16th Annual GVSU Spring Pow Wow
Celebrating All Walks of Life
Grand Entry at 1pm and 6pm
Doors Open at 11am 

Saturday, April 5, 2014
11:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Michigan's University's Spring Powwow season is upon us once again and I'd like to take a moment to relay a thought about these special events. I just returned from Northern Michigan University's Powwow, March 15th, and had an opportunity to talk with Sam Doyle, the fire keeper. He took over for me at NMU when I graduated back in 05' and has kept fire for NMU's powwow since. This weekend he informed me that GVSU also has a fire at their powwow and he'll be fire keeper again for their second powwow fire. Why is this important you might be asking yourself? NMU was the first publicly funded institution in the state to allow open fire on the ground for any event. Albeit most of us take for granted that going to Powwow means there will be a sacred fire where people can pass Sema and thank Creator, but when it comes to Universities and other state funded institutions the rule of thumb is no fire. So headgear off to Grand Valley State University for their dedication and efforts. And yes the St. Paddy's Day Powwow at NMU was cold (10*f), wet (rain followed by 6" of snow), and very successful (over 1000 attendees).

UofM's 42nd Annual Dance for Mother Earth Powwow

April 5 & 6,  2014 Skyline High School - Ann Arbor, MI 

Boozhoo! Welcome! 

Address of Powwow Location:

Skyline High School

Current Status of GRBOI Federal Recognition Petition and Proposed Revisions to the Federal Acknowledgement Regulations by DOI – How did we get here? Letter to GRBOI Tribal Citizens

Boozhoo GRBOI Family,

I'm sure by now you've heard that GRBOI is on Active Consideration for federal acknowledgement. I just wanted to offer a little background about what's been going on in the federal acknowledgement world for the past year or so so you can see how we got to where we are now.

I work for a Native non-profit and this is the information I have gathered from my job and my experiences. This is not my area of expertise, I just have a lot of information available to me regarding federal acknowledgement and many other Indian related issues that I'm more than happy to pass on. Feel free to contact me at my office at...

Download in MS Word (c)

Status of GRBOI Petition & Changes to the Regs Letter to GRBOI Tribal Citizens - February 2014

View as a .PDF

Northern Michigan University's 21st annual "Learning to Walk Together" Traditional Pow wow

on Saturday, March 15

Join us at the Vandament Arena

Doors Open to Public at 11am EST

General Admission Ticket Price - $5 

Join the NMU Center for Native American Studies for the 2014
 
INDIGENOUS EARTH ISSUES SUMMIT

 
Focusing on GREAT LAKES MINING ACTIVISM
 
Friday, February 21 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Whitman Hall - Northern Michigan University
Marquette, Michigan
 
Presenters:
Winona LaDuke (Executive Director, Honor the Earth)
Mike Wiggins (Chair, Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa)
Paul DeMain (CEO, IndianCountryTV.com)
Jessica Koski (Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Citizen)
 
Join us for a day of planning region-wide action on the mining threat facing Michigan's Upper Peninsula, northern Wisconsin, and northern Minnesota....see full text here

Congress Passes H.R. 2642 - The Farm Bill

The following is from the NCAI see full text here

This afternoon, the Senate passed the Farm Bill Conference Report by a vote of 68-32 after the House passed it last week, solidifying a five-year reauthorization of agricultural and nutrition programs. President Obama is expected to sign the legislation soon. While the final legislation cut the Supplemental Nutrition Program by $8.6 billion, it does include a number of important reforms and Indian Country-specific provisions. 

In the coming weeks, NCAI will be co-hosting a webinar on the Farm Bill to discuss the legislation in more detail.  In the meantime, we have provided some information on the tribal provisions and overall changes in the bill.  If you have any questions, please contact NCAI Legislative Associate Colby Duren ( cduren@ncai.org ).

State of the Indian Nations Address

The National Congress of American Indians held its annual State of Indian Nations address. Current President Brian Cladoosby delivers the address. He urged Congress to uphold its commitments to Native Americans, stressing the importance of education... Here on C-SPAN

Protecting Michigan's Wolves

"After we successfully stopped the wolf hunt - and put the decision on the 2014 ballot - Michigan politicians passed another measure, PA 21, taking the power to determine game species out of the hands of the people, nullifying our vote on wolves, and once again threatening wolves and other wildlife in Michigan."

You can help here

Local business sends Distant Hugs to Sandy Hook families

January 7, 2013 -- Megan Moore of TV 7&4 has posted an article and video about Distant Hugs on UpNorthLive.com . 

For more about Kenny and Nadine Pheasant visit DistantHugs.com

Acknowledgment Decision Compilation (ADC) List: Petitions on Active Consideration 

Updated December 5, 2013 

Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians (formerly Grand River Band Ottawa Council), MI (#146)...

According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Federal Acknowledgement, the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians are now on the active considerations list; requesting to remain under the current regluations of 25 cfr part 83. Click here for the BIA.

Indian Legal Clinic hosts conference on broken federal recognition process

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

The broken process for federal recognition of Indian tribes is the focus of a conference on Jan. 16 & 17, hosted by the Indian Legal Clinic at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. 

Who Decides You're Real?
Fixing the Federal Recognition Process

January 16 & 17, 2014

Thursday, Jan. 16 – 8:00AM – 5:30PM / Friday, Jan. 17 – 8:00AM – 5:30PM
(breakfasts and lunches provided)

According to sources this was broadcast live, and should be up on ASU's website soon. I apologize that we did not have this information in advance. Click here for Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law

National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)

“The Congress shall have the power to…regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes.” 

Article 1, Section 8, United States Constitution

The National Congress of American Indians, founded in 1944, is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities.

Who Decides You Are Real?
Fixing the Federal Recognition Process

January 16 & 17, 2014

Thursday, Jan. 16 – 8:00AM – 5:30PM / Friday, Jan. 17 – 8:00AM – 5:30PM
(breakfasts and lunches provided)

Arizona State University
Memorial Union, Ventana Ballroom – 241
310 E. Orange Street
Tempe, AZ 85281

The U.S. government officially recognizes 566 Native American tribes.  These communities have certain legal, regulatory and financial rights and privileges that non-recognized communities do not.  But the recognition process has been controversial, slow and inconsistent, with many tribes saying they are unfairly left out in the cold.

Register Here!

Tribal Constitutions