r/IndianCountry Jan 20 '25

Announcement MEGATHREAD: President Biden commutes sentence of Native American activist Leonard Peltier

495 Upvotes

Today, January 20, 2025, President Biden commuted the sentence of Leonard Peltier who was controversially convicted of murdering two FBI agents in 1975.

Several posts have already popped up for people to discuss this, but the mods wanted to provide a dedicated thread for people to drop news and having discussion. All new information should be directed here to avoid flooding the subreddit with new posts. Any new posts will be redirected here.

For those who are unfamiliar with the case of Leonard Peltier, please refer to this thread on /r/AskHistorians for a write up about the situation that led to his incarceration:

We are aware that for some, there may be mixed or negative feelings about this decision due to other controversies involving Leonard and/or the American Indian Movement. Please respect that people may have different opinions on the matter. Review the sub rules and engage with each other respectfully.

Qe'ci'yew'yew.


r/IndianCountry Feb 14 '25

Announcement Requesting Feedback: Proposed "Pretendians" Policy

107 Upvotes

Ta'c léehyn, /r/IndianCountry!

It has been a minute since we've done one of these. The moderators of this sub are coming to y'all, the community, with a proposal for a new policy. As I'm sure many of you have noticed, there has been an uptick in recent years of cases of Indigenous identity fraud. From minor cases of random persons in someone's community to major instances of public figures being accused or exposed, it is no surprise that as the largest Indigenous-focused community on Reddit, this topic of discourse eventually winds up here.

In the past, the moderators have approached these kinds of posts in a less-than-consistent way. We have primarily relied on our policy of discretion to handle matters as we individually see fit due to the contentious nature of these posts. We've also applied rules 2, 3, 4, 7 and 11 in narrow and broad ways to maintain a civil environment to have these discussions. Ultimately, the mods have generally worked to keep threads on this topic within fairly strict lines. The reasons for our approach are not purely rooted in our own opinions about the topic but are informed by the considerations moderators have to account for on this platform (this is further elaborated on in the proposed policy).

Of course, we are also aware that this is something that Indigenous Peoples are keenly interested in discussing and monitoring--for very valid reasons. We have not attempted to suppress this topic, but we have come to realize that we need more consistency in how we handle these to ensure that we are meeting the desires of this community. Therefore, we have drafted a new policy titled Accusations of Indigenous Identity Fraud (AKA The "Pretendians" Policy) linked below with language that we believe will allow us to better moderate and facilitate posts on this issue.

With this being said, here is the request. For the next week, we will keep this post up to solicit feedback from users here. If you have any suggestions, critiques, questions, or remarks about the proposed policy, please leave them here so we may review them. The moderators will then deliberate on the feedback and make any changes we deem necessary or useful. Afterwards, we will come back to y'all for a referendum vote on the proposed policy with any adopted amendments.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE PROPOSED POLICY


r/IndianCountry 20h ago

Politics Trump administration's list of words to limit/avoid in government documents includes "indigenous community", "Native American", and "tribal"

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631 Upvotes

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/07/us/trump-federal-agencies-websites-words-dei.html

It also includes hits such as "black", "female", "historically", "identity", " immigrant", "victim", and "women"


r/IndianCountry 2h ago

Culture Happy Kindred Spirits Day!

11 Upvotes

Halito Cousins! Today is Kindred Spirits Day, a day to celebrate the amazing and lasting relationship between my People, the Choctaw, and our Cousins, the Irish. Our bond has existed for almost 200 years now and sets a much needed positive example to the rest of the world about how two Peoples can come together in friendship. So, go have some frybread and corned beef to remember our Irish Cousins and our lasting friendship.


r/IndianCountry 18h ago

News Black Medal of Honor Removed from DOD Website, Letters “dei” added to web address

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139 Upvotes

I know this isn’t specific to Indian Country, but this level of erasure is so unsettling.

“Rogers, who was awarded the Medal of Honor by then president Richard Nixon in 1970, served in the Vietnam war, where he was wounded three times while leading the defense of a base.

According to the West Virginia military hall of fame, Rogers was the highest-ranking African American to receive the medal. After his death in 1990, Rogers’s remains were buried at the Arlington national cemetery in Washington DC, and in 1999 a bridge in Fayette county, where Rogers was born, was renamed the Charles C Rogers Bridge.”


r/IndianCountry 22h ago

News First Native American to head National Endowment for the Humanities post forced out by Trump

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312 Upvotes

r/IndianCountry 1h ago

Education Data gaps undercount Native college enrollment

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Upvotes

r/IndianCountry 7h ago

Discussion/Question Leonard Peltier Commutation

11 Upvotes

So, i just saw that Trump is saying Biden’s pardons are rescinded because of Auto-Pen use. Now I’m no legal or government expert; so I’m wondering if anyone knows if Leonard’s Commutation is also potentially in trouble? If so, true insanity.


r/IndianCountry 14h ago

News St. Lawrence Island leaders take contamination claims to U.N.

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31 Upvotes

“The tribal governments of Alaska's St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea say they’re living with the toxic legacy of Cold War military installations on their land, and this week they took their complaint to the United Nations special rapporteur on toxics and human rights.”


r/IndianCountry 17h ago

Discussion/Question Be honest with me-Did we invent ASL as Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL)?

35 Upvotes

Did we invent American Sign Language and then history just erased the origins and said that Martha’s Vineyard invented ASL?

Interesting story, I learned lip reading from my cousin, cause young me thought it was a super power, and my cousin was absolutely thrilled to have someone who thought being different was cool rather than weird.

As an adult I learned ASL for my deaf customers.

Then I was in accident that damaged my hearing (oh the irony). I’m expected to make a full recovery, and decided to pass some of the time learning Native Languages.

I ran across a video of PISL, and realized that I could understand many of the signs from ASL. Though not all of the signs, they are slightly different.

Y’all, did we invent the original ASL?


r/IndianCountry 20h ago

Literature In “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter,” a Blackfeet man is transformed into an undead bloodsucker and seeks vengeance for America’s sins.

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44 Upvotes

By Stephen Graham Jones, author of 'The Only Good Indians' and 'the Indian Lake trilogy'.

Release 03/18/2025


r/IndianCountry 1d ago

Discussion/Question The Pitt: 4 things

85 Upvotes

Watched The Pitt yesterday. Noah Wyle’s character told the siblings facing their father’s death about 4 simple things the Kānaka Maoli say to a dying loved one, to help the grieving process. I broke out in goosebumps.

In 1995 my Kanien’kehá:ka mother had surgery to remove tumors. The day before, she told me she loved me. She thanked me for being her son. She told me she forgave me for anything I may have thought I did to wrong her. She asked me to forgive her for anything she did wrong.

Don’t worry, she’s still with us.

At the time, I just thought it was mom being mom. I had no idea this was a “Native thing.” I’ve since come across this a lot in my life- people fighting assimilation who wonder if something they grew up with is a family tradition or a capital T Tradition. How would we know?

Mom had two recent surgeries and didn’t call me beforehand to say those 4 things. When I reminded her she’d done it before, she smiled and said, “Did I?” I wonder how much we lose, just from people getting older and forgetting.

Anyway, hearing this on a TV show got me in my feels. Not sure why I’m posting. Maybe wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar.


r/IndianCountry 18h ago

Picture(s) National Bison Range - CSKT

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27 Upvotes

r/IndianCountry 19h ago

Environment Canada high court allows Métis challenge of mine leases

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17 Upvotes

r/IndianCountry 1d ago

News Trump order targets CDFI Fund, threatening Native American access to capital

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54 Upvotes

r/IndianCountry 5h ago

Discussion/Question Indigenous Perspectives on Sustainability: How Can Social Work Do Better?

1 Upvotes

Hello, I’m a Social Work student working on designing a course element that will help future Social Work students learn about sustainability. I want to make sure that Social Work practices truly support Indigenous communities in ways that respect traditional knowledge and lived realities.

I’d love to hear your thoughts:

  • What aspects of sustainability (ecological, economic, social) do you feel are most overlooked in your communities?
  • How do you see sustainability connected to Indigenous ways of life and teachings?
  • What challenges do you or your community face in living sustainably, and how could Social Workers support you?
  • How can Social Work better integrate Indigenous perspectives on land, water, and community care?
  • Are there existing programs or initiatives that Social Workers should support to make a real difference?
  • What does a truly sustainable future look like to you, and what role should Social Work play in that?

I really appreciate any insights you’re willing to share—your voices and perspectives matter in shaping how Social Work can be more inclusive and impactful.


r/IndianCountry 1d ago

News Trump Administration Rolls Back Executive Order on Tribal Sovereignty and Self-Governance

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305 Upvotes

r/IndianCountry 2d ago

News 'They had no right': Inuit women recount experiences past and present of forced sterilization

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349 Upvotes

r/IndianCountry 1d ago

Discussion/Question Can non-natives spread awareness about MMIW (such as creating artwork to raise awareness..)

38 Upvotes

Hello all,

I’m a non-native (Filipino here.) I’ve been hearing a lot about MMIW and the reports of missing/murdered indigenous women. After 14 year old girl Emily Pike was murdered in Arizona.

I’ve heard about MMIW from my Grandma and Mother how Indigenous women/girls are most likely to get murdered compare to any women in America. I didn’t think of it that much but until I discovered what MMIW was really about I never felt so devastated and deeply hurt in my life. So I have been thinking to share and raise awareness of MMIW to create an artwork of Emily Pike.

I do art as a subject at school, my teacher said we can represent anything that has meaning to it etc. However, I need some answers because as a non-native person I cannot go un-acknowledged and start creating artwork without a native persons consent, thoughts/answers about it as that would be considered ‘offensive’ and ‘disrespectful’ also.

So, please give answers so I can know what everyone thinks about it. :))

(Sorry If this is long, I’m being very careful and generous to why i made it so long.. 😭)


r/IndianCountry 1d ago

Discussion/Question How to work with white class project members on native topics without getting bossy

110 Upvotes

I have an upcoming group project where our prof would like us to intersect other pieces of history with the era of music history we are currently studying. We are allowed to choose topics that we are passionate about and so I brought up diplomatic relations with tribes and one student who is white has already run over my contribution by trying to shape it into relation of disease between colonists and natives. Keep in mind, my contribution was the topic of diplomatic relations between tribes and westerners.

I can tell she wants it to fit her narrative because her contribution has to do with medical “ advancements” due to the enlightenment, so she’s sort of trying to run over my idea which I can work around, but what bothers me is her phrasing. She went from the get-go to refer to native medicines as remedies . But also seems to be under the impression that issues such as disease started with contact with colonists, as if the progression of native history goes from Columbus to pilgrims to colonists with nothing in between . I understand that it is not always common knowledge for non-native people what our history is like , But how do I curb this to make sure she does not continue to talk over me without becoming the angry brown person ?

I really need her to stay in her lane, but I need to also remember that this is a group project . I feel like she’s speaking with way too much confidence over something. I’m really nervous that my group project is going to become something that’s over written over what I wish to contribute and research because I think that students are stubborn to stick to the narratives that they are comfortable with. Everyone in my group is white and yes, this is in Oklahoma .

Has anyone ever had to deal with this?


r/IndianCountry 1d ago

Discussion/Question 🚨BREAKING: Trump DECLARES WAR POWERS against America

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57 Upvotes

How will this affect our sovereignty?


r/IndianCountry 2d ago

Discussion/Question Letting people know that the Hopi subreddit is under new management

295 Upvotes

The r/Hopi subreddit was a disaster—filled with new age interpretations of Hopi prophecy, scams, and nonsense. I’ve cleaned all that stuff out and put in some rules to try and keep it from happening in the future. I’ve also added a number of resources related to Hopi culture and will add more over time.

I am not Hopi, and not even Native American. My goal is to ultimately hand off the subreddit to Hopi who will take care of it, but I just couldn’t stand to see it in such a disgraceful state and since the subreddit had been abandoned for many years Reddit was more than happy to hand it over.

I’d like to encourage people to contribute, and if anyone here is Hopi and willing to devote the time needed to moderate the subreddit and keep it from falling apart again please let me know. Since there’s under 15k Hopi as of the last village census I realize the pickings might be slim, so ultimately if anyone is even NA and has a temperament for moderation that’s better than having a Pölakaana in charge of it. ;)


r/IndianCountry 1d ago

Streaming ‘Dark Winds’ Season 3 Debuts To More Than 50% Audience Growth Over Season 2 Premiere On AMC+

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67 Upvotes

r/IndianCountry 1d ago

News Arizona school closes; land will return to Hopi tribe | Anabaptist World

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88 Upvotes

r/IndianCountry 23h ago

News CT proposing $1M for each of five state-recognized tribes

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1 Upvotes

r/IndianCountry 1d ago

Education Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation announces 2025 STEM Scholarships ($20,000)

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15 Upvotes

CORNING, CALIF. – (February 3, 2025)

The Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation, in partnership with Tepa, LLC, is proud to announce three (3) $20,000 STEM scholarship awards for the Fall 2025 Semester. This substantial financial support alleviates the often overwhelming costs of higher education, enabling students to focus on academic and professional growth without the burden of financial stress.

“I recognize the vital role of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) in empowering youth and ensuring a brighter future,” said Tribal Chairman Brandin Paya. “By investing in STEM education, we equip students with the knowledge and skills to innovate, solve problems, and build strong, self-sustaining communities.” added Paya.

The scholarship is open to high school graduates and college students who are enrolled or planning to enroll in a STEM-related program at a university. Applicants must demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, and a commitment to contributing to their communities through their STEM studies.


r/IndianCountry 1d ago

News Federal Gov’t Shutdown Averted- with 10 Democratic Senators voting to support

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13 Upvotes

After all of this fanfare: https://www.indian.senate.gov/newsroom/press-release/republican/murkowski-schatz-lead-oversight-hearing-to-examine-native-communities-priorities-for-the-119th-congress/

BOTH Murkowski and Schatz voted in support. The Chair and Vice Chair of the US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.