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Eight-year-old Kamiliah Stewart danced onto The Monument floor Friday night, the heartbeat of the Black Hills echoing through the drum beats. As she did so, she simultaneously made history.

Stewart, Oglala Lakota, is the first royalty to represent the two-spirit community at the Black Hills Powwow, one of the Nation’s largest. Stewart was chosen by the two-spirit powwow committee during their inaugural powwow in June.

“This is a powerful, powerful breakthrough for this generation,” Monique “Muffie” Mousseau, a two-spirit elder, said. “The acceptance and understanding and equality is right here.”

This year’s Black Hills Powwow set records with 1,222 dancers registered on Friday night. The powwow was so large competitions ran until the early hours of the morning. During powwows as large as Black Hills Powwow, people from across the nation send royalty to represent their communities. READ MORE — Amelia Schafer, ICT + Rapid City Journal

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A Superior Court judge in Fresno, California, has ordered an evidentiary hearing for Douglas Stankewitz, writing there is “reasonable likelihood” he may be entitled to release after 45 years in prison for a murder the Big Sandy Rancheria man says he didn’t commit.

Judge Arlan Harrell made the decision on Sept. 29 after reviewing Stankewitz’s petition for the hearing, which outlines evidence his legal team intends to introduce, and the prosecution’s response to the petition.

“The court finds that there is reasonable likelihood that Petitioner may be entitled to relief and that Petitioner’s entitlement to relief depends on the resolution of issue[s] of fact,” Harrell ruled. “Therefore, an evidentiary hearing is required.”

Stankewitz’s habeas corpus petition – which claims he was wrongfully convicted and should be immediately released – cites missing evidence, recanted testimony used to convict Stankewitz, a confession from a co-defendant, and a questionable history for the handgun investigators say was the murder weapon. READ MORE — Richard Arlin Walker, Special to ICT

Around the world: Malaysian activists fight back against the Samling company, Western Australia police fail to appear at a government hearing on Indigenous issues, an Ontario hospital hires a new “navigator” to help Indigenous patients, and a Māori-led architecture firm wins big in design awards.

MALAYSIA: Activists take wins rounds against timber company

Indigenous activists in Malaysia have achieved two significant wins against timber giant Samling in their longstanding efforts to protect forests and territories in Sarawak, Mongabay reported on Oct. 4.

Samling reached a settlement with SAVE Rivers, a local non-governmental organization that had publicized the company’s treatment of people living on or near two areas under the company’s management, Mongabay reported.

Samling also lost certification for its Ravenscourt Forest Management Unit, one of the areas of concern in its lawsuit against SAVE Rivers, Mongabay reported. READ MORE — Deusdedit Ruhangariyo, Special to ICT

CANBERRA, Australia — Australians appear likely to reject the creation of an advocate for the Indigenous population in a referendum outcome that some see as a victory for racism.

Two opinion polls published in newspapers on Monday are the latest to show a majority of respondents oppose enshrining in Australia’s constitution an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Creating the Voice would aim to give Australia’s most disadvantaged ethnic minority more say on government policies that effect their lives.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday would not concede defeat before voting on the referendum ends Saturday.

“We’ll wait and see when they cast their vote. I’m not getting ahead of the Australian people,” Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp. READ MORE — Associated Press

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A Chicago man elected to his first political office this year is part of a growing movement of Native young people running for public office.

Anthony Tamez, First Nations Cree, Sicangu Lakota and Black, was elected in February at age 23 to the Chicago Police District Council from District 17.

He is one of the youngest Native people to hold an elected position in the U.S. and is believed to be only the second Native person to hold an elected post in Illinois.

“In general, what we’re seeing is Native youth are stepping into positions of leadership,” said Jordan James Harvill, Cherokee/Choctaw, the national program director for Advance Native Political Leadership. READ MORE — Amelia Schafer, ICT + Rapid City Journal

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