Sorted by date Results 176 - 200 of 587
Durant, Okla.—The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Emerging Aviation Technology Center (EATC) in October 2023. The state-of-the-art facility, located near Redden, Okla. will serve as a hub for cutting-edge research, development, testing, and evaluation for crewed and uncrewed aerial system technologies. City, state and federal officials, including Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, OAC State Director of Aeronautics Grayson Ardies, and members of the Federal Aviation Administration as w...
MI'GMAG'I, N.B.-In December, fourteen people from Mi'kmaw communities across New Brunswick became part of the inaugural cohort of Mi'gmaq Peacekeeping, Inc., an advocacy group that represents eight Mi'kmaw communities. They are now serving seven Mi'kmaw communities across New Brunswick, with the goal of providing an alternative to enforcement-based and conventional policing methods. "This is a huge milestone for these individuals and our communities," said Chief George...
TAHLEQUAH, Okla.-In November, toy company Mattel released a Barbie doll representing the life of Cherokee legend, Wilma Mankiller. Mattel released the doll as part of their "Inspiring Women" series, commemorating her lifelong advocacy for Native and women's rights. In addition to the doll's release, Barbie is donating $25,000 to The American Indian Resources Center, aimed at supporting initiatives dedicated to empowering Indigenous women and girls and fostering preservation....
LAPWAI, Idaho-The Nez Perce Tribe's award-winning documentary, "Covenant of the Salmon People," has made such a media impact that it is now available through streaming, online, and at various PBS stations. The documentary covers the life and activities of the Nez Perce Tribe as they carry out their centuries-long promise to protect Chinook salmon, the main food source that has historically sustained the people of the tribe. The film covers the commitment the tribe has to save...
WASHINGTON, D.C.-More than 100 Native American youth attended the 2023 White House Tribal Youth Summit in early November. At the event, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced new resources to inspire Native American youth to explore Indigenous foodways and knowledge and highlight career paths at USDA and beyond. These efforts are part of USDA's commitment to empowering tribal self-determination and bringing Indigenous perspectives into agriculture, food, and...
We at Indian Life Ministries partner with many ministries across North America that, like us, seek to help restore hope, healing, and honor among Indigenous people in North America. One of these ministries we partner with is NEFC. Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (NEFC) is an independent, Indigenous Native church society that was officially established in 1971. Now, 52 years later, the original founders of NEFC have passed the baton of ministry onto the second- and...
MADISON, Wisc.-Beginning in the fall of 2024, the University of Wisconsin–Madison will offer financial support to cover the full cost of pursuing an undergraduate degree for Wisconsin residents who are enrolled members of federally recognized Wisconsin Native American tribes. The commitment covers not only tuition and fees but also housing, meals, books and other educational expenses. Additionally, a 5-year pilot program will cover in-state tuition and fees for students p...
CHICKASAW NATION, Okla.-The Chickasaw Nation is one of the first tribes to create classes to specifically help homeschooled students and those enrolled in online charger schools. The Chickasaw Nation Fit Force and STEM Home-School Academy programs are designed to engage children in sessions of invigorating physical fitness activities and immersive, hands-on problem-solving in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Leaders point out that children can participate in...
TAHLEQUAH, Okla.-The Cherokee Nation Department of Juvenile Justice is empowering tribal youth to cope with and overcome their substance and alcohol-related use as well as other delinquent issues through a new program focusing on accountability, counseling services and supervision. The Juvenile Tribal Healing to Wellness Court program, which is located in Muskogee, recently finished their first cohort and are ready to begin the second. The program consists of a four-phase...
WASHINGTON-Gabriella Nakai said she has tackled the challenges facing Indigenous communities on her own, but that being surrounded by others who share her passion makes the load a little lighter. "Seeing all of the amazing work that all of these Native national youth leaders are doing pushes me forward and lets me know that when I am the only Native in these spaces people behind me are going to have my back," Nakai said. She was one of two Arizona "Champions for Change" – a...
On September 15–17, 2023, Indian Life Ministries held their 2023 conference in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Cliff Bird provided keynote addresses, while Kene and Milly Jackson provided music. This particular conference was the first of its kind. The theme of the conference was "Every Story Matters . . . including Yours." Indigenous and non-Indigenous brothers and sisters in Christ shared their stories of hope and healing throughout the weekend. "The theme for the c...
AKWESASNE-The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe announced that construction has started on the first tribal housing units on reacquired treaty lands-a major step forward in providing affordable housing for Mohawk families. "It has been our community's longstanding desire and Tribal Council's ongoing goal to reacquire lands within Akwesasne's land claim area for family housing," shared Tribal Chief Michael Conners at the groundbreaking. "I am filled with an immense sense of pride in...
We were so honored that so many dear friends joined us for Indian Life Ministries' annual fundraising banquet, as you've already read about in this newspaper. At the banquet, we gave a ministry report for 2023 that we'd like to share with our readers. This has been an exciting year for Indian Life Ministries. This past year, ILM enrolled 25 Indigenous believers in Emmaus correspondence discipleship courses, welcomed two new prison letter writers, sent out 72,000 copies of...
TULSA, Okla.-Oklahoma tribes, the state of Oklahoma, Indian Health Service (IHS) and communities are working together utilizing American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds in a unified effort to improve the water infrastructure of communities within the state. These projects will help ensure the infrastructure improvements needed as part of sustainable management of water resources serving Oklahoma residents, businesses and communities. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Muscogee Nation,...
WINNIPEG, Manitoba-On October 18, Wabanakwut "Wab" Kinew was sworn in as Manitoba's 25th premier-and as the first First Nations premier of a Canadian province. During the ceremonies, Kinew also introduced his cabinet, which for the first time in Manitoba history includes two First Nations women: Nahanni Fontaine, who is the new families minister and will serve as minister responsible for gender equity and accessibility, and Bernadette Smith, the new minister of housing,...
WASHINGTON-The chairman of the Hopi tribe told a Senate panel Wednesday that promises of federal funding remain just that-promises-for smaller tribes for whom the money is inaccessible because of bureaucratic and financial hurdles. The remarks by Hopi Chairman Timothy Nuvangyaoma were part of a Senate Indian Affairs Committee roundtable on challenges tribes are facing in getting projects approved under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act and others....
Indian Life Ministries is excited to announce two new books by Craig and LaDonna Smith now available: Indigenous Faith This is Craig Stephen Smith's newest book, in which he unpacks Scripture to help Indigenous believers discover how to live biblically healthy lives in the context of their cultures. Smith seeks to answer questions that not only Indigenous believers have, but also those asked by missionaries, pastors, educators, and others seeking to reach Indigenous people...
In late October, Indian Life Ministries hosted a conference in Winnipeg for all those who support, or are interested in supporting, the outreach of ILM. The banquet was attended by 168 participants who came from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Cass Lake, Minnesota. The ILM and advisors know how to do a celebration well! The program included music from Rochelle and Chris Creasy, Joel Jolly, and Kene and Milly Jackson. After inspiring music, Craig Smith stepped to...
WASHINGTON-Native American artists say they continue to struggle with the theft of their work, and tribal leaders are urging Congress to strengthen the Indian Arts and Crafts Act. IACA was passed in 1990 to prohibit any advertisement and all sales of counterfeit Indian arts and crafts. Choctaw Nation artist D.G. Smalling says the act must adapt to the new ways of buying and selling art through online sales. "We have just a very different kind of engagement with intellectual...
TAHLEQUAH, Okla.-Keeleigh Sanders, 21, of Westville, was crowned Miss Cherokee 2023-2024 during the annual leadership competition held in Tahlequah on Saturday. The tribe also crowned a new Junior Miss Cherokee and Little Cherokee Ambassadors, all of whom will serve in their roles for the next year. As Miss Cherokee, Sanders will represent the Cherokee Nation as a goodwill ambassador to promote the government, history, language and culture of the tribe. She also received a...
TORONTO, Ont.-Zoom recently attempted to rewrite its Terms of Service with ambiguous language that would permit the extraction of user data for the purpose of training AI. However, after public pushback, Zoom began to rectify that clause the very next day, fully committing to a "no AI training" set of policies by Aug. 11. Even though Zoom pedalled back this time, their drive to gather data highlights the possibility of future hidden data extraction by them and other big tech...
TUCSON, Ariz.-A mentoring program is using talking circles, adventure outings and overnight camping trips to help young men develop positive and healthy relationships. The Boys to Men Mentoring Network, founded 27 years ago in La Mesa, California, has grown to cities in 11 states, including three in Arizona, and internationally. Its mission is to strengthen communities by nurturing intentional spaces for boys and men to practice honest and mindful relationships. The goal is...
If you're attending these events, come by and meet us! If you would like ILM to participate in your event, contact Krystal at admin@IndianLife.org STEER Conference-Oct. 6–7, Bismarck, ND ILM Banquet-Oct. 21, Winnipeg, MB Seattle Missionfest-Nov. 3–4, Seattle, WA Indigenous Couples' Getaway-Nov. 17–19, Rock Nest Ranch, Houston, BC...
WASHINGTON-Three Oklahoma tribal nations will receive more than 40% of the initial $73 million in funding from a federal small business initiative that for the first time is being targeted directly to tribes. The Osage, Chickasaw and Citizen Potawatomi nations will get almost $30 million in small business funding from the State Small Business Credit Initiative, the Biden administration announced last week. The program, part of the pandemic-era American Rescue Plan, aims to...
COLVILLE LAKE, NWT-What do you do when you need to use gardens to grow food, but little soil is available? That can be a huge problem when you live on the Canadian Shield-the largest mass of exposed rock on the Earth. One Indigenous community 80 km above the Arctic Circle in the Northwest Territories, knows the problem too well. Their traditional lifestyle of fishing, hunting and trapping is flourishing, but every healthy lifestyle needs greens and other nutritions that come...
