Reservations refuse data center developments, but some worry they’re missing out on opportunities

Emergent technologies raise concerns about natural resources, exploitation and education in Montana

By Bret Anne Serbin

From mining to timber to tourism, Montana’s natural resources have been the bedrock of economic opportunity and industrial extraction for more than a century. Now that data center developers have descended on the Treasure State, some local tribes are outlawing these projects to safeguard sovereignty, land and water.

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Natural Disasters

White House approves disaster relief for tribal communities hit by New Mexico floods

President Trump directs federal aid funding for Navajo Nation, Pueblo and Apache communities

By Shaun Griswold

Flooding caused by severe rain across the northwest part of New Mexico has destroyed roads and damaged homes in Pueblo, Navajo Nation and Apache communities.

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College Football

Lightning, turquoise and big defense drew college football’s attention when New Mexico met North Dakota State

The Group of Six game of the week showcased similarities between two distinct schools

By Shaun Griswold

Sometimes football has a way to remind people about the common threads between different communities. Take last Saturday’s first ever college football game between New Mexico and North Dakota State, where fans met for the first time and learned about some of their similarities: land grant universities, largely rural alumni network, states with massive wealth from oil and gas, prominent Native American populations and two very good college football defenses forging a path up toward national prominence.

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National Congress of American Indians

NCAI adopts support for independent Native media and freedom of information

General council voted Thursday to support free press initiative that seeks to expand tribal records laws

By Shaun Griswold

A press freedom resolution that expresses support for independent Native media and freedom of information services in tribal governments was passed with full support from the 83rd National Congress of American Indians.

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This week’s Sparks were curated by Bret Anne Serbin and Shaun Griswold

Language preservation

Salish-Qlispe Culture Committee partners with Apple

Salish language keyboard available for newer devices

Fundraising

Montana Native News Project crowdfunding future coverage

Honors project within Montana journalism school celebrates 30th anniversary

Crow enrollment

Attempt to expand Crow Tribe membership voted down

Legislature decides against measure to give full-blood status to current members

Storytelling

Bozeman event brings Ojibwe author into local conversation

Sovereignty and colonial legacy take center stage at Montana State

Tribal Election

Reform to Kiowa tribal citizenship guidelines fails due to low turnout

Tribal leadership said Facebook did not get election information to voters despite substantial support

Domestic Violence

Shelter for Native survivors plans groundbreaking in 2027

Anonymous donor gives $3 million to project on Martha’s Vineyard

Sports Mascots

New York suspends part of statewide ban on Native imagery for schools

Decision overrules 2023 mandate by giving local decision-making to districts

Gaming

Federal government rules in support of predictive market gambling companies

Tribal gaming groups say U.S. did not consult on proposed rules

Native American Burial Sites

Township orders developers to search for Native graves before building supercomputer site

Los Alamos National Labs and the Department of Energy are collaborating on the project

Workforce development

Wisconsin tribe, local college debut apprenticeship program

Training focuses on improving broadband access

Water Rights

Crow Tribe in Montana gets approval for long-awaited agreement

Updated legislation supports water infrastructure on large reservation

NCAI moves press freedom resolution to full vote

Jurisdiction and Tribal Government subcommittee unanimously supports effort to expand independent Native media and tribal open records law

The National Congress of American Indians will hold a vote on expanding press freedom measures within Indian Country for the first time since 2003.

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National Congress of American Indians

Tohono O’odham chairman on sacred site destruction: ‘If this can happen to us, it can happen to each and every one of you out there’

The 83rd annual National Congress of American Indians convention began Monday

By Shaun Griswold

The United States government wants to destroy thousands of saguaro cacti for border wall construction near the Tohono O’odham Nation in what tribal leaders say would be another attack against sovereignty laws meant to protect land-based religions.

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Tribal Transparency

How leaders of Native nations can look to their peers for guidance on transparency and accountability

The Northern Cheyenne Tribe’s government has been beset with rumors and constitutional chaos. Approaches taken by other tribes could offer insight into resolving the conflict

By Bret Anne Serbin

Over the past year, a dispute within the Northern Cheyenne Tribe’s elected leadership has been a source of unrest for members on the reservation headquartered in Lame Deer, Montana.

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Midterm elections

Montana Republican congressional candidate ties Indian Country safety to immigration enforcement

Vying to represent western Montana in the U.S. House, Aaron Flint appeared at a Kalispell rally with President Trump Wednesday

By Bret Anne Serbin

At a campaign rally in northwest Montana Wednesday that featured President Donald Trump, Republicans from across the state led with a message around making communities safer. Congressional candidate Aaron Flint briefly highlighted safety concerns in Indian Country, pinning threats to Montana’s Native communities on illegal immigrants. He’s locked in a toss-up race with Democrat Sam Forstag to represent the state’s western district, which includes the Blackfeet and Flathead Indian Reservations, as well as the cities of Missoula, Butte and Bozeman.

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This week’s Sparks were curated by Bret Anne Serbin and Shaun Griswold

Heritage

Smithsonian Institution, federal partners hold monthlong celebration

In-person events and virtual opportunities run throughout November

Food sovereignty

New project will build toolkit for growers

Applications to help shape available resources accepted until Nov. 22

Indigenous Tourism

Montana group leads learning journey at national conference

Native advocates and businesspeople exemplify community-led tourism

Development

Tribes proposing two casinos near Boise to boost economies

Long road to approval includes federal and state reviews

Tribal Elections

Northern Cheyenne Tribe’s council election set for Nov. 3

Voters will participate in multiple elections to fill Northern Cheyenne elected positions

Tribal Elections

Northern Cheyenne Tribe sets date for special election to replace ousted president

Candidates have until Oct. 23 to file paperwork

Minneapolis fire

Minnesota Chippewa Tribe building damaged by blaze next door

Tribal offices held archives, supplies for urban community outreach

Elections

More than 300 legal volunteers activated to assist Native voters

The Native American Rights Fund to send attorneys and law students to 8 states

Sports

NFL teams, youth organizations support Native involvement in pro leagues

Vikings, Chiefs and Rams all share messages celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Baseball

Minor League Baseball honors Native American Heritage Night in Albuquerque

2026 Golden Bobblehead Award is given to the organization with the best stadium promotion or event

Land Back

Jemez Pueblo buys ancestral land from Girl Scouts of New Mexico

Sale of Rancho del Chaparral puts property into tribal control for outdoor recreation and education programs

Montana festival

Missoula event dubbed IndigiPalooza will return for final time in 2027

First two festivals celebrated culture and offered educational opportunities

Gene Small tapes over surveillance cameras at Northern Cheyenne headquarters

The tribe’s Capitol building has been closed since Small was removed as president: Why was he inside the building days later?

By Shaun Griswold

Surveillance camera footage from the Northern Cheyenne Tribe’s finance wing shows an empty hall at 1:15 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 5. A minute later, a chair appears. Gene Small, in a blue shirt and black hat, steps on it and covers the lens with a piece of tape. Audio from the camera remains on and catches another man saying, “There’s another one down there that I think is turned on.”

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Tribal Government

Data center developments banned by Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council

The ban was resurrected from a 2025 proposal that stalled after the council was ousted

By Shaun Griswold

On Tuesday, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe unanimously banned data center developments on tribal land, including any ongoing projects or future proposals.

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South Dakota

Technology and AI discussion in Eagle Butte addresses need for community control of data, facts and information

Rural Native communities need reliable news to stay on top of technology’s rapid growth

By Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

A reminder to my 6-year-old grandson that I was on my way to moderate a technology and AI panel at the Lakota Cultural Center in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, spurred an immediate response from him: AI is going to take all the water, kill the animals and probably take over the world.

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This week’s Sparks were curated by Bret Anne Serbin and Shaun Griswold

Politics

California Native advocates criticize Gov. Newsom for vetoing bills

Rejecting proposals came after designating paid state holiday to recognize Indigenous people

Powwow

Black Hills Pow Wow showcased Native veterans’ opposition to Custer

Grand entry featured veterans dragging Custer’s flag to commemorate Battle of the Greasy Grass

Women in Leadership

Outgoing Eastern Shawnee Chief won reelection four times

Glenna Wallace became first female chief 20 years ago

Federal funding

Pacific Northwest tribes awarded FEMA money for disaster recovery, future resilience

Communities in Alaska, Oregon and Washington will divide $43 million from federal programs

Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Richard Moves Camp leads Indigenous Peoples’ Day in California with a sunrise gathering on Alcatraz Island

Hundreds of events planned across the nation

Federal Indian Boarding Schools

Native American girls buried at Milwaukee Catholic church are honored

Burial records from Milwaukee’s Calvary Cemetery show at least 11 of the 14 girls were from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians

Education

Native student enrollment declines sharply across school settings

New data shows just two American Indian students in Cornell’s Class of 2030

Alaska tourism

Kodiak bears bring far-flung tourists to Native-owned lodge in remote Alaska

Alaska is one of the top two states with the most productive outdoor recreation economies nationwide

New Mexico

Former President Barack Obama endorses Deb Haaland in NM governor’s race

Early voting started Oct. 6 in New Mexico

Technology and AI discussion in Eagle Butte addresses need for community control of data, facts and information

Rural Native communities need reliable news to stay on top of technology’s rapid growth

By Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

A reminder to my 6-year-old grandson that I was on my way to moderate a technology and AI panel at the Lakota Cultural Center in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, spurred an immediate response from him: AI is going to take all the water, kill the animals and probably take over the world.

Continue Reading on Buffalo's Fire

Tribal Government

Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council wields its power after members return to office

The council authorized payments to Trustland Consultants and filled an open seat on the Northern Cheyenne Development Corporation

By Shaun Griswold

The Northern Cheyenne Tribe passed three resolutions on Monday to move tribal government operations forward after more than a year of turmoil that culminated in the removal of the tribal president last week.

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Northern Cheyenne

Tribal Council removes Gene Small as president: ‘He is now just a civilian’

Small contests decision, claims he’s still president as council appoints temporary replacement

By Shaun Griswold

With the backing of recent court orders, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe council reclaimed power on Wednesday and voted to remove its harshest critic, Gene Small, as the tribe’s president.

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Northern Cheyenne

Tensions mount as ousted council seeks president’s removal

Scheduled hearing Wednesday morning elevates community concern after year of infighting

By Bret Anne Serbin

Tensions flared Wednesday on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Members of the tribal council who have been entangled in controversy for the past year initiated a hearing meant to remove Tribal President Gene Small from office.

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Major Crimes Act

Funeral announced for father and son killed in Fort Berthold shooting

Federal and tribal police continue investigation, four suspects in custody

By Shaun Griswold

Funeral arrangements begin Friday with a wake in New Town, North Dakota, for the father and son killed during a shooting in Fort Berthold last week.

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Capitol Hill

Native youth leaders push for policies to support their communities

Program with Boys & Girls Club built leadership, advocacy skills

Sacred land

Bears Ears in Utah draws support from tribes, interest from mining outfits

New poll shows bipartisan desire for protecting landscape

Native youth

Youth Council President on Colville Reservation models community engagement for his peers

Teenaged leader also active in basketball, rodeo

2030 Census

Proposed rule changes could cut data tied to Native populations

Public comment period ends Oct. 13

Traditional Medicine

Traditional medicine waivers expand to IHS in Maine and Utah

U.S. Health officials approve plans for states to reimburse Medicare and Medicaid billing for ceremonies

Indigenous Peoples’ Day

University of Colorado Boulder to bring in expert Native panelists Oct. 14

Indigenous Peoples’ Day event explores Land Back, bison, local narratives

Publishing

New book looks at Indigenous media’s influence in shaping culture

Publisher highlights storytellers’ diversity, resilience

Major Crimes Act

South Dakota man sentenced to federal prison for sexually assaulting Pine Ridge teen

Oglala Sioux Tribe Police started the investigation in 2025 after reports of lewd social media messages and abuse at man’s home

Environment

Forums offered in October to encourage environmental awareness, action in South Dakota

Black Hills Clean Water Alliance and Native BioData Consortium host events

Health

Partnership in Alaska helps prevent serious health risks in remote villages

Alaska Native children have higher rates of RSV, hospitalizations from disease

Law Enforcement

FBI charges 18 people with crimes on the Wind River Indian Reservation

Tribal police worked with state and federal agencies

‘Barnyard circus’: Northern Cheyenne leaders speak out a year after being ousted

Courts pave way for return of the council members, who see ongoing problems with safety and service delivery stemming from government turmoil

By Bret Anne Serbin

With recent rulings from the Northern Cheyenne courts on their side, members of the tribal council who were pushed out of office in 2025 feel eager to move on from a year of community-wide distress.

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Government to Government

Tribes in Virginia step away from environmental cleanup collaborative

Chesapeake Bay partnership won’t have tribes involved in state and local government conservation management

Tribal finances

Decades after Seminole Nation casino fine, new leadership struggles to right the ship

Principal chief states millions for gaming infraction paid off eight years ago

Water rights

Amended settlement for Crow Tribe reaches president’s desk

Legislation would update Montana compact that dates back to 2010

Native Literature

Three Native women receive 2026 American Book Award

‘Beyond the Glittering World: An Anthology of Indigenous Feminisms and Futurisms’ explores gender, community, Indigenous life

Mental Health

Blackfeet teens debut documentary about heavy metal music as suicide prevention

High school students premiered ‘HEAVY’ to showcase their work with the Browning Public Schools’ Heavy Music Symposium

Nez Perce

Nez Perce National Historic Trail seeks photos to commemorate 150th anniversary of 1877 Flight of the Nimíipuu

Contest offers awards for photos signifying history and culture of Nez Perce

Elections

Native American Rights Fund creates hotline for voters

People facing challenges at the polls or with voter registration are encouraged to call

New Town shooting

Two dead, one hospitalized Friday night on Fort Berthold Reservation

Four suspects in custody as FBI takes over investigation

Legacy of Leadership

Colorado community honors Ben Nighthorse Campbell

Northern Cheyenne Chief advanced Native rights in U.S. Senate

Dakota Cup

Statewide competition seeks to even playing field in North Dakota schools

Scholarship funding on the table for winning schools

Land back

Ancestral site on California coast finally returns to local tribes

Indigenous leaders started ownership process to stop looting, damage in 2005

Mutilated bear

Decapitated carcass found on Northern Cheyenne Reservation sliced open, missing paws

Lack of government response underlines resource issues, community challenges for Montana tribe

Tribal Sovereignty

Solidarity grows for Tohono O’odham Nation in its fight against border wall

Native American Rights Fund files supporting motion in federal appeals court

Elections

Without a traditional moderated debate, New Mexico gubernatorial candidates sit for podcast interviews

Deb Haaland and Gregg Hull voice differing views on state income tax

MHA Nation chairman voters oust one incumbent for November election

Two segment incumbents re-elected while Four Bears set for general runoff

By Shaun Griswold

A late surge of votes from Four Bears moved Darwin “David” Williams into second place ahead of incumbent North Segment councilwoman Monica Mayer, who had trailed top vote-getter Frederick Fox in the tribal chairman primary election for the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, according to unofficial vote totals.

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Northern Cheyenne

Northern Cheyenne’s specially elected council has been governing ‘unlawfully,’ appellate court finds

New ruling reaffirms the authority of council members who were ousted in 2025

By Bret Anne Serbin

In the ongoing dispute over tribal leadership on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, a new court ruling Tuesday reinforced the authority of council members Melissa Fisher, Melissa Lonebear, Kristi Killsnight and others who were ousted from the tribal government last fall.

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Press Freedom

Skipped elections, tossed ballots: How addressing press freedom gaps could fix voting access issues across Indian Country

Harvard Kennedy School collaborates with IMFA, Buffalo’s Fire on democracy conference

By Shaun Griswold

The message from journalists and voting rights advocates at Harvard was clear: Press freedom and secure voting are intertwined Native American issues and both are in a deficit.

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Government to Government

Tribes in Virginia step away from environmental cleanup collaborative

Chesapeake Bay partnership won’t have tribes involved in state and local government conservation management

Wildfire

PNW wildfires destroy tribal homes, pollute salmon waters, scorch camas and chokecherry fields

Colville Tribes in Washington and Klamath Tribe in Oregon could see impacts on hunting and gathering sites

Two-spirit leadership

Montana advocate celebrated for decades of public service

David Herrera honored for supporting Montana tribal communities

Health

Saddle Lake Cree Nation pushed back against Alberta’s rules on gender affirming care

Blackfoot Confederacy joins chorus to support safe-haven protections

Sovereignty

Majority of Lumbee Tribe voters reject casino proposal, tribal council brings back discussion

New public comment period about Lumbee gaming regulations begin Sept. 22

Boarding School

Ponca Tribe to participate in Genoa U.S. Indian School Recognition and Remembrance Day on Sept. 26

The federal government operated the Indian School from 1884-1934

Rights of Nature

Land-based legal movement celebrates 20 years

Indigenous leadership undergirds international progress

History

Cherokee writer features leading Native historians in new podcast

‘First America’ shares underreported historical context

Cancer research

Native Hawaiian researcher teases out health disparities in new cancer study

UCLA findings show breast cancer rates highest among Native Hawaiian women

Grant awards

Minnesota organizations recognized for protecting sacred land, water

Rise & Repair among 30 projects supported by Mosaic Environmental Fund

New Mexico

Deb Haaland backs data center moratorium on ‘day one’ if elected New Mexico governor

Democratic nominee proposes framework for setting regulations on data center construction

Standing Rock

People of the Sun Festival kicks off weekend in Standing Rock

Tickets still available for event to honor ten year anniversary of NoDAPL protests

Natives in Montana weigh in on Roadless Rule repeal as public deadline approaches

Forest Service has honored less than half of formal consultation requests

By Bret Anne Serbin

The Forest Service recently extended its public input deadline on the 2001 Roadless Rule to Oct. 6, giving 15 more days to commenters and tribal leaders who haven’t yet expressed their views on proposed changes to the environmental law.

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Native voting rights

Ahead of midterms, Native voters face increasing challenges

New report outlines major barriers for voters

By Bret Anne Serbin

The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 made voter registration more accessible to many marginalized groups. Known widely as the “Motor Voter Act” because it allowed state departments of motor vehicles to register voters, the legislation nonetheless puttered out in Indian Country. Many of the changes designed to make it easier to vote didn’t reach Indigenous communities, and new research indicates Native voters face growing barriers in the democratic process ahead of the November midterm elections.

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Our team

Pueblo journalist Shaun Griswold joins Buffalo’s Fire

He will serve as a general assignment reporter based in New Mexico

Shaun Griswold, a sovereign citizen from the Pueblos of Laguna, Jemez and Zuni, has joined Buffalo’s Fire as a general assignment reporter.

Griswold brings nearly two decades of experience to the role and has worked in print, radio, TV, film and digital media. His reporting has appeared in outlets such as High Country News, Native America Calling, NPR, and Mother Jones. Before joining Buffalo’s Fire, he served as editorial director for Native News Online’s Cultivating Culture, which covered Indigenous Food Sovereignty and language revitalization topics.

“As Buffalo’s Fire grows and matures, we understand the value of hiring experienced journalists to be a part of our team,” said Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, founder and editor-in-chief of Buffalo’s Fire. “Throughout his career, Shaun has gained valuable reporting and editing experience, along with a vision for how local news can expand to better serve our Native communities.

“I look forward to working with Shaun as we continue to chart our path forward. Since there aren’t many local independent, Native-founded, Native-led, 501(c)3 nonprofit new organizations, we are learning something new every day. We welcome Shaun on board to help us expand media reach locally.”

Griswold is based in New Mexico, where he was born — and where he developed an early love for journalism. “My mom was a sports reporter at the Gallup Independent,” he says. “My earliest core memories include bright lights at Rez basketball games and late nights driving rural New Mexico roads back to the newsroom, where I slept until the sports section was ready for print. My news sense developed in those moments.”

In his free time, Griswold likes to explore cities and wilderness. “I’m on a lifetime mission to discover public art,” he says. He also plays basketball and “can cook up green chile stews from memory alone.”

Buffalo’s Fire surveys UTTC International Powwow attendees to track local information habits, community concerns and knowledge gaps

Fill out your form on Buffalo's Fire

Election

Absentee ballot applications open for MHA voters

People who cannot vote in person for Three Affiliated Tribe elections can now request ballots for Sept. 22 primary and Nov. 3 general

Voting rights

Supreme Court upholds mail-in voting after federal push to restrict ballots

Native voters, rural residents, older Americans rely on vote-by-mail

Solar

Large solar projects on Navajo Nation leave skepticism

As one of the largest solar installations rolled out with big promises, Diné residents saw limitations: ‘We were being sold down the river. Or being taken advantage of’

Cops

A dozen police cadets from nine tribal nations set to graduate from North Dakota federal police training center

Group is the first to complete new basic training programs at Camp Grafton

Theater

First Tlingit opera brings Alaska Native history to life

Original production runs until Sept. 20

Democracy

Native voters join Harvard Kennedy School discussion on election issues and free press gaps

From local administrative issues to systemic barriers, Native Americans give voting outlook heading into 2026 elections

Crow language

Montana school debuts first Crow language class

Educators hope to spur language revitalization

Irish Solidarity

Tribal delegation in Ireland to affirm international solidarity

Bloody Sunday Trust invites group from Great Plains

Energy

Public comment opens up for Southern Ute-led energy project

The Southwestern oil and natural gas project seeks to tap rich Mancos Shale Formation

Health care

Tribal Health Consortium takes over Alaska facility

Hand-off unleashes new investment opportunities

Salmon

Hoopa Valley Tribe in California joins state fish restoration efforts

Partnership will combine infrastructure on reservation land

Elections

Prominent Indigenous candidates head to federal elections in November

Indigenous representation in U.S. politics grows, but more than 17,000 elected leaders are needed for parity

Support Independent Native Journalism

We provide independent Native-focused reporting that gives our communities the context and the facts they need to make informed decisions.

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, Founder and Editor in Chief

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we exist to illuminate tribal government decision-making for everyone who cares about transparency about Native issues. Because the consequences of restricted press freedom affect our communities every day, our trauma-informed reporting is rooted in a deep, firsthand expertise. Every gift helps keep the fire burning. A monthly contribution makes the biggest impact.

Murder mysteries and Indigenous knowledge: The legacy of Sicangu Oglala Lakota author Joseph M. Marshall III

In the last installment of the Smokey River Suspense series, recently deceased author, historian and cultural bearer Joseph M. Marshall III tackled his most challenging mystery: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

By Chana Kaplan

“Sing for the Red Dress,” one of three books in the Smokey River Suspense mystery series published in 2024, opens with a girl trying to find her way home. Keeling over with exhaustion from a long journey on the run, she lies down to rest in a pasture, so close to home, and never gets back up.

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South Dakota

Oglala Sioux Tribe facing fairness questions over banishment law

The policy aims to combat crime on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, but its effectiveness and a lack of a clear appeals process are drawing questions

By Karin Eagle

The Oglala Sioux Tribe has expanded its use of banishment laws in recent years, describing the policy as a key tool in addressing violent crime, drug trafficking and other threats to public safety on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The law is now being questioned for fairness in application and its impact on human and civil rights.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Tomorrow: Harvard panel to examine press freedom in Native America

Harvard’s Nieman Foundation and Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance hosts a screening of “Bad Press” and a panel on freedom of information

The Nieman Foundation and Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance will host an event on journalism in Indian Country on Thursday, Sept. 10, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Lippmann House.

Attendees will watch “Bad Press,” a Sundance-winning documentary about the fight for an independent press in the Muscogee Nation.

Nieman Fellow Graham Lee Brewer will moderate a panel on freedom of information. It features our own Buffalo’s Fire Staff Reporter Shaun Griswold and Founder and Publisher Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, alongside Chris Mercier, vice chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.

Register here.

Education

Federal government awards $6.5M for traditional language programs

Nine programs across six states funded for immersion instruction and digital resource support

Last week, the federal government said it will fund Ojibwe, Diné, Acoma Keres, Lakota/Dakota and Lushootseed language programs through $6.5 million in grants awarded by the Bureau of Indian Education.

Wild rice

Wisconsin tribes excited for promising crop

Wildlife officials report favorable conditions for harvest

In the first year since Wisconsin’s Wild Rice Stewardship Council launched to protect the culturally significant crop, wild rice harvests have increased thanks to a wet spring followed by dry late summer conditions. The Bad River Reservation, headquarters of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, hosts the largest natural wild rice bed in the Great Lakes basin.

Upcoming deadlines

Deadlines approach for Tribal Consultation testimonies

Tribal nations will have opportunities to advocate for women and families in September and October

The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center based in Lame Deer, Montana, is highlighting a pair of Tribal Consultation deadlines for written testimony advocating for women, children and families.

Indigenous art

Portland artists seek donations for new space

Nonprofit fosters economic stability, public education

The Portland Indigenous Marketplace in Oregon is seeking donations for a new roof to establish the organization’s hoped-for community hub.

MMIP

South Dakota Attorney General names new MMIP specialist

Appointee brings more than two decades of experience

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced Wednesday that Marlys Big Eagle of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe from Fort Thompson will serve as the state’s new Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Specialist.

Election integrity

New mail-in voting rules pose particular risk in Native communities

Whistleblower voices concerns about new system

Thousands of mail-in election ballots could potentially get rejected because of one single unverifiable voter in their midst under new Trump administration rules – and United States Postal Service officials have been meeting internally to discuss how to avoid this risk of “mass disenfranchisement.”

Wildlife

Ute Mountain Ute Tribe joins Colorado wolf agreement

Southern Ute Tribe signed similar deal in 2024

Gray wolves, formerly only released by Colorado Parks and Wildlife in their northern zone encompassing the ski resort towns of Aspen, Vail and nearby communities, might be headed to Southern Colorado soon.

Support Independent Native Journalism

We provide independent Native-focused reporting that gives our communities the context and the facts they need to make informed decisions.

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, Founder and Editor in Chief

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we exist to illuminate tribal government decision-making for everyone who cares about transparency about Native issues. Because the consequences of restricted press freedom affect our communities every day, our trauma-informed reporting is rooted in a deep, firsthand expertise. Every gift helps keep the fire burning. A monthly contribution makes the biggest impact.

Candidates take complaints to TAT District Court

By Bret Anne Serbin

The primary elections for the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation take place Tuesday, Sept. 22, but whose names will appear on the final ballot remains unclear. Former Chairman Tex Hall is hoping for another chance to lead the Three Affiliated Tribes, and potential council candidate Terry Fredericks has also filed to run for the Twin Buttes South Segment. But the primary hopefuls have been impacted by confusing election processes and eligibility requirements that they say are unconstitutional.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Harvard Panel To Examine Press Freedom In Native America

The Nieman Foundation and Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance hosts a screening of “Bad Press” and a panel on freedom of information

The Nieman Foundation and Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance will host an event on journalism in Indian Country on Thursday, Sept. 10, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Lippmann House.

Attendees will watch “Bad Press,” a Sundance-winning documentary about the fight for an independent press in the Muscogee Nation.

Nieman Fellow Graham Lee Brewer will moderate a panel on freedom of information. It features our own Buffalo’s Fire Staff Reporter Shaun Griswold and Founder and Publisher Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, alongside Chris Mercier, vice chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.

Register here.

Lake Ontario

Wyandotte Nation speaks out against name change

Executive Order urges new name ‘Lake America’

Backlash to an executive order last week renaming the smallest of the Great Lakes reaches far beyond the U.S.–Canada border. Chief Billy Friend of the Wyandotte Nation, headquartered in Wyandotte, Okla., weighed in on President Donald Trump’s recent decision to use the name “Lake America” rather than “Lake Ontario.”

Healthcare

Rural Louisiana health clinic addresses local tribe’s unique needs

Services expanded since opening in 2021

The Tunica-Biloxi health clinic in Marksville, La. opened in 2021 to serve the Tunica-Biloxi tribe and its rural neighbors. The small but growing team focuses on building trust, treating health disparities like the high prevalence of diabetes and making sure uninsured patients can access vital resources.

Tribal justice

Idaho leader wants more funding for MMIP resources

Coeur d’Alene and Shoshone-Paiute tribes express support

Idaho Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson grew up near the Fort Hall Reservation in Blackfoot, but he has said recent efforts to bring more attention to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Crisis have given him a much stronger understanding of the scope of the issue.

Education

Martha’s Vineyard nonprofit secures new grant funding

Native nonprofit leaders promote traditional land stewardship

A Native-led nonprofit on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Sassafras Earth Education Inc., received a $50,000 grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to emphasize climate action close to home through Indigenous environmental stewardship.

Historic preservation

Joint statement pushes back against federal rule changes

Advisory Council voted 15-5 to eliminate process for tribal consultation

The U.S. Advisory Council on Historic Preservation voted July 24 to scrap a process that tribal authorities use to protect historic and culturally significant land from development.

Out of line

Leaders in Michigan rally against pipeline tunnel

Enbridge project cuts through Anishinaabe ancestral sites

From potentially polluting the Great Lakes to disturbing significant cultural resources, the concerns around the Line 5 tunnel project through the Straits of Mackinac run deep. In Lansing, Michigan on Aug. 26, advocates from the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe rallied to shut down a new tunnel under an existing crude oil and natural gas pipeline.

Homeownership

Advocates in the Southwest seek to address housing shortage

Growing interest in market-rate housing options

Christopher Billey, executive director of the Tribal Homeownership Coalition of the Southwest, sees a “missing link” between potential homebuyers and homeowners on reservations in Arizona and New Mexico.

Strengthen and formalize

Montana education lawsuit settled over Indian Education for All implementation

Only 10% of school districts account for appropriate resource spending

Montana’s unique commitment to teaching Native American history and culture as a central component of general public education — enshrined in the state’s constitution and reaffirmed in the 1999 Indian Education for All Act — has repeatedly fallen short of its lofty goals, according to Montana students, families and tribes.

Support Independent Native Journalism

We provide independent Native-focused reporting that gives our communities the context and the facts they need to make informed decisions.

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, Founder and Editor in Chief

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we exist to illuminate tribal government decision-making for everyone who cares about transparency about Native issues. Because the consequences of restricted press freedom affect our communities every day, our trauma-informed reporting is rooted in a deep, firsthand expertise. Every gift helps keep the fire burning. A monthly contribution makes the biggest impact.

The Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance is collaborating with the Harvard Kennedy School Project on Indigenous Governance and Development – formerly called the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development – to address democracy in Indian Country through voting and freedom of information. Other collaborating co-presenters include the Harvard University Native American Program and the Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation.

Speakers will bring some thought-provoking insights to the table, including: Regis Pecos, co-director of the Leadership Institute; Jacqueline De Leon, Native American Rights Fund attorney; Lisa Finley-Deville, North Dakota legislator; and Norma Gourneau, former vice-president of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. The one-day Democracy symposium is scheduled on Sept. 11. If you plan to attend, please register here ASAP for planning purposes. We will have some more updates on the event in a few days.

In a democracy, newsrooms exist as an essential pillar of society, channeling information to the public and holding governance systems and officials accountable. Those officials are typically elected into public office through a democratic election process. Is that process working for Native citizens at the local, state, reservation and national levels?

The free press reports on the government, thereby creating transparency, and holding power to account. Equally important, the media helps create an informed citizenry by reporting on the ballot issues and on candidates who are running for office. This process of accountability is important at all levels of the electoral process.

The Harvard symposium illustrates the importance and need for fair voting, independent newsrooms and freedom of information across Indian Country. If we are to have accountability, those newsrooms and the public also need access to information to make informed decisions.

The Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Bismarck, North Dakota. It is the publisher of the independent digital news site Buffalo’s Fire.

Tribal Government Transparency

BIA expected to end yearlong ‘noninterference’ policy after court rules Chiefs’ Declaration void

Citizens seek accountability from Northern Cheyenne elected leaders

by Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

The Women of Purpose, a civic-minded, news-sharing group of elderly women, had just begun setting up a protest shade on the Northern Cheyenne Little Wolf Capitol Building lawn when security guards moved a sprinkler near the group and turned on the water. Diana McLean and Terri Lone Bear argued with the guards that they had a right to peaceably assemble. Soon, a Bureau of Indian Affairs cop arrived to defuse the conflict.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

The Northern Cheyenne constitutional crisis

A year of upheaval: From a controversial Traditional Chiefs’ declaration to a landmark appellate court ruling

by Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

August 13, 2025: Protest camp established

Women of Purpose sets up a protest camp outside the Chief Little Wolf Capital Building in Lame Deer, Montana, seeking accountability from the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council amid widespread allegations of corruption. After safety becomes an issue, the traditional chiefs and societies offer protection to the women in the protest camp.

September 10, 2025: Chiefs’ Declaration

Traditional Chiefs issue a declaration to remove elected representatives of the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council, including Melissa Fisher, Howard Ontiveros, Stephen Raining Bird, Melissa Lone Bear, Donavin Limberhand Jr., Nizhoni Friesz, Eva Foote and Gwen Spotted Horse. Removing officers or council members is an act governed by Article VII of the Northern Cheyenne Constitution, but the chiefs say they have an inherent right to do so.

September 11, 2025: President ousted

At a hearing, Northern Cheyenne Councilman Howard Ontiveros votes with seven other Northern Cheyenne council members to remove Gene Small as president. Before the hearing, Ontiveros was appointed temporary president of the tribal council. Article VII, Section 2, of the Constitution requires a vote of 2/3 of the members of the council to remove an officer, after affording the officer a fair opportunity to be heard in his own defense.

September 12, 2025: BIA recognizes elected council

Bureau of Indian Affairs Northern Cheyenne Superintendent Andrew Werk notifies President Small and the council in a letter that although the BIA respects the tribe’s cultural traditions and ways, it recognizes the tribal officials duly elected under the tribe’s constitution and bylaws.

View 26 more events in the timeline

Montana

Legal saga continues for Northern Cheyenne Tribe

Traditional Chiefs request appeal, file motion in contested leadership case

By Bret Anne Serbin

In the latest evolution of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe’s complex yearlong leadership dispute, three Traditional Chiefs are seeking to challenge a recent Trial Court order that sided with their opponents, eight ousted members of the Tribal Council.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Thank you for unlocking $1,000 match

We have reached our fundraising goal

For the last month, Buffalo’s Fire has asked you to support Native-led journalism and Indigenous perspectives. We wanted to meet a $1,000 match in the hope that it would inspire you to contribute.

You did it! Your contributions helped us exceed our $1,000 matching goal.

Thank you for supporting our work and investing in independent, Indigenous journalism

--Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, Founder and Director

New Hire

Buffalo’s Fire is expanding

Bret Anne Serbin will be reporting from Montana

Bret Anne Serbin has joined our team as a general assignment reporter. She is based in Montana’s Gallatin Valley and comes to Buffalo’s Fire with five years of reporting experience.

Bret previously covered local government and community issues for the Missoulian and reported on the intersections of business, local government and rural community resources for the Daily Inter Lake. “I’m keenly aware of the lack of nuanced media coverage when it comes to tribes in and around Montana,” she said, “so I’m excited to be part of a team advancing trust and accountability.”

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Heritage

Farmington Code Talkers museum faces descendant objections

New Mexico has set aside $20 million as Navajo Prep prepares to take over the project after construction and receive early operating support

Urban study

NIH trial links virtual prevention program to lower alcohol and cannabis use

The yearlong study included participants from more than 200 tribes in 37 states

Bernalillo County

Brenda Hoskie sues New Mexico Democrats over secretary removal

Hoskie says she raised concerns about discrimination, harassment and retaliation against Navajo party members before leaders declared the office vacant.

Sonoran Desert

Judge rejects Tohono O’odham Nation request to halt border wall

The nation strongly disagrees with ruling and will consider all options.

Cass Lake

Erin Stresow becomes Leech Lake Tribal College president

Stresow began in early July and set priorities that include workforce development, Indigenous data sovereignty and program growth.

Education

Ancient DNA links smallpox

Two infections found in ancestral remains in northern Chile add genetic evidence on smallpox’s path.

Outreach

Indian Economic Development seeks tourism aid partner

Applicants have until Aug. 28 to seek a five-year, appropriation-dependent award supporting tribal and Native Hawaiian tourism.

Education

Cherokee Nation opens $30 million immersion middle school

The 66,000-square-foot Tahlequah campus will serve grades four through eight in 16 classrooms, with signage entirely.

Election

Peltola advances in Alaska’s U.S. Senate primary race

Peltola led Sullivan 48% to 43% with most precincts reporting, while a second Sullivan candidate also appeared poised.

Rapid City

Buffalo Plains Recovery gets South Dakota technology grant

The $1.54 million award will support patient care, clinical operations and links between patients and recovery services in western South Dakota.

California

California Senate panel advances 10 Ramos-authored bills

The measures now face a full Senate vote.

Community submissions are helping us fix data flaws and verify records

In the week since we launched our Murdered and Missing Indigenous Peoples database, we have been working to strengthen the structure and are learning from the experience of dealing with community tips and submissions. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Keep sending us tips and corrections. We know we have a lot of work to do.

Part of that work is making sure information from government lists, community submissions and newsroom reporting reaches us in the right way. Public records on missing and murdered people are fragmented and frequently inconsistent. The same person may appear on several lists with different spellings, dates or case numbers. A government website may update a record, move it to another page or remove it without explanation.

The data comes to us with holes, imprecisions and possible duplicates. So we are organizing our database around a simple principle: A missing individual should have one central record, while information from outside sources should connect to that record as supporting evidence.

That means state lists, federal databases, community flyers and corrections contribute information without creating separate versions for the same person.

Community submissions have a distinct role in that structure. Tips, corrections, photographs, flyers and family information are not the same as the automated public-record updates our database receives. Staff members review them, compare them with existing evidence and follow up when needed.

A submission may not be immediately visible in our database, as information requires verification, additional reporting or contact with a family or agency.

Thank you to those who have already submitted tips or corrections. Your contributions are actively helping us identify missing details, fix data flaws and understand where we need to improve. Please keep the submissions coming—this database will only fulfill its purpose through continued collaboration with families and advocates.

Read about the MMIP map 📍

Explore the data: search names or locations 🔍

Send us tips and corrections 💬

It takes time to recover from genocide. Natives address this at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

Buffalo’s Fire team captures those stories in this recent PBS Newshour segment.

At the end of June, the Buffalo’s Fire team set up camp at the Battle of the Greasy Grass at the Little Big Horn National Monument. We understand the value of the oral tradition, so we also set up a recording tipi and invited individuals and families to step inside and share their stories to commemorate 150 years since the historic June 25, 1876, battle.

We helped other media outlets navigate the many Native activities that were happening for at least a week, including PBS Newshour with Judy Woodruff. That news piece, “How the Battle of the Little Bighorn reshaped U.S. policy toward Native Americans,” aired for the first time last Wednesday. The PBS team asked us if they could record us as we talked to Natives about their family connections to the battle. Buffalo’s Fire plans to continue gathering Greasy Grass stories over the next year, and we will announce soon how that’s going to work. Also, check out our Little Bighorn reporting.

Support Buffalo’s Fire today

Your contribution will be matched dollar for dollar

Good news: We’ve raised close to $300 during our matching fundraising campaign

There’s an opportunity for you to have your contribution doubled when you give.

YES! Double my contribution.

Your support means we can keep recording descendants of the Battle of the Greasy Grass/Little Bighorn. Your support also means we can continue investing in an independent database that ensures Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives are never forgotten. Your support amplifies Indigenous perspectives and voices.

Living on the Standing Rock Reservation, I rely on Buffalo’s Fire to keep me informed. Join me as a contributor.

With thanks,

Jenn Martel

Fundraising and community engagement manager Buffalo’s Fire and the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance

Trial set for man charged in 1983 Sioux City death

Terri McCauley vanished after entering a vehicle outside a West 7th Street bar, and her body was found near what is now Trinity Heights

Thomas Popp, 63, will stand trial in Woodbury County District Court on a first-degree murder charge in Terri McCauley’s September 1983 death in Sioux City, according to reporting from Iowa Public Radio. A day after a Woodbury County grand jury indicted him in January 2025, authorities arrested Popp in Washington state.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Osage school closure forces families to seek other options

An $11 million Osage Nation shortfall also led to a visitor center closure and planned tribal farm shutdown

Daposka Ahnko-Dapi closed at the start of the school year after the Osage Nation’s $11 million budget shortfall forced cuts, leaving families who enrolled children in its Osage language and cultural programs to seek other school options.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Minnetonka and Madewell debut footwear line featuring Anishinaabe design

Artist Adrienne Benjamin designed a suede bootie as the brands pair the release with support for language education

Family-owned shoemaker Minnetonka and J.Crew-owned Madewell have launched a three-style shoe collaboration, according to reporting from Inc. Magazine. The collection includes a fringed moccasin, a driving shoe and an Adrienne Benjamin-designed suede bootie.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Bay Area seller sentenced for $92,000 Native American art fraud

An eBay vendor ignored federal warnings, selling cheap imported knockoffs falsely labeled as authentic tribal jewelry

Molly Breivis, 57, of San Francisco, was sentenced on Aug. 5 in Phoenix federal court after pleading guilty to misrepresentation of Native American-produced goods, according to reporting from FOX 10 Phoenix. Breivis received a sentence of time served and a $10,000 fine after admitting she marketed Asian knockoffs as authentic tribal creations and sold more than $92,000 worth of counterfeit jewelry through eBay.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Northwestern Band restores Bear River Massacre Site

The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation is transforming a site of historic slaughter into a beacon of ecological and cultural healing

On January 29, 1863, Union Army troops slaughtered between 250 and 500 Shoshone men, women and children along Idaho’s Bear River in what is often described as the deadliest anti-Native attack in U.S. history, according to reporting from the Smithsonian Magazine. Settlers long mischaracterized the tragedy as a military battle.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Intact pottery found at Gainesville Spanish mission site

Among 7,000 artifacts, the Florida Museum found one small bowl-shaped vessel, but experts do not know its purpose or why it was buried

Archaeology students uncovered a fully intact Native American pottery vessel at a former Spanish mission site in northwest Gainesville, Florida, according to a Florida Museum of Natural History statement reported by Archaeology Magazine. The small, bowl-shaped pot fits in the palm of a hand and is the only vessel of its kind among 7,000 artifacts recovered during the museum’s previous excavations at the site, the museum said.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Mitakuye festival returns to Sioux Falls on Aug. 29

The free, daylong event pairs concerts and cultural presentations with vendors, food trucks, family activities and a Rehfeld’s Art exhibition

The fourth annual All My Relatives (Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ) Festival will return Saturday, Aug. 29, to Levitt at the Falls in Sioux Falls, according to reporting from South Dakota News Watch. The festival celebrates Native American culture through creativity, performances and family-friendly activities.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Chickasaw Nation breaks ground on $1 billion medical center

A 690,000-square-foot first phase will add 50 beds, with an Indian Health Service partnership supporting operations after opening

The Chickasaw Nation began construction July 31 on a medical center in Newcastle, Oklahoma, the first phase of a planned campus southwest of Oklahoma City, according to an article in Tribal Business News. Chickasaw Nation Gov. Chris Anoatubby led the groundbreaking.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

North Dakota drought worsens after July heat

Condition Monitoring Observer Reports have increased, citing crop losses, dry livestock watering holes and pastures unsuitable for grazing across North Dakota

More than half of North Dakota is in drought after one of the warmest and driest Julys on record, with heat shriveling crops and damaging pastures, according to reporting from the North Dakota Monitor. The U.S. Drought Monitor update placed one-third of the state in moderate drought and more than 23% in extreme drought.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Ancestral lands returned to Duwamish Tribe

Underscore Native News reports that 3.56 acres of ancestral homelands in Seattle have been returned to the Duwamish Tribe.

“To me, it seems like a huge piece of property because we are not federally recognized and do not have a reservation,” Nancy Sackman, vice chair of the Duwamish Tribal Council and Duwamish tribal member, was quoted as saying. “So any land that we do get is a huge event.”

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Buffalo’s Fire is committed to reporting on Native issues, Native perspectives and tribes. Our live blog of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn included drone footage, interviews with descendants, and an updated calendar of events to help participants.

This work is only possible because people like you choose to support it. Take advantage of the match to double your support of Buffalo’s Fire.

With thanks,

Pier Paolo Bozzano

Product & Audience Growth Lead

Over the last year, our newsroom at Buffalo’s Fire has been building a database and interactive map to document the names and stories of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP).

We decided to build this out of necessity. The official databases (like the BIA Missing and Murdered Unit and NamUs) are fragmented, confusing, and often disagree with each other. Also, when a local agency stops listing someone, they just disappear from the official record without explanation.

Facebook is the main lifeline for families and search parties. But Meta restricts data access, and digital flyers posted as images aren’t captured by search engines. This means that vital, community-sourced information gets buried in the algorithm and lost over time.

We currently have 1,148 individuals in our database, with about 1,026 mapped publicly.

• We merge data from multiple agencies and have created submission forms to collect community data in the form of tips and also flyers.

• If an agency drops someone from their list without confirming they were found safe, we keep them on our map. They are still missing, regardless of what a government website says.

• Every individual gets a dedicated page where we can collect testimonies so they are never just a number. These pages will never vanish for as long as we exist.

Our goal is to create a comprehensive, permanent public database, but the data is a mess. We are asking the community to help us fill in the gaps.

Read about the MMIP map 📍

Explore the data: search names or locations 🔍

Send us tips and corrections 💬

Reflecting on the cycle of life: Family photos transport mourners to a bygone era

Spotted Bear matriarch begins journey to the earth lodge villages

by Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Life is a journey, and death is its invisible companion.

It’s been almost 10 years since I sat at a table with my sister-cousin, Faith Ann Skogstad, looking at old photos, igniting talk and memories of our aunt who’d passed away that fall. Faith Ann made a comment about how it seems we only look through a loose collection of family pictures when we’re preparing for a funeral.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

Dartmouth launches Tribal Sovereignty Institute with $5 million gift

The new institute will support tribal leadership through partnerships research and education

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe plans buffalo grazing school

The August program brings tribal participants together for field learning on herd health, soil stewardship and food sovereignty

WEWIN honors Ernie Stevens Jr. and Cheryl Stevens with leadership award

WEWIN recognized the Stevens family for decades of service to tribal nations and Native leadership

US preteen suicide rate reaches highest level in decades

Preliminary federal data recorded 194 suicide deaths among children ages 8 to 12 in 2025

MHA Nation celebrates opening of new water administration office

Opened July 31 at Fort Berthold, the office adds centralized control and real-time monitoring to help maintain safe drinking water

Oregon prison powwow brings Native families together for annual gathering

The annual event gives incarcerated Native people a chance to practice culture and reconnect with loved ones

Protesters urge BLM to keep Chaco Canyon protections

Protesters and New Mexico officials opposed a proposal to remove mining protections around Chaco Canyon

Record 13 Native candidates seek public office in Minnesota

At least 13 Indigenous candidates are running for office statewide in Minnesota

Nevada Native tuition waiver faces funding uncertainty as enrollment grow

State leaders seek long-term funding for college program serving Native American students

Oregon animal measure fails to qualify for November ballot

A proposed ban on hunting and fishing will not appear on the November ballot

Ontario First Nations find refuge in Thunder Bay amid wildfire evacuations

More than 100 wildfires in Ontario have displaced First Nations communities

Native-designed robots help children learn Indigenous languages

Ojibwe inventor’s SkoBots combine robotics and language learning to support cultural revitalization

Traditional Navajo meal program reduces hospitalizations in heart failure trial

Randomized clinical trial finds culturally tailored meals improved health outcomes for Navajo patients

Double Your Impact. Donate Today. Every Dollar is Matched

When I founded Buffalo’s Fire 10 years ago, it was to keep Native communities informed and to address the need for tribal governmental transparency and accountability. Since then, we’ve been publishing award-winning journalism. Also, after listening to readers, we have launched an independent database tracking Murdered and Missing Indigenous Peoples, blending technology and the tools of journalism to shine a light on an issue deeply important to Native Americans. Readers also identify the need for stories related to language and culture. Check out Buffalo’s Fire for our recent coverage of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, or the Greasy Grass.

While we are thankful for foundation financial support, our resilience depends on our audience. We’re asking readers to double their impact by making an individual contribution. Our goal is to reach $1,000. Monthly donations will also be matched by foundation support. This donor drive is effective today and ends Aug. 14. We appreciate you standing with our team.

Waashiraharanito’shish – Thank you

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Founder and Executive Director, Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance

Publisher, Buffalo’s Fire

DONATE TODAY EVERY DOLLAR MATCHED

We’re getting to our match goal of $1000 one contribution, one dollar, one donor at a time. If you haven’t given yet — or if you’re able to give again — your contribution will be doubled.

Your support keeps Indigenous stories alive, visible, and protected.

Yes! Double my impact.

With thanks,

Tori Marlan

Managing Editor

Your support ensures we can continue reporting on land, culture, and tribal governments with depth and integrity.

And right now, your gift is matched dollar-for-dollar up to $1,000.

Your voice matters. Your support matters. Your impact is doubled.

Yes! Double my impact.

With thanks,

Ann Alquist

Mission Advancement Specialist

Buffalo’s Fire is seeking two general assignment reporters to join our award-winning newsroom. We are looking for journalists who are passionate about telling meaningful stories that inform and serve Native communities.

👇 Click here for the full job description 👇

Job Description

Double Your Impact. Donate Today. Every Dollar is Matched

When I founded Buffalo’s Fire 10 years ago, it was to keep Native communities informed and to address the need for tribal governmental transparency and accountability. Since then, we’ve been publishing award-winning journalism. Also, after listening to readers, we are days away from launching an independent database tracking Murdered and Missing Indigenous Peoples, blending technology and the tools of journalism to shine a light on an issue deeply important to Native Americans. Readers also identify the need for stories related to language and culture. Check out Buffalo’s Fire for our recent coverage of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, or the Greasy Grass.

While we are thankful for foundation financial support, our resilience depends on our audience. We’re asking readers to double their impact by making an individual contribution. Our goal is to reach $1,000. Monthly donations will also be matched by foundation support. This donor drive is effective today and ends Aug. 14. We appreciate you standing with our team.

Waashiraharanito’shish – Thank you

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Founder and Executive Director, Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance

Publisher, Buffalo’s Fire

DONATE TODAY EVERY DOLLAR MATCHED

Buffalo’s Fire celebrates 10 years

Founded in 2016, the publication is the first 501(c)3 nonprofit newsroom in North Dakota

By Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

I’ve spent nearly my entire adult life dedicated to journalism, beginning in high school. Yes, that was many moons ago, but the inspiration behind the writing has not changed. I’ve written for tribe-owned press, military newspapers while serving in Army and Air National Guard units and mainstream dailies in Nebraska, Idaho, Utah and Montana.

Continue reading on Buffalo's Fire

🔥 Quick Stories, Must Reads 🔥

Indian gaming leaders oppose Clarity Act over prediction market concerns

Tribal gaming organizations say the bill should explicitly exclude sports betting and other gambling regulated by tribes and states

Read on Buffalo's Fire

Judge temporarily blocks public land sale near Anaconda mine site

Federal judge pauses sale of more than 2,000 acres while legal challenge moves forward

Read on Buffalo's Fire

Black Creek Freedmen descendants sue Muscogee Nation over delayed citizenship

Federal lawsuit seeks enforcement of tribal court ruling recognizing Black Creek Freedmen descendants as Muscogee Nation citizens

Read on Buffalo's Fire

Minnesota MMIR license plate program raises nearly $500,000 for cold case rewards

Reward fund supports tips in missing and murdered Indigenous relatives investigations

Read on Buffalo's Fire

Northern Arapaho council adopts policy for outside groups after church sermon

New policy requires outside organizations to consult with tribal leaders before operating on Northern Arapaho lands

Read on Buffalo's Fire

First Nations leaders seek inquiry after wildfires destroy communities

Chiefs call for government accountability following evacuations and widespread wildfire damage in northern Ontario

Read on Buffalo's Fire

Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation awards $1 million to expand disability services for Native children

Two-year grant supports culturally grounded assessments, therapy and family services across California

Read on Buffalo's Fire

Colorado River hydropower declines as drought strains Western power system

Lower water levels reduce electricity generation as utilities face rising demand

Read on Buffalo's Fire

The Indigenous Journalists Association recognized Buffalo’s Fire for general excellence and stories on a superfund site, ICE and tribal transparency

By Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

As editor-in-chief at Buffalo’s Fire, I work with a team that demands excellence in reporting and editing, as well as in the presentation of stories online. We’re an innovative and growing online news outlet based in Bismarck, North Dakota. While we’re diligently working this year — we just finished a vigorous reporting project at the Little Bighorn Battlefield — last year, we tackled some news stories no one else was covering.

Read More

Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance Media Survey

Your voice matters!

Buffalo’s Fire is interested in learning how to improve coverage of tribal governments. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Click below to fill out our media survey. Responses are anonymous, but the overall results of the survey will be made public.

Survey Here

Buffalo’s Fire launches Flyers Board for community notices and events

New page organizes local flyers around the newest postings, creating a digital bulletin board for gatherings, workshops, fundraisers and public notices

By Buffalo’s Fire

Buffalo’s Fire has launched the Flyers Board, a new community page designed to bring local notices, event promotions and public-interest announcements into one shared digital space. The page presents flyers as a living bulletin board, with the newest postings placed at the center and older ones arranged around them. This layout echoes the feel of a community center wall or grocery store notice board while remaining easy to browse on desktop and mobile devices.

The new feature is intended to help readers quickly find workshops, powwows, meetings, fundraisers, hearings and other community events in a format that feels immediate and familiar.

The newest flyer is located at the center of the page; scroll in all directions to see the rest. Tap or click on any flyer to view it in full screen and read a brief summary of its content. Share flyers on social media and use our submission form to send us flyers for your events — both local and from afar — and we’ll post them for all to see. We’re creating a community of engaged citizens, gathering like-minded allies and chasing change together.

The Daily Spark – quick, must-read micro stories to start your day

Our Daily Spark feature delivers news summaries each day to give you a quick overview of current events in Indian Country. The format prioritizes brevity, providing key updates in short, digestible summaries. This makes it a valuable resource for quickly grasping important developments on a broad range of issues affecting Indigenous communities.

Here are some of the stories you may have missed this week:

Menominee community launches traditional dugout canoe on ancestral river

Native youth seek healthier balance with technology, report finds

NCAI seeks candidates for Youth Commission officer positions

World Eskimo Indian Olympics celebrates Indigenous athletic traditions and new records

The Real Bird family has hosted the Battle of Greasy Grass for the past 26 years

By Maria Hawkins

The cavalry enters the battlefield to a melody of violins and trumpets playing over speakers. Then gunfire erupts, and the warriors of the Great Sioux Nation, Cheyenne and the Arapaho rush into the battlefield. Horses breathe heavily as their hooves pound on the sacred grounds. War cries sent to the ancestors who fought in this battle all those years ago are heard and still echo as a reminder of the Native resistors' fight against Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and his men, reenacted.

Read More

Beyond the 150th

Thousands gathered on the Montana plains to honor the warriors of 1876. Buffalo’s Fire was on the ground.

Blue Bird Lifeways hosted a Victory Run marking the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn/Greasy Grass. The 45-mile run began at Medicine Deer Rocks and ended at the battlefield. Cheyenne, Oceti Sakowin and Arapaho youth participated. Here they are running through the tipi encampment.

Read our coverage

Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance Media Survey

Your voice matters!

Buffalo’s Fire is interested in learning how to improve coverage of tribal governments. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Click below to fill out our media survey. Responses are anonymous, but the overall results of the survey will be made public.

Survey Here

Buffalo’s Fire launches Flyers Board for community notices and events

New page organizes local flyers around the newest postings, creating a digital bulletin board for gatherings, workshops, fundraisers and public notices

By Buffalo’s Fire

Buffalo’s Fire has launched the Flyers Board, a new community page designed to bring local notices, event promotions and public-interest announcements into one shared digital space. The page presents flyers as a living bulletin board, with the newest postings placed at the center and older ones arranged around them. This layout echoes the feel of a community center wall or grocery store notice board while remaining easy to browse on desktop and mobile devices.

The new feature is intended to help readers quickly find workshops, powwows, meetings, fundraisers, hearings and other community events in a format that feels immediate and familiar.

The newest flyer is located at the center of the page; scroll in all directions to see the rest. Tap or click on any flyer to view it in full screen and read a brief summary of its content. Share flyers on social media and use our submission form to send us flyers for your events — both local and from afar — and we’ll post them for all to see. We’re creating a community of engaged citizens, gathering like-minded allies and chasing change together.

The Daily Spark – quick, must-read micro stories to start your day

Our Daily Spark feature delivers news summaries each day to give you a quick overview of current events in Indian Country. The format prioritizes brevity, providing key updates in short, digestible summaries. This makes it a valuable resource for quickly grasping important developments on a broad range of issues affecting Indigenous communities.

Here are some of the stories you may have missed this week:

Native-owned boxing promotion launches in North Dakota

Tribal leaders warn federal changes could affect Native schools

New Ojibwe magazine expands language through modern hobbies

Native organizations question Seattle homelessness count

In 50 years, today’s youth will keep history alive at the 200th commemoration

By Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

The sacred land of the Greasy Grass in southeast Montana came to life with song and ceremony as thousands of Natives gathered nearly two weeks ago to celebrate culture, history and being alive after repeated attempts of annihilation by the U.S. Cavalry. The energy of the gathering near the Little Bighorn River remains strong, as historic ties are restored and new alliances are built.

Read on Buffalo's Fire

Young Man: The dog who made his own history at Greasy Grass

The little rez dog broke free from his lead and joined warriors on 300-mile journey to the Little Bighorn battlefield site

By Maria Hawkins

Throughout the week at the 150th commemoration of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, everyone was hearing stories about a black-and-white dog who’d traveled roughly 300 miles from Green Grass in South Dakota to Greasy Grass in Montana. The dog, Young Man, had tagged along with Santee warriors who were riding their horses to the battlefield site to honor Native American resistance and commemorate the defeat of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer.

Read More

Beyond the 150th

Thousands gathered on the Montana plains to honor the warriors of 1876. Buffalo’s Fire was on the ground.

Ernestine Chasing Hawk, a descendant of Sitting Bull, shares her family story on June 27 while in Hardin, Montana. The recordings are part of Buffalo’s Fire Greasy Grass Oral History Project.

Read our coverage

Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance Media Survey

Your voice matters!

Buffalo’s Fire is interested in learning how to improve coverage of tribal governments. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Click below to fill out our media survey. Responses are anonymous, but the overall results of the survey will be made public.

Survey Here

Buffalo’s Fire launches Flyers Board for community notices and events

New page organizes local flyers around the newest postings, creating a digital bulletin board for gatherings, workshops, fundraisers and public notices

By Buffalo’s Fire

Buffalo’s Fire has launched the Flyers Board, a new community page designed to bring local notices, event promotions and public-interest announcements into one shared digital space. The page presents flyers as a living bulletin board, with the newest postings placed at the center and older ones arranged around them. This layout echoes the feel of a community center wall or grocery store notice board while remaining easy to browse on desktop and mobile devices.

The new feature is intended to help readers quickly find workshops, powwows, meetings, fundraisers, hearings and other community events in a format that feels immediate and familiar.

The newest flyer is located at the center of the page; scroll in all directions to see the rest. Tap or click on any flyer to view it in full screen and read a brief summary of its content. Share flyers on social media and use our submission form to send us flyers for your events — both local and from afar — and we’ll post them for all to see. We’re creating a community of engaged citizens, gathering like-minded allies and chasing change together.

The Daily Spark – quick, must-read micro stories to start your day

Our Daily Spark feature delivers news summaries each day to give you a quick overview of current events in Indian Country. The format prioritizes brevity, providing key updates in short, digestible summaries. This makes it a valuable resource for quickly grasping important developments on a broad range of issues affecting Indigenous communities.

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