A Busy Week
It's going to be a big week for Indian Country in the nation's capital, with a slew of hearings focusing on everything from tribal water rights to the Indian Health Service. Keep track of the action and stay tuned!
TUESDAY, JULY 23• 10:15am - Hearing on 12 Indian water rights bills
• 3:15pm - Joint hearing on Haskell Indian Nations University WEDNESDAY, JULY 24
• 10:15am - Hearing on IHS bills THURSDAY, JULY 25
• 2:30pm - Hearing on tribal water bill ALL WEEK
• Consideration of Indian Country funding bill
Here's Your Headlines:
Indian Country is set for a busy week in the nation’s capital, coming after the GOP convention and the end of Democratic President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign.
Cherokee culture is best protected when it’s celebrated and shared.
Joe Biden just dropped out of the 2024 presidential race. What’s next?
If Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) gets her way, she will be the next Secretary of the Interior.
Among the Earth’s most genetically pure buffalo herds in Yellowstone National Park, a rare white buffalo calf is born.
What does another Donald Trump presidency mean for Native America?
Native talent is being recognized with high-profile nominations at the primetime Emmy Awards.
The public safety theme on the second evening at the Republican National Convention included a message from Forest County Potawatomi Chairman James Crawford.
“Native people are facing real threats to ensure our safety,” the leader of the Forest County Potawatomi Community told Republicans gathered in his tribe’s homelands.
Watch James Crawford, the chairman of Forest County Potawatomi Community, address the Republican National Convention.
Listen to James Crawford, the chairman of Forest County Potawatomi Community, deliver remarks at the Republican National Convention.
A federal judge is weighing a decision that the Winnebago Tribe hopes will set a strong precedent at one of the most infamous Indian boarding schools in the nation.
What does the display of Republican values on the national stage look like to Native voters?
“Just because a scientist says something doesn’t mean it’s true,” a first-term Republican lawmaker said.
A Republican politician who derided Indigenous Peoples’ Day as “fake” is Donald Trump’s running mate.
The fact that Native people in Oklahoma have a 17-year shorter life expectancy than our non-Indigenous neighbors is more than a statistic — it represents countless lives cut short.
Uplifting voices and opportunities from our community members and partners.
Native America Calling is in Wisconsin to hear from tribal leaders and tribal citizens as the Republican Party opens its presidential nominating convention.
Watch testimony from the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on July 10, 2024.
Listen to testimony from the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on July 10, 2024.
Tourism is big money for many tribes and individual entrepreneurs. But it also has the potential to diminish people’s quality of life.
From the mid-seventeenth century till the early twentieth century, Indian boarding schools were used as a tool to assimilate Native children away from their rich culture.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued some big rulings before going on break for the summer. How do the cases impact tribes and Native people?
Three members of a family with multi-state and international connections have been sentenced for selling over $1 million in fake Alaska Native goods.
More than half of Native elders from rural areas have some sort of cognitive impairment, a condition that ranges from mild memory loss all the way to dementia.
A federal judge who was once praised for his work in understanding Native issues resigned following an investigation into sexual misconduct.
A bill to create a Truth and Healing Commission on Indian boarding schools is moving forward in Congress.
“Indigenous communities and Native communities do not publicly humiliate their elders the way the media has,” said April Ignacio from the Tohono O’odham Nation.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is getting back to work with a hearing on four bills.
Your latest news on tribal finance and economic development.
George Lepine and Chebon Marks have been infusing Indigenous philosophy and methods into martial arts.
A federal program to compensate people exposed to fallout from U.S. nuclear testing expired, leaving countless Navajo Nation residents in limbo.
A Lakota man is developing an archive of music by Native artists one record and cassette tape at a time. Listen to the encore presentation.
The Klamath Tribes are seeking justice following the deaths of two young sisters from their community in Oregon.
A herd of stolen bison get tangled up in a scheme orchestrated by a fiery Indigenous activist and her aimless young companion in a new book by Metis author Conor Kerr.
Republican leaders in Congress are investigating numerous allegations of misconduct at Haskell Indian Nations University.
While candidates for the Republican and Democratic parties reign supreme in headlines, some Native voters aren’t bound by the two-party system.
The Cherokee Nation strives to be a great place to work, because we want the best and brightest to serve our community.
A bipartisan bill would relocate some of the 20,500 buffalo on public lands to tribal lands.
Enjoy some summer savings for a tribal grant management course, courtesy NAFOA.
For the first time, the federal government has acknowledged the historic and ongoing devastation caused to tribes by dams in the Pacific Northwest.
What’s on The Menu? Join Native America Calling for more on Alaska Native food, gardening and a new Bureau of Indian Education program.
For the first time in the history of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the multi-day celebration in the nation’s capital focuses entirely on Indigenous peoples.
Secretary of the Deb Haaland delivers remarks at the opening of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on June 26, 2024.
National Museum of the American Indian Director Cynthia Chavez Lamar delivers remarks at the opening of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on June 26, 2024.
Halena Kapuni-Reynolds opens the Smithsonian Folklife Festival with a Native Hawaiian welcome on June 26, 2024.
Members of Sons of Membertou perform at the opening of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on June 26, 2024.
The House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs holds a legislative hearing on June 26, 2024.
Hubert Logan, Mega Bear, Wampum Baggs, and Tad Nugget are all back for Volume 3 of the Super Indian saga.
Efforts continue at the national and local level to return land to tribes, the original stewards.
A chaotic and heated scene played out in the nation’s capital as a Native activist advocated for tribal sovereignty on the steps of the highest court in the land.
Candi Brings Plenty discusses Indigenous womb sovereignty at the U.S. Supreme Court on June 24, 2024.
Candi Brings Plenty delivers a land acknowledgment in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 24, 2024.
Phoenix, Arizona, is the latest city to face federal allegation of police discrimination against Native people.
The U.S. Senate considers S.1987, the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act, on June 20, 2024.
The U.S. Senate considers H.R.1240, the Winnebago Land Transfer Act, on June 20, 2024.
Juneteenth marks a joyous moment in American history — the final emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
The Blackfeet Nation and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will work together to address the impacts of a water system failure on the reservation in Montana.
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a ban on gun possession by domestic abusers with a a ruling that came as a huge relief to advocates for survivors.
Did you know you can post your open positions on the NAFOA Job Board?
Two Alaska Native musicians join Native America Calling for the latest edition of Native Playlist.
Skateboarding has become increasingly popular among Native athletes and recreational boarders, as organizers step up their support with places to skate.
Applause broke out on Capitol Hill with the advancement of a bipartisan bill that will finally help address the harmful legacy of the Indian boarding school era.
“For more than a century, the federal government’s Indian Boarding School policies and practices sought to destroy Native languages, cultures, and identities,” said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).
Is South Dakota peculiar, or is the state driving a trend in anti-Indian policies, sentiments and behaviors?
An ambitious multimedia project has taken over the campus of one of the world’s leading performing arts centers, located on the homelands of the Lenape people.
Cochiti Pueblo artist and designer Virgil Ortiz discusses his participation in The Dream Machine Experience at Lincoln Center.
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce considers H.R.7227, the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act, at a markup session.
As digital technology increasingly becomes the main infrastructure for information and commerce, tribes will need to create an informed strategy to make sure their voices are included.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hosts a legislative hearing on June 12, 2024.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hosts a legislative hearing on June 12, 2024.
More than 30 pieces of century-old Hopi pottery, baskets, and other items are making a return visit to the their community of creation.
Cherokees are stewards of many proud traditions, from our art, music and festivities to our language, patriotism and spirit of Gadugi.
Teachers have been in short supply across Arizona. Nowhere is that felt more than at schools run by tribes and the federal government.
The best part of Monday mornings is the NAFOA newsletter.
Indigenous scientists often have a foot in two worlds: modern science and the wisdom that comes from sacred and traditional knowledge.
A half dozen Indigenous leaders are getting a boost for incorporating traditional connections with making people and their communities better.
A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds Indigenous people suffer a higher percentage of heat-related deaths than any other population.
Indigenous LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit artists discuss the intersection of two driving issues of identity that are both a celebration and a source of contention.
At one point in history, tribes in the Plains region developed a shared universal language.
Mental health conditions tops the list of causes for pregnancy-related deaths in a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Native voters have traditionally supported Democrats, and that has made a significant difference in key races across the United States.
A good playlist makes the summer heat bearable and sets the mood on an invigorating road trip.
Together, we are improving the spiritual, mental and physical health of Cherokee Nation citizens of all ages.
We celebrate Pride Month and the strength of our LGBTQIA+ relatives.
News consumers can choose where they get their facts from — and increasingly those facts are in dispute.
Native basketball fans have a lot to see on the court when it comes to the NBA and the WNBA.
Join Native America Calling to get perspectives from some notable Native Republicans about what they see the party does for their Native constituents.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren hosts a press conference on May 28, 2024.
The Remember the Removal Bike Ride is one of the most valuable cultural activities Cherokee Nation supports, deeply connecting youthful Cherokees to our history.
Join Andi Murphy for The Menu, Native America Calling’s regular feature on Native food!
Sasquatch, also known as Bigfoot, carry a deep meaning in many Native cultures.
An exasperated Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico) is demanding answers from the Biden administration about public safety in Native communities.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds an oversight hearing on public safety in Native communities.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs holds an oversight hearing on public safety in Native communities.
It’s been more than a year and some Native parents in North Dakota still haven’t received child support payments following an abrupt change by the Internal Revenue Service.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is once again taking a close look at public safety in Indian Country.
Reindeer weren’t always in Alaska, but now there’s a strong connection for Alaska Native herders.
There’s something for everybody on the summer reading lists by our expert panel of Native super-readers.
Cherokee Nation is a leader for Indian Country and the best in model in Oklahoma for how a government can uplift its citizens.
“Each year, Pow Wow strengthens the bonds within our community and among our guests from afar,” said Chairman Marshall Pierite.
Be part of NAFOA’s growth! Forward this newsletter to your network.
Edgar Blatchford, Iñupiaq and Yup’ik, is a former journalist and political official who has been involved in Alaska Native affairs for decades.
The House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs holds an oversight hearing titled “Examining the President’s FY 2025 Budget Request for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, and Office of Insular Affairs.”
Over two days of hearings, the House Committee on Appropriations heard from dozens of Indian Country leaders who testified about their funding needs.
Tribal citizens are seeing an increase in targeted stops and fines by non-Indian law enforcement in Oklahoma despite a long-standing sovereignty victory.
The House Committee on Appropriations heard from dozens of Indian Country leaders who testified about their funding needs.
Native America Calling devotes this show to the Native academic stars reaching a major educational milestone.
Just as Native people are overrepresented in jails and prisons, they make up a disproportionate number of those on supervised release.
Following a U.S. Supreme Court decision ending affirmative action, several states are rushing to rid their higher education institutions of recruitment and inclusion programs that benefit Native students.
Cherokee Nation leads in growing the economy, creating jobs, and improving the well-being not just for our citizens — but for all of northeast Oklahoma.
Join us in welcoming Rodney Butler as NAFOA’s new Board President!
A tribe once targeted for termination has established the first reservation in the state of Illinois.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hosts a roundtable discussion on May 8, 2024.
Nearly a year after the state of Arizona announced a crackdown on a Medicaid scheme exploiting vulnerable Native people, tribal citizens are still calling for action to combat the problem.
A big band made up of Native musicians is headlining a jazz festival at in the nation’s capital.
The House Committee on Appropriations continues to hear from dozens of Indian Country leaders who are testifying about their funding needs.
The House Committee on Appropriations is hearing from dozens of Indian Country leaders who are testifying about their funding needs.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is hosting a roundtable discussion on a recent federal report about Native children.
Join Native America Calling to discuss some of the current limits and possibilities for exerting sovereign influence over tribal airspace.
Join Native America Calling to hear about the unique opportunities and challenges that come with tribal wealth.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hosts a legislative hearing on May 1, 2024.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hosts a legislative hearing on May 1, 2024.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hosts a business meeting on May 1, 2024.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hosts a business meeting on May 1, 2024.
We are committed to building an inclusive government where individuals with autism are supported and embraced
Demand justice for our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives.
Ten years since a world-changing blackout, an Anishinaabe community must embark on a mission of discovery in the next chapter from First Nations author Waubgeshig Rice.
Native people are affected by Arizona’s efforts to solidify a strict ban on abortions — and other states with substantial Native populations are trying to do the same.
TikTok is a source of entertainment and information for Native users — and it could go away following enactment of a new U.S. law.
Euchee culinary traditions, subsistence whaling in Alaska and young gardeners are on The Menu, Native America Calling’s regular feature on food sovereignty.
Oklahoma’s creation must be taught alongside all the grim and dark history of U.S. tribal relations.
As a Native psychiatrist, Dr. Richard Laughter breaks down accessibility barriers by blending Native cultural practices with Western care.
George Goode explains the significance of farrier education through the Native American Horse Education Foundation, which provides courses to Native communities.
Native Guitars Tour is heading up a two-day music and fashion presentation in New Mexico.
We are in the midst of a new surge of Native writing talent.
The early bond between Native people and horses was both technical and spiritual.
AI is advancing fast, and Native experts are expressing the need for policy and legal safeguards to make sure it doesn’t trample Native values.
Cherokee Nation is leading by example to foster a sustainable future, both locally and globally, for generations to come.
Show some love for the Earth that sustains us. Happy Earth Day!
Native people face a six-fold increased risk of flash floods because of climate change in the next two years, according to a new study.
Cody Desautel, president of the Intertribal Timber Council and executive director of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, testifies about federal forest management.
The House Subcommittee on Federal Lands holds a hearing to discuss draft legislation on forest management.
Native people die by suicide at rates higher than any other racial or ethnic group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The murders of three Navajo men by white high school students touched off a series of racially-fueled conflicts in a border town in New Mexico.
Native people are among those with the lowest rate of vaccinations, whether it’s for flu, measles, COVID-19, or hepatitis B.
Native drone pilots are building careers using drones for scoping out landscapes for construction, searching for lost hikers, and even assessing potentially sacred areas.
An estimated 18.1 percent of Arizona residents have experienced long COVID — a condition broadly defined by symptoms that continue to develop weeks, months or years after COVID-19 infection.
Native sisters, a Native artist’s art installation and a tribe’s fight against an oil pipeline are the subject of new films.
Osteoarthritis affects millions of people nationwide, and unfortunately American Indians have among the highest prevalence in the country.
Sending best wishes to accountants everywhere on Tax Day!
Citing a troubling disparity for self-harm among Native youth, two tribes are suing the country’s most prominent social media companies.
The famed criminal known as “QAnon Shaman” will not be going back to Washington, for now — at least not in any official capacity.
Join Ojibwe writer Marcie Rendon, Lakota humorist Tiffany Midge, author Kimberly Blaeser and poet Kinsale Drake in celebration of National Poetry Month.
Lawmakers wanted to talk about the problems of foreign criminal cartels operating on Indigenous lands, but tribal leaders came to Capitol Hill seeking solutions.
It’s the time of year when Native nerds, cosplayers, comic geeks and gamers assemble for the first and biggest convention devoted to them.
Join Native America Calling to examine the fallout from unfounded claims made by high-ranking politicians and what recourse tribes have to counter them.
“The idea of being an astronaut hadn’t even entered my mind at this point,” Marine Col. Nicole Mann told college students.
Numerous studies over the years point out the overrepresentation of Native women in U.S. prisons. Even Native girls are incarcerated at higher rates.
For Native peoples, maintaining our language is synonymous with sustaining our identity and our very way of life.
All across the country, tribes are working to find the most promising opioid treatments funded by dozens of settlements with pharmaceutical giants.
Most tribes have important traditional connections to the stars and other celestial bodies in the night sky.
A crime spree by two Ute youths in 1923 escalated into a mob of settlers bent on suppressing the nearby Ute and Paiute populations in what is now Utah.
Join Native America Calling to speak with two passionate Native language scholars about the dedication it takes to make a difference.
The most powerful earthquake ever recorded in North America struck 75 miles south of Anchorage in Alaska in March 1964.
Bestselling Blackfeet writer Stephen Graham Jones caps off his horror trilogy with The Angel of Indian Lake.
What’s on The Menu? The state of Native agriculture, wild onion season and Native matriarchs.
“It’s people like Lily who are paving the way for a better tomorrow, and as you can see hard work, it does take you a long way,” said Blackfeet Nation council member Pat Armstrong.
We are First Nations historians and professors working in Canada. Our communities are also impacted by the loss of cultural patrimony to museums in the U.S. and the laws covering repatriation.
A Lakota man is developing an archive of music by Native artists — one record and cassette tape at a time.
The Department of Education has opened a civil rights investigation into the treatment of Native athletes at public schools in North Dakota.
About one out of every six high school students report being bullied, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in Becerra v. San Carlos Apache Tribe and Becerra v. Northern Arapaho Tribe on March 25, 2024.
Cherokee values tell us we have a duty to protect the land and waters that bring life to the whole community.
There’s still time to register and book your hotel for #NAFOA2024 in Florida!
Each year, Alaska honors the U.S. government official who negotiated the acquisition of Alaska, largely ignoring Indigenous peoples who still live there.
The Gila River Indian Community plans to work directly with federal officials to develop its own proposal for water sharing on the Colorado River.
When the Exxon Valdez supertanker broke open on March 24, 1989, the resulting oil spill coated 1,300 miles of shoreline, causing long-lasting damage for Alaska Natives.
Four states and six tribes in the Colorado River Basin are working on what could be a historic agreement — if it happens at all.
It’s basketball tournament time and Native America Calling is talking free throws, three-pointers and trophies.
Whiskey Tender, the memoir by Deborah Jackson Taffa, is both an intimate personal story and Native history.
According to the most recent data, 1 in 5 children in Oklahoma is living in poverty, and more than 180,000 kids in this state can’t always get enough nutritious food.
Know someone who needs to be in the NAFOA-know?
An investigation shows that Native people have the highest rate of death from liver disease, but the lowest representation on the waitlist for transplants.
Lawmakers from both parties are supporting — and opposing — a bill that would ban TikTok unless the social media app is sold to a non-foreign owner.
In our collective efforts, we will continue to advocate for the safety and well-being of all Native children.
Indigenous women are confronting past abuses of medical professionals who claimed to be working in their best interests.
The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development is celebrating young leaders at the Reservation Economic Summit.
Doing business on a global scale means understanding the competitive advantages tribes and First Nations bring to the table.
President Joe Biden delivered a combative State of the Union that laid out his achievements and baited Republicans for not doing more.
Small business serve as building blocks for tribes, providing jobs and circulating revenue within the community.
Tribes maintain schedules for harvests, ceremonies, family and feasts. How does the concept of time factor in?
Native people are up for a historic three Academy Awards for their roles in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
After leaving the Democratic Party, Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona has decided to leave the U.S. Senate for good.
Two recent events are major wins for tribes fighting to restore natural salmon runs in the Pacific Northwest.
In his new novel, Tommy Orange weaves together the complex history of the Indian boarding school era as witnessed by the ancestors to the characters in his best-selling debut.
Every part of the Cherokee Nation should be a place where Cherokees can thrive.
NAFOA proudly celebrates the contributions of Native women in leadership.
Since the start of the 118th Congress, only 40 bills have passed both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
Overfishing in Japan, a thriving black market, and even the Fukushima nuclear disaster are all fanning the flames of fishing disputes involving tribes and First Nations in the U.S. and Canada.
Sasquatch, also known as Bigfoot, carry a deep meaning in many Native cultures.
A jury convicted Brian Steven Smith for the murders of two Alaska Native women, following a trial that attracted international attention.
A hearing is taking in a discrimination and harassment lawsuit filed by a Navajo woman against the National Organization for Women.
Where did some universities and colleges get their land? From the breakup of tribal lands.
Arizona officials said they have been given federal approval to expand income eligibility for KidsCare, a change that could add 10,000 children to the low-cost health care program.
The leader of the Choctaw Nation is joining an outpouring of support for the family of a 16-year-old student whose death is under investigation.
Native children make up more than a third of the foster care caseload in Montana, despite representing less than 10 percent of the state’s child population.
Federal energy officials took the unusual step of denying permits to several pumped hydropower projects proposed on the Navajo Nation, citing a new policy that gives tribes a greater voice in projects on their lands.
Native people have a pronounced respect for the wisdom of elders. But what about elected officials?
Lawmakers in Arizona are advancing plans for the first Holocaust education center in the state, although funding is in debate.
The leader of the Cherokee Nation is “heartbroken” over the passing of a 16-year-old who died within reservation boundaries in Oklahoma.
The National Congress of American Indians hosted a big meeting in Washington, D.C. Here’s a social media recap.
Arlando Teller of the Department of Transportation addresses the National Congress of American Indians on February 14, 2024.
Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona addresses the National Congress of American Indians on February 14, 2024.
Marion McFadden of the Department of Housing and Urban Development addresses the National Congress of American Indians on February 14, 2024.
Authorities in Oklahoma are investigating the death of a 16-year-old student who passed away under unexpected circumstances.
As we empower our rural and underserved communities, Cherokee Nation is building a brighter, more connected future for our citizens in northeast Oklahoma.
NAFOA stays on top of the news so you always start your week informed and ready.
“Aloha” is a more than a word for Native Hawaiians.
The National Congress of American Indians opened its executive council winter session in Washington, D.C.
Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) addresses the National Congress of American Indians on February 14, 2024.
Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) addresses the National Congress of American Indians on February 14, 2024.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) addresses the National Congress of American Indians on February 14, 2024.
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota) addresses the National Congress of American Indians on February 14, 2024.
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey) addresses the National Congress of American Indians on February 14, 2024.
Border encounters plunged from record highs of more than 300,000 in December 2023 to 176,205 in January 2024, a decline of 42 percent.
Native people access hip and knee replacements at a rate lower than other ethnic groups.
The National Congress of American Indians honors the late Joe Garcia at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
According to the Department of Agriculture, 59 percent of farmers in Arizona were Native, more than any other state.
The House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs holds a hearing on “Economic Diversification to Create Prosperous Tribal Economies.”
Native stunt actors fill a sought-after niche and are able to contribute expertise that takes the action in films up a notch.
The National Congress of American Indians kicked off a week of activity with the State of Indian Nations.
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