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The Department of the Interior on Tuesday released its second and final report on its Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, which was launched in 2021 by Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) to investigate federal Indian boarding school policies and their intergenerational impacts on tribal communities.
The report includes an updated list of boarding schools and maps with 417 institutions.
It provides profiles of each school and confirms that at least 973 Native children died while attending school. It also identifies marked or unmarked burial sites.
The report includes eight recommendations for the federal government such as issuing a formal acknowledgment and apology from the government for its role in adopting and implementing Indian boarding school policies.
Smoke from the Oregon Fire obscures the sun, turning it red on July 24, 2024. (Courtesy Willamette National Forest)
With dozens of fires burning across Oregon and neighboring states, officials are issuing continued air quality advisories.
As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, this includes regional tribes.
There’s no clear forecast for how long the smokiness will last across the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
Dylan Darling of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality says there are currently seven counties in the state that are affected by poor air quality – and five more with “intermittent” smokiness.
“It’s been quite a busy season. Just a lot of fires going in areas where they might be around for awhile.”
Hot, dry conditions and inaccessible terrain will keep many smoldering for weeks, even months.
Rochelle Escatel, Emergency Manager for the Klamath Tribe, says they’re doing what they can with air conditioning and filtration.
“We do have a list of our most vulnerable tribal members. From our elders to our youngest adolescents, because some of our children with asthma are also high vulnerability.”
Escatel adds they’ve received almost 100 air conditioner units and 42 air filtration devices from the state government – and have cooling centers as well.
Wildfire season typically winds down in the fall, when rains and cooler temps become more prevalent.
This mural was painted at the facility to celebrate the donation (Photo: C.J. Keene / SDPB)
The buffalo is an important part of Lakota culture and a new project aims to use the animal as a positive path forward for young Indigenous people.
South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s C.J. Keene has more.
Sacred Storm Buffalo is more than just a meat processing plant – it’s a community, a home, and a career for those that chose to get involved.
Now the project is receiving a $1.6 million seed loan from NDN Collective, a Rapid City-based Indigenous advocacy network.
Tawny Wilson is director of lending with the group.
“NDN Collectives decolonized lending program prioritizes projects that balance meaningful impact with financial sustainability, and Sacred Storm hit the mark on every single one of these criteria. This project supports a greater network of community support, improving food security, workforce development, preservation, and supportive housing in the region.”
Chris White Eagle oversees the project and serves as executive director of Wanbli Ska.
He says it’s a meaningful alternative for young Lakota people facing challenging economic situations.
“The fact that these boys get some stability in their life financially, and the fact that they’re able to have a house they can actually call their own. A lot of these boys have been couch surfing, they come from broken homes, and they don’t have a place they can normally call their own. I think that’s the most rewarding work in the whole world.”
White Eagle says it’s hard, but life-changing work.
“Butchering buffalo isn’t the lightest work, but I just think of growth. When it comes to this plant, it’s more than just bringing back the buffalo and getting the meat back to our people, it’s saving young men’s lives so they aren’t getting into the court system. It’s saving lives so they aren’t doing anything to take their lives. So, it’s more.”
He adds for those interested in getting involved, it’s a simple as stopping by the facility and getting a foot in the door.
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