New technology solves mystery
>> Coming up, meet Sacramento's first Chief Traditional Health Officer. Oral history meets new technology with boarding school legacies. And, still Christmas shopping? ICT can help. I am Aliyah Chavez.
Join us for those interviews and much more from the ICT Newscast. >> This program is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people. >> Arizona State University welcomes 3,500 Indigenous students from Arizona and across the nation. It serves one of the largest populations of Indigenous students among U.S. colleges
and universities. We created a sense of place for tribal nations to create futures of their own making, through community outreach and research, taught by world-class Indigenous faculty, where they see a reflection of themselves and their experiences. Find community at ASU. [ music ] >> Standing Rock! >> This is the "ICT Newscast" with Aliyah Chavez. >> Ah-meh-rawa hopa. Thank you for joining us.
Scientists in Alaska are using like "extreme", "unprecedented", and "consequential" to describe climate change in the Arctic. This year's newly-released report card from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows drastic impacts from a warming planet. Temperatures in the northernmost town of Utqiagvik reached 40 degrees for the month of December. That's 37 degrees above the average. Communities are dealing with melting permafrost and ice.
This forces Indigenous communities to relocate, while warming waters force fish to migrate. And fire seasons are lasting longer than they have in the past. Scientists say the data from Alaska could be a warning for other places around the world. In Montana, native species like swift foxes and black-footed ferrets disappeared from the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation generations ago.
ICT's senior producer Vincent Moniz reports on some nations working to bring them back. >> As the extinction of animals and plants accelerate around the globe, tribal nations in Montana are trying to reestablish endangered species. Swift foxes and black-footed ferrets were nearly wiped out by poisoning campaigns and farm plows, turning fertile Indigenous territory into crop land. The work of Fort Belknap's A'aninin-Nakoda college parallels growing calls to re-wild places by reviving degraded natural systems.
Interns like CJ Werk are helping to reintroduce small predators in A'aninin and Nakoda lands that sprawl across more than 1,000 square miles. >> It's a good thing, you know? You can bring in more coyotes and the badgers and all that. It's-- it equalizes everything. So, I think we forget how you take one thing out and it causes a lot more damage than what it is.
So, yeah. >> With guidance from Indigenous elders, tribal college students are vaccinating endangered ferrets to protect them against a deadly plague. Disease periodically wipes out those populations. Half the foxes released so far may have died or fled. And, with limited funding, the nation is struggling to restore their land to a wilder state. But elders are speaking positively about the commitment to welcome back Indigenous creatures that they acknowledge as relatives.
>> It's our homelands. We're trying to restore balance in our circle of life by re-introducing the buffalo, reintroducing the swift fox, reintroducing the black-footed ferrets. Those are all our relatives. And we help each other in life.
>> And though the nation's approach differs from Western conservationists, the A'aninin and Nakoda are respecting the animals like their ancestors once did. In Bismarck, North Dakota, Vincent Moniz, ICT News. >> Many Indigenous nations believe the introduction of the horse transformed their lives forever. Some youth who are Shoshone-Bannock are finding strength in a new horse healing program sponsored by their school. Here's Roselynn Yazzie. >> According to a report by the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services, at least one in three Native youth live in poverty. One in four do not complete high school. And one in seven have attempted suicide. But the challenges Indigenous youth face force programs, like the one at Shoshone-Bannock junior and senior high school, offer alternative ways of healing. Matt Wilson is a Kiowa and Choctaw citizen.
He is the principal of the school and say one purpose of this new program is to spark student interest in their history and culture. >> Just looking at the interest of students and trying to implement what I can for, um, what they're e-enjoying and what they're into. And then, um, like I said, we've got multiple, more, uh, multiple horses coming in.
Uh, so as we get paperwork and things like that done, um, and we're cleaning out our barn, so we'll have places to-to house everything and just give these horses a good home. >> The students' eyes were filled with excitement when they first saw the 19 year horse named Aaron. Sho-Ban citizen Tim Wadsworth Sr.,
who donated the horse, says that he thought the animal would be good for the kids to learn on. Aaron was patient and calm as the kids took turns petting him. And he even ran around the tall grass in his new home. Krissy Broncho, Sho-Ban's full mental health counselor and equine assistant psychotherapist says the program offers so many positives.
>> But if we have horses in here, we definitely can start the program and just bring a group of kids and actually do therapy with the horses. It moves you through issues so much quicker. Um, and then, you know, because we're -- horses can sense everything that you feel.
And so they're feeling if there's anxiety, if there's depression, if there's -- whatever's going on with that person. And so we do a lot of processing. And so it's a wonderful thing to be able to do EAP. And so I'm just really excited that we are getting horses now, so we can implement that program. >> Principal Wilson says students will take care of the horses, and a specific class is being created to give kids school credit for all their hard work.
In Fort Hall, Idaho, Roselyn Yazzie, ICT News. >> And those are the headlines for the ICT Newscast. [ music ] >> Our Indigenous ancestors knew the balance of mind, body and spirit to promote healthy living. Nathan Blacksmith is reclaiming this knowledge.
He's the first Chief Traditional Health Officer at the Native American Health Center in Sacramento. Let's learn more from this interview earlier this week. >> First of all, uh, the Sacramento Native American Health Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Federally q-qualified Health Center, currently located in Midtown Sacramento with a second location opening in South Sacramento in early 2023. SNAHC's vision is a vibrant community built upon a strong foundation of cultures, traditions, uh, where healthy lifestyles include a balance of mind, body and spirit.
The prayer and legacy of our ancestors, so it's really, you know, um, continuing that work. And it's really important because, you know, the-- our region is very, um, unique in its-in its build. Uh, the Sacramento area was a gathering place for many local tribes who lived throughout the central valley and Foothills for generations.
These tribes included the Nisenan people, the Southern Maidu people, Northern Valley Plains Miwok people, to the west of the Sacramento, the Patwin and Wintun people, and our neighboring Wilton Rancheria. In addition to these local tribes here in Sacramento, we have, um, Indian people from across-across the country that were relocated here, uh, as Urban Indians. Um, all these people living within our service area demonstrated not only the need for a position like the Chief Traditional Health Officer, but also, the need for culturally appropriate treatment options for our community. Um, our alternative services incorporate cultural human components that, um, can be used to enhance our clinical services and connect knowledge to the spirit of wellness and healing, empowering our relatives to take a hands-on approach to their healing and well-being.
And really, you know, that's-that's-that's the role of the Chief Traditional Health Officer is to facilitate something like that, the development of a program. Um, you know, I was always taught by my ance-- my relatives that, you know, our ancestors left us a road map for-- uh, towards health and-and wellness and it's embedded in our families' culture and ceremonies, so carrying this work forward is super meaningful, and an, um, and an honor. >> Nathan, can you give us an example of what that looks like for you to use these traditional healing ways with clinical practice as you just said? >> Sure, so one of the-- one of the programs that we have right now is, um, run by our certified medical herbalist, Sage LaPena. Um, she leads the healing ways program, which brings patients and our families into the healing process and recognizing-- recognizing the unique relationship between community and our environment. Um, this-this, uh, includes offering traditional medicines in the clinical setting as part of the patient care plan with SNACH, also Sage off-offers patients herbalism classes, herbal plant walks, community meals and elder-youth workshops, effectively c-connecting our Urban Indian population to their culture and tradition-- traditional medicines right here in Sacramento. >> Can you give us some, um, examples of what the reaction has been of patients who, um, maybe want this kind of care or didn't know that this kind of care could exist? >> Sure, uh, you know, we get a lot of attention for this program and the work that Sage does here, um, with our herbalism program in particular.
A lot of the families are really relieved when they have the additional options for care. You know, we-we also provide the Western care, but, uh, in addition to, um, we'll always consult with-with our, uh, certified medical herbalist on, you know, what are the potential alternative treatment options that are available and how do we connect folks? And the response, like I said, has been awesome. You know, um, we've-we've, uh, had many families, individuals and families join and really partake as, you know, as-as a family together.
So the healing doesn't happen on an individual level, rather a collective level. >> Can you provide some context for other health centers, other tribal nations who might be doing this kind of work, or maybe set the landscape in terms of how unique this is? >> Sure, so a couple of things make my role here with SNACH, um, unique, and the fact that I grew up here. I grew up, you know, just outside of Sacramento. And I've worked in the community for some time, so I'm somewhat familiar with both the urban population needs and kind of, you know, events and activities as well as, you know, understanding and trying to learn as much as I can from our local relatives.
So you know, those combinations in addition to, you know, my own, you know, qualifications made this a very unique opportunity for myself and the health center. So I was really, um, excited that we were able to connect and make this happen. >> Nathan, as you move forward in this role, what are some ways that you hope that you could expand services or expand the program? >> Sure, so I mentioned in my introduction our new location.
It'll offer 35,000 square feet of clinic space with a dedicated youth and family programming area. That dedicated space includes a cooking kitchen where we plan to introduce food as medicine programming and offer traditional and contemporary nourishment classes. In addition, the new location has an approximately 1.5-acre lot that will house
an elders gathering area, like a patio, um, medicine and food gathering area or gardening area, a sweat lodge and ceremonial fire space, a soccer field, two basketball courts, where we hope to reintroduce American Indian sports leagues and encourage more physical activity amongst our relatives. >> That was Nathan Blacksmith from the Sacramento Native American Health Center. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is looking to the American Bison to promote food sovereignty.
ICT's Pauly Denetclaw has more. >> A lot of cattle ranchers already have all the ingredients. Right? They've got the expertise already. >> Going back as far as the 1800s, the United States government attacked Indigenous food supplies. From the scorched earth campaign on the Navajo Nation where livestock was killed and cornfields burned to the ground, to the slaughter of the buffalo that once reigned over the plains and southwest. This disruption continued through the Commodity Foods Program in the 1970s.
>> Some of it was done as a control mechanism to try and require Indigenous folks to comply, um, with Federal government policies that they might not otherwise do so. If you don't have access to food, it's awful hard to fight back. And so, we've really been thoughtful about this history, this heavy history that the United States as a whole, um, really carries with us. And to try and rethink about how we interact with Indigenous foods and Indigenous people and rethink our food programs now from that perspective of restoration.
>> The USDA's new initiatives are hoping to reconcile this history. The government agency is working with the Intertribal Buffalo Council to help restore populations of buffalo to the land in order to preserve Indigenous food ways. Before colonization, many Indigenous nations relied on buffalo as a key source of food. >> One of the things that I announced today was how we're gonna transition from, uh, traditional cattle production to bison production. Um, that's-that's hugely important.
Un, we want to give the resources to those, the cattle producers who are interested in transition to bison production, the resources and support that they need. >> The 50 page manual that was just released is the first step in this initiative. The document is meant to help rangers think through the transition from cattle to buffalo. That includes everything from fencing and marketing, to the birth cycle of buffalo. Should rangers decide to make the transition, officials from the USDA are hoping to provide technical support when it comes to applying for grants.
In Washington D.C., Pauly Denetclaw, ICT News. >> "The Bear River Massacre: A Shoshone History".
It was written by Darren Perry, the former chairman of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation. Patty Talahongva has this interview. >> You paint such a wonderful picture of your grandmother. Tell us about her. >> Oh, you know, one of the biggest blessings of my life was my parents both worked, which means I got dropped off at my grandmother's house everyday, but you know, back in those days, she was just my grandmother. I didn't realize what a-- what a person she was, an activist, and the life she led up to that point, boarding schools and other things.
And, uh, only as I became older did I really realize the scope of her work in telling the story of the northwestern band, the Shoshone people, um, especially the Bear River massacre. She worked her entire life to-to tell that story to people. I remember her one day telling me that, uh, Darren, no one has ever wanted to hear our story before. One day, you will have to make them listen. And so, you know, that always resonated with me.
As a young child, I didn't understand it fully. But, man, you know, as I've gotten older, and especially after she passed, uh, it really started echoing in my brain again of what she said. >> When she was in high school, you write that she actually started writing down her tribe's history. And so you had that to draw on.
Uh, give us an outline of your book and-and kind of what it covers. >> You know what, she-she went to boarding schools, the Sherman Institute in California. She decided there, though, that she was going to get educated and use that system to educate herself. Came home, continued that education and ended up getting a Bachelor's Degree in English. But she began writing down all of those stories. So my book, although the cover says "The Bear River Massacre: A Shoshone History", it really encompasses the whole history of our tribe.
from, you know, probably early 1800s when Chief Sagwitch was born, what that culture would have looked like, uh, who he was as a tribal leader, as a chief. And one chapter's about my grandmother of course. I'm actually working on her biography right now. You could write a whole book about Mae Timbimboo Parry, so.
But you know, I just wanted to, taking all of her notes and looking at what she thought was important, I just used that as a guideline. So culture or who we were as a people, how the Bear River Massacre really changed us and what it meant for us for the future, including joining the LDS church ten years after the massacre. And then why joining the church really changed the trajectory of our people in the sense that made it different from other tribes. While the government was moving other tribes' reservations in those 1870s, 1880s, because we'd just joined the church, Brigham Young told us not to go to a reservation at Fort Hall. And because of that, we ended up living on a church-sponsored farm. The church called for missionary families that taught us to farm and ranch and raise cattle and sheep and plant crops.
And so from that time on, from 1880 on, uh, they assimilated us into the local community and culture. >> That was author Darren Perry. His grandmother and many other Native children were removed from home to attend boarding schools. Some children never returned. In central Nebraska, research at the former Genoa Indian Industrial School is hoping to solve this mystery.
ICT's Vincent Moniz reports. >> Lost over time after the school closed in 1931, memories faded of the Genoa Indian Industrial School in Nebraska along with the graves of the Indigenous children forced to attend. But the mystery of where those 80 Native kids are may soon be solved. This is thanks to efforts by researchers who pored over centuries old documents and the use of ground-penetrating radar. Ponca citizen and executive director of the state's Indian Affairs Commission Judi gaiashkibos weighed in. >> And these children were, in my opinion, disrespected and they were throwaway children that nobody, um, talked about.
They were hidden, buried under the ground. >> The search comes as the federal government continues its first ever comprehensive examination of the National Native Boarding School system. These more than 400 schools and privately funded institutions were part of an attempt to forcibly assimilate Indigenous people into white culture. By separating children forcibly, or by coercion from their families, the US government and Christian organizations cut the children off from their heritage. If the Genoa graves are found, one archaeologist working for the state says the next step will be to involve Native nations. >> Ultimately, if these results are positive-- you know, there were 40 plus tribal nations, had students attending Genoa from all over the country.
If we come up with some results that suggest, uh, you know, this is the cemetery location, then the hope would be to invite all those 40 plus tribes to a conversation about next steps and what we would like to do. >> One thing is for certain, if and when the graves of these 80 Indigenous children are found, they will be picked up and brought home in the loving arms of their relatives. In Bismark, North Dakota, Vincent Moniz, ICT News. >> The holidays are just around the corner. And if you're still gift shopping, we have you covered.
You can find a story called A Virtual Holiday Market on our website, ICTNews.org. ICT Managing Editor, Dalton Walker, has more. >> Thoughtful gifts tend to mean a little more to loved ones. And what better way than to find something Native-made -- created that isn't as well known as some gifts, but just as nice or even better. On the other hand, um, buyers are supporting a small business that is doing amazing work.
Um, also I wanna remind people, just be sure to check out the list soon and order, because you have to factor in -- you wanna get stuff delivered before the holidays. >> Dalton relates which vendors caught his eye. >> One that stands out, at least to me, is Reclaim Designs by some Navajo and Oneida creatives. A few years back, I received this awesome sweater they created that features their take on an iconic image many of us know of a Native man facing a military soldier taken at the Oka Crisis 30 or so years ago that affected our Mohawk relatives north of the Medicine Line. Reclaim Designs' image features a storm trooper from Star Wars in place of the soldier. It's a popular sweater, because when I'm around other Native people or at events, man, I-I often get people coming up to me asking where I got it.
And, unfortunately, I always forget. But now Reclaim Designs is ingrained in my head, so hopefully I can give them a little more shoutouts. >> During the pandemic, many Native creatives used the internet to set up shop. >> Yeah, it's super convenient, especially for people who are either busy or got things going on throughout the day with work and all these other priorities.
They can sneak off to the computer and get onto our list and click through and filter out what they need. And a couple clicks here or there, and he's got something coming in the mail later that week. Um, I love it myself, but at the same time, it's, uh, could be a negative, 'cause it's so easy to get stuff. But I like when people get their items and they can see the joy that they have on their face. >> I ran into Dalton's family at a local Phoenix market last weekend. >> Oh, yeah, that's another thing I wanted to remind people.
Um, this is a handy guide, but I want to recommend that we have so many Native creatives all over. And some might be closer to you than you think. So, keep an eye out for those local, Native markets. >> ICT's Dalton Walker advises to act soon to get deliveries by Christmas. Well, new dollars rolling off the press are making history. Take a look.
>> A few days after Joe Biden became the president, Secretary Janet Yellen was confirmed to lead the Treasury Department. Despite that being nearly a year ago, dollar bills have still been printed with the signature of the former Treasury secretary on them. That's because the Treasury secretary isn't allowed to have their autograph on US currency until a treasurer is appointed. In September 2022, Lynn Malerba stepped up to the plate. This Mohegan lifetime chief was selected for the job and became the first Native American to hold the position.
At this facility in Fort Worth, Texas, the two women stood next to one another, looking at the first sheets of bills printed. It marked the first time the signatures of two women are on US currency. If you look on the bottom left corner, you see the signature "Lynn Roberge Malerba, Treasurer of the United States." In the right-hand corner, you see "Janet L. Yellen,
Secretary of the Treasury." >> But, really, this is not about me or Treasurer Malerba. To me, these notes represent the hard, ongoing work of the Treasury Department to strengthen the economy, advance our economic standing around the world, and also a reminder of the contributions of women who have worked in the treasury and in the economics profession.
>> The duo took a tour of the facility that prints money, and even used a magnifying glass to take a closer look. The first bills and dominations of one dollar and five dollars will officially enter circulation in early 2023. >> And that's a slice of our Indigenous world. For all the latest visit ICTNews.org. From all of us in the newsroom, stay safe, my relatives.
[ music ] >> Standing Rock! >> "The Sand Creek Massacre: The Betrayal That Changed Cheyenne and Arapaho People Forever" focuses on tribal accounts of Colorado's deadliest day. Exhibition details at historycoloradocenter.org. >> This program is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
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