- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
As we progress through the final days of this year, we wanted to take a moment to remember some of the beloved Indigenous people who walked on during 2022.
Many were instrumental in fighting for and advancing Native rights, uplifting tribal arts and culture, and drawing crucial attention to important Native American issues.
We remember here some of those that Indian Country lost during the past year.
Clyde Bellecourt, One of the Original Founders of the American Indian Movement, Passes Away
Clyde Bellecourt, one of the original founders of the American Indian Movement (AIM), passed away on Jan. 11, 2022 due to complications with cancer. He was 85 years old.
Bellecourt co-founded the American Indian Movement in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1968 to address systemic issues of poverty, discrimination, and police brutality against urban American Indians.
Chicago Native American Community Loses Susan Kelly Power at 97
Susan Kelly Power walked on on Oct. 29, 2022 at age 97. Power, whose Indian name meant "Storm Clouds Gathering," arrived in Chicago in 1942. when she was only 15 years old from the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. She lived in the city until her death, and became a lifetime activist, friend to many, and a founding member of the American Indian Center of Chicago.
Tim Giago, Oglala Lakota Publisher and Trailblazer for Modern Indigenous Journalism, Walks On
Tim Giago, publisher, activist, writer, reporter, editor, organizer, friend, and relative, passed away at the Monument Hospital in Rapid City on Sunday, July 24 at 8:34 am. He was 88.
Born on July 12, 1934, Giago formed the Native American Press Association at Penn State University in 1983, with more than two dozen other Indigenous journalists. The organization would later become the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA). He was elected NAJA's first president.
Kevin Locke, Lakota Flute Player, Hoop Dancer, and Cultural Ambassador, Walks On at 68
Influential Lakota flute player and hoop dancer Kevin Locke died suddenly on Sept. 30, 2022 in Custer, South Dakota. Locke performed in more than 80 countries and in thousands of schools. Through his travels, he has invited many to perform and inspired many award-winning musicians and performers throughout his career.
His numerous accolades include being a National Heritage Fellow for the National Endowment of the Arts, the highest award granted to traditional artists. In 2018, Locke founded the Patricia Locke Foundation to educate and preserve cultural traditions and wisdom among indigenous youth.
Enoch Kelly Haney, Artist, Legislator, & Former Chief of Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Dies
On April 23, 2022 the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma announced that Chief Kelly Haney died at the age of 81.
Enoch Kelly Haney was a former Oklahoma lawmaker with years of service as a lawmaker in the Oklahoma State Legislature and became the Principal Chief of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma for four years in 2005. He was the first full-blood American Indian to serve in the state legislature, according to the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.
Indian Country lawyer Rob Rosette walks on
Robert Allen Rosette, 52, a well-known attorney who represented tribal governments in all aspects of business and Indian law, died on Sept 17 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Rosette, a citizen of the Chippewa-Cree Tribe, founded the Rosette LLP law firm in 2004 to represent tribal governments in all facets of federal Indian law, including economic development, commercial transactions, gaming and litigation.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsNative News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Federal Government Shutdown Averted: How Native Americans in Congress Voted
CALL TO ACTION: The Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act Needs Immediate Action
Q&A with Outgoing Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland
Can we take a minute to talk about tribal sovereignty?
Sovereignty isn't just a concept – it's the foundation of Native nations' right to govern, protect our lands, and preserve our cultures. Every story we publish strengthens tribal sovereignty.
Unlike mainstream media, we center Indigenous voices and report directly from Native communities. When we cover land rights, water protection, or tribal governance, we're not just sharing news – we're documenting our living history and defending our future.
Our journalism is powered by readers, not shareholders. If you believe in the importance of Native-led media in protecting tribal sovereignty, consider supporting our work today.
Right now, your support goes twice as far. Thanks to a generous $35,000 matching fund, every dollar you give during December 2024 will be doubled to protect sovereignty and amplify Native voices.
No paywalls. No corporate owners. Just independent, Indigenous journalism.
