Trump Makes No Mention of Indigenous Peoples’ Day: President Donald Trump, in his remarks on the Columbus Day holiday Oct. 9, praised Columbus, who started genocide against American Indian people, but failed to mention the growing movement to recognize Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Four U.S. states (Minnesota, Vermont, Alaska and South Dakota) and 53 cities have chosen to mark the day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Source: metro.us.
Standing Rock Sioux Chair Voted Out: David Archambault, who led the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in their fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline, lost his bid for reelection after receiving 37 percent of the 1,700 votes cast, compared to 63 percent for tribal councilman Mike Faith. Faith said he opposes the pipeline but thinks the pipeline battle took the focus from other important issues the tribe faces. Source: usnews.com.
Sex-Trafficking in Indian Country is a Significant Problem: Tribal women and children are victims of sex trafficking at higher rates than the general population, according to a panel of experts who testified before a Senate committee Sept. 27. “All too often they are kidnapped, sold and transported to remote places like Asia and the Middle East,” said Cindy McCain, co-chair of the Arizona Governor’s Human Trafficking Council, in a prepared testimony. “You may be asking yourself, ‘What happens to these girls?’” she said. “Sadly, they are treated as disposable. They disappear at the hands of these despicable traffickers.” Sen. Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, said, “The federal government could be doing more now to help Native victims who are slipping through the cracks.”
Source: Navajo-Hopi Observer Online.
Film Tells Story of Storyteller: An “Oklahoma Treasure” is the subject of a new feature film produced by the Chickasaw Nation. “Te Ata” tells the story of the childhood and career of the legendary storyteller “who took her people’s stories from her small community in Indian Territory all the way to Franklin Roosevelt’s White House.”
Source: newsok.com.
Oneida Nation Donates Indian Country Today Assets to NCAI: Indian Country Today Media Network, a vital source of Indian news for many years, recently halted operations in the face of challenges in the media industry. The Oneida tribe, which owned the company, announced Oct. 4 that the company’s assets had been donated to the National Congress of American Indians. “NCAI’s Executive Officers and I are humbled by this donation from ICTMN and the Oneida Indian Nation,” said NCAI President Brian Cladoosby. “Their love for Indian country carries through their every word and has inspired our tribal communities to tell their own stories. This is an immense responsibility; NCAI will approach this responsibility thoughtfully and deliberately with an eye towards strengthening Indian country’s voice.”
Native Educator is Keeping Tribal Language Alive: Only about a dozen fluent speakers of Umonhon (Omaha) remain, making the work of teacher Vida Woodhull Stabler of crucial importance to the Omaha Reservation in northeastern Nebraska. Stabler is working with elders in the community to develop a curriculum and lesson plans and to bring culturally relevant information into the classroom at Umonhon Nation Public Schools in Macy, Nebraska. Only a few students are opting to take the class, including 15-year-old Kyleigh Merrick, who said, “I hope to become one of the fluent speakers. To me it is really important for everyone to learn the language and to teach our kids, because there aren’t that many fluent speakers. If I can become a fluent speaker, I can teach everyone else and help the language not die.” Source: huffpost.com.