Elouise Cobell (Blackfeet) has been nominated for the Congressional Gold Medal after taking the U.S. government to court for mismanaging more than a century of American Indian land trust royalties. The lawsuit resulted in a $3.4 billion settlement for an estimated 500,000 Native Americans.
American Indian and Canadian Native leaders were among the 1,009 people arrested on September 2, 2011 in front of the White House while protesting the construction of a controversial 1,700 mile Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast. The protesters were warning about the environmental and health risks and were asking President Obama not to issue a permit for the construction of the pipeline.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the branch of the World Bank Group that loans money to private corporations, announced a new policy that will require clients to obtain the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous communities that could be affected by their projects. Approved as part of an updated Sustainability Framework by IFC’s board of directors on May 12, 2011, the policy will take effect on January 1, 2012.
The Sustainability Framework’s Performance Standard 7 concerns Indigenous Peoples. The introduction states:
August 6th, 2011- For the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a coalition of Indigenous groups from the United States, Mexico, and Australia issued a proclamation on the state of Indigenous rights. To read that proclamation on the International Indian Treaty Council website, click here.
In late May, Cultural Survival attended the 10th annual conference of International Funders for Indigenous Peoples. It was a great success: major foundations, including the
The U.S. Department of Interior announced on July 7, 2011 the establishment of a new Commission on Indian Trust Administration and Reform that will evaluate in depth the Interior’s trust management of Native American assets. Secretary Ken Salazar is asking for nominations from the public on candidates for the new commission, as well as feedback on the commission’s proposed charter.
Last month's Endangered Languages Program event at the Library of Congress, "Celebrating Native American Language Revitalization in Film," drew nearly 100 participants throughout the course of the day who enthusiastically participated in post-film panel discussions with Native American language apprentices, teachers, and film production professionals from a half-dozen tribal communities across the U.S.
Promoting Indigenous Language Rights in Practice Wednesday, June 22
Language Rights Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill
Join Cultural Survival and the Library of Congress in celebrating innovative tribal language programs, and the Native American language heroes revitalizing America’s ancient linguistic heritage. Celebrate their efforts, learn about the challenges they face, and share in their successes. Library curatorial staff will point to resources within the institution's vast collections, with a focus on manuscripts, photos, and other archival material that tribal language programs can incorporate into local
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are headquartered on Massachusett land, in Cambridge, MA, and we thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.
