WASHINGTON – In the last week, two groups of Native Americans brought two different cases to a federal appeals court, seeking to protect their religious freedom and stop the government from destroying sacred sites where they have worshipped since time immemorial. The rare convergence of these two cases presents a
Read More
Shared by Native Sun News Today March 26, 2021
Lily Mendoza: Donations for “No More Stolen Sisters” t-shirts, silk screened at the Bird Cage Book Store and Mercantile, will go to keep the doors of the office open. Photo by Julie Garreau RAPID CITY – The Red Ribbon Skirt Society of the Black Hills is set to open a
Read More
Shared by Native Sun News Today March 26, 2021
RAPID CITY—In a June 25, 2020 letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Gary Batton, Chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, implored the Speaker to “exercise your leadership to oppose recent efforts by the Chairwoman of the Committee on Financial Services, the Honorable Maxine Waters, to insert – in house
Read More
Shared by Native Sun News Today March 19, 2021
Darla Drew (Photo Courtesy) RAPID CITY – During the Rapid City Council’s working session on March 10, Darla Drew provided an update on Camp Mni Luzahan which included the Camp’s organizers transitioning to an alcohol-free area. Drew, being part of the City and County’s detox board, said that the organizers
Read More
Shared by Native Sun News Today March 19, 2021
Carley Plenty Arrows: “I Don’t know if it’s because I’m Native American, but they showed me that they simply didn’t care about my well-being.” RAPID CITY — A member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe nearly died while in custody at the Pennington County Jail due to medical neglect by healthcare
Read More
Shared by Native Sun News Today March 19, 2021
South Dakota’s senators voted against Interior Department Secretary Debra Haaland, despite tribal leader’s requests. WASHINGTON, D.C – On March 15, the U.S. Senate confirmed Laguna Pueblo Rep. Debra Haaland, D-N.M., as the first Native woman to hold a Cabinet post, making her the Secretary of the Interior by a narrow
Read More
Shared by Native Sun News Today March 19, 2021
Children Left Behind: The Dark Legacy of Indian Mission Boarding (Photo Credit, Book cover art by Denise Giago) PIERRE— In a nod to historical injustice, the South Dakota State House of Representatives passed a resolution on March 2 acknowledging and honoring the survivors of American Indian boarding schools. House Concurrent
Read More
Shared by Native Sun News Today March 12, 2021
Lula Red Cloud and Harry Burk CRAZY HORSE – As the time comes for her to take part in welcoming the seasonal arrival of the Wakíŋyaŋ to Black Elk Peak, Lula Red Cloud also is preparing the third of four annual commemoration services for her late husband Harry Michael Lee
Read More
Shared by Native Sun News Today March 12, 2021
RAPID CITY—Given the Biden Administration has now replaced the Trump Administration, tribes are understandably optimistic about the February 3 selection of Democrat Brian Schatz, the senior U.S. Senator from Hawaii, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Trump had a decade’s long conflict with tribes over casino issues,
Read More
Shared by Native Sun News Today March 12, 2021
Jim James PART II As introduced in Part I of this series, Henry “Jim” James, Santee Sioux of Nebraska through dint of tenacity became one of the largest Indian contractors in America, his career spanning decades (the late 1970’s through the 90’s). This continues his story. While serving the Santee
Read More
Shared by Native Sun News Today March 12, 2021