Obama administration makes new promise on Indian health

WASHINGTON – The nation’s top health official has told Indian country health leaders that the Obama administration believes American Indians deserve special consideration in any national reform to health insurance.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/home/content/59729182.html

Crow Chief receives Medal of Freedom

President Barack Obama had to poke his head around the feathers of Joe Medicine Crow's warrior headdress to hang the nation's highest civilian honor on the Crow Indian elder's chest.

The white eagle feathers on the headdress and the gold eagles that surround the white star in the medal are symbolic of the esteem that Medicine Crow has earned in service to his tribe and the nation.

The headdress represents Medicine Crow's status as a warrior chief of the Crow Tribe, earned by war deeds he performed in World War II. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, bestowed in a White House ceremony Wednesday, represents his role as a living legend in America.

Skull found in Oakland was from Native American burial ground

By Angela Hill, The Oakland Tribune, Calif.

OAKLAND, Calif. (MCT) – A human skull and bone fragments unearthed June 5 by a construction crew working on a sidewalk on Dennison Street near the Oakland Estuary have been determined to be from an American Indian burial site, police said.

“The coroner had a historian working with the Native American Heritage Commission examine the skull and fragments,” said Oakland police homicide Sgt. Rachael Van Sloten. “He was able to determine they came from a burial site through various observations, such as noting that the teeth showed wear consistent with individuals eating food ground by stone. In addition, this was found in a location well-documented as burial grounds.”

The site is adjacent to the Hide-A-Way Cafe in the 1900 block of Dennison, near the Embarcadero, and historians say maps from 1878 and 1910 show that area was indeed the site of numerous American Indian burial grounds, also known as shellmounds.

The skull found last month was about three feet below ground when the construction crew started digging to remove two sections of sidewalk on a contract job for AT&T to replace an underground cable, police said.

There was clearly “no evidence that would make it a recent burial. No items such as modern dental work, a pocket watch, rings, and so on,” said historian Andrew Galvan, who examined the bones. Galvan can trace his ancestry to Native Americans in the East Bay before 1769 and holds the designation as a “Most Likely Descendant.”

He said the burial site dates anywhere from 250 to 2,000 years ago. The age or gender of the person was not determined. According to Native American practices, the remains will be reburied near the site where they were found, he said.

A similar case occurred in January, when human remains – which were later determined to be those of an American Indian child about 4 years of age – were found underneath an Alameda street when public works crews dug up a section of the 3000 block of Washington Street.

Natives use Twitter to showcase sacred site

OXFORD, Ala. – A growing number of Native American Internet users are turning to the popular social media Web site, Twitter, to get the word out on issues of traditional and cultural importance.

Ramp It Up!

Skateboard exhibition 7/3/09 at the National Museum of the American Indian, part of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC Young Native American skaters and an exhibit on skateboarding in the Native American culture

When Yosemite Miwok elders were Paiutes

Even though Jay Johnson and his brother Burleigh have children who are currently enrolled members in Nevada Paiute tribes he does have Miwok ancestry. But the Miwok ancestry was not from Chief Tenaya. Johnson was not a direct descendent of Chief Tenaya on his Miwok side. Henry and Mary Ann Johnson, Jay Johnson's paternal grandparents stated on their 1928-1929 California Enrollment Applications that their chief was Chief Bautista, the same chief who was the ally of James Savage of the Mariposa Battalion and enemy of Chief Tenaya. It was Bautista who gave the term "Yosemite" to the Ahwahnee Indians, which in his language meant "The Killers" and said he was afraid to enter Yosemite Valley.
Jay Johnson's maternal great grandparent, Captain Sam, stated on his 1928-1929 California Indian Application that he and his wife Susie Sam were Mono Lake Paiutes and Johnson's maternal grandfather, Bridgeport Tom, said on his application he was a Mono Lake Paiute. None stated they were related to Chief Tenaya, who by the way was born at Mono Lake.

So apparently the Miwok elders of the group did not always identify themselves as Miwok, but as the original Yosemite Indian tribe, the Paiutes.

In this video on Youtube one of the elders of the Southern Sierra Miwuks is identified as a Paiute in a recent video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEmZtqCCELk

We Cannot Blame the White People any Longer

By Dr. William Henry 'Bill' Cosby, Jr., Ed.D.

They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English.

I can't even talk the way these people talk:

"Why you ain't,
Where you is,
What he drive,
Where he stay,
Where he work,
Who you be...".

And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk.

And then I heard the father talk.

Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth.

In fact you will never get any kind of job making a decent living.

People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an Education, and now we've got these knuckleheads walking around.

The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal.

These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids.

$500 sneakers for what?

And they won't spend $200 for "Hooked on Phonics."

I am talking about these people who cry when their son is standing there in an orange suit.

Where were you when he was 2?

Where were you when he was 12?

Where were you when he was 18, and how come you didn't know that he had a pistol?

And where is the father? Or who is his father?

People putting their clothes on backward. Isn't that a sign of something gone wrong?

People with their hats on backward, pants down around the crack, isn't that a sign of something?

Isn't it a sign of something when she has her dress all the way up and got all type of needles (piercings) going through her body?

What part of Africa did this come from?

We are not Africans. Those people are not Africans; they don't know a thing about Africa.

I say this all of the time — it would be like white people saying they are European-American — that is totally stupid.

I was born here, and so were my parents and grand parents and, very likely my great grandparents. I don't have any connection to Africa, no more than white Americans have to Germany, Scotland, England, Ireland, or the Netherlands.

The same applies to 99 percent of all the black Americans as regards to Africa — so stop, already!

With names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Mohammed and all of that crap...and all of them are in jail.

Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person's problem.

We have got to take the neighborhood back.

People used to be ashamed.

Today a woman has eight children with eight different 'husbands' — or men or whatever you call them now.

We have millionaire football players who cannot read.

We have million-dollar basketball players who can't write two paragraphs. We, as black folks, have to do a better job.

Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids, you are hurting us.

We have to start holding each other to a higher standard....

NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN& DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Award-winning Rock-Soul-Blues Artist the “Devil’s Son” Skylar Wolf brings a free benefit concert to Oakland California. This fund-raising event will support Native American women and children in defending against domestic violence.

green off-the-grid ‘economic sovereignty’

TEMECULA, Calif. – A new Native-owned green energy company is promising to move tribal nations toward economic sovereignty by helping them develop their own renewable energy resources and getting off the grid.

Northern California Native wins first Miss Indian World title for tribe

Brooke Grant, from Los Angeles and Hoopa, Calif. and member of the Hoopa, Yurok, Karuk and Chippewa tribes, was crowned Miss Indian World at the 26th Annual Gathering of Nations.

PALA BAND SELECTED FOR SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION EXHIBIT ON NATIVE AMERICAN SKATEBOARDING

PALA, Calif. – Only a year after opening a new skate park on their reservation, the Pala Band of Mission Indians will be included in a new Smithsonian Institution exhibit on skateboarding in the Native American culture at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC. Ramp it Up: Skateboard Culture in Native America will be open from June 12 – September 13, 2009.
Tribal members Chris Nieto and his son Titus holding skateboards designed by Chris’ company Remnant Skateboards.
“While we may have just built the skate park last year, skateboarding has been a large part of many members of the Pala Band’s lives for decades,” said Robert Smith, Chairman of the Pala Tribe. “Skateboarding allows people to combine balance, strength and dedication with design and graphic elements that are uniquely tribal. Growing up without a lot of wealth, skateboarding provides a positive outlet and I am proud the Smithsonian Institute has recognized this important, yet many times overlooked, facet of Native culture.”
“To spotlight the Pala Tribe in an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution is a wonderful opportunity” said Kilma Lattin, Pala Tribal Councilmember. “It will give others a chance to see just one of the many ways that we, as Indian people, continue to write the story of modern day Native American life.”
On display in the 1800 square-foot exhibit will be pictures of Pala’s skate park and skateboard decks specially designed with Pala’s tribal graphics. Tribal member Chris Nieto, owner of Remnant Skateboards, will also have the design for his unique Pala skateboard deck on display.
The Pala Skate Park was completed last April and was designed by award-winning designer Wally Hollyday, incorporating elements from Nieto and Lattin. It has become a popular hangout for youth from all over Southern California.
“Our children were among the strongest proponents of the skateboard park,” said Lattin. “We believe that a responsive and responsible government addresses its constituency, which absolutely includes our children. The skateboard park represents another piece in the puzzle of our comprehensive and thoughtful approach to community building.”
The Pala Band is also a co-sponsor of the exhibit’s formal opening reception on July 2 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall in Washington DC.
The Pala Band of Mission Indians consists of 1,117 members with 650 living on the reservation along the Palomar Mountain range, located along 5,000 square miles of California’s desert and approximately 30 miles northeast of San Diego on Interstate 15.

Feds restore recognition to Calif. Indian tribe

By STEVE LAWRENCE (NOT ELSU!)Associated Press Writer
Jun 8th, 2009 | SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A small band of Indians whose ancestors settled in Northern California thousands of years ago is an official tribe again, a half century after Washington took away the group's federal recognition.

U.S. District Court Judge Jeremy Fogel on Monday announced his approval of a settlement that restores federal recognition to the Wilton Rancheria, one of 41 California tribes that lost official status as a result of federal legislation passed in 1958.

"This has been a long, drawn-out journey, but another one begins," said Mary Tarango, co-chair of the Wilton Miwok Indian Community, one of two groups of Native Americans that filed lawsuits in 2007 seeking to restore federal recognition.

The settlement acknowledges that the federal government's actions were illegal in dropping the rancheria's tribal status. It clears the way for Tarango's group and one headed by Henry Sangmaster, the Me-Wuk Indian Community of Wilton Rancheria, to form a tribal government and write a constitution.

"This is a time of joy and satisfaction for our people," Sangmaster said in a statement. "It is an incredible feeling to know that our tribe is now officially unified and federally recognized."

The nearly 40-acre rancheria, about 24 miles southeast of Sacramento, was broken up in 1959 and its land split among 13 tribal families. Tarango said about a half dozen families still live there.

She said federal recognition would allow the rancheria's approximately 600 members to qualify for federal benefits available to other tribes, including college grants and health care.

"It makes a big difference for us," Tarango said. "We are back in the position where we are a sovereign nation."

She said the Miwoks were focused on setting up their tribal government and working with the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs to confirm tribal membership, not on building a casino.

"There are quite a few recognized tribes that aren't in a gaming situation, and they've been able to do very well," she said. "There's much more we need to focus on without even thinking about being out there with the big dogs, so to speak."

feel the love

Mantra and Yantra equals Tantra!

Gov’t says it owes nothing in Indian trust suit

WASHINGTON (AP) – The government told a federal appeals court Monday it owes nothing to 500,000 American Indians and their heirs who claim they were cheated out of billions of dollars in land royalties.

The long-running suit, first filed 13 years ago, is before the U.S. Court of Appeals after both sides appealed a lower court’s decision last year that the Indian plaintiffs are entitled to $455 million – far less than the $47 billion or higher they say they are owed.

The suit claims the Indians were swindled out of royalties overseen by the Interior Department since 1887 for things like oil, gas, grazing and timber.

Indian plaintiffs, led by Elouise Cobell, a member of the Blackfeet Tribe from Montana, have argued that the government has improperly accounted for the money and should pay it back with some form of interest.

The government appeal contends the court does not have the jurisdiction to award the money at all, pointing to a district court decision last year that the task of accounting for the trust money was ultimately impossible. They have also pointed to the lower court’s ruling that Congress has not given the Interior Department enough money to do a full accounting.

In 1994, Congress demanded that the Interior Department fulfill an obligation to account for money received and distributed. Two years later, when account statements still had not been reconciled, Cobell joined with others in suing.

Because many of the records have been lost, it has since been up to the court to decide how to best estimate how much individual Indians should be paid, or how the money should be accounted for. Many of them are nearing the end of their lives.

At issue in the trial’s most recent phase was how much of the royalty money was withheld from the Indian plaintiffs over the years, and whether it was held in the U.S. Treasury at a benefit to the government. U.S. District Judge James Robertson said last year that plaintiffs did not successfully argue that it was.

Robertson originally intended to begin a new phase of the trial that would determine how and to whom the government should award the money. But he said at an August status hearing that he would allow appeals now so the process would not be delayed further.

The class-action suit deals with individual Indians’ lands and covers about 500,000 Indians and their heirs. Several tribes have sued separately, claiming mismanagement of their lands.

• Just added myself to the http://wefollow.com twitter directory under: ##spirituality ##activist ##celebrity about 3 hours ago

Native Americans disproportionately affected by predatory lending

“As Native people, we have to build our financial literacy. Dependence is not a good thing.”

A long journey

I am going to join my people

*** Composed with vlingo for BlackBerry. http://www.vlingo.com/voice

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

This thing called life... it is a one lap race. If you remain in the pack it feels safe but you will always follow another persons path, and never feel the breeze in your face.

Break away from the pack and you will see a whole set of paths, and the breeze will always be strong in your face.

What do you do
When it's falling apart
And you knew it was gone
From the very start
Do you close your eyes
And dream about me
I need a soul to bleed on
It coulda been done
In a different kinda way
But that ain't you
You play tough when you play
It's over now
I bet you still think about me
I remember
I held you so tight
And we danced the night away
With the moves
Of two wide eyed kids

For I too am a night ranger--elsu the falcon

master lee = master dancer

1958 (Age 18): Hong Kong - Bruce wins the Crown Colony Cha-Cha Championship. .

"Just like the Hawk who delivered earth to man, we are returning the Mutsun language and culture back to our people"

Mutsun: tcahi peTTes emhe sitka yuu wak-isukma stuk oios-k pirese yuu-k hummis waakse amakma, piinaway, pirie his YSeSte.

English: Hawk flew deep down into the water and with his claws he grabbed the earth and gave it to the people, therefore, the world was created.

A journey well worth it

Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay

That sounds fair--right?

The Muwekma, who have never left their ancestral homelands, have been waiting for a response from the United States Government since 1906. In 1972, as a result of the 1928 California Indian Jurisdictional Act, the U.S. Government made a token payment of $668.51 (this sum calculated with interest back to 1852) as just compensation for the illegal acquisition (theft) of California land, minerals and resources. This payment was issued to help California Indians build their futures upon.

tomorrow morning

I have many students for tomorrows early 3d photo class. I will pray for the future of our people.

nite coming to an end

Wow or should I say pow-wow--we danced til many a headress was drenched with sweat. Grabbed a slice o pie and said good-bye.

Tonight's party

i'm putting on my dancing shoes

Not what I thought

Let me first apologize. I have enjoyed learning to master these new social media but one thing has troubled me. I have been reading some of my followers blogs on Twitter. And today I learned what this OMFG that they speak of means. I will not be using that again. And I would like to apologize on behalf of the others who have used this in the past.

I first thought that it meant "Outside My Frog Groans" and thought it was an uncanny description for the frogs I hear nightly at this time of year over the reservoir. That was not the case.

Electric Powwow 2009

Electric Powwow 2009 A 7th Annual Benefit Concert Friday, May 29, 2009, 7 pm Friendship House Great Hall, 56 Julian Avenue, San Francisco


This year’s schedule of performances includes blues guitarist and singer Phoenix; a dramatic performance from Eddie Madril; the band “The Complicated Ones” featuring Friendship House Youth Group member Edgar Santiago; guitarist and singer Richie Beltran; the band “Red Bird Giving”; flutist Juliet Small; and guitarist and singer Jeremy Goodfeather

Join in Friendship!

Native American Health Center, Inc., in partnership with Friendship House Association of American Indians, Inc., is proud to announce Electric Powwow 2009, A 7th Annual Benefit Concert. Electric Powwow is a showcase of Native American musical, singing, poetic and dramatic performances to raise funds for the Native American Health Center Scholarship Fund and the Friendship House Client Fund.

My Peeps

Tribal people around the world exemplify a strong sense of purpose, responsibility and community that has sustained them through prosperity and disaster. When food is plentiful, the whole tribe is strong. When food is scarce, the whole tribe is hungry. Without my people I am nothing

native tongues

Chochenyo was once spoken by thousands throughout much of the East and South Bay until the region fell under the influence of the Spanish-speaking Franciscan missionaries with the founding of Mission San Jose in 1797.

our people are speaking again

Chochenyo, the language of the Muwekma Ohlone people, has been silent since the 1930s, but a handful of tribal members working with mentors from the University of California, Berkeley's linguistics department are bringing it back to life.

Today, Chochenyo is being heard once again in conversation and song, and can be seen in written communications and a guidebook being prepared to help teach others.

Tribal chair Rosemary Cambra and Monica Arellano, co-chair of the Muwekma Ohlone Language Committee, will share the Muwekma Ohlone success story at the "Breath of Life: Silent No More" conference at UC Berkeley as it opens this Saturday, June 5. The five-day program is for California Indians determined to revitalize their dormant and endangered languages.

What makes me happy?

I am often happiest in my own skin. Often.