Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe enlists ex-Rep. Delahunt as lobbyist (March 10, 2011)

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts has hired former Rep. William Delahunt (D-Massachusetts) as its lobbyist. The tribe has a long relationship with Delahunt, who left Congress in January after 14 years. He helped the tribe during its quest for...

Opinion: Chumash Tribe lobbies Rep. Gallegly for land-into-trust (March 10, 2011)

"The latest in the politics of casino tribes is what we are finding out about Chumash Casino chairman Vincent Armenta’s discussions with Congressman Elton Gallegly to put the 1,400 acres, in the heart of Santa Ynez, into federal trust/reservation status....

Steve Fool Bear: Revealing the truth about 'Fighting Sioux' name (March 10, 2011)

"About three years ago, I wrote a letter that helped spark a different perspective on the logo issue, a perspective that resonated across the state and much of the nation (“Sioux: Embrace culture,” Page D2, March 23, 2008). The letter...

Man in Oklahoma charged with murder in federal and state court (March 10, 2011)

An Oklahoma man faces charges in federal and state court in connection with a fatal shooting on an Indian allotment. Steven Thompson Keeling, 48, is accused of murdering Edward W. "Butch" Brown, 59. Keeling is non-Indian but Brown was a...

Cobell team to hold meetings in Oklahoma to discuss settlement (March 10, 2011)

Attorneys for the Indian trust fund lawsuit will be in Oklahoma next week to discuss the $3.4 billion settlement to the case. Keith Harper, Rob Harmala and Alex Pearl will be at the Wichita Tribe Housing Authority Iscani Community, 1...

Tom LaPahe, former Navajo Nation lawmaker, passes away at 59 (March 10, 2011)

Tom LaPahe, a former delegate to the Navajo Nation Council, died on Thursday. He was 59. LaPahe served the e Tachee, Blue Gap and Whippoorwill communities for 24 years. He only spoke Navajo on the council floor. "I am shocked...

White Earth Band takes aim at high diabetes rate on reservation (March 10, 2011)

With 30 percent of the reservation suffering from diabetes, the White Earth Band of Ojibwe Indians in Minnesota is helping members and employees combat the disease. All tribal employees get a free membership to six fitness centers on the reservation....

Lummi Nation doesn't want BIA involved in talks over ferry lease (March 10, 2011)

The Lummi Nation says officials in Whatcom County, Washington, shouldn't have asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs to get involved in a dispute over the Lummi Island ferry. The tribe has been negotiating a new lease with the county for...

Indian lawmaker pushes for defeat of bill to save 'Fighting Sioux' (March 10, 2011)

North Dakota Sen. Richard Marcellais (D), a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, is leading the fight against a bill to revive the "Fighting Sioux" nickname and logo at the University of North Dakota. Marcellais sits on...

Virginia museum returns Tlingit headdress in first NAGPRA action (March 10, 2011)

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts repatriated a headdress to the Lúkaax.ádi clan of the Tlingit and Haida Tribes of Alaska. The headdress dates to the the late 19th century and early 20th century. It was the first piece of...

Philanthropy: Hoopa Valley Tribe station fears ax in federal funds (March 10, 2011)

"As the NPR video controversy grabs headlines in Washington, public radio stations in local markets across the country are particularly worried that they will be the ones most hurt by the fallout. Some Republican lawmakers have seized on the controversy...

10th Circuit hears argument in Wyoming Indian voting rights suit (March 10, 2011)

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals is hearing oral arguments today in Large v. Fremont County, an Indian voting rights case from Wyoming. Members of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and the Northern Arapaho Tribe said Fremont County's at-large system diluting...

Discovery of remains leads to speculation about Squanto's burial (March 10, 2011)

The Massachusetts Historical Commission is investigating the discovery of an unmarked grave, leading some to speculate that the remains may be those of Squanto, the Patuxet man who helped the Pilgrims survive the New England winter. Squanto died in Chatham,...

Lumbee Tribe moving toward shutdown in dispute with chairman (March 10, 2011)

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is moving towards a government shutdown as part of a dispute with Chairman Purnell Swett. Council members say Swett has refused to share details about employment and consulting contracts. So they are moving to...

Native Sun News: 8th Circuit to consider Oglala Sioux man's case (March 10, 2011)

The following story was written and reported by Evelyn Red Lodge. All content © Native Sun News. MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA — In what could become a precedent setting decision, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals will answer an appeal brought by...

Funds at United Tribes Technical College caught in budget debate (March 10, 2011)

The United Tribes Technical College in North Dakota remains in limbo as Republicans and Democrats continue to debate the federal government's budget. The House passed a budget bill that leaves out UTTC. The Senate considered an alternative that included nearly...