Indigenous peoples

COVID-19 In Prisons, Tulsa Hate Crime Ordinance, Tribal Gaming Compacts & More

By Michael Cross, Neva Hill & Ryan Kiesel • 5 hours ago

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about a criminal justice reform group calling on Governor Kevin Stitt and the Department of Corrections to take steps to stem the spread of COVID-19, Tulsa City Council unanimously approved a new Hate Crimes ordinance to include sexual orientation and gender identity and the state Supreme Court denies Stitt's request for a rehearing on its decision over tribal gaming compacts.

Oklahoma Supreme Court Denies Rehearing Of Tribal Gaming Case

By Allison Herrera • Sep 17, 2020

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled in July the gaming compacts Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt entered into with the Otoe-Missouria Tribe and Comanche Nation were invalid.

Stitt requested a rehearing of that petition but in a 5-1 ruling on Monday, members of the Oklahoma Supreme Court denied that request.

Clarity Sought Post-McGirt, As Seminole Nation Asserts Its Reservation Was Never Disestablished

By Allison Herrera • Sep 15, 2020

When the United States Supreme Court made a landmark ruling earlier this year saying Congress never explicitly disestablished the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s reservation, many believed the decision would extend to the rest of the Five Tribes.

That prediction is now playing out in Seminole County.

Anthology Of Native Nations Poetry Is A 'Doorway,' Says Editor Joy Harjo

By Michel Martin • Sep 12, 2020

As U.S. poet laureate Joy Harjo was working on the Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry, she and the other editors decided they needed to hear the whole collection.

"At one point in the editing, we decided to read the whole manuscript aloud," Harjo says. "That's how I revise, so that's what we did — is we took it into our mouths and took it to our bodies."

The result of that work is When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through -- an anthology of poetry from more than 160 poets, representing close to 100 indigenous nations.

Federal Legislation Aims To Increase High-Speed Internet Access In Indian Country

By Allison Herrera • Sep 11, 2020

New legislation aimed at narrowing the digital divide in Indian Country was introduced last month.

Oklahoma Congressman Markwayne Mullin is part of the bipartisan effort to increase tribal access to high-speed internet. It's part of the Federal Communications Commission's $4 billion E-Rate Program.

Cherokee Nation Moves Ahead On CARES Projects

By Allison Herrera • Sep 10, 2020

The Cherokee Nation launched new construction and remodeling plans as part of their COVID-19 response plan.

On Tuesday, the nation broke ground on $25 million worth of building and remodeling projects known as Respond, Recover and Rebuild. The eight new facilities and four remodeling projects, located in Vinita, Pryor, Stillwell, Tahlequah and other towns throughout the Nation, will include a PPE manufacturing facility, a food outreach site and a new employee healthcare facility.

New Cherokee Language Cartoon Premieres At Cherokee National Holiday

By Allison Herrera • Sep 4, 2020

A new Cherokee language animated series is set to premiere this weekend during Cherokee National Holiday's drive-in movie night.

The new series Inage'i or In the Woods features four animal superheroes having adventures, playing tricks on each other and just having fun... all in Cherokee

Rethinking The Wind River Reservation

By editor • Sep 3, 2020

A landmark ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court this summer found that 3 million acres in eastern Oklahoma still belongs to the Muscogee Creek reservation, despite over a century of white settlement. The decision could have ripple effects for Native American reservations across the country, including for the boundaries of the Wind River Reservation and the city of Riverton, Wyoming.

The Mountain West News Bureau’s Savannah Maher reports.

New Federal-Tribal Partnership Formed To Combat Domestic Violence Against Women

By Allison Herrera • Aug 27, 2020

On Wednesday, the U.S. Justice Department announced a new partnership between federal authorities and tribal officials that aims to combat domestic violence.

Tell Us: What Questions Do You Have About The McGirt v. Oklahoma Ruling?

By Allison Herrera • Aug 25, 2020

It's been a month since the landmark U.S. Supreme Court McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling that said the Muscogee (Creek) Nation's reservation was never disestablished. Now, there seems to be a lot of questions surrounding the decision.

What questions do you have about the effects of the ruling?

Tell us by texting 'CREEK' to 844-777-7719 or enter your phone number below to get started. We won't share your answer publicly without your permission.

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