The Northern California Indian Development Council (NCIDC) is getting ready for our 32nd Annual Elders Dinner and Inter-Tribal Gathering. It is scheduled for November 9, 2013 at Redwood Acres in Eureka from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. This event is held yearly to honor Elders from all walks of life. We provide a free Salmon and Turkey dinner to the Elders and recognize them in a traditional give away ceremony. The meal is served at noon. The weekend is also an opportunity to honor all veterans in attendance.
Presidential Proclamation -- National Native American Heritage Month, 2013
NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, 2013
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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
From Alaskan mountain peaks to the Argentinian pampas to the rocky shores of Newfoundland, Native Americans were the first to carve out cities, domesticate crops, and establish great civilizations. When the Framers gathered to write the United States Constitution, they drew inspiration from the Iroquois Confederacy, and in the centuries since, American Indians and Alaska Natives from hundreds of tribes have shaped our national life. During Native American Heritage Month, we honor their vibrant cultures and strengthen the government-to-government relationship between the United States and each tribal nation.
As we observe this month, we must not ignore the painful history Native Americans have endured -- a history of violence, marginalization, broken promises, and upended justice. There was a time when native languages and religions were banned as part of a forced assimilation policy that attacked the political, social, and cultural identities of Native Americans in the United States. Through generations of struggle, American Indians and Alaska Natives held fast to their traditions, and eventually the United States Government repudiated its destructive policies and began to turn the page on a troubled past.
My Administration remains committed to self-determination, the right of tribal governments to build and strengthen their own communities. Each year I host the White House Tribal Nations Conference, and our work together has translated into action. We have resolved longstanding legal disputes, prioritized placing land into trust on behalf of tribes, stepped up support for Tribal Colleges and Universities, made tribal health care more accessible, and streamlined leasing regulations to put more power in tribal hands. Earlier this year, an amendment to the Stafford Act gave tribes the option to directly request Federal emergency assistance when natural disasters strike their homelands. In March, I signed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, which recognizes tribal courts' power to convict and sentence certain perpetrators of domestic violence, regardless of whether they are Indian or non-Indian. And this June, I moved to strengthen our nation-to-nation relationships by establishing the White House Tribal Council on Native American Affairs. The Council is responsible for promoting and sustaining prosperous and resilient Native American communities
As we observe Native American Heritage Month, we must build on this work. Let us shape a future worthy of a bright new generation, and together, let us ensure this country's promise is fully realized for every Native American.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2013 as National Native American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to commemorate this month with appropriate programs and activities, and to celebrate November 29, 2013, as Native American Heritage Day.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
BARACK OBAMA
As the Wisconsin Senate votes Tuesday on rules for forcing schools to drop American Indian mascots, we learn they've raised divergent opinions for decades.
Credit Justin W. Kern
School mascot bill goes before the state Senate
Mascots in the U.S. originated more than 100 years ago, amid a blend of talismans, bat boys and entertainment during sporting events, according to Jennifer Guiliano at the University of Maryland. She’s just finishing a book on the subject. Guiliano is assistant director of the Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities.
The bill before the state Senate would make it more difficult to force school districts to drop American Indian nicknames and logos. The measure would require people unhappy with a school mascot to collect a certain number of signatures in the district. Then the Dept. of Administration would review the case.
Right now, the Dept. of Public Instruction decides – and if only one person in the school district feels a mascot discriminates against Native Americans.