The Daily Spark

South Dakota officials are promoting the Black Hills as the site for President Donald Trump’s proposed National Garden of American Heroes, drawing opposition from Indigenous groups who consider the area sacred. According to the Associated Press, Gov. Larry Rhoden wrote to Trump supporting the garden. A mining company, Pete Lien & Sons, offered to donate 40 acres near Mount Rushmore.

The land sits in a region subject to disputes between South Dakota and its tribes. The 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie recognized the Black Hills as Sioux territory. The U.S. later seized the land for gold — a violation of the treaty, according to a 1980 Supreme Court ruling.

The Department of Interior said the statue garden is still in the planning phase. Indigenous advocates, including NDN Collective, object to the project, as well as the mining company’s separate graphite drilling project near Pe’ Sla.

President Donald Trump’s January executive order to expand school choice to Indian Country was met with widespread criticism from tribal leaders, parents and educators who feared it would harm tribal sovereignty and divert funds from tribally run schools. According to The Hechinger Report, the Bureau of Indian Education’s response plan outlines a more limited proposal than expected.

Instead of vouchers or private school subsidies, the bureau proposes up to $1.3 million for services such as tutoring, college courses and after-school programs. In a letter to tribal leaders, the BIE said the plan was structured to “ensure tribes retain a leading role in determining how educational choices are expanded.” The bureau plans further consultation in July before the plan’s implementation this fall.

The Three Affiliated Tribes will break ground June 25 on a new water facility to support the growing Fort Berthold Rural Water Systems, according to KXNET. The original facility, built in 1994, serves all six segments on the reservation.

The tribes plan on opening a new office that will provide additional storage for pipes and materials used for operations and maintenance. A site introduction and traditional ground blessing by MHA Nation will begin at 11 a.m. at 3922 95th Ave NW in New Town, North Dakota. MHA Nation Chairman Mark Fox is expected to attend the ceremony.

Lawmakers on South Dakota’s recidivism and rehabilitation committee held their first meeting June 23 at the University of South Dakota’s Sioux Falls campus to address the state’s incarceration rate and prison programming. The committee aims to analyze prison population makeup, evaluate rehabilitation efforts and compare sentencing laws with similar states, according to South Dakota Searchlight.

Native Americans make up nearly 40% of the state’s prison population but only about 9% of the general population, according to a Legislative Research Council presentation. Several lawmakers called the disparity “alarming” and emphasized the need for policy changes. Rep. Jeff Bathke told South Dakota Searchlight, “Right now, we’re just a warehouse. We warehouse people.” Sen. Tamara Grove and others called for greater investment in intervention and reintegration. The committee is expected to meet again in July in the Rapid City area.

The 79th Annual Shinnecock Indian Powwow will take place Aug. 29–Sept. 1 at the Shinnecock Powwow Grounds in Southampton, New York. The event features drum and dance contests, food, arts, crafts, and over $50,000 in prize money.

Grand entry is scheduled each evening at 7 p.m. from Friday to Sunday and at 12:30 p.m. Saturday through Monday. Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for children, elders and military.

Free parking is available. More information, vendor forms, directions, campground details and FAQs are available here.

Nearly 50 Indigenous people gathered June 7 in Phoenix, Arizona, for the first “Wiping of Tears” ceremony hosted by the Phoenix Indian Center, aimed at collective healing from ongoing trauma and loss, according to Cronkite News. The Lakota-origin ceremony, led by Delaney Apple (Oglala Lakota), included traditional practices such as sage smudging, chokecherry tea and Wasna offerings.

Elicia Goodsoldier, language and culture program coordinator for the center and a member of the Navajo Nation and Spirit Lake Dakota Sioux Tribe, said the ceremony addresses grief that affects participation in cultural programs. Attendees shared stories of loss related to violence, addiction and missing relatives. Goodsoldier emphasized the need to reclaim traditional teachings and grieving practices disrupted by colonialism and urban relocation, noting the center serves members of over 90 federally recognized tribes.

Two bills aimed at expanding tribal rights in Maine await action from Gov. Janet Mills, who has not indicated whether she will sign or veto the measures, according to Maine Morning Star. One bill would prohibit the state from seizing tribal land for public use, while the other would grant the Wabanaki Nations exclusive rights to operate internet gaming in the state.

The bills mark the latest effort to advance tribal sovereignty following the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, which excluded the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Mi’kmaq Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation from protections granted under federal Indian law. Despite legislative support, tribal leaders remain uncertain if Mills will approve the measures.

The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association highlighted Indigenous tourism at the U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2025 trade show in Chicago, Illinois, from June 14–18, according to Native News Online. As a major exhibitor, AIANTA showcased cultural tourism initiatives such as its Top 10 Indigenous Experiences of 2025 list, NativeAmerica.travel booking platform and travel guides featuring Route 66 and the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.

AIANTA Chief Executive Officer Sherry Rupert said participation in the event helps connect Indigenous tourism businesses with international buyers while promoting economic development and cultural preservation for Native nations. More than 5,700 attendees joined the conference, where AIANTA exhibitors from across the country gained visibility through pre-show training, marketing and cross-promotion efforts.

Christopher David, chief executive officer of Native Americans for Community Action, led a recent “Healing Through Traditions” tobacco cessation workshop in Flagstaff, Arizona, according to the Navajo-Hopi Observer. Participants learned about the cultural importance of hand-prepared tobacco, its distinction from commercial products and the role of tobacco in Native ceremonies.

The workshop included history on tobacco’s sacred use and the impact of the 1978 American Indian Religious Freedom Act. David emphasized that when used appropriately in ceremonies, traditional tobacco poses minimal health risks compared to commercial tobacco, which is linked to high rates of cancer and heart disease among Native populations. Attendees also made leather medicine bags as part of the session. Another free workshop is scheduled for June 24.

The Walatowa Head Start Early Childhood Learning Center on the Pueblo of Jemez is one of three Head Start sites in New Mexico that offer formal language immersion, according to The 74. Children begin each school day with a prayer in Hemish, the oral language of the tribe. Led by teacher Bertha Gachupin, the students share their Native name, clan and a prayer while offering sacred cornmeal and reinforcing cultural identity and language skills. Classrooms feature hand grinders for cornmeal, and the children participate in traditional activities such as songs, dances and story hour led by local elders.

Executive Director Lana Garcia said the language loss in the community has been alarming, but the program’s efforts are helping preserve Hemish among the tribe’s youngest members. Federal funding uncertainty remains a challenge, though Garcia remains focused on keeping the tribe’s culture and language alive through the center’s curriculum.

To support families navigating a growing health crisis, the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians will hold its third annual dementia awareness community cookout for members Saturday.

The event highlights challenges specific to Indian Country. According to the Alzheimer's Association, Native Americans have a higher likelihood of developing dementia than White or Asian Americans but often have less access to health services and are less likely to receive a formal diagnosis.

• One in six American Indian and Alaska Native adults aged 45 and older report experiencing memory loss or increased confusion.
• The number of Native Americans age 65 and older living with dementia is projected to increase four-fold between 2020 and 2060.
• While 92% of Native Americans believe it is important for dementia care providers to be culturally competent, only 49% report having access to such providers.

To help raise awareness of these issues, the community-led event will feature experts and resources, including special guest speaker Martin J. Schreiber, a former Wisconsin governor and author of the Alzheimer's caregiving memoir, "My Two Elaines." Susan McFadden, author of "Dementia-Friendly Communities," will also appear.

A drum group will open the gathering at 1 p.m. The cookout includes free food, prizes and entertainment by John Welch.

The event for Stockbridge-Munsee community members is scheduled from 1-4 p.m., Saturday at the Many Trails Campground, N9125 State Highway 55, in Bowler, Wisconsin.

An expanded version of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act included in a major congressional spending bill could increase payments and coverage for victims of uranium mining and nuclear testing on tribal lands in the Southwest, according to Native News Online.

The revised act, sponsored by Sen. Josh Hawley, raises compensation amounts, covers additional illnesses linked to radiation poisoning and extends the program through 2028. The changes offer hope to survivors in the Navajo Nation, where uranium mining from 1944 to 1986 exposed communities to radiation associated with cancer and other serious illnesses. Diné citizen Maggie Billman was quoted as saying, “We’re still losing family, relatives, neighbors all across the Navajo Nation from people being exposed.” Billman said improved health care access, not just compensation, is needed for impacted communities.

Three Indigenous prisoners filed a lawsuit against the Rhode Island Department of Corrections on June 13 in U.S. District Court in Providence, claiming officials denied their requests to hold religious ceremonies, consult with a Native elder and access traditional items, such as medicine bags and dreamcatchers, according to Rhode Island Current.

Filed by the ACLU of Rhode Island and the Roger Williams University School of Law Prisoners’ Rights Litigation Clinic on behalf of Tyler Smith, Kyle Moreino and Joseph Shepard, the lawsuit alleges violations of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. The suit follows an earlier case settled in April that allowed another Indigenous prisoner to wear a headband linked to his faith. The ACLU claims corrections officials have not adopted new policies since that settlement, according to reporting by Rhode Island Current.

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation commemorated the 170th anniversary of the 1855 Walla Walla Treaty during their annual Treaty Day celebration on June 13, according to Underscore Native News. Events included a parade, featuring floats and horses and tribal citizens in regalia, along with a Veteran’s Memorial Program, exhibits, lunch and a formal Treaty Day program.

Jeanine Gordon, special assistant to the president for Native American Outreach at Whitman College and CTUIR citizen, served as grand marshal. Gordon emphasized the treaty’s lasting impact, saying, “We are the treaty.” CTUIR General Council Vice Chairman Michael Johnson highlighted the importance of preserving treaty rights for future generations. The event was the first Treaty Day celebration since 2023.

A new generation of Cherokee potters is building on traditional practices while developing contemporary approaches through Didanisisgi Gadagwatli, or the Mud Daubers Community Workshop, in Cherokee, North Carolina, according to The Daily Yonder. Led by renowned Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians potter Tara McCoy, the three‑month intensive workshop teaches ceramic skills such as digging and processing clay, hand‑building and firing methods.

Levi West, first place winner in traditional pottery at the 112th Cherokee Indian Fair, credits the program with igniting his passion for ceramics. “I wanted to beat her, not because I want to be better than her, but to make her proud,” West was quoted as saying. The workshop is supported by the Museum of the Cherokee People. Dakota Brown, director of education, said the program’s growth reflects a community commitment to preserving and evolving Cherokee art forms.

Thousands of descendants of people enslaved by Oklahoma’s Five Civilized Tribes continue to seek full tribal citizenship, even as Juneteenth marks emancipation nationwide, according to The Associated Press. While the Cherokee Nation still fully recognizes Freedmen descendants as citizens, other tribes including the Muscogee and Choctaw nations, have restricted citizenship to those with “by-blood” ancestry, excluding many Freedmen.

The Muscogee Nation Supreme Court is expected to rule this year on a case challenging the tribe’s 1979 constitution that limits citizenship to “by-blood” members, a move that could open membership to thousands more Freedmen descendants. Advocates say the fight is about more than citizenship — it is also about setting the historical record straight.

Rez Rockerz, a grassroots music and arts camp founded by community organizer Maria Cree, is holding its inaugural session June 23-27, according to KXNET. The camp aims to offer a safe, affirming space for Indigenous youth from the Turtle Mountain community — especially girls, LGBTQIA+ and Two-Spirit youth — to explore music, storytelling and culture. Campers learn instruments like drums and guitar, create personal zines and attend workshops focused on emotional expression.

Cree, also a co-organizer with the arts group Red Willow Collective, said the camp is about fostering connection, healing and belonging.

The wildfires that have burned 9.6 million acres across Canada since mid-May have forced the evacuation of approximately 40,000 people, more than half of whom are from First Nations communities, according to reporting by Grist. Nearly 34 tribes in almost every province have been affected, with the largest concentration of fires in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

According to Grist, evacuees are having trouble finding accommodations. The Canadian Red Cross secured around 3,300 hotel rooms and standby shelters for an estimated 32,900 registered evacuees in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. “We are calling on all hotels and accommodations in Winnipeg and across the province to open their doors to displaced First Nations families,” Grand Chief Kyra Wilson of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Lander Conservation Office will remain open after a push by the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and Shoshone and Arapaho Fish and Game Director Art Lawson reached U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, according to WyoFile. The office was one of seven federal facilities in Wyoming slated for closure as part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s downsizing plan.

Burgum confirmed the decision during a June 11 Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, saying the Lander office will stay staffed and operational. The General Services Administration also notified the office and property owner that the federal lease would continue. This marks the second time in 43 years that the Lander office has avoided closure following tribal advocacy.