The ICT Newscast for Friday, May 23, 2025, features stories about the Ponca tribes uniting for water rights and Oakflat mining on hold. Plus a storyteller brings her Cherokee culture to animation.
- A historic apology in New York: Gov. Kathy Hochul calls the abuse at Indian boarding schools “ethnic cleansing,” acknowledging state involvement in a system that separated Native children from their families and cultures.
- Sacred land protected: An Arizona judge halts a major copper mine project on sacred Apache land at Oak Flat.
- Serving with honor: Cherokee brothers Mike and Jake Stopp share reflections on military service and Native representation for Memorial Day.
- Ponca unity for water rights: Northern and Southern Ponca tribes convene along the Niobrara River to assert sovereignty and protect vital water sources. “Mni wiconi — water is life” echoes through the gathering.
- Cherokee stories come to life: Morgan Thompson blends culture and creativity, bringing Cherokee traditions into the world of animation.
View previous ICT broadcasts here every week for the latest news from around Indian Country.