Obituaries

Merrick’s death met with ‘profound sadness’ across Canada after her work defending the rights of her people

“He looked for the good in everything”

Korean War veteran leaves behind a remarkable legacy

‘During his tenure, President Velarde spearheaded several key initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life for the Jicarilla Apache people’

'There’s probably not enough that we can do to repay her for who we’ve become as Ak-Chin people'

Remembering renowned comic artist from the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, Jefferey Veregge

Bev Warne, powerhouse in the Rapid City Indigenous community, dies at 85

1978: 'We need to secure a process under which those tribes that are valid tribes are recognized by the federal government…'

Remembering a beloved and influential former executive director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission

‘It is possible to overcome great disadvantage’

The award-winning storyteller from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation ‘risked asking tough questions of tribal officials with no legal protection for his job’

He protested police violence and racial profiling, and advocated for the cleanup of abandoned mines where uranium ore was extracted from the Navajo Nation

George (Mangtaquli) Noongwook from Savoonga, Alaska, died earlier this year

Yupik elder George Noongwook (1949-2023) wrote an essay about the joys of traditional songs and dances shortly before his death

Indigenous advocate worked in Indian Affairs for more than fifty years

Hundreds turn out for a remembrance celebration for US Hockey Hall of Famer and Olympic silver medalist Henry Boucha

Groundbreaking Olympic medalist and NHL player became known for his Native headbands and skill on the ice

Tribal chair says Margaritaville hotel brought ‘spirit of the potlatch’ to tribal enterprise in Oregon

Earl Barlow was dedicated to improving Indigenous communities in Montana through education and public service

Robertson was from the Six Nations of the Grand River in Canada and a fixture in the rock industry for decades, playing alongside other rock legends

The former Oneida Indian Nation leader leaves behind an Indigenous business and policy legacy. He died at age 85

Jack Mark Edmo founded the Rocky Mountain Indian Rodeo Association and worked in tribal government

Ducheneaux spent her legal career fighting for the rights of tribes, tribal organizations and individuals, including representing the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in its fight against the Dakota Access pipeline

The renowned lacrosse stick maker, who passed in June, welcomed the world into his workshop throughout his life, sharing his craft and his teachings

Surviving rough upbringing and cancer, he had just released popular Levi’s collaboration

Charles Wilkinson helped pave the way for tribal nations across Indian Country durning the '70s and '80s by advocating for tribal self-determination and treaty rights.

He will be remembered as an artist, educator, mentor, and activist

Tulalip Tribes citizen used education and negotiation to win support for bills

Ellwood, a advocate of disability rights and MMIW awareness has died after a battle with cancer

He was a leader of the Ohkay Owingeh and a former two-time president of the National Congress of American Indians

‘A humble and generous person, gifted writer and a doer’

He led the Navajo Nation for four years after being elected in 2011

White was the first Native American and first woman to hold the position of BIA superintendent, according to her family

The South Dakota senator is remembered for his landmark bills, ‘He was always loyal to Native people.’

Bassist Mac Suazo inspired generations of young Native musicians

‘Oliver’s lifetime of service to his country, his people and most importantly, his family will never be forgotten’

From the Grammys to environmental activism, Lee Tiger was seen as an “advocate and ambassador” for the Miccosukee people

Lund, 91, dedicated decades to improving health care in Alaska

Braun, who was dedicated to environmental issues, will be remembered as the epitome of a Modern Day Warrior

Susan Kelly Power dies at age 97, nearly 70 years after she helped found the nation's first urban American Indian Center

Chicago activist helped open first-ever urban Indian center in US

The late director was known for his ‘Blood Quantum’ and ‘Rhymes with Young Ghoul’ movies, true horrors of colonization and contemporary racism

Kevin Locke performed for nearly 40 years to hundreds of thousands of people in more than 90 countries

The Lakota artist was well-known across Indian Country and beyond

The actress/advocate/health expert received an unprecedented public apology nearly 50 years after her Academy Award speech declining Marlon Brando's Oscar

Family remembers that Gary Niles Kimble was the first Native American in Montana to run for Congress

Alan R. Parker was known for being a decorated soldier, attorney, respected educator and a noted author

Bill Donovan, a prolific writer, had said one of the most memorable moments was a deadly riot at the tribal capital during a political power struggle

Minnesota dedicated July 26, 2022 to the late Rev. Marlene Whiterabbit Helgemo, Ho-Chunk Nation