The Daily Spark

Rose High Bear's Elderberry Wisdom Farm in Salem, Oregon, is providing interns with hands-on training in traditional ecological knowledge through native plant cultivation, urban forestry and small business projects, according to reporting by Underscore Native News. High Bear, who is Alaska Native of Deg Hitʼan and Inupiat descent, founded the farm after leaving Wisdom of the Elders in 2018. The program partners with organizations including Chemeketa Community College and the University of Washington's Indigenous Wellness Research Institute. Interns gain experience growing native plants, producing elderberry products and learning Indigenous environmental stewardship. 

The farm's urban forestry work includes planting trees in low-income neighborhoods and developing apprenticeship programs, according to the Underscore Native News reporting. High Bear said a $749,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant supporting work with the City of Salem was temporarily frozen in 2025 before being restored with assistance from U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon. Another $350,000 grant for urban forestry projects involving Black, Indigenous and other youth of color was not restored. High Bear said the current grant expires in 2028 and the organization is seeking long-term support for its programs.

Mental health conditions were the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths among American Indian and Alaska Native women in 2022, accounting for 35.5% of cases, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report highlighted by The Imprint. The federal review found nearly 95% of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable. Researchers also identified infection, cardiovascular conditions and hemorrhage as underlying causes. Discrimination contributed to more than 20% of cases, including delayed diagnoses and dismissed symptoms.

Experts told The Imprint that expanding culturally grounded maternal care and mental health support could improve outcomes for Native families. Andra Wilkinson, a senior research scientist at Child Trends, said prenatal and postpartum depression screening has improved but culturally responsive care remains limited. Spero Manson, director of the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health, said untreated mental health conditions can affect a mother's ability to access preventive care and treatment.

Navajo Nation voters in Arizona cast ballots July 21 to decide which two presidential candidates will advance to the nation’s general election in November, according to reporting by ICT. The primary date was moved because of Arizona's state and county elections. Navajo citizens in New Mexico and Utah voted in June. Sixteen candidates are seeking the presidency, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election.

Several voters told ICT they are looking for leadership focused on unity, economic development and accountability. Eleanor Joe said she wants a president who will address homesite leases, business development and mental health services. Rita James told ICT she hopes the next administration will bring "a vision and a leader with unity," while Michael Roy said he remained undecided and wanted to hear candidates' ideas before voting. Election results are expected to be certified after July 31.

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of North Dakota filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in Thunderhawk v. Kirchmeier, according to an ACLU of North Dakota announcement. The case challenges the government's decision to close a public road during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests near Standing Rock, preventing people from gathering to express opposition to the project. The brief argues that public roads, including rural highways, are traditional public forums protected under the First Amendment and  that courts have long recognized roads as places for public assembly and expression. The ACLU noted that roads have been used for demonstrations throughout U.S. history, including civil rights marches, anti-war protests and more recent demonstrations. The filing also argues that rural roads serve as important public gathering spaces in communities with few other places for people to assemble and discuss public issues.

The 25th Navajo Nation Council voted 14-5 on Monday to accept the 2026 Summer Session Speaker's Report, affirming the legislative branch's recent accomplishments and priorities, according to reporting from Native News Online. Presented by Speaker Crystalyne Curley, the report highlights investments in broadband infrastructure, transportation, youth leadership, Missing and Murdered Diné Relatives initiatives, water rights advocacy and federal land issues. Curley said the report reflects the council's commitment to addressing the priorities of the Navajo people while recognizing that significant work remains.

The report highlights the council's approval of a $244.6 million investment to expand broadband access to all 110 Navajo chapters and $120 million from the Síhasin Fund for transportation projects, according to the Native News Online reporting. It also outlines ongoing work by the Navajo Nation Youth Advisory Council and the Missing and Murdered Diné Relatives Task Force, including development of a Tribal Community Response Plan, completion of a Navajo Nation MMDR database and expanded services for affected families.

U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., and Pueblo of Acoma Gov. Charles Riley said they will oppose a Trump administration proposal to reduce or eliminate a 10-mile federal buffer protecting land around Chaco Culture National Historical Park, according to reporting from Source New Mexico. The Bureau of Land Management announced a two-week public comment period on the proposal, which would either eliminate the buffer, reduce it to five miles or leave it unchanged. Public comments are due by July 29. 

Stansbury said the two-week comment period and lack of a public hearing do not provide adequate opportunity for public input, according to the Source New Mexico reporting. Aaron Sims, attorney for the Pueblo of Acoma and secretary of the Chaco Heritage Tribal Association, said the U.S. Department of the Interior has not fulfilled an agreement to jointly participate in a cultural resources study of the Chaco region. Riley said Chaco remains a living cultural and spiritual place for Pueblo communities and continues to be used for prayer and cultural practices.

A report released in March by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community found that educators and youth professionals identified loneliness and depression as leading concerns related to technology use among Native youth, according to reporting by MPR News. The first-of-its-kind study, conducted by Minnesota nonprofit LiveMore ScreenLess, surveyed 242 educators and youth professionals who primarily work with Native youth. About 90% of respondents said addressing technology and media use is more important than other issues facing Native youth today.

The report also found technology can strengthen cultural connections and relationships, according to the MPR reporting.  Clara Rebhan, a Cheyenne River Lakota student at Two Rivers High School, said following Indigenous creators on social media helps her feel connected to her heritage while also recognizing the importance of limiting screen time. Ashley Cornforth, secretary-treasurer of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and co-chair of IndigeFit Kids, said the goal is to help young people develop a healthy balance with technology rather than discourage its use.

Menominee community members launched a traditional dugout canoe on the Menominee River after a monthlong community effort to carve it from a 17-foot pine log, according to reporting from ICT. Led by Dawn M. Wilber and Wayne Swett, volunteers worked at the Chappee Webster Learning Center, burning, scraping, debarking and sanding the log into a canoe. Organizers said no one could remember the last time Menominee people paddled a traditional dugout canoe on the river.

Community members gathered for a water ceremony before the canoe's maiden voyage  according to the ICT reporting. Wilber said the canoe belongs to the community rather than any individual. Swett and Wilber’s group, The Protectors of the Menominee River, plan to use the canoe later this year to harvest wild rice.

The National Congress of American Indians is accepting applications for all NCAI Youth Commission officer positions, according to an announcement from the organization. Elections will take place during the 2026 NCAI Youth Convention, held in conjunction with the 83rd Annual Convention & Marketplace in Palm Springs, California, from Oct. 18-22. The organization said the leadership positions provide Native youth an opportunity to represent and advocate for young people across Indian Country.

Applicants must be 18 to 24 years old, be an Individual Indian Member of NCAI and be a citizen of a tribal nation that holds NCAI Tribal Nation Membership, according to the NCAI announcement. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on Aug. 21. Questions and application information are available through Alison Black, NCAI Youth Leadership & Training Coordinator.

Cheyenne Frontier Days officials, community partners and members of the public celebrated the opening of the Morning Star American Indian Village on Friday during the event's 130th anniversary, according to reporting from the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. The new village replaces the former Native American Indian Village and includes a timber dance arbor, vendor spaces, educational signage and an herb garden featuring Native medicinal, food and utilitarian plants. 

Actor and Lakota citizen Mo Brings Plenty joined Cheyenne Frontier Days leaders for the ceremony, according to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reporting. State Rep. Ivan Posey, D-Fort Washakie, blessed the village with a traditional cedar-burning ceremony. Organizers said the open-air arbor and east-facing entrance were intentionally designed to reflect Native cultural traditions and symbolism.

A new Indian Growers' Market opened Saturday at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque to provide Native American farmers, producers, artisans and small business owners with a dedicated place to sell their products, according to reporting from KRQE. Organizers require vendors to be of Indigenous descent and provide proof of eligibility to participate. Vendors said the market's location near several Pueblo communities and its focus on Native businesses create new opportunities to reach customers beyond their home communities.

The inaugural market drew about 40 to 50 attendees. Vendors included Michael Garcia of Isleta Pueblo, who creates custom prints and 3D designs, and Chrishelda Rain Baca, whose business offers beverages and enchiladas made with locally grown crops from San Felipe, according to the KRQE reporting. Additional markets are scheduled for Aug. 1 and Aug. 15 from 9 a.m. to noon at the same location.

Red Lake Nation voters elected Chairman Darrell G. Seki Sr. to a fourth term in this week's tribal election, according to reporting from MPR News. Official results released Thursday showed Seki received 54.9% of the vote in the runoff election, defeating former Chairman Floyd "Buck" Jourdain, who received 45.1%. The election followed a late May general election in which Jourdain led Seki by 15 votes. Red Lake Nation holds leadership elections every four years, with polling locations in Red Lake, Redby, Ponemah and Minneapolis.

Voters also elected Eugene R. StandingCloud to represent the Ponemah district, Clem H. May Sr. to represent the Red Lake district and Lisa R. Beaulieu to represent the Little Rock district, according to the reporting from MPR News. The newly elected leaders will be sworn in at the next Red Lake Nation Tribal Council meeting.

The 65th annual World Eskimo Indian Olympics concluded Saturday after four days of competition and cultural activities celebrating traditional Arctic games, according to reporting from ICT. Athletes competed in events rooted in Indigenous hunting traditions that test strength, endurance, balance and agility. Organizers said the games also serve as a way to preserve and share Indigenous culture. Since the event began in 1961, similar competitions including the Arctic Winter Games, Native Youth Olympics and Avannaa Arctic Games have expanded opportunities for athletes. 

Competitors and organizers emphasized mentorship and community alongside competition, according to the ICT reporting. Nicole "Ikiituk" Johnson, lead official for the World Eskimo Indian Olympics, said the games connect athletic events with Indigenous storytelling, dance and traditional practices. The event also featured several world-record performances, including Leif Richards's record in the men's greased pole walk and Bernard Clark tying the men's one-hand reach world record.

The Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa are preparing for potential wildfire impacts as s wildfires continue to affect northeastern Minnesota, according to reporting from MPR News. Both tribal nations urged community members to remain indoors because of poor air quality and offered free face masks. Bois Forte Tribal Chairman Carlos Hernandez said the tribe has emergency evacuation plans in place, including identifying residents who may need specialized transportation if conditions worsen.

Bois Forte is also prepared to open tribal community centers as cooling and clean air shelters if needed, according to the MPR reporting The Grand Portage Band said it continues to monitor conditions and encouraged residents to enroll in the tribe's Emergency Alert System. Both tribal nations are providing updates through their social media channels.

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.