The Daily Spark

Norris Elementary School, a small rural school near the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations, has raised its attendance rate to more than 90% after years of chronic absenteeism, according to South Dakota Searchlight. Three years ago, barely half of the students attended class regularly, a challenge common among schools serving Native American students, based on data from the South Dakota Department of Education.

Principal Brian Brown told South Dakota Searchlight that the improvement came from one-on-one engagement with students and families and the addition of Lakota language and cultural programming. Students begin each day with breakfast and Lakota songs, and Brown teaches Lakota studies weekly. If students miss roll call, Brown makes home visits to check in with families.

South Dakota Secretary of Education Joseph Graves told South Dakota Searchlight that culturally relevant lessons paired with strong school leadership are key factors in the school’s success.

It’s been two years since Spirit Lake citizen Jemini Madeline Posey was reported missing. Family members say after leaving a doctor's appointment on Jan. 5, 2024, she visited her boyfriend, D’Angelo Hunt. She hasn’t been seen since.

In December, Hunt was charged with the second-degree murder of his brother Isaac Hunt and the voluntary manslaughter of “J.M.P.,” initials that match those of Posey. Posey’s body has not been found.

On the second anniversary of her disappearance, her friends and family are wearing yellow shirts and ribbons and encouraging others to do the same.

“She loved sunflowers and yellow as she was the sunshine to so many that she was loved by,” Natasha Littlewind, MMIP advocate and a friend of Posey’s sister, Jade Frier-Posey, said in a Facebook post. “To honor her and take a stand against domestic violence as well as our missing and murdered relatives Yellow shirts or ribbons can be worn as we pray to bring her home.”

The Klamath Indigenous Land Trust has purchased 10,000 acres in and around the former reservoir reach of the Klamath River, according to the Mt. Shasta News. The acquisition comes as salmon return to the river’s headwaters for the first time in more than a century. Tribal representatives said the purchase is one of the largest private land acquisitions by an Indigenous-led land trust in U.S. history.

“Dam removal allowed the salmon to return home. Returning these lands to Indigenous care ensures that home will be a place where they can flourish and recover,” Molli Myers, president of the Land Trust’s board of directors, told the Mt. Shasta News. PacifiCorp, the previous landowner, partnered with the Land Trust to complete the sale. The Land Trust said it plans to develop land management plans with input from Klamath Basin Tribes that will address habitat recovery, cultural resource protection, fire management and public access.

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has partnered with Rosetta Stone to include Chahta anumpa on the education software platform, according to Oklahoma Voice. Tribal officials announced the partnership Dec. 16, saying the effort is intended to preserve the Choctaw language and expand access for tribal citizens as the number of fluent speakers has sharply declined, a trend accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton said sharing the language ensures cultural continuity and strengthens identity for future generations. “Each word spoken is the core that strengthens our families and our culture, and secures our identity as the Chahta people,” Batton said in a statement, according to Oklahoma Voice. Chahta anumpa will be offered through Rosetta Stone’s Endangered Languages Program, which focuses on recording and teaching at-risk languages.

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has ended its involvement in a federal contract connected to the design of large-scale migrant detention centers, according to the Kansas Reflector. In a recorded address released Dec. 17, Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Council Chairman Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick said the Nation and its subsidiaries have fully separated from a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

He said Prairie Band LLC is no longer directly or indirectly affiliated with any ICE-related projects, contracts or operations. The contract had drawn scrutiny after some tribal leaders were found to be involved in KBP Services, a subsidiary tied to the agreement. They were fired in early December.

Oneida Nation officials apologized and moved to cancel contracts between a tribal subsidiary and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after backlash from tribal members, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In a Jan. 2 video posted on social media, Oneida Chairman Tehassi Hill said he and the tribal council were unaware of the contracts until Dec. 29. “I was very upset when I learned about this,” Hill was quoted as saying, adding the business venture does not align with the nation’s values.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Oneida-Stantec JV LLC was awarded a $2.6 million contract by ICE on Sept. 19 and a $3.7 million contract on Dec. 26 for engineering, technical and facility maintenance services. Jeff House, CEO of Oneida Engineering, Science and Construction Group, apologized for approving the agreements and called the decision a mistake. Hill said the Oneida Business Committee passed a resolution clarifying expectations that tribal businesses align with core values and removed the subsidiary’s board, appointing Debra Powless as interim manager.

Tickets are now on sale for the 6th Annual 31:8 Project Human Trafficking Summit, scheduled for May 19–20, at St. Mary’s Central High School in Bismarck. The event will feature keynote speakers, breakout sessions and panel discussions addressing sex and labor trafficking, sexual exploitation, survivor-centered care, investigative practices and prevention strategies.

Speakers include law enforcement officers, health care professionals, human service providers and survivors. Continuing education credits and hours will be available for professionals. Snacks will be provided.

The summit is open to the public, with an age requirement of 18 due to the sensitive subject matter. Organizers said the event is intended for medical professionals, educators, law enforcement, faith leaders, business staff, government officials and community members. The summit was previously known as the Bakken Human Trafficking Summit.

Indigenous Tech Circle will host North America’s largest Indigenous Tech Conference on Jan. 20 and 21 in Vancouver, British Columbia, according to an announcement by Indigenous Tech Circle. The conference will take place at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel and is expected to bring together more than 250 Indigenous founders, investors, technology professionals, corporate partners and government representatives from across North America.

Organizers said the two-day event will focus on scaling Indigenous-owned technology companies and strengthening investment pathways. Programming includes panels on data sovereignty and artificial intelligence, founder showcases and the announcement of finalists in the Indigenous Venture Challenge, which will award a $50,000 investment prize. Candice Loring, ITC board chair, said in the announcement that the conference is intended to build a strong and visible ecosystem grounded in Indigenous values. ITC CEO Ryan St. Germaine said the gathering will highlight Indigenous innovation as a growing force in the North American technology sector.

A Washoe nonprofit is working to regain land in the Tahoe Basin to establish a cultural and spiritual center, according to Boise State Public Radio. The Washoe Warrior Society, a grassroots organization formed in 2009, aims to create a land trust to increase Washoe access to areas along Lake Tahoe’s shoreline.

Lisa Grayshield, executive director of the Washoe Warrior Society, said the organization’s efforts focus on restoring relationships between Indigenous people and the land. Grayshield said that when Indigenous people engage in traditional activities, the health of the land improves, benefiting both the Washoe people and the broader Lake Tahoe community. The Tahoe Basin spans parts of Nevada and California and holds cultural and spiritual significance for the Washoe people, according to the report.

U.S. Reps. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona and Tom Suozzi of New York introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at strengthening the Shadow Wolves, an all-Native American tactical unit within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to AZ Free News. The Shadow Wolves Improvement Act would allow ICE to convert Shadow Wolves positions from the expected service to the competitive service hiring structure.

The Shadow Wolves operate primarily on the Tohono O’odham Nation and specialize in tracking drug smuggling and human trafficking across tribal lands along the U.S.-Mexico border. A 2024 Government Accountability Office report cited staffing shortages tied to retirements and recruiting challenges under the current hiring system. Supporters of the bill said the change would expand recruitment pools, improve retention and allow the program to grow to other border-adjacent tribal nations. A companion measure has advanced in the U.S. Senate, according to AZ Free News.

President Trump has signed the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act into law, legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, according to KXLG. The law places 40 acres at the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre into restricted fee status to be held jointly by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

Rounds said the legislation ensures the land will be preserved for future generations and allows the history of Wounded Knee to continue to be told. The bill was first introduced in June 2023 and later reintroduced in January 2025. It passed unanimously in the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and cleared the full Senate on Dec. 11, according to KXLG. Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Chairman Ryman LeBeau and Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out previously testified in support of the bill.

Gilbert, Arizona, is providing Native college students with hands-on experience in local government, according to Your Valley Independent. The Native American Management Internship program partners with tribal communities and Native students to offer exposure to municipal operations, including policy, public safety, community resources and administration.

Gilbert currently has two interns in the program: Erica Kleinman and Rose Starlin Jacket. Kleinman is a biology major at Northern Arizona University and a citizen of the Navajo Nation. Jacket is an English major at Arizona State University with tribal affiliations to the Navajo Nation, Hopi and Ute. Gilbert officials said the internship aims to strengthen relationships with tribal communities while preparing Native students for future leadership roles in government and public service.

Citizen Potawatomi Nation has established one of the first active foreign trade zones in Indian Country at its Iron Horse Industrial Park in Shawnee, Oklahoma, according to KOSU. The foreign trade zone operates on 700 acres of trust land and allows companies to import, export and store goods with deferred or eliminated duties through a secured Customs and Border Protection facility located inside a warehouse.

Vedrana Milakovic, director of economic planning and development for Citizen Potawatomi Nation, said companies use the zone for duty deferral and duty elimination. They can import large quantities of products from China or export goods to Mexico without duties when bonded carriers are used. Milakovic said the foreign trade zone provides stability for both tribal revenue and businesses navigating fluctuating tariffs. The Iron Horse Industrial Park recently received the Harvard Project on Indigenous Governance and Development’s Honoring Nations award, which recognizes excellence in tribal governance.

James Smith Cree Nation has reached a $713.8 million settlement with the federal government related to a collection of complex land claims, according to CBC News. The settlement involves the Chakastaypasin, James Smith and Peter Chapman bands in Saskatchewan. Each band has already received an advance payment of $50 million.

The settlement addresses the forced amalgamation of the three bands in 1902 and supports their efforts toward de-amalgamation. Chakastaypasin Band Chief Calvin Sanderson said in a news release that the agreement marks an important milestone toward restoring the band’s status as an independent First Nation recognized by Canada. James Smith Cree Nation Chief Kirby Constant said in a statement that the settlement is a step toward acknowledging broken agreements and the lasting impacts of forced amalgamation.

Senior officials from Indian Affairs met with representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Coalition of Large Tribes to discuss shared priorities across Indian Country, according to an Indian Affairs announcement. The Dec. 8 meeting included Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs William Kirkland and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Economic Development Ken Bellmard.

Kirkland emphasized the federal trust responsibility and commitments to transparency and sustained engagement with federally recognized tribes. The discussion focused on addressing the probate backlog through expanded estate planning, modernization of legacy systems using secure AI-enabled tools and stronger coordination to collect vital records earlier. Public safety priorities included combating violent crime, illegal drug activity and missing and murdered Indigenous people, with an emphasis on strengthening tribal law enforcement. Officials also discussed bison restoration efforts, including the transfer of more than 10,000 bison from federal herds to tribal lands, and plans to expand tribal food processing capacity.

Los Alamos Public Schools in New Mexico hosted its first Ribbon Skirt and Shirt Workshop last month at Los Alamos High School in celebration of Native American Heritage Month, according to the Los Alamos Daily Post. More than 45 students and family members attended the workshop, where participants created personalized ribbon skirts and shirts both during school hours and an evening session that was open to the community.

According to the Los Alamos Daily Post, the workshop was organized with support from LAPS Native American Student Support staff member Jovita Mowrer, who said the event focused on shared learning and strengthening community connection through Indigenous cultural practices. The report said community members shared cultural knowledge and assisted with the workshop, while local businesses donated materials and district employees volunteered as seamstresses. LAPS said it hopes to make the workshop an annual activity.

Sean Sherman released a new cookbook, “Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America,” and is preparing to expand his food sovereignty work, according to reporting by the Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. The cookbook documents Indigenous foodways across North America, organizing them into regional frameworks rooted in precolonial ingredients, practices and ecological knowledge.

Sherman is also planning to open a new Indigenous barbecue restaurant called Šhotá and expand operations of North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems. The projects will be based in a Minneapolis building known as Wóyute Thipi, which will house a commissary kitchen, event space and food production for institutions. The magazine reports that the work aims to strengthen Indigenous-controlled food systems and support Native producers while increasing access to traditional foods.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Dec. 19 announced a criminal investigation into Native American boarding schools and other institutions that operated across the state, according to a statement from the Michigan Department of Attorney General. The department said it will seek to identify, document, investigate and prosecute instances in which criminal acts may have occurred at the institutions.

According to the statement dated Dec. 19, the Department of Attorney General is asking survivors, witnesses and others with firsthand knowledge to come forward with information that may assist the investigation. Nessel said the investigation seeks to bring truth and accountability to a painful chapter in Michigan’s history and that the office is committed to ensuring survivors’ voices are heard. The department said tips may be submitted anonymously by email or by phone at 517-897-7391.

President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Montana to support response efforts related to severe storms and flooding that began Dec. 10 and are continuing, according to a Federal Emergency Management Agency press release. The declaration authorizes FEMA to coordinate federal disaster relief to address threats to life, property, public health and safety.

According to the release, the declaration applies to Lincoln and Sanders counties and the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide equipment and resources needed to alleviate emergency impacts. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be funded at 75% federal cost share under the public assistance program. Edwin J. Martin was named federal coordinating officer for response operations. Additional designations may be made if requested by the state following further damage assessments, according to the release.