The country’s National Mall will be a little more colorful starting today to remind some of the country’s indigenous communities to preserve their history.
Home Secretary Deb Haaland welcomes a totem pole sculpted by sculptors from the Lummi Nation.
Organizers hope this is a reminder to ensure that tribal communities are included in decisions about their lands and resources.
“The 21st century is a great time to reestablish these consensual relationships because Mother Earth is in crisis,” says Judith LeBlanc, director of the Native Organizers Alliance.
As part of the “Red Road to DC” tour, organizers are bringing a totem pole honoring sacred indigenous places as a gift to President Joe Biden urging him to immediately protect sacred sites. The totem pole crossed the country, stopping in places and resources threatened by development and infrastructure projects.
Lummi Nation’s House of Tears Sculptors have traveled 20,000 miles across the country from Turtle Island this summer, performing over 115 blessing ceremonies during the #RedRoadtoDC Totem Pole Journey. The trip aims to bring people together, along with attention and action, to support frontline Indigenous communities working to protect their sacred lands and waters from mining and closure.
The totem pole and tens of thousands of signatures and stories were presented at a ceremony on the National Mall.
From now on, the totem pole will be on display in front of the National Museum of the American Indian until July 31, where an exhibit of the House of Tears Carvers’ totem journeys is on display.
The tour is sponsored by the Native Organizers Alliance, Se’Si’Le, the Natural History Museum, the National Congress of American Indians and IllumiNative.
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After writing “Harrisburg Art in the Wild: An Eco-Friendly Fantasy World, ” I want to know more about the influence of nature on art.
My family took me to the Indian Steps Museum in Airville when I was a child, my first exposure to Native American culture. But I haven’t developed this interest until now. So, I start my dive into local and indigenous art.
I find little.
As a last resort, I turn to the power of social media, posting an appeal to all on Facebook. York County Fashion, my friends put me in touch with four Native American artists.
These Native American descendants celebrate their heritage in four different ways.
Kim Olson Richardson (Springettsbury Township) and the Haliwa-Saponi people
Ruby Olson moved to York County in the 1960s from North Carolina. Newly married, she gave birth to three children, including her youngest named Kim (Olson Richardson). Ruby has made sure her babies know and practice their Haliwa-Saponi roots. Since Hollister, North Carolina has remained their tribal home, each April they made a pilgrimage to the annual powwow.
There, Kim and her siblings celebrated their legacy by dancing. the Fancy shawl dance, for example, takes athleticism and aims to mimic the elegant, plunging wings of a butterfly opening from the chrysalis. Kim also participated in the Jingle Dance of the Ojibwe in which 365 cones are sewn into the dress to represent each day of the year.
Kim Richardson competing as Fancy Shawl Dancer (1987 or 1988). Photo taken at Haliwa-Saponi Tribal powwow in Hollister, North Carolina.
On an annual trip to the powwow, Kim met Roger richardson also from the Haliwa-Saponi tribe – her future husband.
“Living far away is a little hard to stay involved,” Kim tells me, “but we’ve always been able to do it because it’s important to us.”
Kim doesn’t dance anymore. She’s a saleswoman.
Native Americans are usually depicted with headdresses. However, “Our people did not wear war caps,” Kim says. “So I launched a line of t-shirts highlighting the natives of the eastern woods called Moc70. ”
Kim Olson Richardson’s t-shirt company Moc70 features images of her tribe. Photo by Kim Olson Richardson.Kim Richardson not only designs her own clothes, but also silkscreen them by hand. Photo by Kim Olson Richardson.
Since they couldn’t organize a powwow, COVID greatly affected the tribe’s ability to celebrate their culture. But this summer will be different. Pow-wows are scheduled, including THIS LIST upcoming events in PA.
Kim Richardson’s little cousin and a few other “toddler” dancers in their badges at the annual powwow. Photo by Kim Olson Richardson.
Raine Dawn (Spring Grove) of the Anishinaabe people
Raine Dawn Valentine, from The Anishinaabe people are part of the Chippewa tribe of Turtle Mountain, still located in North Dakota. Her mother attended boarding school from the age of six until she graduated at the age of 16.
“She was not allowed to know or learn our native traditions,” Raine tells me. “She lived in the days when natives were brainwashed into American culture.” (Jim McClure and I will explore assimilation further in an upcoming Witness York article.)
It wasn’t until adulthood that Raine began to learn and connect more deeply with his heritage. She returns to her family in North Dakota to learn all she can. “My culture influences my everyday life and my teaching, ”says Raine. “I am always connected to our Seven Teachings and share traditions with others.”
Raine Dawn expresses his heritage in his art. She paints on canvas, on murals and even on skin with henna – an art form where the dye is applied to the skin. She believes that “our Spirit is the non-physical part of a person which is the seat of their emotions and character.” Image by Raine Dawn.
For Raine, art and spirituality are deeply united. “Art also connects us more deeply with nature, which brings us back to our center and plunges us into a meditative state that opens us to hearing this higher divine self,” she says.
Raine has been teaching art for 13 years at Ridgely College in Baltimore County and an assistant at Notre Dame University in Maryland where she teaches graduate students the methods of teaching art in the high school classroom. There, she infused her Native American customs into her classes.
“Being a teacher means that I can help our young people see and know each other better,” says Raine. “Art created our world, and our students need to know that they have the power to create the world as they see it from their own imaginations. ”
Jess McPherson (Township of Spring Garden); A Susquehanna Indian of Shawnee origin
Like Raine Dawn, Jess mcpherson also creates art. However, she found herself most engaged in making pearl and thread jewelry.
As an artist, Jess McPherson has traveled to tribal communities along the east coast, selling her jewelry and raising awareness about culture. In doing so, it preserves its culture. Photo by Jess McPherson.
An exhibition titled “Homesick” shows the connection between Jess, her cultures (she is also German from Pennsylvania) and the land. Jess took some dried herbs, along with her art partner Donna Sylvester, turned them over and tied them together. As they hung the piece up in the air, the herbs “started to bond with the living grass beneath our feet,” Jess tells me. “Outside of that connection… We started to see them as outbreaks or childbirths. To me, they are also a bit like empty cocoons.
As the artists came together and lived with their installation, they noticed subtle movements. “In a few pieces, their ropes came down and gently caressed the ground, seeking the ground as they did when they connected with the living grasses beneath our feet that day.”
Their exhibit was on display along the river at LOwercase Gallery in Wrightsville, Pa., where community members brought their own pieces to incorporate into their artwork, either by weaving them or leaving them at the base as offerings.
“These budding ships and ropes seemed to have a certain desire,” McPherson says. “As we worked with them and understood their stories, they felt a little nostalgic or yearned for a familiar connection. Photo by Jess McPherson.
Here are some of her participations and ways you can learn more about local initiatives:
Jack Richardson (Township of Manchester) and the Haliwa-Saponi people
Jack and Kim are parents. They are both from the Haliwa-Saponi people of North Carolina. When their children were young, together with others, they created a cultural group. They wanted to involve their kids in the dances, including the powwow they started at Indian Steps.
But instead of t-shirts, Jack makes drums. “You find something you like, and it’s part of nature, it’s good to get involved like that,” he says.
First it reaches the leather – elk, cow, deer or buffalo. Last year he tanned his own buckskin, but he won’t do it again. “It’s a bit of work, so I don’t think I want to do it anymore.”
Then he builds the drum cylinder using western cedar. “It’s light,” he says, which makes it easier for drummers to carry. A few coats of polyurethane ensure that water will not damage the wood.
Using leather bands, Jack pulls the skin tightly over the cedar cylinder, but not too tightly. If there isn’t enough flex in the face of the drum, that beautiful, deep sound won’t reverberate. Finally, he assembles the drummer so that the musician has his tool.
I am fortunate to hear Jack play and sing for me. Watch a short clip on my instagram @WanderinginYork. Photo by Jamie Kinsley.
Each drum takes four to five hours to build. You can purchase one at the Native American Festival on September 11-12 at the Indian Steps Museum (Airville).
Three tribes, four artists
Kim Olson Richardson of Springettsbury Township makes t-shirts. Raine Dawn from Spring Grove painted. Jess McPherson from Spring Garden Township sews beads. Jack Richardson of Manchester Township manufactures drums.
Three from different tribes, and they all express themselves in different art forms.
A misconception is that “Native American culture” is a monolithic experience. It’s not. Hundreds of Indian nations flourished in the United States before colonization.
After Europeans settled in America, many customs were lost. Yet many American Indians and their descendants keep the traditions alive. And just like the plethora of practices of their ancestors, contemporary artists fit into a wide range of indigenous cultures.
Kim, Raine Dawn, Jess and Jack all explore their identity, history and culture through art. “The importance of each person’s role in the arts,” writes Jess, “is easily demonstrable and an incredible tool for teaching people that they are important, that their thoughts and experiences matter. “
A Kim Richardson beaded mortar board for her daughter after graduating from Widener University (2018). Photo by Kim Olson Richardson.
On the back of his off-white 2011 Majestic E-450 RV, Duane Garvais Lawrence had written “MMIW” on the top of the rear window in red ink. Below, 77 names of native women were carefully written.
“We have about 30 more names to add to this list today,” he said, referring to the new names given to him by tribes in Washington and Idaho. These are the names of murdered and missing Indigenous women from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. “We will add them after the race today.”
Indigenous members and supporters came to show their solidarity with murdered and missing Indigenous women during the 2021 MMIW Bike Run.
Garvais Lawrence created a stir after reading Savanna’s Act, a set of law enforcement and justice protocols for dealing with missing or murdered Native Americans, most of whom were women.
“It touched me as a father,” he said. Garvais Lawrence counts five daughters among his seven children with his wife, LoVina Louie.
Garvais Lawrence hosted the inaugural race last year, with few supporters due to the pandemic. He persisted, noting that violence against Indigenous women has been a problem for centuries. Indigenous women are 10 times more likely to be kidnapped or murdered with little or no conviction rate, according to a US Department of Justice study.
The cross-country race, which started in Olympia at the Washington State Capitol, will end in Washington, DC. The goal is to meet Deb Haaland, Home Secretary and the first Native American to serve as Cabinet Secretary. In this capacity, Haaland oversees public lands, national parks and wildlife refuges, as well as the Office of Indian Affairs.
“We want to sit down and talk with her to see if we can create some kind of new law or legislative action, where if you are the American lawyer and I present a case to you, she will not be included in their prosecution file. “Said Gervais Lawrence.” If they know that these cases (about missing and murdered Indigenous women) aren’t going to give them a chance to win, they won’t take it into their own hands.
Last week’s run in Idaho began at the Church of the Mission of the Sacred Heart through reserved land and ended 40 miles north of Fighting Creek. Before the morning run, Garvais Lawrence and members of the community held a tribal ceremony.
Garvais Lawrence, a member of the Colville and Assiniboine Sioux tribes, and his eldest daughter, Daisy Garvais, squeezed red paint on their hands. Red represents the blood that binds the tribes, but also the blood spilled by missing women.
“This color is violence but also strength and love,” said Daisy Garvais. “Red is a powerful color in Aboriginal culture. “
University of Washington runner and Cowlitz Tribe member Rosalie Fish popularized the red hand symbol after competing at the 2019 Washington State 1B Track and Field Championships in Cheney. the hand is placed over the mouth, a symbol of how indigenous women are taken from behind. and pushed into vehicles, never to be seen again.
Ash-colored clouds brought a slight, steep pinch during the hand-painting session. Garvais Lawrence began to applaud the rain.
But for Marlene Sproul, a member of the Coeur d’Alene tribe, who stood nearby as the rain fell, an overwhelming wave of pain and grief lingered. Her younger sister, Tina Marie Finley, went missing on March 7, 1988.
“We still haven’t located it and it still hurts,” Sproul said. “They said this stuff heals, but the pain never goes away. It’s a hole in your heart that can never be filled.
The run was a reminder, highlighting individual distress, but a piece of the puzzle of the generational violence and trauma that permeates the Indigenous population.
“We are all a tribe, all married to each other and linked as parents,” Sproul said. “When a person goes missing, we all feel it. We all know where this person lives and what family they belong to. It’s a chain reaction between all of us.
After moving behind the church, the ceremony began with Louie’s tearful dedication to the 3,213 bodies of Indigenous children recently found in mass graves at residential schools in the United States and Canada. She decorated eight armbands for runners to wear at their checkpoints, which must be delivered to Haaland when MMIW travelers arrive in Washington, DC Her parents, Jeanie and Deb Louie, who attended the ceremony, both attended survived boarding schools as a teenager.
“We can only pray that murdered children and missing and murdered women are reunited in the spiritual realm,” said Deb Louie.
Gene “Hemi” James, secretary-treasurer of the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council, paid tribute to his mother, who was murdered by her non-native boyfriend on June 10, 1995. The native youth performed traditional songs and ceremonial before the race as elders. conducts prayer songs. Following the ceremony, eagle feathers, a symbol of Louie and Garvais Lawrence’s partnership, family and tribal ties, were presented to those who participated in the 40-mile hike to Fighting Creek. Sproul and his sister, Debora Garcia, and his niece Mandy Long, wore the eagle feathers first, as Finley’s closest relative.
“This race is for Tina Marie Finley,” Garvais Lawrence reminded the group. “Think about her with every step. Every inch is for Tina today.
The runners tied the eagle feathers in their hair and continued on the journey in honor of Finley, 40 miles away to Fighting Creek and 2,504 miles from Haaland’s office in the nation’s capital.
DE SMET, Idaho – On the back of his off-white 2011 Majestic E-450 RV, Duane Garvais Lawrence had written “MMIW” on the rear window in red ink. Below, 77 names of native women were carefully written.
“We have about 30 more names to add to this list today,” he said, referring to the new names given to him by tribes in Washington and Idaho. These are the names of murdered and missing Indigenous women from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. “We will add them after the race today.”
Indigenous members and supporters came to show their solidarity with murdered and missing Indigenous women during the 2021 MMIW Bike Run, which stopped in De Smet on Tuesday morning.
Garvais Lawrence created a stir after reading the Savanna’s Act, a set of law enforcement and justice protocols for dealing with missing or murdered Native Americans, most of whom were women.
“It touched me as a father,” he said. Garvais Lawrence counts five daughters among his seven children with his wife, LoVina Louie.
Garvais Lawrence hosted the inaugural race last year, without many supporters due to the pandemic. He persisted, noting that violence against Indigenous women had been a dilemma for centuries.
In modern times, Indigenous women are 10 times more likely to be kidnapped or murdered with little or no conviction rate, according to US Department of Justice research.
The cross-country race, which started in Olympia at the Washington State Capitol, will end in Washington, DC
The goal is to meet Deb Haaland, Home Secretary and the first Native American to serve as Cabinet Secretary. In this capacity, Haaland oversees public lands, national parks and wildlife refuges, as well as the Office of Indian Affairs.
“We want to sit down and talk to her to see if we can create some kind of new law or legislative action, where if you are the American lawyer, and I bring you a case, it will not be included in their prosecution file.” “said Gervais Lawrence.” If they know these cases (about missing and murdered Indigenous women) aren’t going to give them a chance to win, they’re not going to take it into their own hands.
Tuesday’s run in Idaho began at the Sacred Heart Mission Church through reserve lands and ended 40 miles north of Fighting Creek.
Before the morning run, Garvais Lawrence and members of the community held a tribal ceremony.
Garvais Lawrence, a member of the Colville and Assiniboine Sioux tribes, and his eldest daughter, Daisy Garvais, squeezed red paint on their hands. The red represents the blood that binds the tribes, but also the spilled blood of missing women.
“This color is violence but also strength and love,” said Daisy Garvais. “Red is a powerful color in Aboriginal culture. “
University of Washington runner and Cowlitz Tribe member Rosalie Fish popularized the red hand symbol after competing at the 2019 Washington State 1B Track and Field Championships in Cheney.
The imprint of the hand is placed on the mouth, a symbol of how Indigenous women are taken from behind and pushed into vehicles, never to be seen again.
Ash-colored clouds, mistakenly identified as hazy smoke, produced a light, steep spray during the hand-painting session. Garvais Lawrence began to applaud the rain.
“Isn’t that healing?” Laurent asked. Indigenous cultures see rain as a symbol of renewal, change and growth.
But for Marlene Sproul, a member of the Coeur d’Alene tribe, who stood nearby as the rain fell, an overwhelming wave of pain and grief lingered. Her younger sister, Tina Marie Finley, went missing on March 7, 1988.
“We still haven’t located it and it still hurts,” Sproul said. “They said this stuff heals, but the pain never goes away. It’s a hole in your heart that can never be filled.
The run was a reminder, highlighting individual distress, but a piece of the puzzle of the generational violence and trauma that permeates the Indigenous population.
“We are all a tribe, all married to each other and linked as parents,” Sproul said. “When a person goes missing, we all feel it. We all know where this person lives and what family they belong to. It’s a chain reaction between all of us.
After moving behind the church, the ceremony began with Louie’s tearful dedication to the 3,213 bodies of Indigenous children recently found in mass graves at residential schools in the United States and Canada.
She decorated eight armbands for runners to wear at their checkpoints, which must be delivered to Haaland when MMIW travelers arrive in Washington, DC Her parents, Jeanie and Deb Louie, who attended the ceremony, both attended survived boarding schools as a teenager.
“We can only pray that murdered children and missing and murdered women are reunited in the spiritual realm,” said Deb Louie.
Gene “Hemi” James, secretary-treasurer of the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council, paid tribute to his mother, who was murdered by her non-native boyfriend on June 10, 1995. The native youth performed traditional songs and ceremonies before the race as elders. conducts prayer songs.
Following the ceremony, eagle feathers, a symbol of Louie and Garvais Lawrence’s partnership, family and tribal ties, were presented to those who participated in the 40-mile hike to Fighting Creek.
Sproul and his sister, Debora Garcia, and his niece Mandy Long, wore the eagle feathers first, as Finley’s closest relative.
DE SMET, IDAHO – On the back of his off-white 2011 Majestic E-450 RV, Duane Garvais Lawrence had written “MMIW” on the rear window in red ink. Below, 77 names of native women were carefully written.
“We have about 30 more names to add to this list today,” he said, referring to the new names given to him by tribes in Washington and Idaho. These are the names of murdered and missing Indigenous women from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. “We will add them after the race today.”
Indigenous members and supporters came to show their solidarity with murdered and missing Indigenous women during the 2021 MMIW Bike Run, which stopped in De Smet on Tuesday morning.
Garvais Lawrence created a stir after reading the Savanna’s Act, a set of law enforcement and justice protocols for dealing with missing or murdered Native Americans, most of whom were women.
“It touched me as a father,” he said. Garvais Lawrence counts five daughters among his seven children with his wife, LoVina Louie.
Garvais Lawrence hosted the inaugural race last year, without many supporters due to the pandemic. He persisted, noting that violence against Indigenous women had been a dilemma for centuries. In modern times, Indigenous women are 10 times more likely to be kidnapped or murdered with little or no conviction rate, according to US Department of Justice research.
The cross-country race, which started in Olympia at the Washington State Capitol, will end in Washington, DC The goal is to meet Deb Haaland, Home Secretary and first Native American to serve as secretary of the Cabinet. In this capacity, Haaland oversees public lands, national parks and wildlife refuges, as well as the Office of Indian Affairs.
“We want to sit down and talk with her to see if we can create some kind of new law or legislative action, where if you are the American lawyer and I present a case to you, she will not be included in their prosecution file. “Said Gervais Lawrence.” If they know that these cases (about missing and murdered Indigenous women) won’t give them a chance to win, they won’t take the case into their own hands.
Tuesday’s run in Idaho began at the Sacred Heart Mission Church through reserve lands and ended 40 miles north of Fighting Creek. Before the morning run, Garvais Lawrence and members of the community held a tribal ceremony.
Garvais Lawrence, a member of the Colville and Assiniboine Sioux tribes, and his eldest daughter, Daisy Garvais, squeezed red paint on their hands. The red represents the blood that binds the tribes, but also the spilled blood of missing women.
“This color is violence but also strength and love,” said Daisy Garvais. “Red is a powerful color in Aboriginal culture. “
University of Washington runner and Cowlitz Tribe member Rosalie Fish popularized the red hand symbol after competing at the 2019 Washington State 1B Track and Field Championships in Cheney. the hand is placed over the mouth, a symbol of how indigenous women are taken from behind. and pushed into vehicles, never to be seen again.
Ash-colored clouds, mistakenly identified as hazy smoke, produced a light, steep spray during the hand-painting session. Garvais Lawrence began to applaud the rain.
“Isn’t that healing?” Laurent asked. Indigenous cultures see rain as a symbol of renewal, change and growth.
But for Marlene Sproul, a member of the Coeur d’Alene tribe, who stood nearby as the rain fell, an overwhelming wave of pain and grief lingered. Her younger sister, Tina Marie Finley, went missing on March 7, 1988.
“We still haven’t located it and it still hurts,” Sproul said. “They said this stuff heals, but the pain never goes away. It’s a hole in your heart that can never be filled.
The run was a reminder, highlighting individual distress, but a piece of the puzzle of the generational violence and trauma that permeates the Indigenous population.
“We are all a tribe, all married to each other and linked as parents,” Sproul said. “When a person goes missing, we all feel it. We all know where this person lives and what family they belong to. It’s a chain reaction between all of us.
After moving behind the church, the ceremony began with Louie’s tearful dedication to the 3,213 bodies of Indigenous children recently found in mass graves at residential schools in the United States and Canada. She decorated eight armbands for runners to wear at their checkpoints, which must be delivered to Haaland when MMIW travelers arrive in Washington, DC Her parents, Jeanie and Deb Louie, who attended the ceremony, both attended survived boarding schools as a teenager.
“We can only pray that murdered children and missing and murdered women are reunited in the spiritual realm,” said Deb Louie.
Gene “Hemi” James, secretary-treasurer of the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council, paid tribute to his mother, who was murdered by her non-native boyfriend on June 10, 1995. The native youth performed traditional songs and ceremonies before the race as elders. conducts prayer songs. Following the ceremony, eagle feathers, a symbol of Louie and Garvais Lawrence’s partnership, family and tribal ties, were presented to those who participated in the 40-mile hike to Fighting Creek. Sproul and his sister, Debora Garcia, and his niece Mandy Long, wore the eagle feathers first, as Finley’s closest relative.
“This race is for Tina Marie Finley,” Garvais Lawrence reminded the group. “Think about her with every step. Every inch is for Tina today.
Tina’s family walked down Moctelme Road and passed the feathers to supporters just before Desmet Road. The runners tied the eagle feathers in their hair and continued on the journey in Finley’s honor, 40 miles away to Fighting Creek and 2,504 miles away from Haaland’s office in the nation’s capital.
In a small office on the second floor of the former El Prado Post Office, Delane Atcitty is making great strides in helping indigenous tribes use their natural resources through the nonprofit Indian Nations Conservation Alliance (INCA).
“What we’re responsible for doing is organizing the farmers and ranchers to form a conservation district. That way, they can form their own list of natural resource priorities, ”said Atcitty, executive director of the group for the past two years.
“For some tribes, water rights are a big issue and they want to use an efficient irrigation system. Or some tribes, they want to turn to hoop houses to grow their own vegetables, which leads to food sovereignty and food security for sovereign tribal nations, ”he said.
CNIB works with the Jemez Pueblo and the Navajo Nation, as well as with tribes in Alaska, Montana, Oklahoma and elsewhere.
“Some tribes want to raise their tribal herds and they want bison to return to their traditional diet,” he said.
The Indian Nations Conservation Alliance was founded in 2002 in Twin Bridges, Mont., By Dick Gooby, state director of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
After Gooby’s retirement, Atcitty took the helm and moved the CNIB headquarters to Taos. Operating as a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, the alliance employs 18 workers, mostly Native Americans. “That way they can identify with our customer base,” Atcitty said.
“Right now we’re working mostly on federal grants, to help them do outreach and maintain contact with the tribes. Most of our federal agencies have a fiduciary duty to work with tribes, as they often border tribal lands, ”said Atcitty, who received an undergraduate degree in agribusiness from Oklahoma Panhandle State University and a diploma in agribusiness. graduate studies in ranching from Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Texas A&M University-King Ranch Institute.
The INCA acts as an intermediary between tribes and government agencies like the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the United States Department of Agriculture.
“With the new agricultural laws, there are joint management opportunities for the tribes with these federal agencies – it is in their best interest to help the tribes follow their natural resource priorities,” he said.
One of the projects the alliance is working on is to create a coalition of indigenous grazing lands. “This is one of the greatest assets of the tribes – the native rangelands. It consists of 55 million US acres. And it can also serve as a model for migration from Canada to Mexico, ”Atcitty said.
The INCA is reaching out to a number of foundations to join them in this effort, including The Nature Conservancy.
Some tribes want to expand the production of cannabis and hemp, and come to Atcitty with technical questions. Other tribes are asking for help in marketing their products.
“But I think our biggest business right now is helping tribal youth,” Atcitty said. “There are high rates of suicide among tribal youth, and there are high rates of drug and alcohol addiction. We want to let young people know that there are jobs available for them who work there on their tribal lands, in natural resources.
On June 25, in a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that Alaska Native Societies (“ANC”) are entitled to COVID-19 relief funds; solidifying that the NCAs qualify as tribes. The decision in Yellen v. Confederate tribes of the Chehalis reserve now allows NCAs to receive funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES”). In that decision, SCOTUS overthrew a unanimous Washington DC circuit panel that initially sided with the tribes and against the ANCs.
Justice Sotomayor, writing for the majority, indicated that NCAs were eligible for funding under CARES because in India’s Self-Determination and Educational Assistance Act 1975 (“ISDEAA”) , which created the legal definition of a “tribe”, the NCAs were included. Here, the majority indicated that “in the ordinary sense of the ISDEAA, ANCs are Indian tribes, whether they are also federally recognized ‘tribes'” or not. More specifically, the ISDEAA defines an Indian tribe as “any tribe, band, nation or other organized group or community, including any Native Alaskan village or any regional or village society as defined or established by law. Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (“ANCSA”). ), who is recognized as eligible for special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their Indian status. Since ISDEAA includes ANCs in the definition of a tribe, the Supreme Court has ruled that they are eligible for CARES funds. This means that although NCAs are corporations, they are still defined as a tribe after being established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 and are eligible for all special programs entitled. to Native American tribes.
While the Washington DC circuit has sided with tribal claims that “recognition” is a definition of art in Indian law, as NCAs do not have the requisite government-to-government relationship with the government of the United States and, therefore, should not be eligible, the majority of SCOTUS disagreed. Instead, they said that “in the ordinary sense of ISDEAA”, the NCAs are considered tribes. Justice Sotomayor wrote that ANCs are eligible for the benefits of ANCSA, which established the village and regional societies on behalf of the natives of Alaska. As part of ANSAA, nearly $ 1 billion and 44 million acres of land have been returned to the natives of Alaska. Thus, the majority felt that the ANCs, according to ANCSA, confirmed the eligibility to be considered an Indian tribe.
The tribes argued that the move would potentially open doors for other federally unrecognized Indian groups to be reorganized under ISDEAA. However, the Supreme Court again disagreed and declared that NCAs are “entities created by federal statute and enjoying a tremendous amount of special federal benefits as part of a legislative experiment tailored to the unique circumstances. from Alaska and recreated nowhere else ”. Judge Sotomayor further noted that “today’s court ruling does not give NCAs new and incalculable tribal powers, as respondents fear”, but “[i]It simply confirms the powers that Congress has expressly granted to NCAs and that the executive branch has long understood that NCAs have. Based on this ruling, it is now considered that the NCAs are unambiguously “Indian tribes” under the ISDEAA.
Justice Gorsuch, joining Justices Thomas and Kagan writing for the dissent, said the “recognized as eligible” clause in the ISDEAA refers to “government-to-government recognition that triggers eligibility for the panoply of benefits and services that the federal government provides to Indians ”and NCAs are not eligible for CARES funding. The dissent disagreed with the majority and argued that the ordinary meaning of the definition is far from clear and stated “[e]While we could somehow put aside everything we know about how the term is used in Indian law and the CARES law itself, it is far from clear at what point. meaning the court is referring or how NCAs might be part of it.
Footnotes :
Kelsey Haake is a Summer 2021 Associate at Snell & Wilmer and a JD 2023 Candidate at the Carey School of Law at the University of Pennsylvania.
FLAGSTAFF, Arizona – For thousands of years, a tribe in Arizona has relied on the natural floods of the Colorado River for farming. He later hand-dug ditches and canals to bring water to the fields.
Now gravity sends river water from the north end of the Colorado River Indian Tribe Preserve through 19th century canals to feed alfalfa, cotton, wheat, onions, and potatoes. , mainly by flooding the fields.
Some of these fields have not produced in recent times as the tribe is providing water to support Lake Mead to help weather a historic drought in the American West. The reservoir serves as a barometer for how much water Arizona and other states will receive as part of plans to protect the river serving 40 million people.
The Colorado River Indian tribes and one other Arizona tribe played a disproportionate role in drought contingency plans that forced the state to voluntarily forgo water. As Arizona faces mandatory cuts next year in its supply to the Colorado River, tribes see themselves as major players in the future of water.
“We have always been told more or less what to do, and now it is taking shape where the tribes have been involved and invited to the table to do negotiations, to have their say on the problems of the river”, first term of the Indian tribes of the Colorado River. said President Amelia Flores.
Lake Mead, on the Nevada-Arizona border, has fallen to its lowest point since filling in the 1930s. Water experts say the situation would be worse if the tribe did not agree to store 150,000 acre-feet in the lake over three years. One acre-foot is sufficient to serve one to two households per year. The Gila River Indian community also provided water.
The Colorado River Indian tribes received $ 38 million in return, including $ 30 million from the state. Environmentalists, foundations and businesses fulfilled their pledges last month to help the rest.
Kevin Moran of the Environmental Defense Fund said the agreement marked a new approach to tackling drought, climate change and demand on the river.
“The way we see it, the Colorado River Basin is the zero point for water-related impacts of climate change,” he said. “And we have to plan for the river and the watersheds that climatologists tell us we’re probably going to have, not the one we might want.”
Tribal officials say the $ 38 million is more than they would have earned by leasing the land. Colorado River Indian tribes stopped cultivating more than 15 square miles to make water available, tribal lawyer Margaret Vick said.
“There is an economic compromise as well as a conservation compromise,” she said.
While some fields are dry on the reserve, the tribe plans to use the money to invest in its water infrastructure. It has the oldest irrigation system built by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, dating from 1867, serving nearly 125 square miles of tribal land.
The age of the irrigation system means that it is in constant need of improvement. Flores, the president of the tribe, said parts of the 232-mile concrete and earth canal are lined and others are not, so water is lost through seepage or cracks.
A 2016 study conducted by the tribe put the price to pay for correcting the shortcomings at over $ 75 million. It leverages grants, funds from past conservation efforts and other funds to reduce repairs, Flores said.
“If we had all the dollars in the world to cover all the channels that run through our reserve, that would be a great project to complete,” said Flores. “I don’t think that will happen in our lifetime.”
The tribe is made up of four distinct groups of Native Americans – Chemehuevi, Mohave, Hopi and Navajo. The reserve encompasses over 110 miles of Colorado River shoreline with some of the oldest and most secure river rights in Arizona and California.
While much of the water is used for agriculture, it also supports the tribe’s wildlife sanctuaries and culture.
“We cannot forget the spiritual and cultural aspect of the Colorado River tribes,” said Flores. “Our songs, clan songs, river songs and other traditional rites that take place at the river.”
The tribe cannot take full advantage of its right to divert 662,000 acre-feet per year from the Colorado River to the Arizona side because it lacks infrastructure. It also has water rights in California.
According to a 2018 study of water use and development among tribes in the Colorado River Basin, an additional 46 square miles of land could be developed for agriculture if the tribe had the infrastructure.
“One day,” says Flores. “This is the goal of our leaders who have come behind me, to use all of our water allocation and develop our lands which are currently undeveloped.”
July 8, 2021 – Contact the FacilitiesNet editorial staff »
Like a vicious disease that sweeps across the country regardless of the age, race or location of the victim, deferred maintenance has taken a heavy toll on facilities across the country, regardless of age, location or location. their type. While K-12 school districts typically draw attention to their efforts to repair facilities after years of underfunded maintenance, one segment of the facility market – federal buildings in Native American communities – has also been hit hard by deferred maintenance, and they are advocating for increased funding.
Native American tribal leaders pressured federal agencies to recoup billions of dollars in deferred maintenance at these facilities in a recent House hearing, according to Federal Computer Week.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education and the Indian Health Service (IHS) operate or fund more than 1,800 federal facilities, ranging from fire stations to hospitals and schools. Buildings show the effects of underfunding. The average age of IHS establishments is over 37, compared to an average of nine or 10 years in the private sector.
Many schools in these communities also need updates. The fiscal year 2022 budget request for the Bureau of Indian Education includes $ 264.3 million in annual construction funding. The agency receives mandatory Great American Outdoors Act funds, which can be used for priority deferred maintenance projects.
But the current backlog of deferred maintenance of educational institutions is $ 823.3 million. Education districts, a separate category, have their own deferred maintenance backlog of $ 102.1 million. Of the 86 schools classified by the agency as “poor,” 73 currently have no funding for major replacement or repair.
Many people sometimes need to access part of their salary earlier. If you’re trying to get a short-term cash advance, your options are few and far between. Showcase payday loans promise to help you bridge the financial gap between now and your next payday, but they’re so expensive that they usually make your personal finance problems worse.
You can set up a payday advance app right now and be ready for your next shortfall. The best part is that a payday advance app can provide you with a cash advance for free or at low cost.
7 free and low cost cash advance apps
1. Boro
Characteristics
You can access a loan of up to $ 2,000 at an interest rate that depends on your credit score. The repayment must be complete within 12 months. You don’t need to have set up a direct deposit or a job. But you will be responsible for the monthly payments.
Cost
Membership is free. Interest rates are based on your creditworthiness. If you pay off your loan within a month, it is interest free.
Who can use it
Boro is for students. You must be at least 18 years old and enrolled in an American college or university. Recent graduates can also qualify. Boro loans (called BoroCash) are only available in about half of the country. You will need to check the website to see if there are any loans available in your state.
Other features to know
Paying off your loan will help you build up credit. Payments are automatically deducted from your linked checking account.
2. Brigitte
Characteristics
Get a free cash advance of up to $ 250. No credit check is required. The first time you take a cash advance, it will automatically be deducted from your next paycheck, or you can request an extension of the due date once. As you use the app, you will benefit from further payment due date extensions (up to three).
Cost
Brigit is free but not instant. For same day cash advance, you need a premium membership for $ 9.99 per month. With this option, Brigit automatically funds your checking account to avoid potential overdrafts and allows more time for loan repayment, among other benefits.
Who can use it
You must have an active bank account with a recurring direct deposit to be eligible for Brigit Instant Cash.
There is no minimum credit score requirement and the use of Brigit does not affect your credit. However, Brigit may limit or deny services if:
Your bank account is new (opened within the last 60 days).
You have an overdraft history on your account.
You haven’t received at least three direct deposits from your primary source of income.
Other details to know
Brigit provides free updates on financial health, as well as information on additional income opportunities.
3. Chime
Characteristics
If you have direct deposit, Chime releases your pay the same day your employer deposits it. Most banks hold the funds for 1 to 3 days. It’s not quite an emergency loan, but it speeds up access to the money you’ve already earned.
Cost
Free. There are no monthly maintenance fees, no overdraft fees on your account and no fees to use the 38,000 ATMs in its network.
Who can use it
Anyone can apply to join Chime. You will need to provide your social security number, cell phone number, and address. You may need to provide a copy of your ID. Chime says opening an account will not affect your credit score. Some features, like free overdraft protection, require a minimum direct deposit amount each month.
Other details to know
Chime is an app that partners with an FDIC insured bank to help you manage your money.
You will earn more with Chime High Yield Savings than at most banks.
Chime offers a secured credit card by a credit builder with no credit check required. The card has no annual fee, no maintenance fee, and does not charge interest (as the account is pre-funded by you like a prepaid debit card).
Automatic savings are streamlined at Chime. Like most banks, Chime allows you to set aside a portion of each paycheck. Chime also allows you to round off each debit card purchase and put that currency into your savings account.
Overdraft protection is capped at $ 20 initially, but increases to $ 200 for members with a positive account history.
4. David
Characteristics
You can get a cash advance of up to $ 200 when Dave advises you that you are at risk of overdrafting. No credit check required. If you have a direct deposit, Dave gives you the money as soon as your employer transfers it.
Cost
A Dave subscription costs $ 1 per month. There is no minimum balance requirement for a Dave checking account. Qualified members can pay additional fees to get up to $ 100 in cash above the regular limit. Tips are accepted, but optional.
Who can use it
Anyone can join Dave. You will need to provide credentials and connect your bank account. You may be asked for proof of address or a copy of your identity document.
Other details to know
Dave offers a free rent report service to help you build credit and information on how to make more money. In addition, you can access your account through 32,000 toll-free ATMs.
5. Win
Characteristics
Get cash advances of up to $ 100 per day and $ 500 per pay period. No credit check required. The repayment date is your next pay day, unless you request a different due date at least two business days before that date.
Cost
Free, but Earnin accepts tips up to $ 14 per $ 100 withdrawal transaction. Tips are optional, but Earnin says they support the app financially.
Who can use it
Anyone with a job, bank account and direct deposit. You will first need to set up your Earnin account by downloading the app, entering your information, and connecting your bank account.
Other details to know
Earnin is an app that partners with an FDIC insured bank to help you manage your money. Earnin offers other features besides the cash advance product, including a savings tool, financial information, and low balance alert. If enabled, the low balance tool will automatically transfer an advance of $ 100 to your bank account when your balance falls below that amount (to help you avoid overdrafts).
6. Empower
Characteristics
You can get an instant cash advance of up to $ 250 anytime during your pay cycle. No credit check is required.
Cost
Empower membership is $ 8 per month after a 14 day free trial period. Instant cash advances require an Empower checking account; if you want the money to be transferred to an external bank account, you may need to pay a $ 3 fee and it will not arrive in your account the same day you request it.
Who can use it
To be eligible for the free cash advance, you must have an account established with Empower and a minimum of direct deposits. To join, Empower will need your address, phone number and social security number. You may need to provide a copy of your ID and proof of your current address.
Other details to know
Empower is an app that partners with an FDIC insured bank to help you manage your money.
You can take advantage of an automatic savings plan that sets aside small amounts of money each week.
You will have free access to 37,000 ATMs.
If you have a direct deposit, Empower usually gives you the money the same day your employer deposits it. In many other banks it takes 1-3 days.
You can earn up to 10% cash back on debit card purchases.
Set your own spending limit to help you manage your money.
7. Silver lion
Characteristics
You can get a free cash advance of up to $ 250. No credit check is required. If you transfer your direct deposits to a MoneyLion account (called RoarMoney) or take out a MoneyLion credit builder loan, you can potentially access up to $ 300.
Cost
Free, but cash advances take anywhere from 12 hours to 5 business days, depending on the type of checking account you have linked. If you want the cash instantly, you will have to pay a fee of $ 3.99 to $ 4.99 for each cash advance.
Who can use it
You will need to have already linked your checking account and verified your identity to qualify for the free cash advance. Your cash advance limit will depend on the level and consistency of your direct deposits. Limits start at $ 25. In addition, your checking account must be established (at least two months) and active (regularly used).
Other details to know
Credit Builder Plus is a low interest rate loan that helps you build a 12 month payment history so you can build credit and save money. The loan amount can go up to $ 1,000, but you will not have access to all of these funds immediately. You will receive some of it and the rest is held in a reserve account and released as you make payments. The program fee is $ 19.99 per month and interest is charged on the loan.
Members who open a RoarMoney checking account can earn money on debit card purchases. Cash back is automatically invested in a managed wallet account where you can access it or let it grow.
Emergency loans
If you need the cash right now and haven’t set up any of these apps yet, you may still have options. If you have a credit card, you may be eligible for a credit card cash advance. Members of some credit unions can get a low cost alternative loan (PAL). Homeowners and tenants can even qualify for a Small Business Association (SBA) disaster loan under certain circumstances. See our article on emergency loans to learn more.
If what you want is a payday always earlier, here are a few apps besides Chime that help you get your direct deposit faster (but might not offer payday loans or cash advances):
Axos Bank
Go2Bank
SoFi Money
Varo (Varo also offers free cash advances of up to $ 20 to eligible members, and larger cash advances for a fee.)
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