This Week in Native American News (7/17/2020): Oklahoma plus some Running, Boxing, & Dancing
July 17, 2020
What is going on in Oklahoma?
The news alert about a ruling from US supreme court took Kimberly Tiger by surprise.
On Thursday, the court ruled that the federal government never formally disestablished the expansive reservation that is home to Tiger’s tribe, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, in Oklahoma.
The decision means that the state of Oklahoma does not have the legal authority to prosecute cases involving American Indians across about 3m acres (1.2m hectares), including most of the state’s second largest city, Tulsa, and fourth largest city, Broken Arrow.
Tiger and many other tribal citizens, locally and nationally, see Thursday’s decision as a victory for tribal sovereignty and a precedent-setter for other tribes.
“The wording of the document was full of such intention and grace that I was moved to tears that all the work that came to fruition was before us and it was overwhelming,” Tiger said of the ruling.
However, Tiger acknowledged that there are legal gray areas looming. “Now that the dust has settled a little, I see a lot of questions that come to light, especially with the court systems,” she said.
Read the Full Story Here
In similar news… Oklahoma is – and always has been – Native land
As both an educator and scholar, I work to correct the erasure of Indigenous histories through my research and teaching.
North America was not a vast, unpopulated wilderness when white colonizers arrived in 1620. Up to 100 million people of more than 1,000 sovereign Indigenous nations occupied the area that would become the United States. At the time, fewer than 80 million people lived in Europe.
HOW TO BE AN ALLY TO NATIVE AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
PHOTO CREDIT: DAVID MCNEW/STRINGER VIA GETTY
The history of the United States is grounded in the history of Native people. However, Native Americans are still fighting for their rights, their land and their sovereignty. The violence Native Americans faced at the hands of European colonizers has largely been forgotten by history books, and the impacts of forced removals still persist to this day. It’s time for all of us to stand in solidarity and support, and help raise the voices of Native people. We can all do our part to rid ourselves of ignorance and become more thoughtful, proactive citizens in the fight against social injustices.
If you want to educate yourself and become a better ally to Native communities, here is a good place to start.
Read the Full List Here
How Running in Moccasins Empowered This Navajo Marathoner
For Harold Bennally, traditional footwear combines running's physical elements with the spiritual. PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS HINKLE
Harold Bennally runs over the red rocks like he’s keeping a drum beat. No matter if the northern Arizona trail climbs or descends or levels out, his cadence stays consistent. His moccasined feet hit the ground like mallets, his whole body in unison. This is his people’s sacred tradition of Ha’a’aahjigo dighádídeeshwoł, when many members of the Navajo tribe run east each morning to greet the day.
The Navajo believe running places them both on the earth and in the sky, that being out when the first light hits the earth empowers them to take on all challenges and live a stronger life. Running is a celebration, a prayer, a learning opportunity, and a mode of healing. Harold’s family made a ritual out of those early-morning runs, but for many years, Harold felt the journey to the sunrise was an obligation rather than a blessing. He strayed from the tradition, searching for something else to make him strong.
Read the Full Story Here
Watch This: 'Blackfeet Boxing: Not invisible'
It’s hard to fit all the news in a little space.
To read all of this week's news, visit the LIM Magazine.
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