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The holidays that make this time of year so special are fast approaching. Our friend, Lipan Apache Hoop dancer and pastor Robert Soto, has made a tradition of counting down the days to Christmas throughout the year, starting the day after Christmas. For many, Christmas is celebrated with gladness and joy. For some, however, this can be a very sad and lonely time and one that people dread. Some find it difficult because they are alone, in prison or they have recently lost someone dear. Others are in their own prisons of...
WASHINGTON, DC— Kevin K. Washburn, a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, was sworn in as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior. His position makes him the new head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The U.S. Senate confirmed him following his nomination in August by President Barack Obama. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar applauded Washburn stating: “As we continue to strengthen the integrity of the nation’s gover...
I am at my nephew’s funeral, but in all this world there is no real trace of him left. A candle burns amongst a circle of vibrant flowers, but he will not find any warmth from it and the flowers will wither in days. Funerals are for the living to say goodbye to the dead, but as I scan the room I see only the dying, heads bowed as tears fall. You cannot underestimate how many smiles my nephew stole. Like the surviving victims of a crime they will recover and return to some s...
Ute, Choctaw, Onondaga, Lumbee, Shinnecock, Mohawk, Navajo, Hopi, Cree, Blackfoot, Seminole, Hoh, Ojibwe, Pawnee, Chinook, Commanche, Lakota, Haida, Mik’maq, Tlingit, Apache…and many more. Each one a First Nation. Each one with its unique cultural heritage. Each one speaking its own language. Lose the culture and its language and the nation loses its identity. Buffalo Jim, a Seminole elder, said, “The Creator told us … things will happen just before the end of the world....
“Healing rain is falling down. I’m not afraid. I’m not afraid” are some of the lyrics to a song sung by Michael W. Smith. When we listen to these types of songs we are encouraged and uplifted. We feel closer to God. We feel like we can go on. This made me think about the question: What makes us hunger for healing? What makes us hunger for the deep things of God that will take away the deep hurt in our lives? Unfortunately, it’s not until the rug is pulled out from under us...
If you’ve been following the story of the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team (and if you haven’t, you really should start) you know it’s the kind of thing that would make a great sports movie. Sadly, Crooked Arrows isn’t that movie. True, it’s about the triumph of an underdog Native American lacrosse team, but the parallels end there. The Arrows are a high school team, not the Nationals. And more importantly, Crooked Arrows is a long ways from a great sports movie. The film...
Christian Focus 2002 Paper 384 pages Review by Carla McKay This is the true story of Frank and Marie Drown who went to Ecuador to work with the Shuara, known as headhunters because they were known for shrinking the heads of their enemies, using it as a talisman for power. Once they became Jesus’ followers (those who have bowed the knee), the practice of head hunting stopped. The most interesting part of this story is that Frank Drown was one of the men who found the five m...
WestBow Press 2012 Paper 118 pages Review by Carla McKay This book is about death and loss but it is not depressing. The author lost her 22-year-old son Gary. It’s hard to lose someone you love who made an impact in your life. Death is something we cannot control and this book shows us that we are not in control but God is. If we are dependent on Him, He will help us in sorting it all out. This book is easy to read and it’s honest. The bonus is that it’s illustrated with...
BOISE, ID—In the spirit of collaboratively honoring the 2010 Memorandum of Agreement between Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and Idaho State University, in part to promote educational access, ISU Native American Academic Services and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes 477 Program announce the “Knowledge and Awareness Nexus” (KAN) pilot program. The KAN Project is a program for students interested in attending college for the first time or for those that are re-entering school after sever...
IQALUIT, NVT—The Canadian Pediatric Society says more needs to be done to prevent injuries among aboriginal children and youth. According to Health Canada statistics, aboriginal children are three to four times more likely to die from unintentional injury than other Canadians the same age. “Indigenous children are dying at a disproportionate rate compared to other Canadians and a lot of these injuries are preventable,” said Dr. Anna Banerji of the Canadian Paediatric Socie...
SHREVEPORT, LA—The Friends of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, Inc. announce the opening of the long-awaited renovation of the West Wing Native American Galleries in Shreveport, Louisiana. Renamed by the Governing Board of LSEM in honor of Dr. Clarence H. Webb, the new exhibit area displays artifacts from the Poverty Point and Caddo Cultures in north Louisiana. The opening of the exhibit, “Archaeology and the Native Peoples of Louisiana,” was held during a reception on Oc...
TUCSON, AZ—Lori Arviso Alvord, MD, has been appointed associate dean for student affairs and admissions for the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson. She began her new role September 5. A board-certified general surgeon, Dr. Alvord is a member of the Diné (Navajo) Tribe and of the Tsinnajinnié (Ponderosa Pine) and Ashi’hii’ Diné (Salt People) clans. She was raised in the Navajo community of Crownpoint, New Mexico, and is author of “The Scalpel and the Silver Bear...
OKMULGEE, OK—The oldest Muscogee (Creek) church recognized a milestone September 22-23. Created before Oklahoma statehood, when Indian Territory was all the land was known as, Montesoma Baptist Church, located 22 miles northwest of Okmulgee, celebrated its 125th anniversary as an important part of Creek history. A sunrise service Sunday morning marked the occasion. After Sunday school, Deacon Charles Taylor rang the bell, something that’s been done since the church’s incep...
KAHNAWAKE, QUE—A medal awarded to a wounded soldier in the First World War is returned to his family almost a hundred years later. Private James Beauvais was wounded in France in 1919 and was awarded the Victory Medal which is given to all British and Canadian soldiers during that war. He returned to his home in Kahnawake ill and traumatized. According to the Canadian Press, Beauvais’ life after the war was filled with tragedy. He returned home with shrapnel in his chest and h...
BRASILIA, BRASIL—The Awá of Brazil, known as the Earth’s most threatened tribe, have written to the country’s Justice Minister telling him to “evict invaders urgently,” as news emerges that their hunting livelihood is being held for ransom by the activities of illegal loggers. The Awá’s letter urges Brazil’s government to evict invaders from their forest, stressing that, “Only then will we be satisfied!” Their written appeal coincides with fresh video testimony from an A...
When there is more than a chill in the air and its downright freezing, there’s nothing like comfort food to take that edge off. Each season brings its own. Seems like hunting has been pretty good this year so most hunters have butchered and frozen away the rewards of their hard work. I hope you have some ground venison, ground bison/buffalo, or other meat (beef or lamb) on hand because a Shepherd’s Pie is one of the best comfort foods. Ranks right up there with roasts, ste...
The first memory I have is my grandmother getting up—while I was still in bed, of course. I would hear a fire going, then I’d wake up. My grandmother used to wake up early in the morning and make a fire. I was just a little girl and I’d get out of bed and go out and check on breakfast. I don’t know why; we hardly had anything. Nohkom (Grandmother) would make her tea first thing in the morning. She would soak dry bannock in the tea and that was my breakfast. When I was very yo...
I was born in Ste. Rose du Lac, Manitoba, on January 19, 1936 and raised in Crane River. I went to school in Crane River up to Grade 4. Then I started working for local farmers. Later I moved to St. Boniface to work at Central Grain Company. There a man put bad Indian medicine on me and told me “You’re gonna die.” I didn’t believe him, but that day a severe pain started in my leg that continued for twenty years. The doctors could find nothing wrong with me but eventua...
“Get back up there and sing another song.” After singing my first song I turned to sit down and she said to me, “Where do you think your going?” I was afraid I had offended her by singing, but she was intimidating and insistent. When I finished with that song and sat down, Judy said to me, “Gary, now you’re a real Paiute.” This happened in 1986 after my Paiute mentor, Art Cava-naugh, told me I could begin singing with the rest of the singers for the dance. I was very nervous,...
HELENA, MT—According to the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya, the U.S. Congress should make legislation protecting Native women an “immediate priority.” Following a month long tour to hear from Indigenous peoples and tribal Nations within the United States, the Special Rapporteur presented his report in September on the situation of Indigenous peoples in the United States to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The report...
LOS ANGELES, CA—Native American roles are far and few between in Hollywood and when they do appear, it’s often non-Natives who are cast. That’s the case with Johnny Depp, who is reprising the role of Tonto in the film version of The Lone Ranger. Though he’s been adopted into a Comanche Nation family and has made vague claims of Indian ancestry, he’s not a member of a federally recognized tribe. “I’m not sure how much redefining I’m going to expect, not sure how much of the movie will be something I can show my son,” attorn...
WASHINGTON, DC—Congressional gold members will be presented to members of two Sioux tribes who served as Code Talkers. Members of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe and the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate used their languages to help develop unbreakable codes. They will be presented with medals that recognize their contributions. H.R. 4544, the Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2008, authorized Congress to award medals to tribal code talkers who fought in World War I and World War II. The medals are being designed to be unique to each t...
She was a familiar figure on the Florida Seminole Indian Reservations for 35 years, and along with her missionary friend, H. Pepper Harris, served as teacher, mentor, and evangelist. The only girl among five brothers, Gladys Adele Wigden was born to Jehiel and May Bryant Wigden on April 5, 1917 in Naples, New York. Several other momentous events heralded the arrival of this unique woman whose life would spiritually impact many; and as if prophetic, one had to do with Native...
Slain US ambassador to Libya was member of Chinook Nation SEATTLE, WA—Chris Stevens, the U.S. Ambassador to Libya who was killed in an attack on September 11, was a member of the Chinook Nation of Washington. “To all of the Chinook members and all the friends of the Chinook Nation I am hopeful that you will include the family of Chris Stevens the former Ambassador to Libya that lost his life while working towards bringing lasting peace to the region, in your prayers. Chris, along with his family are Chinook members,” Chair...
A DIFFERENT VIEW Thank you so much for your response to my negativity. After reading your letter and re-reading the article in a different view, I can see where it is possible I misinterpreted the entire article. Reading it from the perspective you have said, I agree with “21st Century” worship. Even in prison, you see men come in, raise their hands as if worshipping, and midway through the worship service—“yard call” is announced and they immediately drop their hands and head outside. It is heart-wrenching in the least, to k...
