By: John R. Crane
The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe hopes to use a $1 million federal grant for water improvements on the reservation.
The grant is part of a proposed federal package of more than $120 million for water-related projects across Colorado. The Water Resources Development Act of 2007, which includes the grant monies, passed the U.S. Senate Monday.
"To the West and rural America, water is our most important resource," Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., said in a statement. "I am pleased that Congress has recognized the importance of authorizing these water projects for Colorado."
Tom Rice, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe's environment director, said the tribe has numerous water and wastewater issues, including water lines - in need of repair - running from Cortez's water-treatment plant to the reservation.
"We have a variety of infrastructure water and wastewater needs that we need to address," Rice said. "We have a long list of water and wastewater needs we'll look at."
The complete article is here: http://www.nativebiz.com/community/News,op=visit,nid=16607.html
Friday, September 28, 2007
Honoring the Ioway tribe
By: Mary Challender
One hundred and seventy years after they were forced from their ancestral homelands, the Ioway Indians are being welcomed back to Iowa.
The reunion starts Saturday and Sunday with Ioway Heritage Weekend at the Living History Farms.
It continues through October with a world film premiere, a statewide Native Ioway History Week and Ioway Archaeology Month - all honoring the Indian tribe from which this state gets its name.
As many as 150 Ioway from all over the nation are expected to converge on Iowa for the festivities.
That would be the largest tribal contingent in the state since 1837, the year the federal government pushed out the Ioway to make way for advancing white settlers, according to John Palmquist, a retired Montgomery County farmer who has developed close connections with tribe members living in Kansas.
Check out the full article here: http://www.nativebiz.com/community/News,op=visit,nid=16611.html
One hundred and seventy years after they were forced from their ancestral homelands, the Ioway Indians are being welcomed back to Iowa.
The reunion starts Saturday and Sunday with Ioway Heritage Weekend at the Living History Farms.
It continues through October with a world film premiere, a statewide Native Ioway History Week and Ioway Archaeology Month - all honoring the Indian tribe from which this state gets its name.
As many as 150 Ioway from all over the nation are expected to converge on Iowa for the festivities.
That would be the largest tribal contingent in the state since 1837, the year the federal government pushed out the Ioway to make way for advancing white settlers, according to John Palmquist, a retired Montgomery County farmer who has developed close connections with tribe members living in Kansas.
Check out the full article here: http://www.nativebiz.com/community/News,op=visit,nid=16611.html
Alberta Metis to defy provincial hunting restrictions this fall
Canadian Press
EDMONTON - Alberta Metis will defy provincial hunting laws this fall by holding traditional community hunts outside of government-designated harvesting areas, their leader says.
Audrey Poitras, president of the Metis Nation of Alberta, said that if her people are charged they will fight in court to draw attention to the province's "regressive Metis harvesting policy."
"This is about tradition. This is not about somebody deciding where we have the right to hunt," Poitras said Thursday.
"If this has to end up in court, then we are prepared to do that."
Earlier this year the government replaced an agreement that allowed Metis to hunt and fish without a licence throughout the province with new rules that restrict such harvesting to areas near eight Metis settlements and 17 communities in northern Alberta.
Want to know more? Click here: http://www.nativebiz.com/community/News,op=visit,nid=16615.html
EDMONTON - Alberta Metis will defy provincial hunting laws this fall by holding traditional community hunts outside of government-designated harvesting areas, their leader says.
Audrey Poitras, president of the Metis Nation of Alberta, said that if her people are charged they will fight in court to draw attention to the province's "regressive Metis harvesting policy."
"This is about tradition. This is not about somebody deciding where we have the right to hunt," Poitras said Thursday.
"If this has to end up in court, then we are prepared to do that."
Earlier this year the government replaced an agreement that allowed Metis to hunt and fish without a licence throughout the province with new rules that restrict such harvesting to areas near eight Metis settlements and 17 communities in northern Alberta.
Want to know more? Click here: http://www.nativebiz.com/community/News,op=visit,nid=16615.html
A new image of Native Americans is still emerging
By: Lynne Harlan
During most of the 20th century, Native People in America saw our image in popular culture as the conquered nation, as cartoons and as silent actors in our own history. Now in the 21st century, we have an opportunity to define our image and make our own statements about our lives. Undoubtedly this opportunity comes because of financial stability. The opportunity sounds, at first, like a chance for a new beginning, but a closer examination reveals that our picture of ourselves is quite varied.
For once, we have to determine which side of our family to portray. Do we show the destitute Native community of the last century, which has been used for countless charities designed to benefit our people? Do we show the proud warrior on the plains, which never really fit our culture or personality? Or do we show the way our community really is with all our frailties, strengths and quirks?
Our definition of ourselves is important, because it is how our youth expect us to behave and it is how our elders see themselves. It must also account for the mixed images we have of our community, like mascots, old and new western movies and contemporary cultural icons seen in pop phenomena like “The Simpsons.” Our new image must show us as contemporary people who understand contemporary issues.
We must examine our values and work to create a self-image which is positive, but leaves room for change and differing perspectives.
For years, our tourism industry has seen the dismay when our culture is not as the visitor perceived. Often we have been told that our genuine culture is not really “Indian.” Many visitors do not recognize our true culture because it is not one of feathers and beads or flashy dancing. The foods we eat are viewed with disdain because they are of a Euro-American fare, as though we should be shielded from cultural interaction, and even those who try our traditional foods are disappointed because they don’t like the bland flavor of a pre-contact menu.
Our image is inherently tied to the tourists who sustain our economy, but also must portray the community those visitors will find when they visit. We can no longer afford to have a generation which doesn’t see our people as contemporaries in modern America, and now is the time for the redefinition to begin.
During most of the 20th century, Native People in America saw our image in popular culture as the conquered nation, as cartoons and as silent actors in our own history. Now in the 21st century, we have an opportunity to define our image and make our own statements about our lives. Undoubtedly this opportunity comes because of financial stability. The opportunity sounds, at first, like a chance for a new beginning, but a closer examination reveals that our picture of ourselves is quite varied.
For once, we have to determine which side of our family to portray. Do we show the destitute Native community of the last century, which has been used for countless charities designed to benefit our people? Do we show the proud warrior on the plains, which never really fit our culture or personality? Or do we show the way our community really is with all our frailties, strengths and quirks?
Our definition of ourselves is important, because it is how our youth expect us to behave and it is how our elders see themselves. It must also account for the mixed images we have of our community, like mascots, old and new western movies and contemporary cultural icons seen in pop phenomena like “The Simpsons.” Our new image must show us as contemporary people who understand contemporary issues.
We must examine our values and work to create a self-image which is positive, but leaves room for change and differing perspectives.
For years, our tourism industry has seen the dismay when our culture is not as the visitor perceived. Often we have been told that our genuine culture is not really “Indian.” Many visitors do not recognize our true culture because it is not one of feathers and beads or flashy dancing. The foods we eat are viewed with disdain because they are of a Euro-American fare, as though we should be shielded from cultural interaction, and even those who try our traditional foods are disappointed because they don’t like the bland flavor of a pre-contact menu.
Our image is inherently tied to the tourists who sustain our economy, but also must portray the community those visitors will find when they visit. We can no longer afford to have a generation which doesn’t see our people as contemporaries in modern America, and now is the time for the redefinition to begin.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
