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Anchor: Antonia Gonzales
Young people on the Colville reservation are working on a project to revegetate forested areas devastated by fire. Three major fires have burned on the Colville reservation in the last seven years. Steve Jackson reports.
The tribal students are partnering with the Washington State Extension Service in a unique way to spread seeds from native plants.
“Pinch and turn, pinch and turn, until you have a bowl. You’re going to take a pinch of potting soil, just a pinch, you don’t need much. This is going to give a bit of nourishment to the seeds while they grow.”
That’s from an instructional video showing how to make seed bombs. Not really bombs in the traditional sense. They are actually a mix of clay, soil, and native plants, says Linda McLean from WSU Colville Reservation Extension.
“The seeds lie in wait for the water to sprout them, and then they’ll grow, and then they’ll get reestablished and develop a diverse plant life area in the burn area. So, we want more plants to control erosion and help build the soil profile back up.”
McLean says the native plants will also attract pollinating insects into the burned areas. More than 500 students have been involved in the project, making the seed bombs, and more recently going out into areas devastated by fires to distribute them. Field trips are planned for next spring for the students to see first-hand the results of their efforts.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is holding a business meeting on Wednesday to consider President Joe Biden’s nominee to serve as director of the Indian Health Service.
Roselyn Tso, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, was nominated in March. She’s currently the director of the Navajo area IHS and has nearly four decades of service at the health service.
During her confirmation hearing before the committee in May, she vowed to work to improve the physical, mental, social and spiritual health and wellbeing of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Tso told senators that working with tribes and other partners is key in providing care, which was seen during the height of the pandemic.
“Throughout my career at the Indian Health Service, I have worked to improve the agency to better meet the needs of the people we serve. This was most evident throughout the pandemic where I saw and was part of a true partnership with the Navajo Nation, the San Juan Paiute Tribes, the local, state, federal and private partners to combat COVID-19.”
The top leader of the Navajo Nation gave his approval during the hearing. President Jonathan Nez praised Tso’s decades-long work in public health and helping the Navajo Nation respond to the pandemic.
“It is because of her extensive experience working with federal and tribal governments that we are confident that she will continue to promote federal trust responsibilities and enhance our nation-to-nation relationship to improve the Indian Health Service delivery throughout Indian Country.”
If confirmed, Tso says she’ll strengthen and streamline IHS business operations; develop systems to improve accountability, transparency and patient safety; and address workforce needs and challenges.
IHS delivers health care to more than two million American Indians and Alaska Natives.
The agency has been without a director since January 2021 when Rear Adm. Michael Weahkee was asked to resign as the incoming presidential administration took office.
Osage News reports one of the last Osage Nation full bloods has died.
Elda June “Kimmie” Morrell McNiel passed away on Monday at 88 years old.
She was an accomplished piano player and lived all over the U.S. with her military spouse until settling in Oklahoma.
She’ll be buried next to her husband in Fort Gibson, OK.
There are reportedly now six remaining Osage full bloods.
One of the last remaining Osage full bloods, Elda June “Kimmie” Morrell McNiel, has died. Her family confirmed she passed away on July 11, 2022. She was 88 years old.
The Osage News had the honor to interview her for our Elders Series in 2018. Story link: https://t.co/sdc03NXtnw pic.twitter.com/5fXYNXq299
— Osage News (@OsageNews) July 12, 2022
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