The Nisqually Indian Tribe has distributed approximately $2.5 million in grant funds to local groups to keep people safe, help children succeed, improve community health, honor veterans, preserve culture, protect the environment and support dozens of other critical community services and programs benefiting Indians and non-Indians alike.
“Philanthropy is deep in the roots of our culture and we are committed to helping needy families and individuals,” said Cynthia Iyall, chair of the Nisqually Indian Tribe, in a press release. “Through generous giving and strong community partnerships, the Nisqually Tribe is laying the foundation for generations to come and improving the quality of life for all of our neighbors.”
More than 140 local organizations will receive funds from the Nisqually Tribe. Charitable grant recipients include the Child Care Action Council in Olympia, Washington; Turning Pointe Domestic Violence Services in Shelton; the South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group in Olympia; the YMCA of Pierce County; the Nisqually Land Trust; Safe Kids Thurston County; Operation Homefront; Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Southwest Washington; the Mary Bridge Foundation; and the Tenino Food Bank Plus. Grants to government programs will pay for much-needed equipment and services including Eatonville Fire and EMS Department (to cover the costs of their fire engine), City of Lacey Parks and Recreation, and Thurston 9-1-1 Communications.
Every year the Nisqually Tribe awards money to local charitable and government programs through a competitive grant application process. Eligible charitable groups include 501(c)3, tax-exempt organizations that provide public safety, literacy, religious, educational, charitable or other community activities. Requests from scholarship funds and community groups are also considered. The local government fund supports police, fire, emergency services and other public safety needs.
Margaret Cho is at it again! The Grammy-nominated comedienne has created a new production called ‘Mother’ and will unveil it during a brief 10-date tour, including a February 15 performance at Tulalip Resort Casino.
The freshly assembled show is said to be the comedy/TV star’s edgiest work ever, as it will give audiences an untraditional look at motherhood and an insight into maternal figures and strong women in Queer culture. It will also include laugh-out-loud examinations of race, sexuality, celebrities, politics, social culture, and everything in between. If you’ve seen Cho live before, you know that nothing is off limits.
Cho received a Grammy nomination recently for her recording Cho Dependent: Live in Concert, in the category of Best Comedy Album. She’s also a cast member of the TV sitcom Drop Dead Diva and will appear in an upcoming film titled Wedding Palace. A longtime supporter of the LGBT community and an open Bisexual, she’s performed at numerous Gay Pride celebrations around the world, aside from joining Cyndi Lauper’s ‘True Colors’ tour several years back.
Tickets for Cho’s show at Tulalip go on sale December 14 at www.tulalipresort.com (packages including accommodations and buffet brunch are also available). There is no direct shuttle service from downtown Seattle to the resort, but you can take the Bellair Charter (www.airporter.com) from Sea-Tac Airport to the casino and stay overnight, then return the next morning. Individual tickets are priced at $40.
Look for Cho to appear on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on January 10 and The Ricki Lake Show in mid-January.
Claims must be filed by March 1, 2013 in $3.4 billion Indian trust settlement
What is this about?
The Cobell v. Salazar Settlement is approved. The Settlement resolves a class action lawsuit that claims that the federal government violated its duties by mismanaging trust accounts and individual Indian trust lands. Payments to the Historical Accounting Class are underway. The process of considering claims for the Trust Administration Class is ongoing.
Am I included?
The Trust Administration Class includes:
Anyone alive on September 30, 2009 who:
had an IM account recorded in currently available electronic data in federal government systems anytime from approximately 1985 to September 30, 2009 or
Can demonstrate ownership in trust land or land in restricted status as of September 30, 2009.
The estate (or hiers) of an deceased landowner or IM account holder whose account was open or whose trust assets had been in probation according to the federal government’s records as of September 30, 2009.
Do I need to file a claim form?
You must file a claim form if you believe you are a member of the Trust Administration Class and you have not:
Received IM account statements at your current address anytime between January 1, 1985 and September 30, 2009 and continue to receive statements; or
Received a payment as a member of the Historical Accounting Class. If you did, you will receive a second payment automatically as a member of the Trust Administration Class; or
Filed a claim form already using your current address. If you have, the Claims Administration will contact you.
You must fill out a claim form and mail it to Indian Trust Settlement, P.O. Box 9577, Dublin OH 43017-4877, postmarked by March 1, 2013 in order to receive a payment.
How much money can I get?
Members of the Trust Administration Class will likely receive at least $800 or more. The actual amount will depend on the number of claims and the costs of administration.
For a claim form or to update you contact information:
Call toll-free: 1-800-961-6109 or Visit: www.IndianTrust.com
Marina Lacasse / Canadian Press Killer whales surface through a small hole in the ice near Inukjuak, Northern Quebec, on Tuesday.
Associated Press
MONTREAL — A community in Quebec’s Far North is calling for outside help to free about a dozen killer whales trapped under a vast stretch of sea ice.
Locals in Inukjuak said the mammals have gathered around a single hole in the ice — slightly bigger than a pickup truck — in a desperate bid to get oxygen.
Mayor Peter Inukpuk urged the Canadian government Wednesday to send an icebreaker as soon as possible to crack open the ice and help them find open water. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans said it is sending officials to assess the situation.
“Fisheries and Oceans Canada is assessing the situation and are exploring every possible option, but will only be in a position to determine what – if anything – can be done once our specialists arrive on site,” spokesman Frank Stanek said in a statement.
A hunter first spotted the pod of about a dozen trapped whales Tuesday at the hole, which is on the eastern shore of the Hudson Bay. Inukjuak is about 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) north of Montreal.
Dozens of villagers made the one-hour snowmobile ride Tuesday to see the unusual spectacle. They snapped photos and shot video footage of the killer whales surfacing in the opening — and even thrusting themselves skyward while gasping for air.
One woman who made the journey to the gap in the ice said even a curious polar bear approached the hole amid the commotion. Siasie Kasudluak said the bear was shot by a local hunter for its meat.
The trapped orcas appeared to be in distress, but locals were ill-equipped to help out.
Kasudluak said the hole appeared to be shrinking in the freezing temperatures. Inukpuk believes the sudden drop in temperature recently caught the orcas off guard, leaving them boxed in under the ice.
Sections of the 18 year old Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which was built from grassroots and Human rights efforts, were left to expire during the 112th Congress that adjourned without reauthorizing the entire VAWA. The failure of Congress to pass the updates VAWA is due to different political oppositions on sections of the Act they deem to be without need. While the Republican-sponsored House version favors the reduction of services to illegal immigrants and LGBT individuals they have also refused many revised drafts concerning tribal courts ability to prosecute non-natives after committing acts of violence on Native Americans.
In a letter to Majority leader Eric Cantor from the National Congress of Indian Americans (NCIA) stated,
“Tribal leaders viewed the draft as a construct that would bolster the ability of abusers to game the criminal justice system, the very problem we are now trying to solve. The system outlined in the proposed draft would make a dangerous system even worse.” The proposed draft requires case referral to the U.S. Attorney in order to be tried as a felony while the U.S. Attorney, which currently declines 67 percent of sexual abuse and related cases may decide to prosecute, an event that takes months, or to send the case back to Tribal courts as a misdemeanor – where the defendant can immediately remove the case back to the U.S. Attorney for a dismissal.
The VAWA would protect women and men from self governed tribal reservations who are attacked on the reservation from non-tribal member offenders. The Act would also protect immigrants and homosexuals from domestic violence. Within the Act services and programs provided are:
Federal rape shield law limits a defendant’s ability to cross-examine rape complainants about their past sexual behavior. The term also refers to a law that prohibits the publication of the identity of an alleged rape victim.
Community violence prevention programs
Protections for female victims who are evicted from their homes because of events related to domestic violence or stalking
Funding for female victim assistance services, like rape crisis centers and hotlines
Programs to meet the needs of immigrant women and women of different races or ethnicities
Programs and services for female victims with disabilities
Legal aid for female survivors of violence
The 2005 version of VAWA is still in operation but the loopholes still leave many victims without a source of refuge or protection they can rely on. As the 113th Congress has been sworn in at the beginning of this year actions are being taken to draft a revised VAWA to be signed into place.
The Washington State Transportation Commission met December 7, 2012 to review Traffic and financial reports and toll rate schedules for both the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and State Route 520. With the Toll fees bringing in a good amount of money they turn to the shrinking income from the gas tax. They discussed how to work a possible plan and budget which would introduce a Road Usage Charge (RUC) and in place of a gas tax. The RUC was proposed by the Road Usage Charge Steering Committee which is recommending a full investigation from 2013 to 2015 on how a the RUC work. The Commission’s study is assessing the feasibility of a future transition from the gas tax to a system that would charge drivers by the miles of road traveled, rather than by fuel consumption.
The Northwest Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Special Weather Statement for colder temperatures and a chance of lowland snow from tonight through the weekend
The Puget Sound Convergence Zone (PSCZ) is forming and we may see 0 to 3 inches of lowland snow (mainly above 400 foot level) accumulation late tonight through tomorrow. NWS indicates this could impact from North Seattle along the I-5 corridor to Bellingham.
Areas at higher elevations and the further north/east in the region may see larger amounts of snowfall. Also please note that accurate forecasting for snow relating to the PSCZ is very difficult; be prepared for some areas to receive amounts greater than 3 inches.
Drier conditions will move in behind these systems, but cold temps may keep any snow accumulations around as daytime highs will only make the mid-30s through Monday.
There also is a possibility of another round of snow on Saturday, but it really depends on which track this system takes.
Please be prepared for widely varied winter driving conditions throughout the County and allow extra time in your travels.
On August 25, 2011, NativeOne became the first Native American owned trading institution of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Don Lyons and Dennis Smith are the co-founders of NativeOne. Lyons is a member of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians located in Cabazon California while Smith has over 30 years experience in financial capital markets and investment advisory services and 12 years of working as a financial advisor for tribes.
NativeOne offers a unique opportunity, as their company states, “Your company simply requests their funds managers to direct a portion of their trading activity to the NativeOne Institutional Trading Desk or directly to our traders on the NY Stock Exchange. NativeOne will donate a portion of its net profits in the name of your company every quarter to these causes. This could give your company continued positive publicity in Indian Country at no additional cost to your company.”
NativeOne services include Equity and Fixed Incomes sales and trading along with offering internships. As part of their Mission statement NativeOne is aimed to level the financial playing field for all native tribes and Canadian First Nations while delivering the very best financial services to its institutional customers.
“One of the goals of the NativeOne companies is to collaborate with Tribes towards achieving greater participation in the financial services industry while promoting the economic advancement of Native American Tribes, Canadian First Nations Tribes, their members and communities” states Lyons.
While tribes don’t always have the knowledge to manage the money they will use money managers. The money managers, in buying and selling stocks, cannot make the trades themselves and will need to go through a broker-dealer. NativeOne, as a broker-dealer is able to buy and sell stocks, bonds, options or government securities for tribal money managers, if the tribal chief financial officer directs them to do so.
Early this month Oregon Health & Science University invited NativeOne to participate in their recent $126,365,000 bond underwriting.
“NativeOne’s inclusion in this underwriting is a groundbreaking achievement”, said Tiani Osborn, Managing Member of NativeOne and former Chairwoman of the Investment Committee for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. “We are paving the way for Native Americans as they assume an active and meaningful role as capital markets participants”.
Courtesy Mohawk Council of Kahnawa:ke. Eleven women elected Mohawk chiefs visited Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence in her hunger strike tipi in Ottawa on December 18 and delivered a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper supporting Idle No More and demanding that he meet with Spence and address the issue of an unprecedented series of laws that many feel are oppressive and insulting to First Nations.
A delegation of women chiefs from three Mohawk Nation communities visited Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence during the second week of her hungry strike last month to offer her their support and respect and in doing so forged a new alliance among themselves.
Kahnawà:ke Chiefs Rhonda Kirby, Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, Christine Zachary-Deom and Gina Deer, Kanesatake Chiefs Sonya Gagnier, Shannon Nicholas, Sheila Bonspiel, Akwesasne Chiefs Karen Loran, Louise Thompson, April Adams-Phillips and one other unnamed woman chief from Akwesasne traveled on December 18 to meet with Chief Spence in her tipi on Victoria Island in Ottawa where she had promised to fast on water and medicine tea until Prime Minister Stephen Harper meets with her and other First Nation leaders to talk about the federal government living up to its promises and responsibilities toward Indigenous Peoples. That meeting is now scheduled for January 11.
Spence’s hunger strike and the Idle No More movement were sparked by the passage in the Canadian legislature of the Bill C-45 with inadequate consultation with the nations. The bill amends the Fisheries Act, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Navigable Waters Protection Act and the Canadian Labour Code in ways that erode Indian sovereignty and control over their lands and resources. First Nations reacted immediately and strongly to the passage with protests and demonstrations across the country that have now spread in Idle No More solidarity rallies in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, New Zealand and even Japan.
Sky-Deer said the visit to Spence created an unprecedented bond of solidarity among the women Mohawk chiefs. “I think one of the most positive aspects of it was that it brought together the women leadership from our three Kanienkahaka (Mohawk people, the People of the Flint) communities, which otherwise may not have happened like that. It was a first meeting for all of us,” said Sky-Deer. Was the meeting the beginning of something new and great? “I hope so!” she said. “We’ve talked about continuing this in the New Year and maybe meeting again, because we face a lot of the same issues in our respective communities and it only helps us to strengthen and support each other in that we’re all Kanienkahaka women and have the best interest of our community and taking care of business. It was definitely a positive thing.”
Before traveling to Victoria Island, the women chiefs coordinated the gifts they would bring to Spence – tobacco, medicine bundles, eagle feathers and a big confederacy blanket that the Kahnawà:ke council donated, along with a confederacy flat that was hoisted on the palisades around the area where her tipi was located, Zachary-Deom said. “There was a big fire going near the tipi. She’s on very low lying ground, very moist and foggy and wet. I don’t know how healthy it is for her there. We were scheduled to see her at 2 p.m. but then we were told she had so many visitors and had just gone to bed,” Zachary-Deom said. So the women delivered letters from the Mohawk Council to Harper and Governor General David Johnson, the representative of the British Crown in Canada.
“The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke has grown increasingly concerned with the paternalistic legislative approach that Canada has taken regarding First Nations affairs, which is in conflict with not only our inherent self-determination, but is also a violation of the agreements between our People and the Crown,” the council wrote. “The recent passage of the Omnibus Budget Bill C-45 is an offensive action on Canada’s part that is causing an obvious and serious deterioration in First Nations/Canada relations. The unwillingness to take corrective measures and continue to consider legislation impacting First Nations only promotes further dissension. At this time, we feel obligated to caution Canada that continuation of this unilateral and paternalistic approach will only result in further deterioration and dissent amongst First Nations Peoples.”
After delivering the letters, the women chiefs returned to Victoria Island and after a long wait finally got to meet with Chief Spence. “We gave her our message of support and comforted her with the blanket we brought that we wrapped around her. We told her that whatever she needed she would just have to tell us and the Mohawks would support her,” Zachary-Deom said.
Each woman had the opportunity to speak individually to Spence, Sky-Deer said. “We each brought our own messages and words of support in how she inspired us, being a woman leader herself, and, you know, just the feeling in that tipi, to have 12 women there together and sharing the weight of what we carry for our communities and wanting to see the best things for our people and our future generations – it was a very positive, very uplifting, powerful experience,” Sky-Deer said.
The women said they hoped the meeting of the First Nations chiefs with the Harper government would result in some changes in the way the federal government conducts itself. “We hope to have a more direct relationship that’s not just them making decisions and passing legislation without consultation that directly affects people – our people and Canadians – across the country,” Sky-Deer said. “It’s very unilateral and it doesn’t take into account and consideration the long term effects that will happen. I’m hoping for the best. I’m hoping for maybe some repeal if the Harper government can understand what we’re looking at and what we want to protect.”
Article by Monica Brown
On Dec. 21, the 62 acres around Tamanowas Rock, including the rock itself, were purchased by the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe for $600,000. Tamanowas Rock, shaped like a pointed egg, stands more than 150 feet from the valley floor to the east of Anderson Lake State Park just south of Port Townsend.
The purchase has been added to the adjacent 22-acre property that has been owned by the tribe since the 1990’s and will be known as the Tamanowas Rock Sanctuary, “will be protected in perpetuity from development and inappropriate uses with respect to a cultural and religious Indian site,” according to the tribe’s official announcement of the purchase.
For over 10,000 years the Tamanowas rock which has been a sacred spot beginning with the Chemakuan people, now extinct. Currently a sacred location for many Salish people and would draw them in from as far north as the Lummi Nation. Tamanowas means “spirit power” in the Klallam language.
The rock was previously owned by George Heidgerkin, a developer who purchased the property in 1993 with plans for as many as 46 homes on the land surrounding the rock but was purchased by Washington State Parks in 2008 and transferred to the Jefferson Land Trust and purchased by the Tribe.
A new management plan has been developed that will allow continued but controlled public access Tribal plans include the addition of information kiosks to teach visitors of the history of the site; its cultural, religious and historic importance; and how to show respect to the land and the rock itself — including no rock climbing.
Images of the Tamanowas rock Sanctuary can be viewed here;
