ICT NEWSCAST: Native leadership in port development, Native hip hop, an Indigenous herbalist and more

The ICT Newscast for Friday, May 29, 2026, covers major a investment in Canada’s far North, artifact repatriation, hip hop, art, Billy Mills and an Indigenous herbalist down in New Orleans! Check out the ICT Newscast on YouTube for this episode and more.

Indigenous communities stand tall as Canadian government invests millions in Churchill Port expansion

Historically, investments in the remote sub-Arctic Canadian town of Churchill have been controlled by outside interests, leaving local Indigenous communities to live with decisions they didn’t make. Today the town’s rail and port infrastructure are owned by the Arctic Gateway Group, a consortium of Indigenous and local communities. Local leaders hope that new multi-million dollar investments from the Canadian government will benefit them – and reflect their priorities.

Stolen totem post to leave Philadelphia and return to tribe

A post long held by Philadelphia’s Association for Public Art is finally coming home. The U’Mista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay, British Columbia will receive the Kwakwaka’wakw artifact in a repatriation that Executive Director Juanita Johnson calls unusual as this time, it was the institution that initiated the process, not the tribe. A traditional welcome ceremony will mark the post’s return.

Navajo Hip Hop Artist Nataanii Nez Means Turns Music Into Indigenous Advocacy

Rapper Nataanii Nez Means has made Indigenous storytelling the heartbeat of his music, using his platform to raise awareness around Native issues while bringing people together through hip hop. Off stage, he runs youth workshops teaching songwriting and recording with hope to inspire young Indigenous people to find pride and beauty in their own communities and identities.

Haskell Students Debut Exhibit Celebrating Indigenous Friendship and Rez Life

Students Aiyanna Tanyan and Aziza Smith have opened a new exhibit at the Haskell Cultural Center & Museum that blends Rorschach imagery, themes of love, and the unapologetic joy of rez life. The two friends say the show reflects their culture, their bond, and their deep pride in the Indigenous community.

Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills, 80, Writes to Inspire the Next Generation

Oglala Lakota Olympic legend Billy Mills, who stunned the world at the 1964 Tokyo Games, hopes his book Wings of an Eagle will inspire Indigenous youth to push through adversity and believe in themselves. At 87, Mills says he is proud to still be making a difference.

Indigenous Herbalist Anne White Hat Brings Traditional Plant Medicine to New Orleans

Anne White Hat, founder of Maypop Herb Shop in New Orleans, blends Indigenous plant knowledge with southern botanical tradition to create tinctures, teas, and herbal remedies. Recently awarded a grant to expand her studies, White Hat is focused on making traditional herbal medicine more accessible to Indigenous communities nationwide.

View previous ICT broadcasts here every week for the latest news from around Indian Country.

Keywords: Native American news 2026, Indigenous news, Native American news today, Tribal news, First Nations news, Native American athletes, Native American representation, Native American Entertainment, Native Entertainers, Native American artist, Native artists, Indigenous artists, Indigenous, Community, Culture, Repatriation, Identity, Native, Traditional, Heritage, Churchill, Port, Expansion, Language, Land, Music, Art, Youth, Medicine, Ceremony, Reclaiming.