The Daily Spark

The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians says a proposed federal appropriations provision would make its people “invisible,” while Cherokee Nation leaders support the measure, according to reporting by Cherokee Phoenix.

Drafted by Sen. Markwayne Mullin (Cherokee Nation), the proposal would require Cherokee Nation consent for trust land within its reservation, reversing a 1999 change that required only consultation.

UKB leaders call the move an assault on their sovereignty and legal status, but Cherokee Nation officials say it restores language first adopted in 1992 with then-Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller’s support. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said in a statement that the UKB has long made “fabricated claims” to treaty rights, while the UKB is urging Congress and other tribes to oppose the measure.

The dispute comes amid stalled UKB plans to re-enter the gaming market and ongoing legal disagreements over jurisdiction and treaty rights.

A Thomson Reuters Foundation report finds that Indigenous people in Canada face disproportionate rates of violence, trafficking and disappearance, fueled by systemic racism and gaps in services. Women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people are particularly targeted, with many cases linked to human trafficking, resource extraction projects and urban migration.

The report notes that the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people is deeply rooted not only in rural and remote communities but also in urban centers across the country. It cites a lack of consistent data collection, underreporting due to mistrust of authorities and insufficient culturally appropriate support for survivors.

Recommendations include improving national data systems, expanding Indigenous-led prevention and victim services and addressing root causes, such as poverty and housing insecurity.

Artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities and risks for Indigenous communities, according to Grist. Speakers at the Aug. 9 United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples said AI models are trained on large datasets — often including cultural knowledge, histories and languages — without consent, raising concerns about erasure and distortion. They called for “data sovereignty” and the use of free, prior and informed consent in AI development.

Panelists highlighted AI’s potential for language revitalization and climate forecasting. Examples include PolArctic, cofounded by Yup’ik Alaska Natives Leslie Canavera and Lauren Decker, which combines AI with Indigenous knowledge for Arctic sea ice and fish forecasts, and Te Heku Media in New Zealand, which developed Māori language transcription and storage tools. Leaders compared AI’s rise to historic resource extraction and urged tribes to secure protections before further exploitation occurs.

The interim legislative Indian Affairs Committee will meet Aug. 14 in Taos to discuss removing obstacles to tribal homeownership, according to Source NM. Christopher Billey, executive director of the Tribal Homeownership Coalition of the Southwest, and program manager Melinda Williams will present a case study on the first public sale of a home on Navajo Nation trust land, completed in January in LeChee, Arizona.

Billey said the sale sets a precedent for future housing market development in reservation communities. The coalition estimates the Navajo Nation needs 30,000 new homes, with thousands of families on waiting lists. Discussion topics are expected to include cultural views on selling homes, training tribal members to build housing and possible legislation to allow real estate disputes to be resolved in state or tribal courts.

The Navajo Nation Council voted Aug. 7 to remove Attorney General Heather Clah, less than a month after confirming her for the position, according to AZ Mirror. The emergency legislation, sponsored by Council Delegate Rickie Nez, passed 11-1 following an executive session. No cause was given.

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren appointed Colin Bradley, a Flagstaff attorney and partner at Zwillinger Wulkan in Phoenix, to replace Clah. Bradley previously worked for the Navajo Nation Department of Justice in the Natural Resources and Litigation units. Nygren said in a press release that Bradley’s leadership would bring stability during a time when consistency is most needed. This marks the second time in eight months the council has removed an attorney general.

The International Museum of Dance and ChromaDiverse will present an event honoring Diné (Navajo) and Taíno ballet legend Jock Soto on Aug. 23 at the Lensic Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe, marking the 20th anniversary of his retirement.

The evening features a live interview, on-the-spot choreography by Soto and a preview of “Jock Soto: The Dancer and His Life,” a new searchable digital archive.

The museum and ChromaDiverse also have launched the Moving Memories Fund to support two goals: the Jock Soto Scholarship for Indigenous dancers and the preservation of underrepresented dance histories.

“Every artist’s story is worthy of preservation,” Judy Tyrus, ChromaDiverse’s founder and CEO, told ICT. Soto told ICT he’s excited for the evening and hopes the community turns out.

After the Miccosukee Tribe joined a lawsuit challenging expansion of the Everglades immigration detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Aug. 7 halting new construction. U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams ordered a 14-day pause on tents, paving, filling and lighting after testimony during a preliminary injunction hearing; operations may continue.

Plaintiffs include the Miccosukee Tribe, Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity. They say the project proceeded without required environmental review or public input, violating the National Environmental Policy Act.

Williams said plaintiffs showed evidence of “ongoing and material harm,” after hearing testimony about threats to the endangered Florida panther and contaminated runoff. Counsel for Kevin Guthrie, the executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, argued the restraining order wasn’t warranted and that the site must operate to meet law-enforcement needs.

The preliminary injunction hearing resumes Tuesday in Miami.

The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians is partnering with the Berrien County Suicide Prevention Coalition to host the Southwest Michigan Opioid Summit on Sept. 25. The one-day event will bring together experts in public health, law enforcement, addiction recovery, harm reduction and tribal leadership to address opioid awareness, prevention and recovery.

Sessions will focus on data-driven prevention strategies, holistic recovery approaches and culturally informed interventions. The summit is also supported by the C.A.S.S. Community Coalition and Cass County Opioid Settlement Funds.

The Indigenous Journalists Association annual conference opened Aug. 13 at the Isleta Resort & Casino, hosted by the Pueblo of Isleta. The three-day event will bring together several hundred Native reporters, editors, producers and influencers to discuss pressing issues in the industry. Buffalo’s Fire is on site and will send dispatches throughout the conference.

A major difference since last year’s gathering is the recent rescission approved by Congress at President Trump’s request, which cut $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Critics say the loss will hurt small radio and TV stations in rural areas, particularly in Indian Country. Other topics on the agenda include environmental justice, coverage of missing and murdered Indigenous people, the Land Back movement and more. As of 7:18 a.m., 375 people were registered, according to IJA president Christine Trudeau. This year’s theme is “Sovereignty Equals Free Press.”

Columbus Day will return to the City of Philadelphia’s calendar after the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court invalidated a 2021 executive order by former Mayor Jim Kenney on Aug. 6, 2025. The order had replaced the holiday with Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Judge Patricia McCullough wrote in her opinion that the seven judges ruled unanimously that the executive order was a violation of the separation of powers, and that Mayor Kenney lacked authority to remove Columbus Day. The court determined that establishing or changing official city holidays is a legislative power reserved exclusively for the city council.

George Bochetto, an attorney who sued on behalf of Italian American organizations and Councilman Mark F. Squilla, said the holiday is "back to how it should be." Squilla said the decision should have involved the city council.

Mabel Negrete, executive director of Indigenous Peoples' Day Philly, expressed disappointment, calling it a silencing of voices. She said Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrations would still proceed on October 13. The City of Philadelphia Law Department is reviewing the opinion and declined comment.

The Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute is analyzing an anonymous survey of more than 50 current and former Native foster youth to inform child welfare agencies about their needs.

Katy Stewart, senior program manager at CNAY, said the survey is believed to be the first of its kind, and its initial findings have already been shared with at least one state agency. Native youth are overrepresented in the child welfare system but underrepresented in discussions about their needs.

Stewart noted themes from the "Understanding Native Youth Foster Care Experiences" survey include youth feeling lost about their rights and the need for workers to recognize historical harms. Respondents also emphasized including cultural teachings, respecting Indigenous identity, and learning more about the Indian Child Welfare Act.

Roxy Sprowl, a Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe and the center's child welfare consultant, said the effort aims to ethically involve youth in decision-making. The findings will be compiled into a report to inform the development of a training curriculum.

On July 24, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office arrested Chief Deputy Travis Carlson from the Benson County Sheriff’s Office. A dozen charges, including three felonies, were filed against him.

Carlson allegedly arrested citizens of the Spirit Lake Tribe without proper authority from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, according to a press release sent by the tribe’s public relations specialist.

According to court documents, charges include tampering with public records, unlawful arrests and disorderly conduct. The Grand Forks County Correctional Center told Buffalo’s Fire Carlson was released the day following his arrest after making a bail of $10,000.

The National Park Service awarded $1 million to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians to build five playground and picnic areas expected to be completed by the end of 2029, according to InForum. The funds will be allocated through the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department via the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is primarily financed by federal offshore oil and gas lease revenue.

Since 1965, the National Park Service has provided more than 45,000 LWCF grants supporting local park projects and expanding outdoor recreation access. The 2019 John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act reauthorized the fund and ensures states receive at least 40% of its funding, InForum reported.

U.S. District Judge William Conley ruled Aug. 5 that homeowners and the town of Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin, have an implied easement to use four roadways crossing Lac du Flambeau Band of Chippewa Indians land, according to ICT. Conley rejected the federal government’s claim that the town violated the Indian Right of Way Act, writing that the Bureau of Indian Affairs had granted the rights of way to a private developer with the understanding the roads would become public.

The decision follows years of failed easement negotiations and disputes that led the tribe to block the roads in 2023. The tribe said Aug. 7 it is disappointed in the ruling and concerned about its precedent for tribal governments. Tribal President John Johnson said, “We will continue to review the decision and consider all available options for the tribe. The band will continue to defend its land, uphold the promises made in its treaties and ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens and community members.”

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation will receive $2.5 million from Oregon for water and habitat restoration projects in the Walla Walla Basin, with Washington providing $2.4 million in matching funds, according to Underscore Native News. The projects are part of the 30-year Walla Walla Water 2050 Plan, which aims to improve water management and streamflows through collaboration between tribal, state, federal and local stakeholders in Oregon and Washington.

The plan addresses longstanding challenges in the basin, where legal water rights exceed available supply and low streamflows have harmed fish populations. Funded CTUIR projects include floodplain and streamflow restoration, fish passage improvements, stormwater infiltration, irrigation upgrades and water quality enhancements. The plan requires long-term funding commitments from both states to maintain progress on restoration and infrastructure goals.

The Department of the Interior’s Victim Assistance Program is offering a series of free virtual trainings to strengthen law enforcement and public safety providers’ responses to violent crime in Indigenous communities, according to the Arizona Mirror.

The program is partnering with the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Indian Country Training Initiative, U.S. Indian Police Academy, FBI, DEA and ATF to provide sessions on topics including trauma-informed interviews, crime gun intelligence, evidence handling, social media exploitation and firearms trafficking. Nearly 900 people joined the first webinar in May on responding to domestic violence and strangulation incidents. The series will continue throughout the year and is open to federal, state, county and local agencies connected to Indian Country.

Crow Fair 2025, held Aug. 13-19 in Crow Agency, Montana, is one of the largest and longest-running Native American gatherings in the U.S., according to Visit Southeast Montana. Often called the "Teepee Capital of the World," the event features thousands of white teepees forming the largest modern-day encampment of its kind. Visitors can experience daily powwows with hundreds of dancers, morning parades showcasing traditional dress and decorated horses, rodeos, Indian Relay races and cultural craft markets. The powwow grand entry at 6 p.m. draws hundreds of dancers in intricate regalia representing Apsáalooke heritage.

The celebration welcomes visitors to learn and participate in events. For details, the Crow Tribe Tourism Office directs visitors to the official Crow Fair website.

An archaeologist is monitoring the reconstruction of Memorial Highway in Mandan, North Dakota, according to KFYR-TV. The highway lies on land historically belonging to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, increasing the likelihood of discoveries during excavation.

The archaeologist will be on-site during all earthwork. Reilly Lembo, the North Dakota Department of Transportation state archaeologist, said, “You want to make sure that anything that could come up is treated properly and respectfully.“

The federal government filed a lawsuit against Savannah Land Holdings for allegedly destroying Native American artifacts and human remains at a development site in Richmond Hill, Georgia, according to WTOC. The company is accused of failing to follow conditions of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 permit, which required protection of cultural resources across 18 archaeological sites.

The complaint states that more than 80,000 artifacts were not properly curated and 3,000 were lost or disposed of. It also alleges Savannah Land Holdings failed to consult with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as required. The company reportedly continued excavation after discovering human remains. The federal government is seeking to halt development, secure the site and impose civil penalties.