Greetings, relatives.
A lot of news out there. Thanks for stopping by ICT’s digital platform.
Each day we do our best to gather the latest news for you.
Okay, here’s what you need to know today:
President Joe Biden’s commitment to tribal sovereignty, self-government and self-determination for tribal communities may face some challenges with Republicans winning 220 seats for a U.S. House majority. Democrats lost nine seats and now have 213 seats.
Democrats keep control of the U.S. Senate after key wins in Nevada and Arizona.
The Democratic political landscape continues to see change with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announcing her resignation from her leadership position on Nov. 17, which she has held for nearly 20 years. She said she will remain a representative from San Francisco, another longtime position that she has had for 35 years.
“I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” she said. “For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect.” READ MORE. — Kalle Benallie, ICT
SUPPORT INDIGENOUS JOURNALISM. CONTRIBUTE TODAY.
Around the world: Indigenous youths in the Amazon are being lured by illegal mining, Indigenous voters in Quebec call for better access to elections, and Australian women are working on a national database of traditional place names.
Coverage around the world on Indigenous issues for the week. READ MORE. — Deusdedit Ruhangariyo, Special to ICT
A recent ad campaign encourages people to challenge the Flathead Indian Reservation’s water compact, despite its approval at tribal, state and federal levels.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council, Montana Legislature, U.S. Congress and President Donald Trump each have ratified the CSKT Water Compact. And in 2021, U.S. Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland signed it.
The Compact resolves the tribes’ water rights claims and establishes a joint state-tribal system for administering water rights on the reservation. More than a decade of negotiations went into its drafting.
An organization called Equal Water Rights took out full-page ads in several Montana newspapers encouraging people to submit objections to the Montana Water Court regarding the Compact. The same organization has funded similar billboards throughout the Flathead Reservation. READ MORE.— Missoulian
Recent court records in a tribal corruption case reveal how one contractor, Francisco Javier Solis Chacon, spent years bribing at least six employees and elected officials of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation.
The tribe — and some political districts, including tribe-run nonprofit business entities — paid Solis Chacon millions of dollars for inflated construction projects in return for kickbacks.
Solis Chacon was a witness to a Federal Grand Jury that led to federal indictments, convictions and guilty pleas of two former TAT councilmen and one employee. On Nov. 16, the North Dakota District Court unsealed Solis Chacon’s plea agreement and other court records, which had been sealed for the last four years. READ MORE. — Buffalo’s Fire
Sign up here to get ICT’s newsletter
US Rep. Melanie Stansbury calls on the Biden administration to include tribal leaders more when it comes to climate change. Examining the Supreme Court case on race-conscious admissions in colleges and universities with law professor, Dan Lewerenz. Plus, Holly Cook Macarro with a review of the White House Tribal Nations Summit.
Watch:
The former police chief of the Yankton Sioux Tribe in South Dakota has been charged by federal prosecutors with wire fraud and theft from the tribe.
Federal prosecutors allege that Chris Saunsoci sought wages both from the tribe and a local ministry that was providing flood relief. He allegedly held both positions between September 2020 and 2021 and sought wages for overlapping hours on 139 days. He was paid about $30,500 for both jobs on those days, according to court documents.
Saunsoci is also being charged with misusing an SUV that belonged to the tribe this year, the U.S. Attorney’s office for South Dakota said.
Saunsoci pleaded not guilty to the charges in November after he was indicted by a federal grand jury. An attorney appointed to represent him did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He faces 18 counts of wire fraud and two counts of theft from the tribe. The wire fraud charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal custody, while the theft charges carry a maximum sentence of five years in custody. — Associated Press
From her home under the baking sun of Peru’s southern Andes, Vilma Huamaní can see the small Cconchaccota lagoon, the axis of her community’s life. It has been a source of trout, fun for children eager to swim, beauty as flamingos flew from over the mountains and water for thirsty sheep.
Nowadays, all Huamaní sees of the lagoon 4,100 meters (13,120 feet) above sea level is a plain of cracked and broken soil surrounded by yellow grass.
“It has totally dried up,” she said.
The rainy season in this part of South America should have started in September, but the area is experiencing its driest period in almost a half century, affecting more than 3,000 communities in the central and southern Andes of Peru. READ MORE. — Associated Press
FOLLOW ICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA: FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK.
- Harvard announces return of Native hair samples: Cutting hair symbolized the beginning of assimilation for boarding school students.
- Meet Shauna White Bear, moccasin maker: ‘There’s no place in Bozeman where you can go buy Native-made moccasins. I’d like to be a household name.’
- The power of storytelling online: Cree TikTok creator shows her culture through videos of her dancing at powwows.
- Ethel Aanwoogeex’ Lund, tribal health trailblazer dies:Lund, 91, dedicated decades to improving health care in Alaska.
- Election 2022: ‘Incredible year’ for Indigenous candidates:Final results show more than 85 Indigenous candidates won up and down the ballots in 22 states in the Nov. 8 election.
- As a sacred minnow nears extinction, Native Americans of Clear Lake call for bold plan.
- All-American Indian Shootout schedule released as event enters 10th year.
- ‘Prey’ earns two Critics Choice nominations.
We want your tips, but we also want your feedback. What should we be covering that we’re not? What are we getting wrong? Please let us know. dalton@ictnews.org.
