Falmouth Institute - American Indian Report Blog

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2010-11-01T11:08:00.002-04:00

AIR Blog is now located at http://www.americanindianreport.com.

We have combined AIR Blog and the American Indian Report homepage! Now you can find all your news regarding Indian Country in one place! We will be posting breaking stories and news at this location, so please update your bookmarks and favorites.

Click here to be taken to our brand new website!

*Please note: In 30 days from the date of this post, this address will automatically redirect to the new location.

DOJ Publication Offers Strategies for Offender Reentry in Indian Country

2010-10-29T12:14:00.005-04:00

The Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) last week announced the availability of a new publication that offers promising practices and strategies for adults and juveniles who are transitioning from prison back into tribal communities.

The 55-page publication, titled Strategies for Creating Offender Reentry Programs in Indian Country, provides a historical overview, including a look at the challenges that tribes, states and the federal government face, like the growing population of incarcerated Native Americans; sub-standard conditions and a lack of programming and transitional services at Indian Country jails; a lack of formal relations between tribal and state criminal justice authorities; a lack of culturally relevant care or services and tribal involvement in planning the reentry of Native American offenders at federal prisons; and issues specific to incarcerated juveniles.

Strategies for Creating Offender Reentry Programs in Indian Country explores best practices for tribes and correctional facilities and practical steps for designing and developing reentry programs in tribal communities, such as community policing, which includes listening to community members about their needs and concerns on returning ex-offenders, and developing stand-alone reentry courts to monitor offenders’ progress.

The publication also lays out seven policy recommendations. Among them: conducting needs assessments to identify reentry programs and initiatives; researching incarceration facilities to gather information on the conditions of confinement and reintegration practices in each facility; developing model reintegration policies; developing culturally competent programming and training curricula; and conducting tribal planning sessions involving tribal, state and federal practitioners to design and implement reentry plans.

At the end of the publication, there are several case descriptions, highlights of successful reentry programs in Indian Country, including the Leech Lake-Cass Wellness Court: Joint Tribal-State Jurisdiction Initiative and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reintegration Program. There is also a section that provides information on federal funding that is available for Indian Country reentry programs and for training and technical assistance.

Strategies for Creating Offender Reentry Programs in Indian Country is available online at: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo/programs/reentry-indiancounty/.

Fort Peck Tribes Get Guidance from Federal Government on Youth Suicides

2010-10-28T10:33:00.000-04:00

The federal government is providing guidance to the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes to help the community deal with a rash of youth suicides, according to an article published by GreatFallsTribune.com on Oct. 26.

The guidance is in the form of a 200-page report put together by commissioned officers with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The report examines social problems on the Fort Peck Reservation, located in Montana, and provides recommendations to the community.

Last month, the tribal council declared a state of emergency after four teenagers and preteens committed suicide. This summer, two more killed themselves. In the last school year, another 20 attempted to commit suicide.

The report, drawn from visits to the reservation by HHS team members, focuses on suicides committed between January and July, with information gathered from families, the Indian Health Service and local hospitals, according to the article.

The report says that socio-economic factors, like alcohol and drug abuse, may have played a major role in the suicide cluster, but a “lack of effective parenting skills, lack of appropriate role models, or just the imitating of the examples set by others” may have had a part too. There are also issues related to access to appropriate care.

Among the recommendations made in the report: establishing a safe house; building upon local resources already in place; hiring a behavioral health program director for IHS; continuing to improve access to care; overhauling the tribes' treatment center; hiring a suicide prevention coordinator; appointing a leadership board; saturating the community with prevention skills and training; and improving access to parenting skill classes.

Avoiding the Racist Halloween Costume: Fashion Tips from Gawker

2010-10-27T14:11:00.001-04:00

We're not sure what you were planning for Halloween, but here are some costume tips from Gawker on how to avoid the most racist costumes. First on their list of fashion don'ts for Halloween: Do not wear this Seductive Squaw costume. Now granted, dressing up as an Indian might not be offensive if you are an Indian. But this particular costume crosses the line on so many levels, you will still want to steer clear.

IHS Launches Influenza Web Site

2010-10-25T11:16:00.000-04:00

The Indian Health Service has launched an influenza surveillance and information-sharing Web site, according to a press release issued by the agency last week.

The site (www.ihs.gov/flu) features information for health professionals on influenza activity in the United States along with information on IHS influenza surveillance activities, reports and educational resources specific to American Indian/Alaska Native people. It also contains links to influenza information for patients and the general public.

Flu season has already begun, although peak season typically runs from November through March. While not certain, as nothing ever is with flu seasons, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention says it is likely that the 2009 H1N1 viruses will continue to spread along with seasonal viruses in the United States during the 2010-2011 season.

American Indians/Alaska Natives have long experienced an influenza/pneumonia mortality rate that is nearly twice that of the general U.S. population.

The new site, aimed at decreasing the disparity, provides useful information on influenza prevention and treatment, including weekly influenza surveillance updates; vaccination resources, contacts and supplies; prevention guidance from the CDC; and the latest information on resources specific to Native people and the IHS.

There are downloadable brochures, fact sheets, articles and posters available for personal and educational use as well as links to podcasts, videos and public service announcements on seasonal influenza information.

Rebound On the Way for Indian Country Tourism?

2010-10-22T11:17:00.000-04:00

The bad economy has definitely taken a toll on Indian Country tourism, but could a rebound be finally underway?

For an idea of how the recession has impacted Native American tourism, we contacted the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA). Based in Albuquerque, N.M., AIANTA measures the ups and downs of visitor flows with statistics from the annual Survey of International Air Travelers, conducted by the U.S. International Trade Administration’s Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

AIANTA considers the survey the most reliable source of Indian Country tourism data. Completed in-flight by travelers from overseas, excluding those from Canada and

Mexico

, it includes a box that can be marked if a traveler plans on visiting a tribal community.

Based on this survey, Indian Country has consistently captured 3 percent to 4 percent of overseas visitors each year for the last two decades, according to Staci Eagle Elk, a public affairs specialist for AIANTA.

In 2006, the Commerce Department reported that 25.3 million overseas travelers visited the United States; in 2007, the volume increased to 27.4 million. But then the recession took hold, spreading around the world. In 2008, the number fell to 25.3 million; and in 2009, it dropped to 20.4 million, the lowest count since 2004.

“When the world economy suffers and tourism to the U.S. declines, so does Indian Country’s market capture,” Eagle Elk said.

But new data from the U.S. Department of Commerce suggests the downward trend is reversing. For the first six months of 2010, 27.5 million international visitors traveled to the United States, an 11 percent increase over the same period in 2009.

While international tourists are important to Indian Country, the volume of domestic tourists is usually higher. Unfortunately, the industry does not yet have a reliable way to measure the flow to Indian reservations, so AIANTA must look at national data to gauge trends.

“The trips/visits dipped dramatically in 2009 during the recession, but in 2010, domestic travel has bounced back and the trends overall for the U.S. look good, which is also good for Indian Country,” Eagle Elk said.

AIANTA is currently working on a pilot project to collect data from a dozen tribes on visitation. It also has several upcoming projects to promote Indian Country tourism. One is a partnership with the National Park Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs to ensure full, uncensored tribal participation in NPS centennial anniversary in 2016 interpretation, education, tourism as well as other programming efforts. In 2009, AIANTA collaborated with Small World Publications and Discover

America

to produce an insert and stand alone piece featuring Indian Country titled “Discover Native America.” AIANTA and SWP will collaborate on a second issue for 2011.

Native American Farmers Awarded $760 Million in USDA Class Action Settlement

2010-10-20T12:21:00.000-04:00

Native American farmers that alleged discrimination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a class action lawsuit will receive close to a billion dollars from a settlement agreement announced yesterday by the agency.

The lawsuit, Marilyn Keepseagle et al., v. Vilsack (Civil Action No. 99-3119 (D.D.C.)), was first filed on November 24th, 1999, but the discrimination complaints from thousands of Native American farmers span a decade (1981-1999). The complaints, in general, alleged that Native American farmers and ranchers did not have the same opportunity to obtain USDA farm loans as white farmers and ranchers.

Under the settlement agreement, known as the “Keepseagle Settlement,” $680 million will be made available to eligible class members to compensate them for their discrimination claims, according to a press release issued yesterday by the USDA.

In addition, the agreement provides up to $80 million in debt forgiveness to successful claimants with outstanding USDA Farm Loan program debt. Also, a moratorium on foreclosures of most claimants’ farms and a moratorium on accelerations and administrative offsets of class members’ farm loan accounts will be put into place until after claimants have gone through the claims process or the Secretary of Agriculture has been notified that a claim has been denied.

The settlement also provides a broad range of programmatic relief, including the creation of a new Federal Advisory Council for Native American farmers and ranchers and a new ombudsman position to address farm program issues related to Native American farmers and ranchers as well as all other socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.

The settlement will not be final until it is formally approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the release announcing the settlement, “Today’s settlement can never undo wrongs that Native Americans may have experienced in past decades, but combined with the actions we at USDA are taking to address such wrongs, the settlement will provide some measure of relief to those alleging discrimination.”

In a press release issued yesterday, the National Congress of American Indians praised the settlement.

"This settlement provides long awaited justice for American Indian farmers and ranchers who have only sought an equal opportunity to work hard and succeed,” said Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI. “We are pleased that the court and the Obama Administration have taken tangible steps today to right a wrong reinforce the trust relationship between the United States and American Indian tribal nations.”

Montana Has a New Logo for Native American Made Products

2010-10-19T12:49:00.000-04:00

Montana has a new Native American Made in Montana (NAMiM) logo for products made by the state’s Native American people, as reported by Char-Koosta News on Oct 14.

In order to use the logo, an individual must be an enrolled member of a tribe in Montana, including Little Shell, and the finished product/service must be created, made or produced in the state.

The Made in Montana Program, part of the International Trade and Relations Bureau in the Business Resources Division of the Montana Department of Commerce, helps Montana businesses develop and market their products statewide, nationwide and globally. The program, which has more than 1,500 participants, was recently expanded to include the Native American Made in Montana logo, the article said.

To learn more about the Made in Montana Program, go to www.madeinmontanausa.com.

Three Affiliated Tribes to Vote on Enrollment Amendment

2010-10-18T12:34:00.002-04:00

On Election Day next month, members of the Three Affiliated Tribes will vote on whether to change the requirement for tribal enrollment, as reported by The Minot Daily News on Oct. 10.

Specifically, the amendment that will be voted on would prohibit lineal descendency. Only those with at least one-eighth Hidatsa, Mandan and/or Arikara blood would be allowed enrollment.

The Three Affiliated Tribes, based in North Dakota, have around 12,000 enrolled members, but many of them live off the reservation.

Native People Take Part in Hoover Dam Bridge Dedication

2010-10-15T13:35:00.000-04:00

Yesterday’s dedication ceremony of the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, the centerpiece of the Hoover Dam Bypass, not only included federal and state officials, but Native Americans also took part in the celebration.

Leroy Spotted Eagle, a spiritual leader from the Southern Paiute Tribe, offered a blessing, according to several media reports, and members of other tribes in Nevada and Arizona participated in traditional dancing on the new bridge.

The bridge spans 1,900 feet across the Colorado River, with the bridge deck and sidewalk rising about 900 feet above the river. It is located approximately 1,500 feet south of the dam itself.

The $240 million, four-lane bypass will reroute traffic for 3.5 miles from the two-lane bottleneck on U.S. 93 across the Hoover Dam.

Iowa Commission to Introduce Bill Providing Process to Restore Parental Rights

2010-10-14T13:37:00.000-04:00

The Iowa Commission on Native American Affairs will be introducing a bill during next year’s state legislative session that would provide a process to restore parental rights to Native American parents who have lost children through Iowa's child welfare system, as reported today by DesMoinesRegister.com.

The proposed bill comes about a month after a two-day hearing during which the commission heard testimony from Native American families and advocates who are dissatisfied with the state's high rate of removal of Indian children.

The bill, which will be like one that passed in Illinois, would allow parents to appeal to have their rights restored if their children have not already been adopted and if the parents have “cleaned up their act.”

HHS Establishes Tribal Advisory Committee, Representatives Sought

2010-10-13T10:54:00.000-04:00

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced last week the establishment of a new Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee (STAC), according to a press release issued by HHS on Oct. 7.

The release stated that STAC signals a new level of attention to government-to-government relationship between HHS and tribal governments. Its primary purpose: to seek consensus, exchange views, share information, provide advice and recommendations or facilitate any other interaction related to intergovernmental responsibilities or administration of HHS programs, including those that arise explicitly or implicitly under statute, regulation or executive order. The first STAC meeting is scheduled for Dec. 2010.

HHS is currently seeking nominations for one primary representative from each of the 12 areas of the Indian Health Service as well as five at-large national representatives. All representatives must either be elected or appointed tribal officials, acting in their official capacity as the elected officials of their tribe or be designated by an elected tribal official with authority to act on behalf of the tribal official.

Nominations should be submitted no later than Oct. 29, 2010, to:

Paul Dioguardi, Director

Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

US Department of Health and Human Services

200 Independence Ave SW Room 630-F

Washington, DC 20201

Fax: (202) 205-2727

Email: HHSIGA@hhs.gov

Former Soboba Chairman Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes from Vendors

2010-10-11T10:42:00.000-04:00

Robert Salgado Sr., former chairman of the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, pleaded guilty last week to federal charges related to his acceptance of approximately $875,000 in bribes from tribal vendors and concealing that income from the IRS, according to a press release issued on Oct. 5 by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California.

Salgado, 68, pleaded guilty to two felony charges — bribery and subscribing to a false tax return — before U.S. District Judge Dean D. Pregerson.

In a plea agreement, Salgado admitted that he accepted a total of $874,995 in bribe payments from five vendors who did business with the Soboba Band. The payments to Salgado, which were made by vendors hoping to obtain or being allowed to keep contracts with the tribe, were given to Salgado in the form of cash, payments made to his creditors and checks payable to an entity controlled by Salgado.

Salgado is expected to be sentenced early next year, and he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 13 years in federal prison. The plea agreement contemplates a sentence of 87 months to 108 months in prison, but the actual sentence will be determined by Judge Pregerson, the release said.

Oneida Indian Nation Partners with HELP USA to Provide Holiday Meal to the Homeless

2010-10-08T12:01:00.001-04:00

Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation Representative and CEO of Oneida Nation Enterprises, has initiated an effort between HELP USA and the New York tribe to help feed the homeless next month.

With the current economic conditions causing a surge in homelessness across the country and with next month National Homeless Awareness Month, which is tied with the symbolic significance surrounding Thanksgiving, a holiday that originated from Native Americans providing food and shelter to the pilgrims, Halbritter knew there was no better time for the Oneida to give back in a meaningful way.

Joining forces with HELP USA, a non-profit group dedicated to providing housing and support services to the homeless, the Oneida will serve a Thanksgiving meal to hundreds of homeless people on Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010. The feast will be streamed live online.

Halbritter has recruited a bunch of celebrities to join him in a PSA campaign to raise awareness on homelessness and HELP USA and to help serve the holiday meal. Among them are Mario Cantone, Jill Flint, Thomas Jones, Evan Lysacek, Gilles Marini, Amy Carlson, Jesse Metcalfe, Leven Rambin and Justin Tuck.

To learn more about this effort or to donate, visit: www.HELPUSA.org, Facebook.com/HELPUSA, twitter HELPUSA and www.crowdrise.com (Holiday HELP Feed the Homeless).

NASA Awards $3.3 Million to Support STEM at Tribal Colleges

2010-10-06T11:05:00.000-04:00

NASA is awarding $3.3 million to support academic excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education at tribal colleges and universities, the agency announced in a press release dated Oct. 1.

The awards, which have a three-year period and range in value from $215,000 to $592,000, are part of a Cooperative Agreement Notice released by the NASA Office of Education's Minority University Research and Education Program for the Tribal Colleges and Universities Project (TCUP).

The institutions selected through a merit-based, peer-reviewed competition are: Kiksapa Consulting, LLC of Mandan, N.D.; Salish Kootenai College of Pablo, Mo.; and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium in Alexandria, Va.

TCUP is a STEM education grant and mentoring program with the goal of expanding opportunities to academic institutions that prepare Native Americans to enter the nation's STEM workforce through internships, fellowships, research experiences, outreach, information exchange, capacity building and infrastructure development.

Three Alaska Native Firms Want SBA 8(a) Program Reformed

2010-10-04T14:15:00.001-04:00

Three prominent Alaska Native corporations say the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program needs to be changed, as reported on Oct. 3 by the Anchorage Daily News.

Native contracting has grown exponentially since the 8(a) program was created. Although developed to help increase the number of small, disadvantage companies participating in federal contracts, the program has over recent years been seriously criticized, and there have been allegations of abuse. Alaska Native firms have become major players in the program, but they have also attracted a lot of the scrutiny due to a small number of them violating the rules.

The Alaska Native firms that want the program changed — Cook Inlet Region, Inc., Doyon and Arctic Slope — have come up with a nine-point reform package, which, as the article says, mirrors revisions already proposed by the SBA and to be finalized later this year. Among the firms’ proposed changes are: requiring Native 8(a) contractors to annually disclose how they have benefited shareholders and tribal members and capping the size of contracts at $100 million.

"To reform it is to save it," Margie Brown, chief executive of Cook Inlet Region, told Anchorage Daily News.

Attend the National Indian Board Members Conference!

2010-10-04T12:32:00.002-04:00

Join Falmouth for the 2010 National Indian Board Members Conference at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. Three general sessions and six unique and exciting workshops will provide you with important legal updates, new skills and valuable networking opportunities.

Our conference presenters this year are Richard Phelps, Tal Moore, and Rick McGee, experts with years of experience in Indian Country. With these presenters, you’ll explore strategies for managing conflict, meetings best practices, shielding yourself from potential board liability, the latest technologies available to boards and councils to increase visibility and levels of interactivity, using performance measures, and how to read and understand an audit report.

Three general session presentations will cover timely issues facing boards/councils today, including finance, human resources, the Health Care Reform Act and more.

This dynamic conference is for both experienced and new board and council members. Don't miss this important annual Indian Country event. Register today!

Click here for more information!

Utah Supreme Court Dismisses Navajo Nation Appeal to Undo Adoption

2010-09-30T11:01:00.000-04:00

The Utah Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by the Navajo Nation to undo the adoption of two Navajo siblings by a non-Native American couple due to the tribe's failure to file the appeal with the tribe’s signature on time, according to a piece published by the Salt Lake Tribune on Sept. 28.

The ruling, issued this week, marks the first time that the justices have held that neither the Indian Child Welfare Act nor the quasi-sovereign status of tribes trump state filing requirements, the article said.

Attorneys for the adoptive parents, Ricardo and Suzi Ramos, first argued the case on May 1, 2009.

“We think this is a very fair and just result, especially when taking into consideration the best interests of these two children,” Wes Hutchins, a Ramos’ attorney, told the Tribune.

The children, Ella and Anthony, both enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, were adopted by the couple in 2008, two years after they were brought into the family as foster children. The couple has said that they have kept the kids connected to their heritage.

Picture of Tacoma's Native American Monument

2010-09-29T14:05:00.001-04:00

In response to your requests, the City of Tacoma's Community and Economic Development Department has provided an image of the city's first Native American monument. Our post from last week described the monument as "a cedar statue of a Native American woman. Located in Tollefson Plaza, a place that was once an important village site to the Puyallup people (the first people to occupy Tacoma), she stands 22 feet tall and wears a traditional woven cedar hat and white dress with a Thunderbird design. Her hands are outstretched in a welcoming gesture."

Photo provided by City of Tacoma Community and Economic Development Department, taken by Steven Miller.

Saginaw Chippewa Tribe to Erect First Wind Turbine

2010-09-29T11:26:00.001-04:00

This fall, the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe in Michigan will erect its first wind turbine, according to an article published by Central Michigan Life on Sept. 27.

The 148-foot, commercial grade, three-bladed turbine will be hooked up to existing power lines and the grid to power greenhouses and cool and heat homes.

The project is the result of a wind feasibility study that the tribe conducted in 2004 with the U.S. Department of Energy. Originally, the turbine, to be located on Tomah Road (near the Elijah Elk Cultural Center), was to only power greenhouses, but the tribe expanded the project to include tribal housing.

The project is being coordinated through the tribe’s Housing and Planning Departments, Seventh Generation Cultural Center, the United States Department of Energy and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Tribal Housing Manager April Borton told Central Michigan Life, “We are happy to make this a reality and lower tenants’ costs.”

The tribe is approaching this project as a first phase. If it is successful, more will be built at other locations in the future.

Recession Not Over for Tribal Casinos

2010-09-27T10:07:00.001-04:00

The recession ended in June 2009. That’s what economists at the National Bureau of Economic Research announced last week. But for the many tribal casinos that are still experiencing revenue decreases, it’s far from over.

At the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, owned/operated by the Mohegan Tribe, revenues dropped so much that it had to do something it had tried so desperately not to do since the economy started going downhill: It had to layoff workers. As reported by the AP on Sept. 14, 355 employees will be let go, and another 120 will be reassigned.

Mohegan Sun blames the job cuts on a drop in slot revenues. During the fiscal year ending in Sept. 2009, the casino reported gross slot revenues of around $780 million, almost a 9 percent decrease from the same month last year.

With more than 8,500 workers, Mohegan Sun is one of Connecticut’s largest employers. This is the first time it has ever had to layoff workers since opening its doors in 1996.

In addition to shedding jobs, the casino plans to shut down one of its buffet restaurants and use more third-party operators for its eateries, according to the AP article.

Nearby Foxwoods and the MGM Grand at Foxwoods, owned by the Mashantucket Pequot, are also reporting declines. On Sept. 15, Foxwoods issued a press release stating that slot revenue in Aug. was $59.2 million, a decrease of 6.3 percent in slot win and a decrease of 3.2 percent in total slot handle as compared to Aug. 2009.

“Our August results are a reflection of prolonged economic conditions and the challenges they present to our, and just about every other, business,” said Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enterprises President William Sherlock in the release.

Foxwoods was forced to layoff workers in 2008, reducing its workforce by approximately 6 percent.

In California, Cache Creek Casino Resort, owned by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, recently decided to suspend a big expansion project, one that included a 2,200-seat event center, 900-car parking garage and other amenities.

"The outlook for the economy, both locally and across the U.S., just made this decision necessary," tribal spokesman Greg Larsen was quoted as saying in an article published by Sacbee.com on Sept. 16.

The project is not the first one to be put on hold by the casino. Last fall, it put the brakes on a bigger project, which included a 10-story hotel tower, also due to the bad economy.

In June, the National Indian Gaming Commission released data showing that revenues generated by the Indian gaming industry (233 tribes in the United States engaged in gaming) in 2009 totaled $26.5 billion, a dip from the $26.7 billion reported in 2008.

In 2009, 58 percent of tribal gaming operations reported a decrease in revenue, with about half of those showing decreases of less than 10 percent from 2008. Nearly 40 percent, however, reported an increase, with about 15 percent showing a 50 percent jump. NIGC credits those increases for the most part to casinos opening in 2008 and recognizing the first full-year revenue impact in 2009 and to casino expansions.

Casinos across the country, from Los Vegas to Atlantic City, are seeing revenue drops. Nationwide, revenues fell to $30.74 billion in 2009, a 5.5 percent decrease from 2008, according to a report released by the American Gaming Association in May.

And it does not look like 2010 will be much better. In addition to what the Connecticut casinos are experiencing, tribal operations in Arizona, Wisconsin and other states are still reporting fewer dollars coming in.

New Yorker Cartoon Draws Charges of Racism

2010-09-24T10:47:00.001-04:00

Who ever thought The New Yorker would stoop so low? Check out this week's cartoon caption contest winne r. The link here is to the Gawker blog, which was quick to question the wisdom of the cartoon editors who chose the cartoon and caption and of the New Yorker readers who voted for it. The comments on the Gawker post are worth reading too. The cartoon is printed on the last page of the September 27 issue of The New Yorker.

Tacoma’s First Native American Monument Stands 22 Feet Tall

2010-09-23T12:50:00.000-04:00

It took about a decade, but the City of Tacoma has its first Native American monument.

The monument is a cedar statue of a Native American woman. Located in Tollefson Plaza, a place that was once an important village site to the Puyallup people (the first people to occupy Tacoma), she stands 22 feet tall and wears a traditional woven cedar hat and white dress with a Thunderbird design. Her hands are outstretched in a welcoming gesture.

The statue was carved by Puyallup artist Shaun Peterson (Qwalsius). According to an article published by The Olympian on Aug. 15, when Peterson set out on this project in 2000, the piece was to be only eight feet tall. But thanks to his dream, financial support from the community and some luck in finding a log tall enough, he was able to more than double the size.

The piece was unveiled at a celebratory event, hosted by the City of Tacoma, Puyallup Tribe of Indians and Tacoma Art Museum, on Sept. 18.

Native Hawaiians More Likely to Suffer Early Death

2010-09-22T11:39:00.000-04:00

A University of Michigan study has found that Native Hawaiians are more at risk of suffering an early death than white Americans, as reported by Medical News Today on Sept. 20.

The study shows that Native Hawaiian infants (less than one year old) and young people between the ages of 15 and 34 are especially vulnerable to early death compared to white Americans in the same age groups.

The research also shows that older Native Hawaiians have higher expected death rates than both blacks and whites age 65 and over.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, there were 874,000 Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders in the United States, with Native Hawaiians making up about 46 percent of the race group.

The research, published in the November 2010 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, is the first known study to assess mortality patterns among Native Hawaiians at the national level, including those living outside the state of Hawaii. It was funded by the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities.

Montana Governor Releases 2010 Tribal Relations Report

2010-09-20T13:17:00.000-04:00

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer last week released the 2010 Tribal Relations Report, which highlights efforts of the state and the eight tribal nations in the state to work together during FY 2010.

The 72-page report, a result of a 2003 state law, highlights more than 650 cooperative agreements, trainings, projects and collaborative efforts in effect between the state and the tribes during the fiscal year, covering every aspect of governmental operations, including economic development, the delivery of human services, environmental stewardship, cooperation on finance and justice issues and education.

“This report demonstrates the State of Montana’s commitment to sincere and meaningful state-tribal relationships,” Governor Schweitzer said in a press release announcing the report. “We look forward to continuing these historic efforts and strengthening the government-to-government relationship."

The full report is available online at http://tribalnations.mt.gov/.