The Daily Spark

Bay Mills Indian Community joins Michigan DNR in effort to restore manoomin

The Bay Mills Indian Community is the latest tribe to partner with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to restore manoomin, a wild rice native to the Great Lakes, according to WCMU. The collaboration supports tribes across the Midwest through seed sharing, access to waterways and guidance on ethically sourced seeds. BMIC President Whitney Gravelle said manoomin holds cultural significance and is tied to traditional practices and treaty rights.

Gravelle said wild rice is a keystone species and reflects the health of the surrounding environment. Tribes and the Michigan DNR host manoomin camps that teach community members about the rice from scientific and traditional perspectives. Gravelle said restoring manoomin is part of reestablishing traditional food resources and maintaining an Indigenous way of life for future generations.

OMCA exhibit highlights Indigenous knowledge of controlled burning

The Oakland Museum of California opened “Good Fire: Tending Native Lands,” an exhibition exploring how Native American communities in Northern California use controlled burns to support healthy ecosystems, according to reporting by The Oaklandside. The exhibit was co-curated by Ryder Diaz, OMCA’s curator of Natural Sciences, and Dr. Brittani R. Orona (Hupa), assistant professor of Native American Studies at UC Davis, with contributions from more than 40 Native collaborators. Diaz said the exhibition centers Native perspectives on cultural fire practices.

The exhibit includes artwork, basketry, films and historical materials that examine the impact of colonization, government fire suppression policies and the displacement of Native communities. It also highlights recent efforts to restore cultural burning, including legislation supported by the Karuk Tribe. “Good Fire” will be on display through May 31, 2026.

Allison Renville enters South Dakota governor’s race as Independent candidate

Allison Renville announced in mid-October that she will run as an Independent candidate for South Dakota governor in the 2026 election, according to ICT. Renville, Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota, Hunkpapa Lakota, Omaha and Haudenosaunee, said she compiled enough signatures to appear on the ballot by Oct. 28. She grew up in Sisseton on the Lake Traverse Reservation and lives in Sioux Falls.

Renville said her political involvement began during protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline nearly 10 years ago. She later campaigned for Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2016, created the Dakotas for America Political Action Committee in 2017 and organized locally in Sioux Falls, including a run for city council. Renville said her decision to run as an Independent reflects a desire to move past party politics. The South Dakota gubernatorial election is set for Nov. 3, 2026.

Native Ways Federation launches fourth annual #GiveNative campaign

Native Ways Federation announced its fourth annual #GiveNative campaign, “Woven Together in Solidarity,” which will take place on Dec. 2, which is GivingTuesday, according to a statement from the organization. The campaign highlights GivingTuesday as a global movement focused on generosity and community-led change. Native Ways Federation said Native-led organizations receive less than .5% of philanthropic funding and that the campaign aims to increase support for groups working in Indian Country.

“Solidarity means investing in Native leadership, trusting Native solutions, and amplifying Native voices,” Executive Director Carly Bad Heart Bull (Flandreau Santee) said in the statement. The 2025 campaign will offer resources to donors and Native nonprofits, including incentives, social media materials, a digital toolkit and free public webinars. The organization encouraged Native-led nonprofits to visit GiveNative.org to join the Native Nonprofit List and access campaign updates and resources.

Turtle Mountain Band expands food and heating aid during shutdown

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa developed emergency plans to support members with food and heating assistance in response to the federal government shutdown, according to KMOT. Chief Financial Officer Jesse Trottier said the North Dakota tribe relied on experience from the pandemic and the 2018 shutdown to guide its response. Chairman Jamie Azure said the tribe allocated about $1.2 million from its general account to expand programs including school food assistance, the community kitchen and food cards. The tribe also increased Meals on Wheels services.

With SNAP benefits uncertain, Trottier said the tribe partnered with Rolette County to offer its own version of food support and issued $110,000 in food cards. Azure said the tribe redirected $30,000 in remaining LIHEAP funds from last year after federal energy assistance was cut.

Search for Isaac Hunt to take place Nov. 15 and 16, volunteers needed

The Spirit Lake citizen went missing on March 8

The family of Isaac Hunt is asking for community volunteers in an upcoming search for the missing Spirit Lake citizen. Hunt was last seen on March 8, 2024, in Fort Totten, North Dakota.

The search will take place on Nov. 15 and 16 and will begin at the Fort Totten Wellness Center on 9 a.m. on both days, according to a flyer posted to Facebook by Devils Lake Daily Journal. Attendees are encouraged to dress for the weather.

Hunt’s aunt, Phyllis DuBois, told Buffalo’s Fire Isaac is a father to four children. “His life matters to all of us,” she said.

American Indian College Fund launches national campaign for Native American Heritage Month

The American Indian College Fund launched its “You Can Do Something” campaign in recognition of Native American Heritage Month, according to MarketWatch. The campaign aims to increase awareness of Native culture and offer clear ways for non-Native audiences to support Indigenous communities. It debuted Nov. 1 with the 30-second film “What You Pass On,” which features Indigenous students and an Indigenous narrator highlighting gaps in commonly taught U.S. history.

Directed by Christopher Nataanii Cegielski with music and voiceover by Black Belt Eagle Scout, the campaign drives viewers to Indigenouseveryday.com, an online hub outlining actions such as reading Indigenous authors and supporting Native-owned businesses. According to MarketWatch, the campaign will run across digital platforms and on select NFL broadcasts.

Tribes cull buffalo herds to offset SNAP shortages during shutdown

Tribal nations across the Great Plains are killing bison from restored herds to address food shortages caused by the federal government shutdown, according to reporting by the Associated Press and ICT. On the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana, buffalo program manager Robert Magnan and a co-worker shot and processed animals for distribution to tribal members after Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits were reduced. Chairman Floyd Azure said about one-third of tribal members depend on monthly benefits and received only partial payments in November.

In October, Fort Peck leaders authorized killing 30 bison, and officials said they will continue distributing buffalo meat until full benefits resume. Other tribes — including the Blackfeet, Lower Brule Sioux, Cheyenne River Sioux, Crow and Mi’kmaq Nation — also have provided meat from buffalo, elk, deer or fish to support citizens during the lapse in aid, according to AP and ICT.

Native Sun and OATI partner to deploy smart EV charging across tribal nations

Native Sun Community Power Development, Inc. and Open Access Technology International, Inc. announced a partnership to expand smart electric vehicle charging infrastructure for tribal nations in the Upper Midwest, according to PR Newswire. The initiative supports clean energy adoption and prepares for future projects such as microgrids and distributed energy resources.

PR Newswire reports that Native Sun is in the final phase of its Electric Nation program and has agreements with multiple tribal nations. OATI, through its subsidiary EVolution, will provide charging hardware, software, installation coordination and long-term support. Each tribe will own its station once installed. “We at Native Sun are fighting a human health crisis on tribal lands, and we believe renewable energy and electrification can help cure this problem,” Robert Blake, executive director of Native Sun, was quoted as saying. OATI President and CEO Sasan Mokhtari said tribes “continue to drive the energy transition” by investing in electrification and resilience.

Grey Willow Studios expands creative reach with new Aberdeen location

Grey Willow ADR/Music Studios, a family-operated recording business known for projects with Disney, Marvel and Skywalker Sound, has opened a new studio in Aberdeen, South Dakota, according to the Aberdeen News.

Founded by Lawrence “Larz” Archambault in 2017, the studio began in Fort Yates, North Dakota, to support young musicians in the Upper Midwest. The Aberdeen branch, led by chief engineer Xavier Archambault, opened in March 2025 and has already worked with several artists and bands. Both Archambaults are enrolled members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Grey Willow’s team has handled major productions, including the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Inauguration and ADR work for The Avengers with Lakota dialogue. Archambault said the expansion aims to help more young artists access professional recording opportunities close to home.

‘Bingo Hall’ brings Native stories to the stage in Austin

Community members gathered at the Austin Town Hall Cultural Center on Nov. 6 for a staged reading of Bingo Hall and a panel discussion on identity, heritage and belonging, according to Austin Weekly News.

Playwright Dillon Chitto, a Mississippi Choctaw, Laguna and Isleta Pueblo artist, joined Osage director Elise Bear and moderator Tony Bondoc from the League of Chicago Theatres. The play follows a young Pueblo man, Edward Anaya, who faces the decision to leave home for college or stay connected to his community. Bear said the themes resonated with their own experiences growing up on the Osage Reservation, and Chitto said the work aims to highlight migration and movement rather than focusing solely on trauma.

Lumbee leaders press Senate for full tribal status amid opposition

Leaders of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina urged the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to grant full federal recognition, according to ICT. The proposal, known as the Lumbee Fairness Act, would amend the 1956 Lumbee Act and allow the state-recognized tribe to access federal services and place land into trust. Lumbee Chairman John Lowery said more than 200 tribes and major Native organizations support recognition.

Opponents, including Shawnee Chief Ben Barnes and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Principal Chief Mitchell Hicks, questioned the Lumbee’s lineage and process. Department of the Interior officials submitted a written statement supporting the legislation, saying it would resolve ambiguities in the 1956 law. Lumbee attorney Arlinda Locklear told the committee the tribe meets federal standards for recognition.

Tribal nations in North Dakota expand food support amid SNAP disruption

The Spirit Lake Nation, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation have launched food assistance efforts to help families affected by the pause in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, according to KXNET.

Spirit Lake Nation began distributing food vouchers Nov. 10 through its Food Distribution Program and Benson County SNAP Office. The start was delayed about an hour due to technical issues, with distribution beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eligible participants must bring identification and enrollment verification.

A similar program was started by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, which is providing grocery cards to supplement food budgets for those impacted by the SNAP interruption.

In New Town, the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation is partnering with Great Plains Food Bank for a two-day food drive beginning Nov. 13. Organizers plan to distribute 40,000 pounds of food, prioritizing SNAP-dependent families who present EBT cards. Remaining supplies will be available to other families on Nov. 14 at 975 New Town Drive.

Standing Rock asks appeals court to revive DAPL lawsuit over Corps actions

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe urged the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a March dismissal of its lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, arguing the agency is allowing the Dakota Access Pipeline to operate at Lake Oahe without a valid easement, according to the North Dakota Monitor. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg threw out the case in March, finding the tribe was relitigating claims from a 2016 suit. “This appeal is a necessary step to hold the Corps accountable,” Standing Rock Chair Steve Sitting Bear said in a statement on Friday.

The tribe says the Corps’ yearslong inaction on an environmental impact statement and easement is an ongoing violation, and alleges failures on spill response standards and cultural site protections. Energy Transfer, whose affiliates own Dakota Access, called the claims “old, untrue.” The North Dakota Monitor reports that responses from the federal government, intervening states and Dakota Access are due by early January.

Native youth in Washington suffer higher rates of incarceration

Analysis shows Native kids more likely than white kids to be put in jail

Findings show Native youth in Washington state are nearly five times more likely to be sentenced behind bars than white kids in the same age group.
A new Associated Press report reviewed data from 2019 to 2023 from the nonprofit Sentencing Project and the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. While all youth of color have suffered disparate punishment in Washington state’s legal system, the treatment for Native children surpasses national averages, especially for non-violent offenses.
The state’s largest disparity was found in rural Whitman County, where Native youth were nearly seven times more likely to be arrested than white peers. And in Okanogan County near the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Native youth made up more than half of all juvenile arrests in 2022, despite making up just 8% of the population.
Advocates are calling on state lawmakers to revisit reforms and consider tribal notifications whenever Native youth are in juvenile court.

Natives have highest rate of enlistment in armed forces out of all demographic groups

The warrior tradition and protecting the land motivate high rates of service

As people across the U.S. observe Veterans Day through parades, tributes and discounts, Native people are especially thankful to their vets, who have historically served at higher rates than any other racial or ethnic group in the country.

Nearly 19% of Native Americans have served in the military, compared to about 14% of all other demographics. Native service dates back to the Revolutionary War and continues to this day. Notable contributions include serving as scouts, or providing their language for coding troop movements. The most famous example: the Navajo Codetalkers, who relayed messages to each other during Pacific operations in World War II. The Japanese were never able to decipher their messages. Other tribes that have provided code during World War I and II are the Choctaw, Cherokee and Comanche.

Native people served even when they weren’t officially recognized as U.S. citizens and lacked the right to vote. Today they’re regularly honored in tribal communities, including leading the grand entry at powwows, bearing the American flag, eagle staff and sometimes the MIA flag.

Tribal projects earn top honors at New Mexico finance conference

According to The Los Alamos Daily Post, tribal nations and organizations received seven of the nine awards at the 2025 New Mexico Infrastructure Finance Conference in Albuquerque. The awards recognized investments made through the Capital Outlay funds and the Tribal Infrastructure Fund, administered by the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department.

Honorees included the Navajo Nation for the Shiprock Incident Command Center and the Jemez Pueblo for the Hemish Path to Wellness and Jemez Pueblo Tribal Network projects. Other recipients included the Pueblo of Taos, Pueblo of Zuni, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and Mescalero Apache Tribe.

Panel explores Indigenous approaches to sustainability at Northwestern

The Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance Advocacy Committee and student publication In Our Nature co-hosted a panel discussion titled “Indigenous Approaches to Environmental Justice” at Northwestern University on Friday, according to The Daily Northwestern.

Panelists Forrest Bruce, who is Ojibwe, and Cece Hoffman discussed Indigenous land-based education and its role in addressing environmental issues. Bruce said traditional systems of learning existed before colonization and emphasized connecting with the land and ancestors through outdoor education. Hoffman said reviving Indigenous practices is critical to environmental justice.

Audience members shared perspectives on maintaining ancestral traditions and protecting Indigenous sovereignty. Participants agreed that preserving cultural and linguistic connections to the land remains central to Indigenous identity.

Cleveland event honors Tribal Nations Day and Native heritage

Dozens of Ohio residents gathered in Cleveland for the second annual Tribal Nations Day, founded by Honduras native Alejandro Meza to highlight Indigenous cultures and traditions of Turtle Island and Abya Yala Island, according to Spectrum News 1.

Meza said the event aims to “rebrand Thanksgiving” by honoring Indigenous history and resilience. Attendees participated in cocoa and hapé ceremonies, viewed multimedia art and sampled traditional foods such as frybread tacos. Co-host Ajha “Yona” Dean-Phillips, who is of Afro-Indigenous heritage, shared artwork reflecting Native identity and said the event helps preserve cultural history.

Meza said the celebration invites people of all backgrounds to support Indigenous communities year-round through learning, art and contributions.

Monument honors First Americans who helped liberate Italy

According to a release from the Chickasaw Nation, a new monument in Paestum, Italy, honors 50 First American tribes whose members served in the 45th Infantry Division during World War II.

The 10-foot-tall obelisk, marked with the division’s Thunderbird symbol, stands among other memorials to Allied units that landed in southern Italy in September 1943. The monument includes a map of the division’s route through Italy, France and Germany as part of the new Thunderbird Trail.

Oklahoma State University professor David D’Andrea, the trail’s historical adviser, said the project records where the 45th passed, from Sicily to Germany. Maj. Gen. Brad Bowlin of the 36th Infantry Division said in a message that the monument honors both Allied soldiers and the “resilience and spirit of the Italian people.”