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The first woman president of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), and a former vice-chair of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, has died.
Veronica Homer Murdock, Mohave, was also a co-founding board member of Women Empowering Women for Indian Nations, a former Miss Indian Arizona, and held national and regional positions for the U.S. Department of Interior. She died on March 5 at age 80.
NCAI President Mark Macarro, of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, in a prepared statement, highlighted her role as both a “trailblazer and a relentless advocate for the unity and strength of all Tribal Nations.”
Macarro said, “At just 34, Homer broke historic barriers as the first woman to helm NCAI, setting new precedents with her visionary leadership and championing self-determination. Her lifelong dedication to serving her community and her advocacy on issues such as the federal recognition process, the restoration of traditional lands, and the protection of tribal sovereignty demonstrated her deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing tribal communities. READ MORE — Joaqlin Estus, ICT
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Many Indigenous and Native women have made significant news in 2023 and 2024. To commemorate March being Women’s History Month and March 8 being International Women’s Day, ICT has compiled the recent stories that spotlight Indigenous women. The stories range from Mattel, the Barbie doll maker, unveiling Wilma ManKiller, the first woman to serve as principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, becoming a doll and the first Native woman in space.
But that’s not all. There are more — many, many more. READ MORE — ICT
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — Commercial air tours over New Mexico’s Bandelier National Monument and within a half-mile outside its park boundary will soon be prohibited, officials said Tuesday.
The National Park Service and Federal Aviation Administration finalized an air tour management plan for the 50-square-mile (130-kilometer) monument near Los Alamos.
The plan will go into effect within 180 days.
Park officials said the move was made to protect natural and cultural resources, sacred tribal places and wilderness.
The monument is said to have one of the largest concentrations of Ancestral Pueblo archaeological sites in the Southwest.
“Prohibiting commercial air tours protects the cultural and spiritual significance of these lands to tribes and ensures the park experience desired by visitors,” Park Superintendent Patrick Suddath said in a statement.
Bandelier was designated as a national monument in 1916 by then-President Woodrow Wilson. It was named for Swiss-American anthropologist Adolph Bandelier. — Associated Press
Around the world: Karen people self-register lands, Winnipeg’s Indigenous youth demand Indigenous-led healthcare and support, Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation in Australia secures equal say in Murujuga country decisions, and Māori excel at film and television awards ceremonies
MYANMAR: Karen people self-register lands
For most Indigenous Karen people in Myanmar, community land isn’t viewed as something to be owned; instead, it’s revered as a sacred entity, intricately tied to their faith. The Karen see themselves as the guardians, entrusted with the care of this divine creation, Mongabay reported on Feb. 26.
Karen communities in southern Kayin state, also known as Kawthoolei, have engaged in a land registration effort for over a decade. Without involving the central government, Karen leaders and activists map ancestral lands, register them in a database, and issue land title certificates to locals.
The registration policy was born from the aftermath of frequent violent attacks that resulted in casualties and displacement. P’doh Saw Lay Say, head of the Kawthoolei Agriculture Department, which is part of the Karen National Union, initiated the policy to fortify recognition of their lands and safeguard the ecosystems they’ve nurtured for generations. READ MORE — Deusdedit Ruhangariyo, Special to ICT
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This week on IndigiPolitics, a preview of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is a 200 year old institution, and Tuesday’s California primary election. ICT political correspondent Pauly Denetclaw is here to talk more about this with regular contributor Holly Cook Macarro.
It was primary election day Tuesday in California. Among those on the ballot was Yurok Vice-Chairman Frankie Myers. The Democrat was hoping to become the state’s second Native American assemblymember, but came up short. Ahead of the race, ICT‘s Paris Wise asked him about his campaign experience and about the lessons learned.
Yale historian Ned Blackhawk has won the National Book Award for his work, “The Rediscovery of America.” Now he’s a finalist for another award from the J. Anthony Lukas Prize. Here’s an interview recorded after his National Book Award win.
WATCH
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A veteran musher had to kill a moose after it injured his dog shortly after the start of this year’s Iditarod, race officials said Monday.
Dallas Seavey informed the officials with the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race early Monday morning that he was forced to shoot the moose with a handgun in self-defense.
This came “after the moose became entangled with the dogs and the musher,” a statement from the race said.
Seavey, who is tied for the most Iditarod wins ever at five, said he urged officials to get the moose off the trail. READ MORE — Associated Press
- Regulatory costs account for half of new Hawai’i condos: The report from the university’s Economic Research Organization found the median price of a new two-bedroom condo in Hawai’i is $672,000, more than twice the nationwide average
- Indigenous syphilis outbreak prompts call for action: Tribal leaders call for HHS secretary to declare a syphilis-related public health emergency
- Osage song from ‘Killers’ to be performed at Oscars: Osage Tribal Singers to perform Oscar-nominated song from ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ at March 10 Academy Awards
- More than half of American Indian youth may have abnormal or high cholesterol
- Cases of black lung are surging on the Navajo Nation, but miners lack access to care
- House passes $460 billion package of spending bills with Senate expected to act before shutdown deadline
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