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PORTLAND, ORE. – Over four dozen people gathered under the St. John’s bridge, at the shores of the Willamette River on a misty morning on September 8 to welcome one of the Portland All Nations Canoe Family’s canoes ashore. Following the landing, a bigger crowd began to form in a grassy section of Cathedral Park. There, different Indigenous nations and faiths offered song and prayer to breathe healing into the Willamette River.

Throughout the day, a Shaker ceremony, a Washut ceremony, a Mayan ceremony, and song, and dances from dozens of Indigenous nations were shared with hundreds of community members who gathered for an event co-hosted by the Portland Harbor Community Coalition.

“Water is very important because everything that exists consists of water,” Wilbur Slockish, a traditional river chief of the Klickitat Band of the Yakama Nation, said to hundreds gathered for the annual Water Ceremony. “Our bodies are mostly water and the dirt from this land. That’s why we fight. I fight to protect this land, protect this water, protect the air, because those are my human orders. Creator gave those orders to the peoples. You take care of them, and they will take care of you. You take care of the animals, and they will take care of you. And water is the most important one, because he takes care of everything.”

READ MORE — Nika Bartoo-Smith, Underscore Native News and ICT

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Brazil’s Federal Police on Tuesday conducted multiple raids targeting a criminal group it alleged has laundered at least 3.1 metric tons of gold mined in the Amazon rainforest to conceal its illegal origins.

The group operated within the Kayapo people’s territory in Para state and is believed to be connected to an organization that extracted gold illegally from Yanomami territory in Roraima state, the police statement said. It didn’t name the suspects but said some are public officials and Indigenous individuals.

Authorities conducted 33 search warrants and 13 preventive arrest warrants across the states of Para, Amazonas, Roraima and Mato Grosso. A federal judge ordered the freezing of 2.9 billion reais ($512 million) in assets, the statement said.

In another operation Tuesday, Federal Police conducted searches targeting a Sao Paulo-based group the force claims laundered money linked to illegal mining in Para and Mato Grosso states. The group executed financial transactions through shell companies and individuals, moving 3 billion reais ($530 million) over the past four years, police said in a separate statement.

A judge ordered the freezing of 1.3 billion reais ($230 million) in assets connected with the suspects, whose names were not disclosed. According to Federal Police, the suspects may face charges of illegally mining and trading gold, money laundering and involvement in a criminal organization.

During the raid, officials found hunting trophies at the residence of one suspect, including a taxidermied hippopotamus, giraffe, buffalo, wildebeest and lion. Environmental regulator Ibama said in a statement that only seven of the 12 items had proper documentation associated with their import. — Associated Press

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Cherokee leaders have described Indian Health Services facilities as “chronically underfunded” and plan to take control of one such hospital.

A new Cherokee Nation resolution aims to give operational responsibility of the federally run Claremore Indian Hospital to tribal health leaders. The Cherokee Nation’s Health Committee will hear the resolution Sept. 16 to determine if the council will approve it. If approved, the tribe will gather a team of health leaders to meet with federal IHS officials to discuss the change that the tribe expects to complete by the end of 2025.

“The Claremore Service Unit workforce is superb and the entire team there works hard to deliver great care. However, Claremore operates in a federally run system that, quite simply, is not as resourced as it could be and is less effective than Cherokee Nation, which is why this change makes sense,” Cherokee Councilman Kevin Easley Jr. of Claremore said in a press release.

Cherokee Councilman Danny Callison of Pryor also expressed support for the shift, arguing Native health care should be in Native hands. READ MORE — Felix Clary, Tulsa World and ICT 

RAPID CITY, S.D. – A sexual abuse trial against a former Oglala Sioux Tribe council member began on Wednesday at the federal courthouse in Rapid City.

Howard Rooks, a former representative of the Medicine Root District on the Pine Ridge Reservation, was charged on March 21 with aggravated sexual abuse and sexual abuse.

Both charges carry the potential of a life sentence.

Rooks appeared Wednesday afternoon before a 13 person jury.

During opening statements, prosecutor Heather Knox outlined the alleged incident. READ M0RE — Amelia Schafer, ICT and Rapid City Journal

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