Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 25
Canadian news featured a story in February about a Domino's pizza delivery man. While he was in an elevator, taking an order of pizza for the purchasers' enjoyment, he apparently didn't realize video cameras were on. Surveillance caught him squatting on the floor, opening the box and helping himself to the toppings! As he reached his destination, he quickly shut the box, returned the pizza box to the thermos bag and moved on to deliver the pizza, as if all were well! Domino's...
Whenever we experience some sort of grief, loss or trauma our body, soul and spirit want to run and hide and try to cover the pain-or try to numb or forget the pain. Yet, when we look at our holy book called the Scriptures, we see men and women expressing their pain and hurt. Throughout the Holy Scriptures, that God gave to our spiritual ancestors and told us to pass along to our children, we hear stories of people like Job who lost everything within a short period of time eve... Full story
Legends about Big Foot or Sasquatch have been around for hundreds of years. If you mention Big Foot, everyone immediately knows who or what you are talking about. Most people don't believe in leprechauns or fairies, but if you mention Big Foot, they don't seem as sure. If you ask people if they believe in mermaids they'll say no, if you ask them if they believe in Big Foot they'll say "Well, not exactly but if we had more proof, I suppose it is possible." I think we like the...
The eldest of five children, Alvina Begay was born on the Navajo Indian Reservation to Alvin and Wanda Begay in Ganado, Arizona. She learned responsibility early: while her mother worked full-time, Alvina cared for her younger siblings. She used what little "down time" she had running across dirt roads of the mesas and trails of Ganado. Her goal was to one day qualify for the Olympic trials. For a dream that grand, Alvina kept her mind, body and emotions in top condition....
The first time anyone ever served me water with a meal, I was in tenth grade and was eating with Judy N's family. I don't remember what we had for supper, but I do remember the water served in crystal glasses. I kept waiting for Judy's mom to bring out the sweet tea or to ask if anyone would like a glass of milk, but that never happened. Judy and I went to high school together in southeast Texas, but her family was from New York. I learned that day that folks do things...
What does "Indian Life" mean anymore? To me it means "best life," which I try to live and know that others do too. It means living in harmony in all ways with nature and other humans. In that regard I try to be totally kind, and I find listening more than talking is the key. A benefit of this is you usually learn something. For example, I recently learned that there is a new chocolate shop in a nearby town. It is adorable, and I bought many of my Christmas presents there this...
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz.-The three branch chiefs came together in February to approve the appointments of the first ever Navajo Nation Youth Advisory Council (NNYAC). The NNYAC was designed to give youth a platform to voice their concerns, call awareness to issues they want to confront and engage with the leaders and decision-makers of the Navajo Nation not only at local levels, but at state and national levels too. During interviews for the council, many of the applicants spoke...
OTTAWA, Ont.-The Prime Minister and Minister of Youth, Justin Trudeau, recently announced several ways for young Canadians, including indigenous young people, to take part in the development of Canada's first youth policy. Young Canadians can now access an easy-to-use, interactive online platform, youthaction.ca, where they can share their ideas and perspectives on what a youth policy should look like. "This initiative is about making sure young Canadians from all walks of lif...
ADA, Okla.- A new application for mobile devices will help preserve a tradition Chickasaw and Choctaw churchgoers have enjoyed for almost two centuries. Developed by the Chickasaw Nation through the Chickasaw Press, the app will allow people to open songs on a smartphone with their own portable hymnal. "These beautiful and powerful Choctaw hymns have been a cherished part of church services for generations," said Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby. "This new app will...
It was the last day in March when I went to my trap line on Assinika Lake in northern Manitoba. I needed to check my traps. My son was to follow. When I first got there, I set some beaver snares, and then I checked my fish net. Toward evening I went for firewood from the bush. As I was returning to the cabin, I met some men from my village. They came to tell me of my son's tragic death. He had locked himself in a closet and hanged himself. After I heard that message I said to...
TAHLEQUAH, Okla.-The longest-running American Indian art show in Oklahoma returns to the Cherokee Heritage Center in Park Hill, Oklahoma, with the 47th annual Trail of Tears Art Show April 7–May 5. Artists compete for more than $15,000 in the following categories: painting, sculpture, pottery, basketry, graphics, jewelry and miniatures. All artists are citizens of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or nation. An awards reception will be held on April 6 from 6-8 p.m....
WASHINGTON-In late January, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke signed an agreement with the Alaska Native King Cove Native Corp., which is made up of tribal members from the local Agdaagux and Belkofski tribes, to build a life-saving road between the Native village and the nearby all-weather airport in Cold Bay. For three decades the Aleut residents of King Cove Native Corporation in Alaska have tried to get federal approval for a 12-mile single-lane road corridor to...
WINDOW ROCK-In February, the three branch chiefs of the Navajo Nation met to sign cyberbullying legislation into law. The legislation effectively updates the harassment, stalking and manslaughter statutes of the Navajo Nation Criminal Code to include criminal behavior in usage of electronic devices. President Russell Begaye was joined by Speaker of the 23rd Navajo Nation Council Honorable LoRenzo Bates and Navajo Nation Chief Justice JoAnn Jayne. The amendments to the...
SEATTLE, Wash.-The city of Seattle, Washington may have been named after a Native American chief of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes, but in today's world the city and surrounding areas are not smiling on the plight of Native Americans. In a country where Native Americans die at higher rates than most Americans from diabetes, drugs and homicide, and have experienced a long history of often-violent displacement, they also make up an outsized portion of the homeless...
OTTAWA, Ont.-Ontario and Indigenous partners are working together to improve access to care and increase the involvement of Indigenous communities in developing and delivering their health services. This includes direct funding for communities to enhance access to care, funding for services as well as training opportunities and identifying opportunities for greater First Nations control over the design and delivery of health care services in the future. Dr. Eric Hoskins,...
WASHINGTON-Recovery from the Great Recession has been slow in much of Arizona, but in Indian Country the pace has been glacial. A decade after the start of the recession, Native Americans posted poverty and unemployment numbers that were more than twice the overall state average, and per capita incomes that were less than half those of the rest of the state. Those margins have barely budged since the recession started at the end of 2007, and in the case of income the gap has...
Indigenous partnerships power renewable energy Edmonton, Alta.-Albertans will see new jobs, more private-sector investment and increased green power generation as the next phase of the Renewable Electricity Program focuses on partnerships with Indigenous communities. The highly competitive opening round of the program attracted about $1 billion of private-sector investment in green power generation in Alberta. Building off that momentum, the Alberta Electric System Operator (A...
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz.-In a statement of strong support for Navajo veterans across the reservation, President Russell Begaye signed a bill that increases direct services funding for veterans through the Veterans Trust Fund. Established in 1998 with a balance of $6 million, the Veterans Trust Fund covers services for Navajo veterans, including housing, hardship assistance, education, burial costs, food stipends and other direct services. Legislation No. 0191-17 adds new language...
ROCKVILLE, Md.—The Indian Health Service (IHS) is announcing eight grants for the Zero Suicide Initiative. This program supports projects that promote improvements within a system of care for those at risk for suicide by implementing a comprehensive and culturally informed approach in the Indian health system. “Suicide and its causes are a complex topic but we are working to better understand some of the underlying factors including social and environmental influences, substance misuse and intergenerational trauma,” said...
Kansas City, Mo.-On February 21, evangelist William Franklin (Billy) Graham died at 99 years old, in his Montreat, N.C. home. In 60 years of ministry, Graham preached to an estimated 215 million people in 185 countries through his crusades. He reached hundreds of millions of others through television, video, radio, and film. Often referred to as America's pastor, Graham had a heart for Native Americans. From his earlier crusade Graham welcomed all tribes into his crusades,...
VICTORIA, B.C.-On February 15, Premier John Horgan joined Moose Hide Campaign officials in Victoria to hand out the one millionth moose hide pin, representing one million people standing together to end violence against women and children. Now in its eighth year, the Moose Hide Campaign is a B.C.-born, grassroots campaign to encourage men to stand up and address violence. "Our government is proud to be part of the Moose Hide Campaign. As men and allies, we need to speak out...
WASHINGTON-The federal tax overhaul passed in December is "completely unacceptable" to Native Americans, just another example of what can happen when tribes are not included in federal decision-making, a tribal leader said recently. National Congress of American Indians President Jefferson Keel said in the annual State of Indian Nations address that the government-to-government relationship between tribes and Washington is even more important now, as the federal government...
CLEVELAND-Major League Baseball has announced that the league's Cleveland franchise will retire the team's Chief Wahoo mascot and logo in 2019. The mascot will remain on uniform sleeves and caps in 2018, but will be removed from these items and its field presence starting in the 2019 season. After lengthy discussions between team owner Paul Dolan and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, the Indians are retiring the big-toothed, smiling, red-faced caricature. "Major League Baseball...
WASHINGTON-After a nearly two-decade long fight for federal recognition through legislation, six Virginia Indian tribes received federal recognition Jan. 29 as United Stated President Donald Trump signed legislation known as the Thomasina Jordan Act. The tribes receiving recognition are the Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Upper Mattaponi, Rappahannock, Nansemond and Monacan. With the passing of this final legislation, the number of federally recognized tribes in the Common...
OTTAWA, Ont.-During the February 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Indigenous youth from Canada were well represented by these athletes: Spencer O'Brien One of the world's most skilled snowboarders, Spencer learned how to snowboard from her dad and sister when she was 11 years old. At 15, she started slopestyling and finished 12th in women's slopestyle at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games and won the gold medal at the 2013 FIS Snowboarding World Championships, as well as...
