News from around the Nations

NAMA AWARDS SHOW

POSTPONED

The 14th Annual Native American Music Awards have been postponed due to damage sustained during Hurricane Sandy. The new date will be Friday May 10th, 2013at the Seneca Niagara Hotel & Casino Niagara Falls, New York.

Because all of this year’s submissions had not been uploaded to the voting site at the time of the storm, NAMA personnel will be resetting all votes to zero. Once all of the submissions have been uploaded they will restart the voting period to give all artists a fair and equal opportunity to have their music heard and voted for. As soon as all music is online the new voting period will be announced. NAMA would like to thank everyone for their concern, compassion, and patience during this time.

PRESIDENT MICHÈLE

AUDETTE TO RECEIVE THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II

DIAMOND JUBILEE MEDAL

The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) is pleased to announce that President Michèle Audette, who has been nominated by Senator Celine Hervieux-Payette, will receive the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her achievements in engaging the Aboriginal community and, in particular, Aboriginal women.

INTERIOR HOSTS NAVAJO AND HOPI LEADERSHIP FOR

WATER SETTLEMENT

DISCUSSIONS

November14, 2012 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar welcomed leadership from the Hopi Tribe and the Navajo Nation to Washington, D.C. to hold discussions on a potential Little Colorado River water settlement that could be acted upon by Congress. This is the first time that leaders of the two tribes have joined with a Secretary of the Interior to address this shared water issue.

While there has been general agreement on key aspects of a proposed Little Colorado River water settlement, including the potential investment of nearly $360 million to fund construction of major water delivery systems on the Hopi Reservation and the Arizona side of the Navajo Reservation, both tribes had expressed serious concerns about various aspects of the proposed settlement. Any settlement would have to be enacted by Congress.

Chairman Leroy Shingoitewa of the Hopi Nation said, “Because of the high level involvement of our leadership, the Navajo leadership, and Secretary Salazar and his team, I believe that we can and should move forward.”

“We made practical progress today, thanks to Secretary Salazar’s personal involvement and commitment, to open possibilities for our nation to convert ‘paper’ water rights into ‘wet’ water that our people need and deserve,” said Speaker Johnny Naize of the Navajo Nation.

WAR OF 1812 HERO TECUMSEH COMMEMORATED ON ROYAL CANADIAN MINT

25-CENT CIRCULATION COIN

Amherstburg, ON, (Nov. 16, 2012) – The bravery of Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812 made him one of the war’s most well-known heroes and his likeness is now featured on a new 25-cent circulation coin which was unveiled at the Barracks at Fort Malden National Historic site.

The War of 1812 paved the way for Confederation. It was the fight for Canada and a defining moment in our country’s history that saw British regular forces, English and French-speaking militia, First Nations and Métis allies join together to defend our borders. Without their courage and sacrifice, Canada as we know it would not exist.

Over the course of the War of 1812, Tecumseh led over 2,000 warriors and fought at the sieges of Fort Meigs and Fort Stephenson. Tecumseh’s support for Major-General Sir Isaac Brock at the capture of Detroit was decisive though he ultimately fell at the Battle of the Thames at Chatham, Ontario in 1813.

Limited to a mintage of 12.5 million coins, the Tecumseh 25-cent commemorative circulation coin begins circulating on November 19, 2012. The public is encouraged to look for it in their change or obtain it at face value on line atwww.mint.ca/1812.

PRESIDENT OBAMA

ANNOUNCES 2012 WHITE HOUSE TRIBAL NATIONS

CONFERENCE

WASHINGTON, DC – On Wednesday, December 5, President Obama will host the White House Tribal Nations Conference at the Department of the Interior. The conference will provide leaders from the 566 federally recognized tribes the opportunity to interact directly with the President and representatives from the highest levels of his Administration. Each federally recognized tribe will be invited to send one representative to the conference. This will be the fourth White House Tribal Nations Conference for the Obama Administration, and continues to build upon the President’s commitment to strengthen the government to government relationship with Indian Country. Additional details about the conference will be released at a later date.