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:
Army Corps of Engineers gets earful at hearing
On June 4, hundreds of people showed up at a public hearing in Ashland, Wisconsin, to express opposition and support for Enbridge’s proposed reroute of its Line 5 pipeline around the Bad River Reservation.
The hearings, held by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, were the latest in the ongoing dispute over the pipeline’s future.
In 2019, the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa filed a lawsuit in federal court calling on Enbridge to decommission and remove the approximately 12-mile section of pipeline running through the tribe’s lands. The line was first constructed through Bad River in 1953 but in 2013, the tribe declined to renew easements permitting the company to continue occupying its lands. READ MORE.— Mary Annette Pember, ICT
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On Saturday an Oglala Lakota veteran walked 22 miles in the summer heat carrying an American flag, a tribal flag and several weights inside a rucksack.
Marcus Palmier has completed this between seven and nine-hour journey once a year every year for the past three years. He walks 22 miles from his home in Batesland to the Pine Ridge Powwow arena to honor the 22 veterans who die by suicide every day. Palmier’s walk runs in conjunction with the annual Oglala Veterans Powwow, which was started in the 1980s as a place to honor Vietnam veterans when they returned home.
“At one point in my life things weren’t going well for me, I was struggling with adjusting to civilian life after living in the army for so long,” Palmier said. “There’s a lot of struggles my family helped me with and I’m grateful for that… they made me see the brighter side of the dark thoughts that I have. I want to be that support for other veterans, to let them know we’re not alone in this hard walk we do every day.” READ MORE. — Amelia Schafer, ICT + Rapid City Journal
Eric Jens Sr. remembers watching the first “Iron Man” movie with his son, immediately feeling captivated by the bold, eccentric character.
“We watched the first one, the second one and the third one,” Jens, a language teacher in South Dakota, said. “Anything that came out (from) Marvel with Iron Man in it, we went to watch it.”
So when Jens, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, was given the opportunity to voice the beloved Marvel hero in “The Avengers” completely in Lakota, he knew he couldn’t turn it down.
“It was like destiny,” Jens said. “We’d watched them all so many times that in English (my son) could repeat every word. Now, hopefully he’ll watch this and be able to repeat every word in Lakota.” READ MORE. — Leah Mesquita, ICT
A new institute focused on tribal sovereignty is opening at the Oklahoma City University School of Law, in hopes of training students in not only state and federal but also tribal law.
This institute will function as a library and research center, filled with materials and coursework related to the history of tribal governments.
“We are going to be the only kind of institute in the state and region that is really focusing on tribal sovereignty issues, as well as a place for research and support for sovereignty,” said Jennifer Stevenson, assistant dean at OCU School of Law, in a Tuesday Tulsa World and ICT interview.
The Law Forms Tribal Sovereignty Institute at Oklahoma City University offers courses on tribal sovereignty to Oklahoma City University law students. READ MORE. — Felix Clary, ICT + Tulsa World
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On Monday’s ICT Newscast, Tewa traditions continue through the Poeh Cultural Center. Kodiak, Alaska is home to the language and art of the Alutiiq world. A central database makes it easier to learn about co-management pacts.
Watch:
Unusually bold, visionary leaders have captured 24 prestigious 2024 Bush Foundation community fellowships.
Antony Stately, Oneida and Ojibwe, of Prior Lake, Minnesota, is among those who beat out 558 other applicants for the esteemed award. So it’s no small feat to win.
Often recipients must apply more than once to win. But Stately, Native American Community Clinic executive officer in Minneapolis, said he was stunned when he heard he won a $150,000 scholarship.
Applicants must hail from Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography. Plus, they must proactively shape their communities somewhere in those areas. READ MORE. — Renata Birkenbuel, ICT
- Dozens of hikers became ill during trips to waterfalls: The hikers fell ill while visiting waterfalls in a gorge neighboring the Grand Canyon on the Havasupai reservation.
- NAYA’s Many Nations Academy Celebrates Class of 2024: At the Native American Youth and Family Center’s Many Nations Academy graduation, GED students joined high school graduates for the first time, to receive their diplomas.
- Yellowstone bison plan calls for larger population: The National Park Service is finalizing plans to increase bison numbers in Yellowstone National Park and transfer some bison to tribes.
- UN: Nations must defend Indigenous rights: The U.N. also calls for stronger safeguards against exploitative green transition projects.
- Catholic bishops consider new outreach to Native Americans: Following years of abuses inflicted on Native children in Catholic-run boarding schools, the Catholic Church is seeking ways to reinvigorate ministry to Natives.
- University of Minnesota announces new American Indian Studies degree. It’s a first in the Midwest.
- Trudeau urges Pope to return Indigenous items held in the Vatican’s collection.
- Interactive website uses traditional Ojibwe knowledge as a lens into climate change.
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.
