October 01, 2025
Plans to orderly halt operations at federal agencies across Indian Country continued as the U.S. Senate failed this morning to meet terms to end the federal government shutdown hours after it began at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday.
Currents
Cherokee author Daniel H. Wilson brings a fresh perspective to science fiction with his upcoming novel "Hole in the Sky," set to release on October 7th. In an exclusive interview on Native Bidaské, Wilson discusses his unique approach to storytelling that blends cutting-edge science, Indigenous wisdom, and deeply human narratives.
From Our Partners
When you think of Native American art, what comes to mind? Maybe birchbark woven into a sturdy basket, colorful beadwork stitched onto leather, or ornately carved totem poles. These forms highlight techniques and materials that have been used by Native American artists for generations. And yet, they tell only part of the story.
This November, experts in fintech, crypto, and A.I. will gather at Mashantucket, one of the longest continually occupied Native reservations in North America, for the seventh annual All Roads Lead to Chaco Canyon conference: Navigating Streams of the Digital Economy.
Opinion
Ernie Stevens, Jr. (1959 - 2025)
Opinion. Publishing tell-all books is a common practice in Washington, D.C. where it pays to share secrets or insider information about familiar events of national notoriety. Typically there is a book contract negotiated while it is still a valuable property, and then writing and editing follow.
Sovereignty
The decision makes it more difficult for tribes to exert sovereign authority over millions of acres of land within Alaska
Three talented young ladies are set to be crowned Chickasaw royalty during the 2025-2026 Chickasaw Princess Pageant 6 p.m., Monday, Sept. 29. The event will be hosted at the Ataloa Theater in the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center on the East Central University Campus.
Education
The American Indian College Fund welcomes five members to its governing board of trustees for three-year terms. The three tribal college presidents named to the board include Dr. Sean Chandler of Aaniiih Nakoda College, Eva Flying of Chief Dull Knife College, and Dr. Dawn Tobacco-Two Crow-Frank of Oglala Lakota College. The two private sector trustees include Nicole Bellefuille, J.D., a vice president in the financial services industry, and Nalneesh Gaur, a partner with PwC in their Cybersecurity practice.
Native Forward Scholars Fund, the largest direct provider of scholarships to Native students in the U.S., has announced a landmark $50 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott—her second major investment in the organization. The contribution underscores Native Forward’s long-standing commitment to advancing economic mobility, self-determination, and Tribal sovereignty by supporting Native scholars nationwide.
Arts & Entertainment
DETROIT – More than 60 Anishinaabe artists from across the Great Lakes region are now featured in Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation , a major exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts that centers Indigenous voices and celebrates the enduring creative achievements of Anishinaabe people.
Vision Maker Media (VMM) has announced $940,310 in funding for 22 Indigenous film productions, marking the largest number of awardees in the organization’s history.
Health
Environment
Bison resurgence persistent with a mix of support led by Native American tribes has created outcomes for places like the Modoc Nation in Oklahoma, where in 2025 there are now more buffalo than tribal members.
A few years ago, as Elaine Harvey washed three gallons of freshly picked huckleberries, she noticed something startling: Worms wiggling out of the dark-purple fruits.