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Welcoming the sun on the first Thursday of June, dozens of community members gathered at the first Cully Farmers Market of the season — with booths selling fresh produce, salsa, jewelry, skin care products and more.
Though the Cully Farmers Market has been a staple in the Cully neighborhood for a few years now, this year is the first time that the Native American Youth and Family Center, commonly known as NAYA, is fully in charge of running the event.
“Our goal is to create a space for all marginalized folks, of course focusing on Indigenous, Native, Black and brown vendors,” said S.A. Lawrence-Welch, Nêhiýaw and Métis, Native marketplace and retail coordinator at NAYA. “We are inviting people to be a part of that and really creating a Native-led space.”
In creating a space of accessibility and community, it was important to Lawerence-Welch to eliminate potential barriers for vendors at the market. This means all of the tents and tables are provided for the vendors and there are no fees, which are common at most other farmer’s markets. READ MORE. — Nika Bartoo-Smith, ICT and Underscore News
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Sheldon SmilingCoyote locked his eyes on the push and pull of the waves in front of him, suddenly slashing the tip of his handheld hook through the water, pulling out a slimy prehistoric fish.
Lassoing the lamprey over his head to keep it from squirming off the hook, he ran to a hole he’d dug in the sand and released the fish on a pile of its relatives. SmilingCoyote tallied two dozen in his catch on a late February day.
These nutrient-rich fish, a wintertime staple for the Yurok people, lost 400 miles of their historical spawning habitat to four dams that transformed the churning upper reaches of the Klamath River into slack water, threatening the lamprey and other native species. But that’s set to change.
This year, Yurok and Karuk tribal citizens began pressing the roots of native plants like Oregon ash and Klamath plum into the fluffy volcanic soil surrounding the Iron Gate Reservoir, some 200 miles east of the free-flowing water at the river’s mouth. It’s the first in a series of three pools that will be reverted to those lush flows when the dams are destroyed in what may be the nation’s largest planned dam removal project, already underway. READ MORE.— Seattle Times
Portland Tribal Relations Director Laura John announced Friday that she is stepping down. In her place is Miranda Mishan, who formerly served as the city’s tribal relations community liaison.
“My goal has been to ensure that all city officials and staff understand that Indigenous perspectives, knowledge, and voices must be considered when making decisions on how the work of the city is done and how those decisions impact all who live in the city, not just Native people whose ancestors have lived in the place we now call Portland for generations.” John wrote in an email to city staff on Friday, announcing her resignation.
The city’s tribal relations program is effectively downsizing for at least the next year. Formerly a three-person staff, it will now include only Mishan. And although Mishan will perform the same work that John did, her title will be tribal relations program manager, instead of John’s title: tribal relations director. READ MORE. — Nika Bartoo-Smith, Underscore News + ICT
Donned in traditional Navajo attire made by her grandmother and a yellow and white beaded cap, eighth-grade student Lilliana Ward was not allowed to walk at her May 30 graduation ceremony in Illinois due to the school’s “no decorations” policy.
Instead, Ward, Navajo and Choctaw, watched from afar from the gymnasium bleachers as her classmates were celebrated during commencement on the gym floor. Ward wore her school cap and gown along with traditional moccasins, a turquoise bracelet and her hair in a tsiiyeel or Navajo bun.
This happened despite a recently passed state bill that would allow students to wear identity-based attire to graduations.
Senate Bill 1446 was sparked after Evanston High School student Nimkii Curley, Navajo and Ojibwe, was denied walking at graduation last year due to his eagle feather, beaded cap and other cultural items. It has now been passed by both the state House and Senate and is awaiting a signature from the governor. READ MORE. — Amelia Schafer, Special to ICT
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A violinist is playing for Indian Country all across the world. The Crazy Horse Memorial turns 75. Plus, we speak to a newly awarded Visionary Leader for the 2023 Bush Foundation Fellowship.
Watch:
Susan La Flesche Picotte was the first Native American to receive a medical degree and to be appointed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as an agency physician.
She was born on June 17, 1865, on the Omaha reservation in Nebraska, the daughter of Omaha Chief Joseph La Flesche, known as Iron Eye.
Her parents advocated an acculturated approach that stressed picking and choosing positive aspects of the dominant culture, especially obtaining an education for their children. READ MORE. — Raymond Wilson, Special to ICT
- National park board appoints first Native member: Yakama Nation citizen Aja DeCoteau is the executive director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.
- Colombian Indigenous children found after 40 days in Amazon: Cassava flour and fruit kept four children alive for 40 days after plane crash in Colombia’s jungle
- Lummi Nation: Canada failed its duties terminal project: The tribe claims Canada has ignored its concerns as it begins a marine container terminal construction project that could affect the Lummi fisheries.
- Chaco Canyon protest blocks event celebrating oil, gas leasing ban: Land allottees from the Navajo Nation who receive royalties for mineral exploration block U.S. Interior Sec. Deb Haaland from entering and holding commemoration at national monument.
- New summit uplifts rural, Indigenous voices to empower: The event allowed for over 250 participants to create conversations on breaking borders, strategizing and addressing issues their communities face.
- Kelvin, Kellen Sampson Sign Contracts with Men’s Basketball.
- Haskell Indian Nations University announces new president.
- 48 books by Indigenous writers to read to understand residential schools.
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.
