CrowNews.Net

The New York Times on Off-Reservation Schools

CrowNews.Net

As summer nears, a New York Times piece looks at two area high schools and how "the intertwined arcs of Hardin and Lodge Grass have made for a bittersweet experience."

In a Sunday story, reporter Kirk Johnson writes that Hardin's student body has grown in recent years because of a decision handed down by the Hardin School District in 2004 not to bus students from Hardin to Lodge Grass as well as Crow students' and parents' preference for the off-reservation school. Meanwhile, Lodge Grass High School has lost more than a third of its student enrollment in the last eight years.

The shift in numbers between the two schools, Johnson notes, has mostly benefited Hardin High while Lodge Grass faces continued budget cuts and a dwindling staff.

Click here for the full story.

Crows Thrilled to Be Obama's 'Brothers and Sisters'

Sen. Barack Obama greets supporters on his visit Monday to the Crow Reservation. (Click here or on the photo above to see a slideshow of April Gregory's photos from the Obama event).

Story by Mary Hudetz | Photos by April Gregory
reznetnews.org

Some Crow tribal members waited in line more than six hours to ensure they would have a good view when the first presidential candidate to visit their reservation stepped to the stage to speak.

Others spent those hours braiding their hair and fastening the ties of their traditional outfits so they would look their best when Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama took the microphone and explained his stance on issues that affect hundreds of Native American tribes throughout the country but often go unmentioned by candidates running for national office.

"Somebody finally recognized us enough to come an extra few hours," said Beverly Big Man, a Crow Agency Elementary School teacher. "We're always the forgotten ones."

House District 42 Candidate Profiles

Here are profiles of the two candidates running for the House District 42 seat.  The candidates are Bill Joseph, a Republican, and Carolyn Pease-Lopez, a Democrat.

Slideshow: Obama Visits Crow Country

Several thousand people attend the Barack Obama rally in Crow Agency Monday.

By Mary Hudetz | Photos by Casey Kills Pretty Enemy
CrowNews.Net

Sen. Barack Obama, the front-runner in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, came to Crow Country Monday, outlining his stance on some of the many issues facing Native Americans and saying that if elected president he would honor treaty obligations.

On June 3, Montana and South Dakota Democrats will weigh in on the race for the Democratic party's nomination and the two states' primaries will mark the end of the historic 2008 primary season. Obama's visit to Crow marked the first time a presidential candidate campaigned on the Crow reservation.

Video: 'Barack Black Eagle' Vows to Honor Treaties, Brings Spotlight to Crow Country

CrowNews.Net

In case you missed the rally in Crow Agency or you were there and just want to see video footage from the event, the video above -- posted to YouTube by the Obama campaign -- includes excerpts of Obama's speech and people in the crowd.

The New York Times also has footage of a laughter-filled moment during the event when Obama attempted to say "Absaalooke" several times before getting the pronunciation right. (Click here to go to the Times' website and watch the video).

Senate District 21 Candidate Profiles: Kenneth Brien Jr. and Chip Watts

These profiles conclude a look at the candidates for state senate in district 21.  This district includes Hardin and the Crow reservation.  The candidates are: Norma Bixby(D), Kenneth Phillip Brien Jr.(D), Randen Schoppe(R), Sharon Stewart-Peregoy(D), and Chip Watts(D).

Crow Artists Booked for National Folk Festival

Here is an article by Jeni Dodd of the Great Falls Tribune that looks forward to the National Folk Festival, to be held in Butte from July 11-13.  Festival organizers are anticipating the largest number of Native American exhibitors they have ever had.  Crow names include: Birdie Real Bird, Jerome Hugs Jr. and Allen Knows His Gun.

For more information about the festival, visit www.nationalfolkfestival.com.

Commentary: 1868 Treaty Right Still Valid, Important

By Jay Harris

In the spring of 1868, eleven Crow chiefs traveled to what is today southeastern Wyoming (Dakota Territory at the time) to meet with officials representing the United States government. 

On May 7th, the Crow delegation agreed to conditions specified by the government and later that year the U.S. Senate and President Johnson ratified what is today known as the "1868 Fort Laramie Treaty" or the "1868 Treaty with the Crow Indians."

Mister Graber's Opus

Story by Jennifer Kirby, photo by Matt Unrau
CrowNews.Net

    In 1973 Dave Graber was hired as a music teacher in Busby and began his education in Native American song and dance.  He learned that it was not just the words that were different.  He learned that music is not a universal language.  He learned that he had lots to learn — and lots to offer.

Graber teaches traditional Crow songs to children at Crow Agency School.  Graber is not Crow nor does he consider himself fluent in the Crow language, but he has learned to recognize words and speak them correctly so that he can teach the children in his music classes. 

He has become familiar with the patterns and the unique scales of the Northern Plains musical style so that he can teach the children how to sing the songs in the traditional way.

A Place for Crow Kids

Jules Seminole, 18 stands next to Ben Jefferson, Director of Tribal Youth Planning. Seminole comes to the courts 8-9 times a week to play basketball. See more photos of the youth complex on Flickr.Photo by Matt Unrau.

By Matt Unrau
CrowNews.Net

Ben Jefferson is a runner. He started running when he was young and now at 64 he’s still exercising to stay healthy. Now he's sharing  the benefits of an active lifestyle with the youth of Crow Agency.

Jefferson took over for Tim Yarlott as the director of tribal youth planning in April 2007 and inherited responsibility for the Apsaalooke Youth Sports Complex on Gas Cap Hill. 

“I wanted to work with the kids, help them get off alcohol and drugs, and make a safe place for them to play,” he said.

The project started a few years ago when about two dozen boys ranging from 9 to 12 years old approached Tribal Chairman Carl Venne with a petition for a new skate park.

Download a diagram of the proposed expansion.

One Lucky Baby

By Brett Thomas-DeJongh
CrowNews.Net

She’s not a superdelegate, she hasn’t donated money to any campaign and she won't be eligible to vote until 2025.

Yet Tazawana Jo Barlow got face time and photo ops with both Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama when they appeared in Missoula last weekend.

How did she manage the kind of access most journalists and lobbyists can only dream about? 

Well, it helps to be 10 months old and very cute. That, and her mother has a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

Taza, Meet Hillary

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton introduces herself to 10-month-old Tazawana Jo Barlow at the the Neptune Aviation hangar near Missoula International Airport on Sunday, April 6.

Tazawana is the daughter of Twila Old Coyote, Crow, and Albert Barlow, Paiute.

Twila captured the moment with her digital camera and sent it into Adam Sings In The Timber, Crow News photo editor, via email.

Crow News Photo/Twila Old Coyote

Taza, Meet Barack

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama introduces himself to 10-month-old Tazawana Jo Barlow at the Adams Center in Missoula on Saturday, April 5.

Tazawana is the daughter of Twila Old Coyote, Crow, and Albert Barlow, Paiute.

Twila captured the moment with her cell phone and sent it into Adam Sings In The Timber, Crow News photo editor, via text message.

Crow News Photo/Twila Old Coyote

Senate Passes Indian Health Care Bill

CrowNews.Net

The U.S. Senate voted 83-10 to pass the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, a $35 billion piece of legislation that would improve improve IHS programs, health clinics on reservations and the number of Natives in health professions during the next 10 years.

Commentary: Outcome of Eagle Case Crucial for Crows

By Jay Harris
CrowNews.Net

In March 2005, a 22-year-old oil field worker named Winslow Friday, Jr., a Northern Arapaho tribal member from Wyoming's Wind River Reservation, was preparing to participate in the Sun Dance ceremony that July and needed an eagle plume, feathers, and a wing.

Problem was, Friday had none of these items and knew of no other way to get them except by killing one of the eagles on the Reservation.  Friday also knew that it was against the law to kill eagles, but he took a rifle and shot and killed a bald eagle anyway.

On Politics: Indian Country Deserves a Debate

By Jay Harris
CrowNews.Net

There are many political observers thrilled to see a highly-contested Democratic Party nomination. With the intense competition for votes naturally comes an intense competition of ideas.

Many believe that the Democratic nomination may not be decided until the party convention in late August. That gives the two front-running candidates plenty of time to introduce and discuss their ideas for improving America in states that traditionally cast their primary votes long after a nominee is declared and with little attention paid to them.

Mitt Romney Wins Montana, Big Horn County Votes for McCain

Rural News Network

Big Horn County's GOP delegation voted overwhelmingly for Sen. John McCain in the Super Tuesday Republican caucus this week, but still, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney took the majority of the state so he will get all 25 of Montana's delegates nominating him at the party's national convention.

Of the 28 votes cast in Big Horn County, McCain won 13 while Romney won six, Gov. Mike Huckabee won seven and Ron Paul won two.

Statewide, Romney took 38 percent of the 1,630 votes cast. Ron Paul came in second with almost 25 percent and McCain came in third with 22 percent.

As the Holidays Near, a Plan for Peace

By Pius Real Bird
CrowNews.Net

I love this country and the people in my heart and spirit. I am an 83-year-old full-blooded Crow Indian and I have seen much in my life and thought deeply about this land. I never want to see it bombed and burned or turned to ashes.

In thinking about this, an idea came to me to try for peace on this earth. Native Americans are closely connected to nature and love Mother Earth and because of this we are respected throughout the whole world.

I believe a committee of seven traditional Native Americans, representing different tribes, who are involved in the sun dance, sweat lodge, Native American Church and other spiritual ceremonies should be selected to deliver this message to the U. S. government: You have tried your ways and have not been successful.