The Daily Spark

A community-led initiative in Hawaiʻi is developing hand signs rooted in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi to make the Native Hawaiian language more accessible for deaf community members, according to reporting from Honolulu Civil Beat. Known as ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Kuhi Lima, the effort began in 2024 and is creating signs based on Hawaiian language, culture and community practice. The project was founded by University of Hawaiʻi student Kekai Kaaumoana-Cummings, who is studying Hawaiian language and hopes to improve access to Indigenous language education for deaf Native Hawaiians.

Organizers say the sign system remains in development and has not yet been officially released, according to the Honolulu Civil Beat reporting. Supporters, including Maile Keamoai-Kane and researcher Keane Nakapueo-Garcia, said the initiative helps preserve Native Hawaiian language and identity while expanding opportunities for deaf people to learn and communicate through culturally grounded signs.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires continued to spread across the Great Lakes region, bringing hazardous air quality to tribal communities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and parts of New York, according to ICT. Air Quality Index readings exceeded 300 in several communities, with the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reporting an AQI of 402 and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians reporting levels above 760. The poor air quality prompted closures of tribal services and the cancellation of the Michigan Indian Family Olympics, which had been scheduled for Friday.

Tribal leaders, organizers and community members expressed concern about the health impacts of prolonged smoke exposure. The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe said it canceled the Michigan Indian Family Olympics to prioritize community health. ICT also reported that officials encouraged residents to limit outdoor activity, wear KN95 masks when needed and use HEPA air filtration systems if available.

The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and Squaxin Island Tribe, along with environmental organizations, have sued the federal government over changes to Endangered Species Act regulations, arguing the revised rule weakens protections for endangered wildlife habitat, according to reporting from the Washington State Standard. The lawsuits, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, challenge the Trump administration's decision to rescind the legal definition of "harm" under the Endangered Species Act. 

The tribes argue the rule threatens recovery efforts for federally listed Chinook salmon in the Puget Sound and Skagit River, which are protected under treaty fishing rights, according to the Washington State Standard reporting. Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Chairman Steve Edwards said the change puts habitat needed by Chinook salmon at risk and called the rule "anti-science." The lawsuit also alleges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service unlawfully rejected the tribe's consultation request.

The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation has opened eight tribally owned short-term rental cabins in New Town, North Dakota, marking what the tribe says are the first tribally owned Airbnb rentals on the Fort Berthold Reservation, according to reporting from KFYR-TV. The Scandinavian-inspired cabins feature spacious rooms with large windows and are available for booking through Airbnb. 

The development includes grills, a hot tub, a dog park and direct access to Lake Sakakawea. The MHA Nation said the cabins are the first phase of the project, with additional development planned.

The National Congress of American Indians criticized the White House report “Saving America's Story,” saying it misrepresents the history and legal status of Tribal Nations, according to an official statement from the organization. NCAI said efforts to reinterpret U.S. history should recognize Tribal Nations as sovereign governments and acknowledge documented histories including land dispossession, forced removal, assimilation policies and the federal Indian boarding school era.

NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright Jr. said Tribal Nations are sovereign governments with a unique political relationship with the United States that should not be minimized or mischaracterized, according to the statement. The organization called on federal leaders, Congress, museums and educators to support historical scholarship, Tribal consultation, Indigenous language revitalization and implementation of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative recommendations.

Four First Nations in northern Ontario were under mandatory evacuation orders as fast-moving wildfires threatened their communities, according to reporting from APTN News. Residents of Namaygoosisagagun First Nation fled by boat as fire approached the community, while mandatory evacuations were also ordered for Whitesand First Nation, Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation and Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation. Emergency Management Ontario directed residents to leave the area and travel south to Thunder Bay. 

The Ontario Provincial Police said multiple highway closures were in effect and warned that wildfire conditions could change rapidly because of weather and other factors, according to reporting from APTN News. The Nishnawbe Aski Nation urged residents to follow community emergency and evacuation plans and directions from local leadership as Environment Canada issued a severe heat warning for much of northern Ontario.

Vancouver's FIFA World Cup organizers partnered with the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh nations to help plan the tournament and highlight Indigenous cultures, according to reporting from The Associated Press. The collaboration builds on a model established during the 2010 Winter Olympics, when Indigenous communities were recognized by the International Olympic Committee as official host partners. FIFA also made Indigenous engagement a central part of its sustainability and human rights strategy for the 2026 World Cup, the AP reported.

Each of the three First Nations will receive $6 million for legacy projects tied to the tournament, according to The Associated Press reporting. The Squamish Nation plans to build a youth soccer field in West Vancouver. Tewanee Joseph of the Squamish Nation said the partnerships provide opportunities to share the diversity of Indigenous cultures while creating lasting benefits for First Nations communities.

Indigenous actor, writer and comedian Dallas Goldtooth is curating a six-film series at the Walker Art Center that examines masculinity through movies he grew up watching, according to reporting from MPR News. The series, “Once Upon a Time in Manhood,” opened July 10 and features “Willow,” “The Last of the Mohicans,” “Die Hard,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Fight Club” and “Boy.” Goldtooth told MPR News he selected films that invite audiences to reflect on how popular culture shaped ideas about manhood. 

Goldtooth said the series explores what he calls "a language of violence" that appears across the films while encouraging viewers to consider which ideas about masculinity they want to keep or leave behind, according to the MPR News reporting. The series runs through Aug. 14 at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

More than 1,000 requests for services from American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of violence went unmet because of reductions in federal funding, according to reporting by Stateline. Stateline reported that a new Urban Indian Health Institute survey of 201 tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations and nonprofits found providers were unable to fulfill 690 requests for safe housing and 466 requests for other services. According to the report, nearly one-quarter of the unmet requests involved children. 

The findings were discussed Tuesday during a U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources hearing on missing and murdered Indigenous people, according to the Stateline reporting. The Urban Indian Health Institute reported that between 36% and 41% of surveyed organizations said services including healthcare, legal assistance and victim advocacy have been or will be reduced because of funding cuts. During the hearing, institute director Abigail Echo-Hawk said organizations also face uncertainty about rehiring staff because of ongoing funding reductions.

Lower water levels at Lake Sakakawea have exposed remnants of the former town of Sanish, which was evacuated before the construction of the Garrison Dam, according to reporting from KFYR-TV. Founded in 1915, Sanish was one of several communities relocated after plans for the dam were announced in the 1940s. Historical preservationist Lorna Meidinger told KFYR-TV that residents were given priority in selecting lots as New Town was established, with many families from Sanish and Van Hook relocating there. 

Remnants of the former town can now be seen east of the Four Bears Bridge as lake levels recede, according to the KFYR-TV reporting. Randy Desarly, whose family lived and attended school in Sanish before the relocation, said the exposed landscape serves as a reminder of the community's history. The Garrison Dam was built for Missouri River flood control, agricultural irrigation and hydroelectric power.

The U.S. Department of Justice has opened the application period for federally recognized Tribes and intertribal consortia to participate in the Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information, according to a July 13 announcement from the Justice Department. The program provides participating Tribes with access to national crime information databases, including the FBI's National Crime Information Center, for authorized criminal justice and non-criminal justice purposes. Applications will be accepted through Aug. 31, with selected Tribes to be notified in September.

According to the Justice Department, the program provides software, hardware, training and biometric workstations that allow Tribes to process fingerprints, take mugshots and submit information to FBI Criminal Justice Information Services systems. The department said 152 federally recognized Tribes currently participate in the program, which has been used to enter missing persons, orders of protection, sex offender registrations, criminal histories, bookings and convictions into national databases.

The Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes approved a resolution calling on Congress and federal regulators to ensure prediction markets and event contracts comply with existing tribal, federal and state gaming laws, according to a July 14 press release from the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes published by Indianz.Com. The resolution says prediction markets and event contracts should not undermine tribal sovereignty or tribal-state gaming compacts.

The council also urged the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee to include tribal priorities in the Agricultural Act of 2026, or farm bill, according to the July 14 press release. Additional resolutions supported the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program, called on Congress to maintain current formulas for Tribal transportation and transit funding, endorsed Mark Cruz to serve as director of the Indian Health Service and recognized the National Day of Prayer. The next Inter-Tribal Council meeting is scheduled for Oct. 7-9 and will be hosted by the Choctaw Nation.

Federal funding cuts since early 2025 have reduced services for American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis, according to reporting by Native News Online. The reporting cites a new Urban Indian Health Institute report, Sacred Responsibility, Protecting Our People, which found that 64% of the 201 Tribal and Native-serving programs surveyed said they have been substantially affected by funding cuts. Another 44% reported victim services have already been reduced or are expected to be cut.

The report found that 84% of respondents rely on federal funding for more than half of their operating budgets. The report recommends stable long-term funding for Tribal programs, expanded Tribal law enforcement resources, and reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. The report was released as Urban Indian Health Institute Director Abigail Echo-Hawk testified before a House oversight hearing on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis.

The Native American Development Corp. has secured a $2 million low-interest loan from the Montana Facility Finance Authority to help finance a new $23 million health clinic in Billings, according to reporting from Tribal Business News. The clinic will be built at the former Shrine Auditorium site and is expected to increase patient capacity, modernize services and expand access to culturally responsive care.

The Billings-based Native community development financial institution opened the Billings Urban Indian Health and Wellness Center in 2018, according to reporting from Tribal Business News. The new facility is expected to expand primary and behavioral health services for Native residents in Billings and surrounding communities, including members of the nearby Crow Reservation. The Montana Facility Finance Authority provides tax-exempt bond financing, low-interest loans and planning grants to nonprofit healthcare organizations across Montana.

The Oglala Sioux Tribe Health and Human Services Committee met July 7 with tribal council members and Oyate Health Center staff in Rapid City to discuss proposals to expand dialysis, infusion and specialty care services, according to reporting from Native Sun News Today. Oyate Health Center President and CEO Jerilyn Church asked the tribe to release about 8,000 square feet of unused clinical space and authorize overdue facility support payments, saying the changes would allow the center to expand care for tribal citizens without securing off-site space. 

Health center staff said 47 patients, including 28 Oglala Sioux Tribe citizens, are currently receiving dialysis, according to the Native Sun News Today reporting. Some committee members said previous tribal council action paused decisions on space while negotiations with the Indian Health Service and tribally operated programs continue. The committee did not take final action. Chair Ryan Jumping Eagle said another meeting will be scheduled while attorneys for the tribe and Oyate Health Center review the proposals.

President Donald Trump signed proclamations July 13 reducing the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in southern Utah by about 90%, reversing protections established by previous Democratic administrations, according to reporting from The Associated Press. Bears Ears, created in 2016 at the request of tribal nations, contains ancestral villages, and ceremonial and burial sites, while Grand Staircase-Escalante includes archaeological sites and large coal reserves. 

Davina Smith-Idjesa, a citizen of the Navajo Nation and co-chair of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, said the decision was "heartbreaking" and criticized the federal government for not consulting affected tribal nations, according to the Associated Press reporting. Utah officials supported the action, saying the monuments extended beyond what was needed to protect cultural resources. Trump said the move returns the land to the public, while opponents said it could increase development on culturally significant landscapes.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has launched the Electronic Probate System, a digital platform designed to modernize probate services for American Indian and Alaska Native families, according to an Interior Department announcement. The system allows beneficiaries to report a death, upload documents, provide family history information and track the status of probate cases through a secure online family portal. Bureau of Indian Affairs probate staff will use a companion specialist portal to manage case reviews and prepare files for the Office of Hearings and Appeals.

The Electronic Probate System replaces paper-based processing with a fully electronic workflow intended to improve efficiency, transparency and customer service while reducing delays, according to the Interior Department. The department said the system standardizes probate case management, reduces administrative tasks for staff and maintains human oversight throughout the decision-making process as part of its broader effort to modernize trust services for tribal communities.

Twenty-two Native high school students from across the country participated in the University of Kansas' Native Storytelling Workshop July 6-10, where they learned journalism skills from Indigenous media professionals, according to reporting from ICT. The five-day program introduced students to podcasting, photography, broadcast production, social media and news writing. Workshop co-director Melissa Greene-Blye, a citizen of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and a University of Kansas journalism professor, said the program encourages students to consider journalism careers while emphasizing the importance of Native communities telling their own stories.

The workshop was led by eight Indigenous journalists and University of Kansas faculty, according to the ICT reporting. Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi, Diné and president of the Indigenous Journalists Association board of directors, said the program helps students build on existing storytelling skills while learning journalistic practices. Co-director Rebekka Schlichting said organizers hope to expand participation in future workshops to help develop more Native storytellers.

Tribal leaders, descendants and community members gathered July 3 in Fort Pierre, South Dakota, to dedicate a new sculpture honoring Frederick "Fred" Dupree and his Lakota wife, Mary Good Elk Woman, for their role in helping preserve the American bison, according to reporting from Native Sun News Today. Sculptor John Lopez unveiled "Dupree, Fort Pierre's American Bison," while the Wakinyan Maza Drum Group performed an honor song during the ceremony. The event also included the dedication of a companion water-carrying woman sculpture. 

Descendants said the couple rescued orphaned buffalo calves in 1883 when bison populations had nearly disappeared from the Northern Plains, according to the Native Sun News Today reporting. Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Chairman Ryman LeBeau recognized the family's contributions with an executive proclamation, saying their actions reflected Lakota teachings of thinking seven generations ahead. Speakers also highlighted Mary Good Elk Woman's role in preserving the buffalo and her family's cultural responsibility to the Buffalo Nation.