boarding school past.
Supreme Court takes up the Indian Child Welfare Act:ICWA faces broad constitutional challenges in an unfriendly court.
ELECTIONS
Native vote turned out in force: Social media, poll-watchers kept watch over elections.
Rep. Mary Peltola: Alaska issues are Indian Country issues: Peltola’s historic win over the weekend makes her the first Alaska Native to represent the state in the House.
The urban Native vote potential: About 70 percent of Native people in the US live in urban areas and some of the largest populations are cities in the West.
7 Indigenous women to sit on Arizona bench:The record high number includes five who will be serving Justice of the Peace terms.
Who will lead the Navajo Nation? Incumbent Jonathan Nez is seeking a second term as president while Buu Van Nygren seeks his first term as an elected official ever.
How Indigenous candidates running for Congress fared: The midterm elections are here. Eleven Indigenous candidates are vying for a seat in Congress as voting members. This article will be updated throughout election night.
How Indigenous candidates fared in state, local races: Dozens of candidates made a run in the Nov. 8 general election for a chance to represent their communities. Watch for updates as ballots continue to be counted.
Replay: Midterm coverage by ICT, FNX: The special newscast was live election night from San Bernardino, California.
ENTERTAINMENT
Author Louise Erdrich wins Berresford Prize:Erdrich is cited for her support of Indigenous writers and authors through her BirchBark bookstore.
Futuristic art, Inuit pop music and a new audio version of a classic book:A biweekly column from ICT with the latest news from the arts and entertainment world.
Indigenous girls take on aliens in ‘Slash/Back’:New sci-fi thriller features unlikely heroines and an Indigenous cast.
New radio show taps into Native youth culture:‘Indigenous YOUth Nation’ features teens, tweens sharing their experiences.
How an Afro-Indigenous TikTok creator shares her culture:Native American Heritage Month is highlighting the impact of #NativeTikTok.
Western series ‘The English’ thrills with Pawnee authenticity: IllumiNative’s Crystal Echo Hawk helped guide show along the way.
Trickster art, an artisan online market and new music:A biweekly column from ICT with the latest news from the arts and entertainment world.
The power of storytelling online:Cree TikTok creator shows her culture through videos of her dancing at powwows.
‘I just wanted to make a good movie with a Native woman hero’: Jhane Myers talks with ICT about hitting the mark in ‘Prey.’
Native comics get graphic with new convention and Spider-Man release: Cherokee Nation hosts its first-ever Comic Con as Marvel releases new series.
SPORTS
Runners build community one mile at a time:Verna Volker and Native Women Running are going the distance to bring Indigenous runners together.
Phoenix Suns honor Arizona tribes with new jersey:City Edition jersey honors Arizona’s 22 tribes in Arizona with ‘Sun’ printed in each tribal language.
GLOBAL INDIGENOUS NEWS
GLOBAL INDIGENOUS: Stolen children, climate and film recognition.
GLOBAL INDIGENOUS: Human rights, climate change and Aboriginal tourism.
GLOBAL INDIGENOUS: Elections, mothers and clean water.
WATCH: ICT NEWSCASTS
Land back for Tunica-Biloxi:The ICT Newscast encores with the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana on a recent land acquisition, and a Potowatami biologist who just won the MacArthur Fellowship award and we’ll take a close look at the Phoenix Suns jersey that honors tribes.
Vibrant Indigenous creatives:A Lakota metalsmith shares the details of his craft. Plus, a visual artist breaks down his history and love of art. And Racing Magpie tells us how they have been building community with art and cultural programming.
Veterans honored through sculpture:Michael Naranjo has made a name for himself in the world of sculpture, despite not being able to see. A new Children’s book “Mashkiki Road” teaches Ojibwe values. It’s a tradition among the Pueblo people for the men to weave clothes for the family.
Louisiana tribe gets land back: Artists gather in Rapid City, South Dakota, and the ‘Singing Psychologist.’ Plus, a look at the Alaska Federation of Natives meeting.
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