The Fifth National Climate Assessment was released this week. The comprehensive report issued every four years documents what it calls rapidly intensifying threats. The effects of the warming continue to hurt Indigenous peoples. The report climate change related extreme weather events cost the U.S. $150 billion a year. Indigenous knowledge and leadership are leading many efforts to combat climate change.
There is another fire burning in a remote Hawaiian rainforest, this time on the island of Oahu. The latest fire scorched mountain ridges and the flames wiped out irreplaceable native forestland that’s home to nearly two dozen fragile species. The fire mostly burned inside the Oahu Forest National Wildlife Refuge, which is home to 22 species listed as endangered or threatened by the U.S. government.
The challenges faced by Indigenous people around the world are often shared. For example, preserving languages. There are 62 languages spoken in India’s state of Odisha. India is among the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, but its constitution officially recognizes only 22 of the hundreds of existing languages, and these are the ones taught or used in schools.
Indigenous people in Kenya are facing forced relocation. The Kenyan government has begun widespread destruction of homes and property of Ogiek people living in the Mau forest despite a legal victory acknowledging ancestral lands in 2017. Demolition began in early November when the Kenyan Forest Service concluded the legal ruling did not permit housing construction or agricultural activities within the forest
President Biden has announced the next White House summit for tribal leaders, Dec.6-7. The White House Tribal Nations Summit brings together leaders from 574 federally recognized tribes to talk about ways the federal government invests in Indigenous communities.
The First American Museum features the tribes of Oklahoma and Indigenous cuisine. Loretta Barrett Oden is the Chef at 39 Restaurant in the museum. Her new cookbook is called “Corn Dance: Inspired First American Cuisine.” ICT’s Shirley Sneve was there to see what’s cooking.
The First American Museum not only hosts great food but the National Native American Hall of Fame as well. Six inductees were added to its ranks recently to honor and tell the stories about how they have helped shape Indigenous America. We talked to one of the inductees, Richard Trudell, about the work of the National Native Hall of Fame.
Since 1995, Stanford University has honored distinguished alumni through its Multicultural Hall of Fame. This year, Navajo citizen Aaron Yazzie was selected for the award. The NASA engineer graduated from the university in 2008 and has since gone on, to not only send objects to other planets but to inspire leagues of young people.
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Today’s newscast was created with work from:
Shirley Sneve, Ponca/Sicangu Lakota, is vice president of broadcasting for the ICT Newscast. Follow her on Twitter @rosebudshirley. She is based in Nebraska and Minnesota.
Aliyah Chavez, Kewa Pueblo, is the anchor of the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @aliyahjchavez.
Paris Wise, Zia and Laguna Pueblo, is a producer for the ICT Newscast. Email: paris@ictnews.org.
Stewart Huntington is a producer for the ICT Newscast.
Quindrea Yazzie, Diné, is a video production editor for the ICT Newscast. Email: qyazzie@ictnews.org . Yazzie is based in Phoenix.
Daniel Herrera Carbajal is a video editor for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @daniulherrrera
Pauly Denetclaw, Diné, is a political correspondent for ICT. Email her at pauly@ictnews.org
Pacey Smith-Garcia, Ute, is a production assistant for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @paceyjournalist.
Nick Parks is a Production Assistant for the ICT Newscast.On Twitter: @NickParks2002
Jack Orleans is an Intern for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter @JackOrleans5
Demi Dupavillon is an Intern for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter @DemiDupavillon
Mark Trahant, Shoshone-Bannock, is ICT editor-at-large and Executive Producer of the ICT Newscast Email: marktrahant@ictnews.org
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