A Letter from the Publisher

Vol. 2, Issue 33 March 18, 2015 1 IndIan Country today A Letter from the Publisher Shekóli. This coming weekend at the Denver March Pow We always look forward to producing our annual Pow Wow, Indian Country Today Media Network will distrib- Wows edition of This Week From Indian Country Today. ute our annual Pow Wow magazine, one of the most an- It is one of our most visually stunning, popular publica- ticipated special print editions of the year. Readers of the tions. In it, you’ll find news and notes on the latest trends digital form of This Week From Indian Country Today and upcoming events in Indian country. It also carries our will find this special issue attached to this week’s newslet- signature guide, the ICTMN Pow Wow Listing. Turn to ter. Consider it a 64-page bonus magazine. the back of the magazine for the most comprehensive compilation in print of titles, locations, dates and times It’s fitting that we kick off a new Pow Wow season in for hundreds of events. Spring. It’s a time of renewal, a time of promise and a time of many colors. Today’s Pow Wow gatherings offer the Many months from now, the season will end. What will best of contemporary Indian culture, in as many varieties remain are memories, and the spirit of community that as there are blossoms on the horizon. It is here that we such gatherings bring. That spirit lives in all of us. We welcome each other with pride, that we hear our many must use it to remember the good times, the good people, languages spoken, that we revel in our athleticism and and the right path. Remember that we caress the sacred physical gifts. It is an opportunity to display new beadwork crafted Mother Earth gently with our dancing, and caringly, because it em- during a long winter, and to meet with old friends and family. We are braces the faces beneath the ground and the dust of our ancestors for happy, and free from all concern and worry. a thousand years. Pow Wows have grown and evolved in ways that mirror the growth NΛ ki� wa, and rebirth of our traditions and way of life. They are not static; they are not presented behind a wall of plexiglass. When we dance, we dance to the heartbeat of Mother Earth, the drum. We sing and we dance for each other, for our elders and ancestors, for the Creator, and for our children. Ray Halbritter Table of Contents 2 coMMentary 10 classifieds 3 News 11 week in photos 6 Bad news for foxwoods 12 weB, events, letters and Mohegan sun 13 cartoon, alerts 7 dying of thirst 14 how did i Miss that 8 the power of seeds 15 pow wows 9 9 sally jewell and ‘the ages pressure of tiMe’ 16 big picture M ap i IndianCountrytodayMedianetwork.com March 18, 2015 2 CoMMeNTary Disenrollment Is a Federal is included in the tribal constitution.” tribes are now inflicting upon them- Action That position results from a decision selves. To be equally clear, as a matter Gabriel Galanda, managing lawyer made by a few Bureau of Indian Affairs of federal law, the United States has, or of Galanda Broadman, PLLC, resists personnel not even 10 years ago—an un- had, been integrally involved in tribal the Obama administration’s hands-off written decision that was made without disenrollment controversies for more approach to the current trend of tribal any agency rulemaking or tribal con- than a century. What’s more, it is still disenrollment: sultation whatsoever. These people at federal law and policy that the Interior BIA simply decided from behind closed Secretary must be involved in any tribal As the tribal disenrollment epidemic doors that the agency should no longer disenrollment action. But Interior and only worsens, our trustee—the United get involved in disenrollment contro- BIA officials simply ignore those federal States and its Department of the Inte- versies. Even worse, Indian Country has dictates. rior—continue to turn a deaf ear to des- accepted the BIA officials’ self-serving The Obama administration has failed perate pleas for help from Indians who position as our own position. to do anything to help fix today’s feder- are facing disenrollment or have already To be clear: Disenrollment is not an ally caused tribal disenrollment crisis. been terminated. exercise of tribal sovereignty or self-de- Not only is it the federal government’s Interior says it “does not get involved termination. Disenrollment is instead fiduciary obligation to all Indian peoples in individual tribal matters [of disenroll- an exercise of federal removal, assimi- to do so, but it is the morally correct ment] unless the agency’s participation lation and termination policies, which thing to do. http://bit.ly/1B2bemd 0 The Hair of My People piece of uncommon beauty. Its thickness body, and the way it caresses the wind, Kasie Apo Takayama (Native Hawai- reminds me of the strength and power shines through as a symbol of the com- ian) became one of five winners of this that runs through our bloodline. fort, embrace, and safety that I feel when year’s Young Native Writers Essay Contest Today, in times of economic hardship, I think of my family and the culture that with a literal and metaphorical tribute to disease, and war, our mind looks for a we come from. Hawaiian hair: place to escape from the dangers and Its bulkiness and persistent rhythm ugliness of the world around us. We seek of flow and kink is like the beating and Sometimes, a specific hair, rare like a beauty and a refuge that is uncommon pulsing of our warrior built hearts. Its the blood of my ancestors, is white. to our eyes. Today, many people of my thick roots serve as a reminder of the Thicker and stronger than even the dark culture find this refuge with their fami- honed roots that we have to our past, colored others, to me, it embodies the lies. They find it watching our relatives our present, and our future. wisdom and experience of the person to dance hula and throw nets at the beach. Today, as I walk amongst our kupuna whom it belongs. As we admire these traditional beau- (elders), the hair of my people is the I see this uncommon hair and it re- ties, one thing that always catches our icon that ties me to who I am. http://bit. minds me that my family and I are a eyes is that beautiful Hawaiian hair. Its ly/1KVj2Bx 0 Understanding The Racists racism against the Indian kind. two SAE members leading the chant who Following the expulsion of two Sigma Al- I remember when they were calling one issued public apologies and were expelled pha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity members at of my Native flag football teammates by for their exploits. I feel bad for them the University of Oklahoma for chanting the moniker “chief.” He was actually in because obviously their parents didn’t racist epithets, Harlan McKosato (Sac their fraternity. After every touchdown teach them any better. What’s especially and Fox) offers his take: I scored or threw as quarterback in our concerning is that, in my opinion, these 20-point win against those Greeks I would boys (and the other students) did not Some of my fondest memories of at- ask them, “How do you like that, chief?” think that what they were chanting was tending the University of Oklahoma By the second half they stopped using the racist—or that it would be exposed. They are whipping up on frat boys on the in- term “chief.” I assume our playing ability didn’t think that it was hurtful. tramural football fields and basketball (and my cocksure attitude) shut them up. I never felt threatened by racism at the courts. They couldn’t stand me. I was a We all make mistakes. We all wish we university. I never felt scared of racism. brash and arrogant Native American who could take back and do over certain ac- I knew that those frat boys were just as was a mile ahead of them athletically and tions and decisions in our lives. Lord uncertain about their futures as I was. wouldn’t sit idly by and take their subtle knows I have my share. I feel bad for the http://bit.ly/1GPpJSA 0 IndianCountryTodayMediaNetwork.com March 18, 2015 3 IndIan Country today Lawsuits Challenge tal assault on this iconic animal, and it Federal Killing of Wolves needs to stop.” and Other Wildlife In mid-February, five conservation groups filed suit in U.S. District Claiming Within three weeks, two lawsuits have Court in Idaho over what they called been filed against the Department of the indiscriminate killing of wolves, an Indian Agriculture’s Wildlife Services pro- coyotes and other fauna. The Idaho gram over the federally sanctioned lawsuit also includes the U.S. Fish and Exemption for killing of wolves and other wildlife. Wildlife Service as defendants because the 2014 Tax The Western Environmental Law the groups allege that the agency is in- Center filed suit in U.S. District Court adequately enforcing the Endangered Year is Easy in Seattle, Washington, on March 3 on Species Act by not challenging Wild- behalf of five conservation groups, al- life Services, according to the Associ- Use form 8965 when you leging that Wildlife Services has over- ated Press. file your income taxes. stepped its authority in killing wolves Both suits allege that Wildlife Ser- to protect livestock.

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