The Daily Spark

Indigenous Chef Crystal Wahpepah released her first cookbook, “A Feather and a Fork: 125 Intertribal Dishes from an Indigenous Food Warrior,” on March 17, according to ICT. The book features more than 125 recipes and highlights seasonal cooking, foraging and connections to land and culture. Wahpepah, who is Kickapoo and Sac and Fox, said the project took five years to complete.

Wahpepah said she hopes readers understand where food comes from and its cultural significance. “I want to take other people on that journey where we are so well connected with our food,” she told ICT. The cookbook includes dishes such as blue cornbread, Three Sisters salad and bison recipes. A foreword by author Tommy Orange describes Wahpepah as a “tremendously talented, heart-and-soul-driven chef,” according to the report.

Minnesota school districts required to offer American Indian language and culture classes are not meeting state requirements, according to MPR News. State law requires districts with at least 5% American Indian enrollment or 100 or more Native students to provide the classes, but a recent report found districts would need more than 150 additional language teachers to reach compliance.

The report identified a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:257 and found only 98 American Indian language educators among about 200,000 licensed teachers statewide, according to MPR News. Gimiwan Dustin Burnette, president and executive director of the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network, said many instructors work part time and lack support, with 78% responsible for developing their own curriculum. Districts cited recruitment challenges and funding limitations as key barriers, according to MPR News.

A provision in a congressional farm bill could permanently prevent the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma from regaining ownership of Fort Reno, according to a report by KOSU. The House Committee on Agriculture passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 on March 4, including language that would remove a 2026 expiration date on restrictions preventing the land’s transfer, making the site permanently federal unless Congress changes the law.

Cheyenne and Arapaho Gov. Reggie Wassana urged lawmakers to return the land, writing in testimony that the tribes were not repaid for 9,500 acres and that the land was not returned after military use, according to the report. “Returning Fort Reno to the Cheyenne and Arapaho is a concrete, lawful, and moral step Congress can take,” Wassana wrote. The bill now awaits consideration by the U.S. House of Representatives, according to KOSU.

The United States Supreme Court declined to take up a case that could have determined whether the Chinook Indian Nation would be granted federal recognition, according to an article in The Oregonian/OregonLive. The decision leaves in place lower court rulings that recognition is a matter for lawmakers, not the courts.

In a news release cited in the article, Chairman Tony A. (naschio) Johnson was quoted as saying the tribe will continue pursuing recognition: “It is not an end, but instead a beginning of a revitalization of our efforts.” The Chinook Indian Nation was federally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 2001, but that status was rescinded 18 months later. Since then, the tribe has continued seeking recognition through multiple avenues, including the courts, according to the report.

The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality has reviewed the proposed Sand Hill Water Tower Improvements project in New Town under the National Environmental Policy Act and determined it is exempt from further environmental review, according to the Minot Daily News. The project includes upgrades to water storage facilities, booster station pump rehabilitation and water treatment plant pump improvements. The department states the current ground storage reservoir is nearing the end of its useful life, showing external leaks, and the city has received complaints of low water pressure in some areas.

According to the Minot Daily News, the project will replace the existing reservoir with an elevated water tower to address pressure concerns and aging infrastructure. The City of New Town has applied for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan to finance the project. The department states the exclusion applies because work will occur on previously disturbed land, and the Three Affiliated Tribes-MHA Nation Tribal Historic Office determined no historic properties will be affected.

The Beach Ball Gala is scheduled for April 11, beginning with registration and cocktails at 6 p.m., followed by a plated dinner at 7 p.m., according to event organizers. The evening will also include a dessert dash and auction, and attendees are encouraged to wear tropical attire.

Proceeds from the event will support Working Against Violence, Inc., which provides a 24-hour emergency safe shelter, crisis line and advocacy services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and stalking across the Black Hills, according to WAVI materials. WAVI also offers case management, housing navigation, legal advocacy and community education, organizers said. Tickets are available for individuals, tables or sponsorships.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, Cherokee, as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in a 54-45 vote Monday evening, according to ICT. Mullin will become the ninth secretary and the first Native American to lead the department, which has more than 260,000 employees. He is also the third Native person to serve in a president’s cabinet, according to ICT.

The Department of Homeland Security was established in 2002 after the Sept. 11 attacks and combines 22 federal agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Secret Service. Mullin’s confirmation creates a vacancy in the U.S. Senate, which Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is expected to fill until a special election later this year, ICT reported.

A volunteer-organized “No Kings” rally is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. CDT on Saturday, March 28, at the North Dakota State Capitol in Bismarck, according to event organizers. The event will take place at 600 E. Boulevard Ave and is part of a nationwide mobilization, organizers said.

“We are standing together to demand an immediate end to militarized ICE raids, the removal of masked federal forces from our communities, and a total overhaul of our immigration system to ensure human rights and due process for all,” organizers wrote in  event materials, which also mention accountability related to the Epstein files and the defense of democracy and civil rights.

Organizers said the rally will include a fundraising effort and in-kind donation drive for Bismarck Global Neighbors, which supports new Americans relocating to North Dakota. Suggested donations include household items such as toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap and diapers, according to the event information. Organizers said the event follows a commitment to nonviolent action and asked participants to act lawfully and not bring weapons.

The Tribal College Journal recognized Daniela Aki, Buffalo’s Fire’s community engagement manager, and her short story “What are Indianettes?” as a top fiction entry in its 2026 Creative Writing, Art & Film Contest. Aki, Hunkpapa Lakota from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and a first-generation Mexican American, is a business administration student at Sitting Bull College in Fort Yates, North Dakota. She received her award at the AIHEC annual conference in Bismarck, ND, on March 18. 

“Bringing home a winner's plaque to my family meant more than anything,” said Aki, who is a married mother of five. “They swarmed me, cheering and hugging me, and their excitement helped me to feel proud of myself.” 

Aki said she’s thankful to her parents, “who instilled in me a love of learning and storytelling,” and the Tribal College Journal team “for allowing students a place to be heard, seen, and celebrated.”

Tribal College Journals competition judges and guest editors Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. and Shane Hawk, editors of the 2023 Native horror anthology “Never Whistle at Night,” announced the creative writing contest winners on March 13. They chose three top entries in each category — fiction, nonfiction and poetry — and four honorable mentions. Students will have their work published in the 2026 edition of Tribal College Journal Student and on the journal’s website.

The U.S. Forest Service and representatives of the Great Sioux Nation have signed a memorandum of understanding for co-stewardship of the Black Elk Wilderness in the Black Hills National Forest, according to a press release from the U.S. Forest Service. The agreement, signed March 19, outlines collaboration on wilderness management, including recreation, habitat improvement, wildlife benefit and invasive species mitigation.

The agreement provides for increased tribal consultation and guidance on resource protection, cultural interpretation and access to sacred sites, according to the statement. Tribal leaders said in the press release that the partnership supports cultural preservation and opportunities for future generations to engage with ancestral lands. Tribes represented include the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and others. The Black Elk Wilderness spans 13,534 acres and was designated by Congress in 1980, according to the statement.

The Federal Highway Administration has awarded $2,057,009 to two North Dakota tribal nations through the Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund, according to a press release from U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe will receive $1,280,819 for the Bureau of Indian Affairs 3400 Roadway Realignment Safety Project, which includes engineering and construction to realign about 0.8 miles of roadway to address slope, drainage and crash history.

The Spirit Lake Tribe will receive $776,190 for the Oyate Walkway Thin Lift Overlay and Accessibility Improvements project, according to the release. The funding will support resurfacing, accessible landings with detectable warning panels and improvements to crosswalks, signage and pavement markings. The walkway connects to a pathway extension project between Fort Totten and Devils Lake, according to the release.

Central Wyoming College and Native American Jump Start will host “Native Voices: Honoring Indigenous Ways,” a five-day event celebrating Indigenous culture, storytelling and traditions from May 5–9 in Fremont County and Jackson, Wyoming, according to a press release from Central Wyoming College. The event will feature Indigenous filmmakers, artists, dancers and educators sharing perspectives on Indigenous history and contemporary life.

Programming includes film screenings, art exhibitions, cultural presentations and a community art event, according to the release. The event will conclude with the 6th annual Teton Powwow and Native American Art Market on May 9 at the Snow King Events Center in Jackson. Organizers said the powwow will include participants from more than 60 tribes and feature dance, singing, vendors and cultural exchange, according to the release.

The Good Relatives Collaborative will host a live informational webinar on March 27 at 11 a.m. MT, 12 p.m. CT, according to event materials. The session will provide information about the collaborative’s grants and application process.

Speakers include Cheryl Kary of Sacred Pipe Resource Center, Alissa Benoist of Four Bands Community Fund and John Williams of the Native American Community Development Institute, according to the announcement. Presenters will discuss the concept of being a “Good Relative,” including Indigenous values of relationship, reciprocity, responsibility and community impact, as well as eligibility requirements, deadlines and a question-and-answer session. Registration is available online or by scanning a QR code.

Tribal teams finished first, second and third at the Montana Class B Basketball Tournament held March 12–15 in Bozeman, Montana, according to Native Sun News Today. The Lodge Grass Indians won the championship with a 69-48 victory over the Harlem Wildcats, securing their eighth state title. The Wildcats of Fort Belknap placed second, and the St. Labre Braves of Northern Cheyenne earned third, marking their first state trophy finish in 49 years.

Lodge Grass and Harlem entered the tournament as divisional champions, according to Native Sun News Today. St. Labre advanced to third place after multiple games on the final day, including a win over Shepherd. St. Labre head coach Lafe Hagen was quoted as saying the team’s finish reflects “a lot of hard work and determination” and strong community support.

The Department of the Interior and the Alaska Department of Health have signed a memorandum of understanding to improve probate services for Alaska Native communities, according to a DOI press release. The agreement aims to address a backlog of probate cases by strengthening coordination and improving access to vital records needed to process cases.

The agreement establishes a framework for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to obtain records from the Alaska Division of Public Health’s Health Analytics and Vital Records Section, which are used to prepare probate case files, according to the statement. It also sets timelines for processing requests and outlines steps to improve efficiency and support increased demand for records. Officials said the goal is to reduce delays and ensure assets are returned to Alaska Native families more quickly and accurately, according to the release.

The Bureau of Indian Education has signed a memorandum of agreement with Boys & Girls Clubs of America Native Services to expand programs for American Indian and Alaska Native students, according to an official statement from the Bureau of Indian Education. The partnership aims to strengthen existing Boys & Girls Clubs near BIE-funded schools and dormitories and establish new clubs focused on academic achievement, character development and healthy lifestyles.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America will provide culturally relevant training for BIE school staff, while BIE will work with local administrators to integrate club programming into schools and provide space for activities, according to the statement. The agreement builds on BGCA Native Services’ work supporting nearly 250 clubs serving about 120,000 Native youth across 29 states since 1992. BIE supports more than 400,000 American Indian and Alaska Native students through early childhood, K-12 and postsecondary programs, according to the statement.

The Pennington County State’s Attorney’s Office in South Dakota has dropped all remaining charges against NDN Collective Founder and CEO Nick Tilsen following a mistrial earlier this year, according to reporting by Native Sun News Today. 

Tilsen’s trial ended Jan. 29 when a 12-person jury deliberated for six hours without reaching a unanimous verdict, according to Native Sun News Today. He had faced charges including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, obstructing law enforcement and simple assault on a law enforcement officer. Prosecutors will not seek a retrial and the case is closed, according to Native Sun News Today.

A new travel guide by the American Indigenous Tourism Association aims to highlight Indigenous nations along Route 66 as the highway approaches its 100th anniversary in 2026, according to reporting by ICT. The guide, American Indians and Route 66, was developed in partnership with the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership and focuses on the route’s connections to ancestral Indigenous trade routes across the homelands of more than 25 tribal nations.

More than half of the 2,448-mile route passes through Indian Country, Sherry Rupert, chief executive officer of the American Indigenous Tourism Association, told ICT. The guide includes information on tribal nations, cultural sites and visitor etiquette, and was produced in consultation with tribes. It also features digital tools, including an interactive map and trip-planning resources to help travelers identify Indigenous-owned businesses and cultural experiences along the route, according to ICT.

The Wabanaki Nations reached an agreement with Maine Gov. Janet Mills on amended bills that narrow earlier proposals aimed at expanding tribal sovereignty, according to Maine Morning Star. The measures include additional tax exemptions for tribal members and the creation of a task force to assess tribal access to federal laws. The changes come after broader efforts to restore self-governance were set aside, with the issue expected to continue under the next administration.

The Wabanaki Nations — the Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and Mi’kmaq Nation — supported the amended versions while noting they do not address long-term sovereignty goals, according to Maine Morning Star. The tax proposal would expand income and sales tax exemptions, while the task force will study how tribes can access federal laws. Tribal leaders said the measures provide incremental progress but leave broader recognition of sovereignty unresolved.