The Daily Spark

The Department of the Interior completed a three-day probate outreach event at the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona, where staff met with community members at two locations to provide trust services, according to a Department of the Interior press release. The event, hosted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, reached 333 families and offered assistance with probate cases, realty needs and trust fund account management. Participants met one-on-one with staff to receive case updates, review documents and learn about the probate process.

Staff also provided information on gift deeds, while Bureau of Trust Funds Administration staff assisted with digital service enrollment and updates to payment and contact information.

Native student-athletes in several Northern Plains communities are incorporating traditional headdresses into school sports to express cultural identity and community pride, according to ICT. 

At Browning High School on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana, boys basketball players wear headdresses during pregame routines. Principal Sandi Campbell said the practice energizes crowds and highlights cultural expression. 

Other schools, including Heart Butte High School and Wyoming Indian High School, also use traditional regalia during games or ceremonies. Coaches and school leaders said the practice connects youth to their heritage and encourages pride, while reinforcing community values and cultural continuity.

Wabanaki basketmakers, scientists and government officials in Maine are working together to protect ash trees threatened by the invasive emerald ash borer, according to Inside Climate News. 

The beetle, first identified in the United States in 2002, has spread to dozens of states and can kill nearly all ash trees it infests within years. Brown ash, known as the “basket tree” among Wabanaki tribes, is central to traditional basketmaking. 

Efforts to protect ash include seed collection, selective tree cutting, insecticide treatments and the release of parasitic wasps to control beetle populations. Tribal groups are also storing harvested wood and developing nurseries to grow future trees. Organizers say combining Indigenous knowledge with scientific approaches is key to sustaining both the species and the cultural practice.

New Mexico officials, tribal leaders and advocates said they will oppose recent federal actions to expand oil, gas and mining activity on public lands, according to Source NM. 

In recent weeks, federal officials moved to end a ban on oil and gas drilling near Chaco Culture National Historical Park and reverse a mining ban in the Upper Pecos headwaters. U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, along with Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, also opposed a proposal to mine uranium near Canjilon and requested delays on federal review.

Acoma Gov. Charles Riley said the pueblo submitted more than 400 public comments opposing changes near Chaco Canyon. “Chaco is not an abstract policy issue for us,” Riley was quoted as saying, calling it a cultural landscape central to Pueblo identity. He also raised concerns about a seven-day federal comment period, saying the process must be inclusive of tribal voices.

ICT reports that the Indian Summer Festival has returned to the Milwaukee area after a seven-year hiatus, opening with a Spring Powwow & Native Art Market at the Waukesha Expo Center. The original festival ran from 1980 to 2019 and served as an annual gathering for Milwaukee's 14,000 American Indian and Alaska Native residents, according to ICT News. Organizers spent two years planning the revival to recreate the event's community atmosphere, drawing hundreds of attendees, 24 vendors and participants for a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included volunteers, sponsors and Waukesha’s mayor, Shawn Reilly.

The spring event featured Indigenous artists selling beadwork and drums alongside a powwow led by the Forest County Potawatomi Color Guard. Lloyd Ninham, an Oneida Nation of Wisconsin citizen and the festival's CEO, described the effort to restart the gathering as a massive labor of love driven by community persistence. Revenue generated from the spring event will be used to fund the upcoming three-day fall festival scheduled for late September.

Tribal libraries in New Mexico are serving as essential community hubs that provide a wide range of services despite facing significant staffing limitations, according to New Mexico In Depth. There are 24 tribal libraries across the state that are funded through a mix of federal, tribal and state dollars. Facilities like the Zuni Public Library offer vital resources to residents who live far from municipal libraries, providing computer access, free children's books and printed Native language materials. Beyond traditional library services, the spaces host cultural events such as pottery-making classes and storytelling in Native languages and serve as safe spaces for unsheltered individuals to warm up or charge their phones.

Despite logging about 79,000 visits in the last fiscal year, many tribal libraries struggle to stay open as often as needed because of ongoing staffing challenges, New Mexico In Depth reported. Advocates note the state lacks a university or college offering a library science certification program, making it difficult to find full-time employees. Some facilities are excluded from state funding sources like the Rural Library Endowment Fund, which only supports libraries serving populations of 3,000 or fewer. Staff members at the Zuni library hope the state Legislature will eventually expand the population limit to help tribal facilities secure more resources to serve their communities.

The Brinton Museum in Big Horn, Wyoming, will open a new exhibition on April 17 that reframes the Battle of the Little Bighorn through both historic and contemporary Native American art, according to Sheridan Media. Titled "The Unfinished War: The Battle of the Little Bighorn in Native American Art," the showcase runs through Sept. 14 and coincides with the 150th anniversary of the historic clash. By featuring ledger drawings, muslin paintings and modern works by Indigenous artists like Stephen Standing Bear and Fritz Scholder, the collection challenges traditional Western narratives of the battle. The exhibit highlights how Native visual language preserved the lived experiences and multiple realities of the conflict, which is known to many Plains tribes as the Battle of the Greasy Grass.

A free opening reception is scheduled for April 16 from 5 to 7 p.m., featuring remarks by museum curatorial director Jochen Wierich and a presentation by Cheyenne River Sioux artist Rhonda Holy Bear. The museum will also host a series of public programs this summer to further explore the exhibition's themes of cultural memory and oral history.

Tribal gas stations in several states are offering lower prices than nearby competitors as fuel costs rise during the Iran war, according to an article by The Associated Press. The article says tribes in states including California, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma and Washington can often sell gas for less because they are exempt from some state fuel taxes on tribal lands. AAA reported the national average gasoline price had risen to $4.15 a gallon since the war began Feb. 28. 

According to The Associated Press, tribal gas stations also help generate revenue for Native nations and provide access to groceries and household supplies in communities with limited options. Matthew Klas, a consultant who tracks tribal businesses, said 245 tribes operated 496 convenience stores with gas stations as of 2025. Tanya Burns, CEO of Tulalip Tribes Federal Corporation, said rising gas sales on the Tulalip Reservation are being reinvested in roads, police, health care, education and housing.

More than 200 riders traveled from Chandler to Scottsdale in Arizona during the fourth annual Thunderbird Throttle charity motorcycle ride to raise awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. The ride, organized by the Rez Riders Indian Motorcycle Club, is the only Native American-led event during Arizona Bike Week and ended at Casino Arizona in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

According to FOX 10 Phoenix, participants included members of the Rez Riders Indian Motorcycle Club, the Phoenix Indian Center and several nonprofits. The event featured live music, speakers and cultural performances focused on supporting families impacted by the crisis and raising awareness for Native youth in the foster system. Michael Tupponce, vice president of the Rez Riders Indian Motorcycle Club’s Arizona chapter, said the goal is to ensure missing Indigenous people receive the same recognition as others.

The State of Arizona, Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe received a nearly $100,000 grant from the Resilient Energy Economies initiative to support coal-impacted communities in the Four Corners region, according to the Arizona Daily Sun. The funding will support a joint research project titled “Enhancing Four Corners Economic Resilience and Tribal Sovereignty,” focused on job creation and revenue growth following the decline of the coal industry.

According to the Arizona Daily Sun, the project includes partnerships with Harvard’s Growth Lab and the Harvard Project on Indigenous Governance and Development to conduct research and stakeholder outreach. The closure of the Navajo Generating Station and Kayenta Mine resulted in $50 million in annual revenue losses, 700 direct job losses and 3,000 indirect job losses for the Navajo Nation. The Hopi Tribe experienced an 85% revenue reduction and up to 1,900 job losses.

A new study by the U.S. Census Bureau found that tribal gaming generates more than $40 billion annually and has contributed to economic gains in Native communities, according to an article by ICT and Marquette University. The article notes that about half of federally recognized tribes operate gaming facilities, with more than 600 casino operations on tribal land as of 2019. 

According to ICT and Marquette University, poverty rates among American Indian individuals have declined from about 31% before the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to 19.6% in 2024. Tribal gaming revenue has supported employment, community programs and tribal services. However, the report states that geographic location and state policies can limit revenue for some tribes, including restrictions on gaming operations and distance from major population centers.

The Suquamish Tribe is adjusting how it teaches and harvests traditional plants as climate change alters long-standing growing cycles, according to Underscore Native News and Report for America. Azure Bouré, a Suquamish Tribal Council member and the tribe’s traditional food and medicine program coordinator, said shifting seasonal markers have changed when plants can be gathered and used for food and medicine. Bouré teaches community members, including youth, how to identify, harvest and prepare plants through the tribe’s Traditional Food and Medicine Program.

According to Underscore Native News and Report for America, Bouré and Suquamish elder Kippie Joe said plants including maple blossoms, rosehips, nettle and cedar have become less predictable because of heat, drought and changing rainfall. Bouré said the changes have required adjustments to classes and harvesting plans, while Joe said cedar harvests are smaller and harder to time, affecting how knowledge is passed to younger generations.

A proposal to drill exploratory holes for uranium near Craven Canyon in the southern Black Hills has drawn opposition ahead of a state permit hearing, according to South Dakota Searchlight. Clean Nuclear Energy Corporation and its parent company, Nexus Uranium, applied in March 2024 to drill on state land in Fall River County as part of the Chord project. The hearing, originally scheduled to begin April 13 in Hot Springs, has been postponed, according to an April 7 notice. 

According to reporting by South Dakota Searchlight, opponents say the project threatens an area near ancient Native American rock art and could affect water resources and culturally significant sites. More than 40 people and organizations raised concerns about the drilling. The U.S. Forest Service has also received nearly 1,000 public comments on the broader project, including opposition from six tribal nations. Nexus Uranium CEO Jeremy Poirier said the company’s project would not affect Craven Canyon.

The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation announced plans to develop a $2 billion casino resort in Las Vegas, including a hotel, entertainment venue and sports complex, according to National Today. Tribal leaders began acquiring land for the project in 2020, totaling about 23 acres, and submitted preliminary plans to Clark County in February 2025. National Today reports that Chairman Mark Fox said that the project could include a sports venue with between 15,000 and 20,000 seats and that he is seeking a professional sports team. Some tribal members have raised concerns about financial issues on the Fort Berthold Reservation, including layoffs, hiring freezes and funding challenges.

The Lincoln County School Board will decide April 14 whether to remove Siletz Valley School’s charter agreement, which would close the K-12 school at the end of the academic year, according to Underscore Native News and ICT. The school, located in Siletz, Oregon, serves 189 students, with more than 65% identified as Native. The board cited 12 compliance concerns, including financial reporting, attendance and test score performance. School leaders said they have addressed those concerns and submitted documentation for review. 

According to Underscore Native News and ICT, students, staff and community members spoke in support of the school during a March 31 hearing, highlighting its focus on cultural education, including language, drumming and Native food systems. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians urged the district to keep the school open, stating its closure would disrupt cultural and educational support for Native students. The board’s decision will determine whether the school remains open beyond this school year.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case involving a Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizen, leaving in place an Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling that she must pay state income taxes despite living and working on tribal land, according to Oklahoma Voice. The state court ruled in July that Alicia Stroble is not exempt from taxation, finding that the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma applies only to criminal jurisdiction under the Major Crimes Act.

According to Oklahoma Voice, Stroble argued the McGirt decision should extend to civil matters, including state income taxes for 2017 through 2019. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said the decision supports state jurisdiction, while Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief David Hill said the tribe is reviewing options, including potential federal court action. Cherokee Nation Attorney General Chad Harsha said the ruling conflicts with established law on taxation of tribal citizens living and working on tribal land.

Chief Dull Knife College Extension Service and the CDKC Cultural Center developed a coloring book for K-12 students that combines plant science and Cheyenne language learning, according to Native Sun News Today. Extension Service Director Henry Thompson worked with student interns Taibree Bearchum and Kyla Kwandibens to create the resource, which includes drawings of traditional plants, English and Cheyenne spellings and QR codes linked to the Cheyenne Dictionary.

According to Native Sun News Today, the first 25 pages focus on plant identification and vocabulary, while pages 26-36 include writing prompts that teach the plant growth cycle using Cheyenne values and traditions. Thompson said copies are available through the Extension Office at Chief Dull Knife College while supplies last, with plans to print more and update the book.

An Interior Department proposal would cancel Bureau of Land Management grazing leases for bison on federal land in Montana, potentially affecting tribal and private herds across the West. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum proposed the change in January, stating that bison are not eligible for leases because they are not used for “production-oriented purposes,” according to Inside Climate News. If finalized, more than 950 bison managed by American Prairie could be removed from tens of thousands of acres of federal land. 

The proposal has raised concern among tribal leaders and bison operators. OJ Semans Sr., executive director of the Coalition of Large Tribes, said the decision could limit tribes’ ability to expand herds on public land. The coalition, which represents more than 50 tribes, said in a protest notice that the policy could prevent tribal governments and citizens from qualifying for leases. Interior said grazing permits are limited to domestic livestock under the Taylor Grazing Act.

The Sundance Institute has announced the fellows selected for its 2026 Native Lab, which runs April 6–11 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The program will support four fellows and two artists in residence, offering Indigenous filmmakers space to develop feature and episodic projects through mentorship, script readings and roundtable discussions.

The selected fellows include Taylor Foreman-Niko, Samoan; Miles T. RedCorn, Osage and Caddo; Sabrina Saleha, Navajo; and Ashley Qilavaq-Savard, Inuk/Inuit, with Sayun Simung, Tayal, and Taylour Chang, Kanaka Maoli, participating as artists in residence. The program is led by Adam Piron, Kiowa and Mohawk, director of the institute’s Indigenous Program. Piron said the Native Lab is grounded in storytelling development approached through community and Indigeneity.