National Native News

President Joe Biden is traveling to the Gila River Indian Community Friday to formally apologize — on behalf of the United States — to the countless thousands of Native families harmed by America’s historic Indian boarding school policies.

Matt Laslo reports from Washington.  

President Joe Biden is in Arizona to deliver an apology of historic proportions over past U.S. Indian boarding school policies.

“Oh my gosh, I am — I mean, I never thought I would see this in my lifetime.”

That’s Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American in U.S. history to serve as a cabinet secretary, in an interview with National Native News.

She’s an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Laguna who’s been personally impacted by America’s Indian boarding school policies from 1819 through the seventies.

“Decades ago, when I was sitting at my grandmother’s kitchen table and talking to her about boarding schools she didn’t tell me everything, right? I knew there was more to what she was telling me.”

Like countless other Native Americans, Sec. Haaland still feels the impact of those injustices on her ancestors, including that her great-grandfather only had a “horse and wagon”, even as his daughter’s boarding school was some 125 miles away.

“She told me he was able to only visit her twice during the five years that she was there. Her time there, her dad’s time at boarding school, that affected my life, and I didn’t realize how much it affected my life until I got a little bit older.”

That painful family history is partly why, back in 2021, Sec. Haaland launched the administration’s Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative.

Part of it was a listening tour across Indian Country, which is culminating with President Biden’s formal apology to Native Americans and Alaska Natives from coast to coast.

“I hope they feel seen. I hope they feel heard by the president of the United States,” Sec. Haaland said. “It is a big deal.”

Sec. Haaland says President Biden’s apology isn’t just about formalities.

“The president also restarted the White House Council on Native American Affairs, he restarted the Tribal Nation Summits — none of those things happened under the previous administration.”

Critics say the apology is political because President Biden is delivering it in the battleground state of Arizona less than two weeks out from the election, but Sec. Haaland brushes those barbs aside.

“No. I mean, they can say what they want. The president’s apology is real and it’s heartfelt and it’s meaningful, and it will mean something to the people there. It will mean something to anyone who listens to it. It’s a wonderful day to be Indigenous, and I’m really proud to be by the president’s side for this most important day.”

Watch President Biden’s remarks starting at 1:30 p.m. ET

Recovery, cleanup and storm damage assessments are underway in Kotzebue, Alaska, after a coastal storm flooded the community this week.

The state has declared a disaster as emergency teams respond.

Reporter Megan Onders spoke with Kotzebue Mayor Derek Haviland-Lie.

“Our actual water and sewer system faired well, everything is still intact. We did have a couple of places around town were there was some damage. There was some leaking, but we were able to shut the water off at that source. We did have one home that the foundation was completely destroyed and the house collapsed.”

And the next steps?

“The borough has taken the lead on anybody that cannot return to their home. They’re finding places for them to be housed. The tribe has taken the lead on donations from various entities outside of Kotzebue with food and water. The city on our side, we’re heading, obviously repairing the roads that were damaged and debris cleanup in the streets. Assessors that are coming in today, that is gonna start going around town and documenting damage.”

Listen to more conversations from Kotzebue residents

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Recovery, cleanup and storm damage assessments are underway in Kotzebue, Alaska, after a coastal storm flooded the community this week.

The state has declared a disaster as emergency teams respond.

Reporter Megan Onders spoke with community members and officials about the devastation, but also the strength being felt across the community.

Interviews: Siikauruq Whiting, Saima Chase (Native Village of Kotzebue, Emergency Manager), Paulette Schuerch (Native Village of Kotzebue), Spike Milligrock (Disaster Program Manager, American Red Cross Alaska), Derek Haviland-Lie (Mayor)

Photo courtesy W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Many states are turning to dental therapists to serve tribes.

But, some aren’t so sure adding another mid-level position is the way to tackle dental care deserts.

The Mountain West News Bureau’s Hanna Merzbach reports.

Dental therapists are a relatively new position. They can do things like cleanings, fluoride treatments, and even simple fillings, says dentist and researcher Donald Chi.

“Put out small fires in a community with lots of dental care needs, and so then the dentist can come in and put out the big fires.”

He says dental therapists are often focused on tribes, since about half of Indigenous people live in areas without enough dentists.

Initiatives have been particularly successful in Alaska, but there are few training programs for dental therapists in the lower 48.

And Tanna Nagy with the Wyoming Dental Association says she’d rather see resources go toward existing programs for dentists, hygienists and assistants.

“Instead of trying to find faculty for new programs, which is just hard to find already.”

She says states could also encourage reaching unserved populations by reducing dental workers’ student loan debt.

(Courtesy Michigan State University)

Michigan State University has launched a new program to expand educational opportunities for Native American students across the country.

Chrystal Blair has more details.

The Native American Tuition Advantage Program gives out-of-state Indigenous students access to in-state tuition, helping to remove the financial barriers making it harder for many people to pursue higher education.

Kevin Leonard, director of the Native American Institute at the university, said the idea for the program came after years of conversations between the Native community, staff, and students.

“A lot of our people were relocated all over the country, all over the North American continent. We really felt for those First Nation relatives that maybe were moved into Canada, or other states. We should have something like a tuition reciprocity where at least they could attend MSU, at the bare minimum.”

Leonard pointed out getting students enrolled is only the first step. His department will expand programs, cultural activities, and resources to give students the support they need to succeed and graduate.

Orville Cayaditt, a graduate student from Utah and member of the Navajo Nation, started at the university before the program was introduced.

Fortunately, he received support through another program, but he believes it could be a game-changer for many Native American students.

“The situation a lot of Native students are faced with, in that when choosing an out-of-state college, financial costs, out-of-state costs, those are real questions that can make or break that decision for a student wanting to come out of state.”

The new program expands on Michigan State’s Maynard Kennedy Turtle Island Acknowledgement Scholarship, which offers similar benefits to a limited number of students from state or federally recognized tribes. It will begin in the fall of 2025.

This story is supported by the Lumina Foundation.

(Courtesy FBI)

The FBI says it has dedicated resources to address violence in Indian Country through its Operation Not Forgotten.

The operation, in its second year, is jointly between the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS).

Officials say from June to September, resources helped to address unresolved cases.

The assistance included FBI special agents and intelligence personnel who were deployed to 10 FBI field offices across the country.

Officials say it resulted in more than 300 cases receiving increased investigation and victim assistance, including cases involving sex abuse, violent assault, domestic violence, and death investigations.

The effort, officials say, have led to more than 40 arrests and more than 400 victims have been provided with support services.

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Photo: U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola addressed Alaska Federation of Natives Convention on Thursday afternoon. (Matt Faubion / Alaska Public Media)

At the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Convention in Anchorage last week, AFN delegates voted unanimously to endorse U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (Yup’ik/D-AK) in her bid for re-election.

Rhonda McBride from our flagship station KNBA reports.

The Democrat faces a fierce challenge from Republican Nick Begich.

When Rep. Peltola addressed the convention, she did not specifically ask for their vote.

Instead, she talked to the gathering about the lessons in survival she learned from her elders.

“No one is coming here to save us. We need to know our survival skills and one of them is getting along working together, having a unified voice. Another one of our survival skills is voting.”

Peltola warned that her race could be extremely close.

“We have got to make sure we have really high voter turnout rates. Whoever wins this race is going to win by dozens of votes. This Congressional seat is going be won by dozens of votes. We are going to need everyone who’s on our side to be out and voting.”

Peltola spoke of a concerted effort on the part of Republican leaders to make it harder to vote.

“Hey, if we can survive in Alaska for over 12,000 years, we know how to find the polling place. We know how to mail in a ballot. We know how to do this. (applause)”

Peltola, in her first run for office, was helped by Ranked Choice Voting, a new system of casting ballots in Alaska.

AFN passed a resolution to oppose a ballot measure this November, that would do away with ranked choice voting.

(Photo: C.J. Keene / SDPB)

As research continues to demonstrate the need for youth mental health services, some schools work to fill the need.

Now, the Rapid City, S.D. area schools has received a $3.4 million grant to address service gaps in its schools.

The money comes from the U.S. Department of Education School-Based Mental Health Services Grant program and will be distributed over the next five years.

Interim superintendent Cory Strasser says it offers the district a chance to invest in culturally sensitive programming.

“That allows us to meet the vast, diverse needs of our students. When we look at student wellbeing, this is a really targeted approach to increase our staffing and provide culturally appropriate determinants of mental health.”

Rapid City Area Schools has the highest percentage of Indigenous students out of any other district in the state, except for those on reservations.

The Washington Department of Natural Resources is putting together a new strategic plan on how to manage state lands concerning recreation and outdoor access.

Steve Jackson reports the plan seeks to address issues important to tribes in the state.

DNR reports increased use on public lands in recent years have caused more issues like increased litter, unsanctioned trails, and timber theft.

They hope a new strategic plan can help reduce those problems.

DNR Chief Hilary Franz says a draft plan put together in the last few month with various stakeholders also will attempt to address the impact of increased land use on the state’s Native American tribes.

“Tribes have a sovereign right to the lands of the state, and we have a responsibility that their access to natural and cultural resources is recognized and respected, not just now but in the future”

The agency is soliciting public comment on the draft of the plan, which can be found on the DNR website.

Public comment the Outdoor Access and Responsible recreation plan is open to November 21.

(Courtesy: Navajo Nation)

Services are planned Wednesday in Arizona for Navajo Code Talker John Kinsel, Sr., the Navajo Times reports.

Kinsel served in World War II in the Marines during the Battle of Iwo Jima, and was among Navajo men who used their Native language to develop an unbreakable code.

He passed away Saturday at age 107.

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Photo: Protest signs hang near Great Plains Hall in Arapahoe, Wyo., on Oct. 17. Northern Arapaho tribal member Antonio Roman walks in the background. (Courtesy Chris Clements / Wyoming Public Media)

The Northern Arapaho Tribe recently held its primary election.

Wyoming Public Radio’s Chris Clements has more.

Voters braved a rainstorm near Great Plains Hall in Arapahoe to select which candidates should move to the general election for the tribe’s Business Council.

It’s made up of six officials who handle the day-to-day operations of the tribe.

Michael Yellowplume is a candidate who lives in Arapahoe.

“I wanted to, like, try to find more funding for the youth to, you know, do after school stuff with them, and, yeah, just a lot of things. And then for the senior centers too.”

Aloysius Bell, Sr. says he’d like to see an audit of the tribe’s finances, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Some of that money, I don’t think it was well spent or went to the where it’s supposed to go.”

Tensions between the Business Council and the tribe’s General Council have piqued recently.

The General Council is the tribe’s main governing body, made up of all adult tribal members who attend meetings.

Recently, the Business Council put out a statement saying it wouldn’t carry out two General Council resolutions.

That led to protests.

Nicole Wagon is a tribal member who attended one of the protests.

“General Council is our supreme governing body, not the NABC. They work for us. The people have spoken.”

The top twelve candidates for the Business Council who receive the most votes will move forward.

The Northern Arapaho Tribe’s general election is set for November 21.

Rosita Worl at the 2024 AFN Convention. (Courtesy Matt Faubion)

Cultural leader, anthropologist, and Sealaska Heritage Institute President Rosita Worl, Ph.D., was awarded a 2023 National Humanities Medal Monday at the White House.

President Worl (Tlingit) has served as president of Sealaska Heritage Institute since 1998.

She has conducted research throughout Alaska and the circumpolar arctic, and taught at the University of Alaska Southeast.

In an interview with National Native News in Anchorage, Alaska, last week, Worl talked about her legacy.

“I want to see the next generation speaking our language, I want to see the next generation as they are now coming out to celebrate our culture. For those of us, we grew up in a period where our Native languages and cultures were suppressed. So, if I know that’s a legacy I can leave behind, beside my children. If I have any success, it’s in my children.”

The award “recognizes an individual or organization whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the human experience, broadened citizen engagement with history and literature or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to cultural resources.”

2022 recipients were also honored including Native poet Joy Harjo and Indigenous higher education administrator Robert Martin.

(Photo: Antonia Gonzales)

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) recently announced that California is expanding access to culturally-based substance use disorder treatment services.

It marks the first time Medi-Cal will cover traditional medicine and healing practices.

According to the governor’s office, the practices have been shown to improve health outcomes, particularly for individuals with substance use disorders.

It allows two new categories of interventions to be covered by Medi-Cal developed by the state in partnership with tribes.

Starting January 1, 2025, an Indian Health Care Provider can request reimbursement for Traditional Healer and Natural Helper Services provided to residents of qualifying counties.

In the coming months, the state says it will consult with tribes to develop guidance.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved use for California, along with Arizona, New Mexico, and Oregon.

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The Washington state office that helps secure grant funding for outdoor projects has hired someone to coordinate with Native American tribes.

Steve Jackson has more.

Spokane tribal citizen Dawn Pullin is the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office’s first tribal affairs director.

Pullin has a varied resume working with the Spokane Tribe, and recently served as a tribal liaison for the Washington State Patrol.

In her new role, Pullin says she will have a chance to work closely with Washington tribes to find funding for various projects.

“I’m going to take my lead from the tribe, like what does the tribe need from me? And how can we communicate and collaborate in consultation and work together and ensure that tribal sovereignty is upheld.”

She says tribal priorities include salmon recovery projects, which is a big part of the state agency’s mission.

Additionally, she says tribes could benefit from funding for recreation projects, such trails and parks.

Pullin is studying a list of past grants the Recreation and Conservation Office secured for tribes to determine what future projects could benefit from funding.

Victor Joseph, Chief of the Tanana Chiefs Council and member of the Gravel to Gravel board, signs the MOU agreement in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo: Jill Fratis)

A signing ceremony took place last week in Anchorage, Alaska between tribes and federal agencies to work together to address the collapse of salmon.

And as Jill Fratis from our flagship station KNBA reports, the history-making agreement was a trail blazing event.

It was held in downtown Anchorage during the Alaska Tribal Unity Gathering.

More than two years ago, U.S. Department of the Interior leaders heard from Alaska Native tribes about the salmon collapses, their impacts on communities and cultures, and the need for immediate and lasting action by the federal government.

More than 100 tribes as well as federal agencies discussed co-stewardships, where both Traditional Knowledge and western science were brought to the table to come up with a solution for the devastating impacts to the salmon population.

During the hour-long discussion, multiple people spoke of the long road hundreds of tribes and communities face.

Vivian Korthuis is from Emmonak and is the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Village Council Presidents.

She is on the Gravel to Gravel board, and says that with the combined forces of the tribes in Alaska, as well as federal agencies, they are sure to make a big impact.

“If we had an initiative where there was only one leader, the feds or in our case, the tribes do it alone, it wouldn’t work. We know that. Those of us that are sitting up here are working on behalf of every single community, every single Tribe every single family, every single individual that has been touched by the salmon crisis in western Alaska.”

Korthius says that in recent years, the consistent decline in salmon becomes more devastating each year.

“What I believe, is that this is really a true humanitarian crisis. We don’t have salmon to put away in our freezers. It’s unthinkable that we have the third largest river in, the Yukon river in this nation, and we have no salmon to put away. It’s mind boggling.”

Brian Ridley is Chief of the Tanana Chiefs Conference.

“It’s really a lot about salmon habitat restoration, and so, trying to make sure that the salmon have good areas to spawn in across Alaska, and that we have a healthy environment for the salmon to be able to come back to, in an effort to try to get them to come back to how they once were, you know, 20, 30, 40 years ago. “

The board will meet regularly throughout the next few years to discuss more solutions of the salmon crisis.

(Courtesy Native American College Fair / Instagram)

And October 21st marks the 12th annual Native American College Fair.

Hosted at the Minnesota History Center, more than 40 colleges from across the U.S. will be on-site to discuss higher education opportunities with Native students and their families.

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