A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
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By Isaac White The Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Muscogee Nation, have signed a significant agreement to enhance the exercise of their sovereign rights. The Seminole Tribe is expected to be a signatory to the deal soon. The Five Tribe Wildlife Management Reciprocity Agreement allows tribal members to use their tribal membership to hunt and fish within the participating tribes’ treaty territories. This decision affirms and exercises the inherent sovereignty of these tribal nations, showing a unified approach to m...
By Isaac White The Native North American Travelling College (NNATC) and Onake Corporation recently hosted a three-day 50th Anniversary event at the NNATC facilities, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the Akwesasne. The festivities kicked off on Friday with a music festival, hosted by MC Buck Wild. The event featured performances by musicians Bear Fox, Ronnie Crash, and D-Miinus. Saturday's events shifted the focus to the art of storytelling and the voices of the younger generation....
By Isaac White The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne's recent general election has sparked significant controversy and discontent among community members. A multitude of appeals challenging the election results led to public hearings by the Akwesasne Election Appeal Board. Reports of procedural errors, allegations of improper practices, and the exclusion of long-time voters have led to widespread calls for a thorough investigation. During the recent hearings, numerous individuals shared their experiences and frustrations, highlighting the need for...
By Isaac White The second day of the Akwesasne Election Appeal Board hearings continued to reveal significant procedural flaws and widespread community frustration following the recent general election. The ongoing controversy has highlighted issues such as inaccuracies in the voter list, inadequate public notices, procedural inconsistencies, and mishandling of the electoral process. Community members have voiced their outrage, calling for accountability and a new election to ensure fairness and transparency. The second day's hearings focused o...
By Isaac White Amidst a legislative push to fortify tribal land rights, H.R. 1208 emerges as a foundational piece in the evolving narrative of tribal sovereignty in the United States. Introduced by U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), this bill seeks to amend the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, extending its protections to include all federally recognized tribes, regardless of their recognition date. This move aims to rectify historical oversights and provide a uniform framework for tribal land trusts. In this broader legislative context, H.R....
By Isaac White In a significant environmental stand, the Seneca Nation has initiated legal preparations against the City of Olean concerning repeated wastewater discharges into the Allegheny River, alleged to contravene state environmental regulations. The Nation filed a notice of claim—a legal prerequisite signaling intentions to sue a municipality—citing ongoing environmental neglect. Addressing the situation's urgency, Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong Sr. underscored the enduring struggle to protect the river, revered as Ohi:yo’by th...
By Isaac White. Sirens shrieked on Route 37 as the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police and the Hogansburg Akwesasne Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fallen tree limb on power lines at Ransom Road in Racquette Point. Multiple Tribal Police vehicles and officers secured the scene as the limb, hanging from the power lines, caused surges of electricity that led to small intermittent flashes of flame and smoke. The HAVFD arrived quickly and assisted in securing the area along with the SRMT PD....
By Isaac White The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe swore in three recently elected officials at the Travis Solomon Lacrosse Box on July 1, 2024. Re-elected Tribal Clerk Summer Bero and Tribal Sub-Chief Benjamin Herne, along with newly elected Tribal Chief Donald Thompson Jr., took their oaths of office. Tribal Court Judge Barbara Potter conducted the oaths for all three candidates. The gathered community was happy to welcome the successful candidates, and the atmosphere was lighthearted on the...
By Isaac White. Hundreds of people gathered on the sovereign land of the Shoshone-Bannock near West Yellowstone, with excited words filling the air as a Native American leader unveiled the name of a rare white buffalo calf born earlier in Yellowstone National Park. The calf, revealed under the name Wakan Gli, meaning “Return Sacred” in Lakota, was celebrated in a ceremony hosted by the Buffalo Field Campaign. The event drew tribal members from across the nation, underscoring this auspicious birth’s profound cultural and spiritual signi...
By Isaac White As I sit down to pen this piece, it's with a heavy heart that I share the critical state of the Indian Time Newspaper, a cornerstone of our Akwesasne community. For over 42 years, we've stood as a beacon of news, culture, and voice for our people, a testament to the strength and resilience of our community. But today, we face an existential threat, not from external forces, but from an internal crisis of sustainability. Despite the herculean efforts of a devoted part-time staff, our newspaper is teetering on the brink of closure... Full story
By Isaac White The healthcare landscape for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) is changing, marked by a significant reduction in uninsured rates since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). According to a June 2024 issue brief by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, the uninsured rate among AI/ANs under age 65 has decreased from 32.4% in 2010 to 19.9% in 2022. However, AI/ANs still experience the highest uninsured rates among U.S. ethnic groups, underscoring the need for targeted health...
By Isaac White BNSF Railway has been ordered to pay nearly $400 million to the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community for intentionally violating an easement agreement by running oversized crude oil trains through tribal lands, U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik determined. The decision follows a detailed four-day trial that scrutinized BNSF's profits from trespassing on the Swinomish reservation from 2012 to 2021. The railway, one of North America's largest, has been found to have significantly exceeded the 25-car limit set by a 1991 agreement,...
By Isaac White The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) recently took ownership of 760 acres of pristine forestland in Baraga County, marking a significant step in land reclamation and ecological stewardship. The transfer, facilitated by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), aligns with KBIC's commitment to the preservation of natural resources and cultural heritage. The acquired land is historically significant, located within the 1842 reservation boundaries. TNC purchased it from a long-time local owner in 2021, and the official transfer took place...
By Isaac White The Supreme Court has ruled that the Indian Health Service (IHS) must cover all administrative costs incurred by tribes using third-party payer income, such as Medicare and Medicaid, to fund their healthcare programs. This landmark decision in Becerra v. San Carlos Apache Tribe champions the rights of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and the Northern Arapaho Tribe, emphasizing the government's obligation under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Act (ISDA) and ensuring financial equity for tribes. The Act empowers Indian...
By Isaac White Leonard Peltier, a well-known Indigenous activist and a central figure in the American Indian Movement (AIM), faced the parole board in a hearing that could determine the remainder of his life. Serving two consecutive life sentences for the deaths of two FBI agents in 1975, Peltier's bid for freedom has garnered international attention, invoking a broad spectrum of support from human rights advocates to global leaders. This recent parole hearing, his first in over a decade, comes as perhaps his final chance at release amidst ongo...
By Isaac White A truly extraordinary event that has captivated both visitors and indigenous communities alike has reportedly occurred, a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, a rare white buffalo calf has been born in Yellowstone National Park. The sighting was first made by Erin Braaten, a photographer with Dancing Aspens Photography, who documented the young calf shortly after its birth in the northeastern expanses of the park. Sharing her extraordinary experience with ABC News, Braaten expressed her awe, "I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” she...
By Isaac White The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is embarking on a pioneering agribusiness trade mission in Vancouver, British Columbia, from June 17-20, 2024. This unprecedented initiative will exclusively showcase products made and produced by tribal agribusinesses, shining a spotlight on the diverse and invaluable contributions of Indigenous communities to the agricultural sector. U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan (DFL) have officially announced this groundbreaking USDA trade mission...
By Isaac White Alissa Pili, a standout rookie for the Minnesota Lynx in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), has signed an endorsement deal with Nike’s N7 brand. The brand aims to empower Native American and Indigenous communities through sport. Pili, who is of Indigenous and Samoan descent, represents the spirit and goals of the N7 initiative. "I'm so honored to join the Nike Family as an N7 athlete," Pili said. "Representation is important to me, and I look forward to making an impact in the league and demonstrating to all the...
By Isaac White NOAA Fisheries has issued a final rule allowing the Makah Tribe of Washington State to resume their traditional practice of whale hunting, an integral aspect of their culture that dates back over 1,000 years. This decision comes after years of legal proceedings and meticulous scientific assessments, reflecting a profound recognition of the Makah Tribe's treaty rights and their deep-rooted connection to whaling. The Makah Tribe, whose history and identity are deeply intertwined with whaling, has been granted the right to hunt up...
By Isaac White A significant and historic move by the Biden administration to enhance Indigenous representation in the federal judiciary has encountered a setback. Danna Jackson, an attorney and member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, was nominated in April to become the first Native American federal district court judge in Montana. This nomination, a crucial and long-awaited step, is a beacon of hope toward addressing the underrepresentation of Native Americans within the federal legal system. From 2016 to 2021, Danna Jackson...
By Isaac White At Farmington High School in New Mexico, a disturbing and significant scene unfolded during the graduation ceremony that aligned with national conversations about cultural identity and educational policies. Genesis White Bull, a member of the Hunkpapa Lakota from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, found herself at the center of a controversy that sparked widespread public criticism and dialogues on Native American rights. White Bull, adorned with a graduation cap that featured traditional Lakota beadwork and an aópazan—a sacred pl...
By Isaac White The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) celebrated a significant advancement in public health with the official launch of Minnesota’s statewide Office of American Indian Health (OAIH) in late May. This event not only marked the formal establishment of the OAIH but also showcased the state’s commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of American Indian communities in Minnesota. Established in 2022 and formally announced in 2023, the Office of American Indian Health was created to address the urgent and unique health dis...
By Isaac White Ontario Power Generation (OPG) marked a new chapter in their Akwesasne partnership with the grand opening of the Saunders Hydro dam Visitor Center Gardens. The event, held at the site of the Saunders Hydro Dam Visitor Centre (SHDVC), was a proud moment featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours of the new gardens, and a reception attended by members of the Akwesasne community and surrounding areas. Amanda Greener, OPG's director of assets and project management, welcomed guests, stating, “As Ontario's largest generator of c...
By Isaac White A tragic incident rocked Akwesasne in March 2023 and led to an investigation that has now revealed a purported large-scale human smuggling operation. The occurrence, which happened under grave weather conditions with passengers who were hesitant to cross, resulted in multikple deaths and initiated the investigation. The deceased included members of the Chaudhari family from Gujarat, India, Praveenbhai (50) and Dakshaben (45), and their children Meet (20) and Vidhi (23); and the Iordache family from Romania: Florin (28) and Cristi...
By Isaac White A group of bipartisan senators has introduced a new bill that holds promise for addressing the shortage of qualified teachers in tribal and highly rural communities. The proposed legislation seeks to allow governors and Tribal entities to petition for the extension of foreign visas, specifically targeting educators holding J-1 visas. Traditionally, these visas come with a requirement for the holders to return to their home countries for at least two years after their term ends. However, under the new bill, this requirement could...
