Kiowa tribal headquarters reportedly seized (January 8, 2004)

Officials with the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma are asking the Bureau of Indian Affairs for help in battling an apparent takeover of the tribal headquarters. R.H. "Hess" Bointy, the vice chairman of the business committee, said a group of 40...

Goshute chairman calls theft charges 'utterly false' (January 8, 2004)

The chairman of the Skull Valley Goshute Tribe of Utah is confident he will beat a six-count federal indictment of fraud and theft. In a memo to tribal members, Leon Bear promised to "vigorously defend against these charges." He said...

Supreme Court case on jurisdiction attracts attention (January 8, 2004)

When the U.S. Supreme Court meets later this month to hear a case testing jurisdiction in Indian Country, the justices will have plenty of competing arguments to consider. In addition to the two parties in U.S. v. Lara, a surprising...

Appeals seek to protect Old Chief Joseph's grave (January 8, 2004)

Three tribes have filed appeals to stop a developer in Oregon from building homes near the burial of Nez Perce leader Old Chief Joseph. The Nez Perce, Umatilla and Colville tribes filed appeals with the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners,...

Calif. tribes welcome pick for compact negotiator (January 8, 2004)

Tribal leaders in California say they are satisfied with the person Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) picked to lead negotiations for gaming compacts. Attorney Daniel Kolkey has experience in the issue. As an aide to former Gov. Pete Wilson, he...

Tribal leaders criticize speech for 'savages' reference (January 8, 2004)

Tribal leaders in Arizona are criticizing the state's school superintendent for a speech that labels people without a written language as "savages incapable of knowledge or reflection," The Arizona Daily Star reports. Superintendent Tom Horne took the quote from a...

Two juveniles prosecuted for starting major fire (January 8, 2004)

Two juveniles in Utah have been charged for starting a fire that burned more than one-third of the Shivwitts Paiute Indian Reservation. The Apex Fire of June 2003 destroyed 9,900 acres of tribal land, including sacred and cultural sites. Tribal...

Settlement pending in Crazy Horse malt liquor suit (January 8, 2004)

Negotiations are underway to settle a lawsuit between the descendants of Crazy Horse and the makers of a malt liquor bearing the Sioux warrior's name. The case was to go to trial next week but the two sides plan to...

Low turnout reported for disputed Rocky Boy election (January 8, 2004)

Turnout was low for an election held Tuesday on the Rocky Boy Reservation in Montana, The Havre Daily News reported. But a Bureau of Indian Affairs official said there were enough votes to move forward. The Chippewa Cree Grassroots People...

Pine Ridge considers lifting ban on alcohol sales (January 8, 2004)

Residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota are debating whether to lift a 115-year-old ban on the sale of alcohol. Supporters want to offer liquor to patrons at the casino. They also want to generate tax revenues through...

Oglala Sioux Tribe looks for ways to trim budget (January 8, 2004)

The Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota is hoping to avoid a repeat of last year's emergency spending restrictions by looking for ways to trim the budget now. The tribe was forced to make layoffs and reduce salaries during the...

Nisqually Tribe sues to stop housing subdivision (January 8, 2004)

The Nisqually Tribe of Washington is suing the city of DuPont and the city's largest developer to protect sacred sites and salmon runs. The tribe fears a 374-acre housing and recreation development will damage artifacts and the environment. The tribe...

Report links species extinction to global warming (January 8, 2004)

An average of 25 percent of species in five habitats around the globe will be driven to extinction due to global warming, according to a new study from a group of international scientists. The 19 scientists looked at 1,108 plant...

Opinion: Support return of land to Suquamish Tribe (January 8, 2004)

The return of the home of Chief Sealth to the Suquamish Tribe of Washington is a signal for peace, two supporters say in an editorial. Ted George, a tribal elder, and Sarah Ruth van Gelder, a non-Indian who lives on...

Tribal member accused of sexual assault in R.I. (January 8, 2004)

A member of the Narragansett Tribe of Rhode Island has been charged with first-degree child molestation for allegedly sexually assaulting a young girl on the reservation. Earl Massey, 18, is charged in state court. The state has criminal and civil...

Indians in Bolivia hope to create tribal nation (January 8, 2004)

Indian leaders in Bolivia are hoping to turn back the clock and return to a more traditional and communal form of government. They say American and international interests are corrupting the country. They want to create an Aymara nation where...

Obituary: Athabascan nurse nurtured community (January 8, 2004)

Mary C. Demientieff, an Athabascan woman who spent 30 years providing health care to the village of Nenana, died at her home on Sunday evening. She was 97. Demientieff didn't receive formal nursing training until late in life but she...

Calendar uses tribal faces to promote healthy living (January 8, 2004)

A member of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribe of North Dakota has produced a calendar to promote healthy lifestyles. Dr. Angela Erdrich used tribal members as role models for the calendar, which includes articles on healthy living. So far, 10,000...