National Native News

Photo: A voter fills in a ballot during Bethel’s municipal election on October 1, 2024. (MaryCait Dolan / KYUK)The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) is speaking out against a proposed federal voting bill it says could create new barriers for Alaska Native voters.In a press release issued April 6, AFN urged Congress to reject the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which is currently...

Photo: U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks to Native American leaders gathered at Gila River Indian Community’s Wild Horse Pass Casino on April 8, 2026. (Caitlin Sievers / Arizona Mirror)Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made a stop in the Phoenix, Ariz. metro area to visit the Gila River Indian Community last week.As KJZZ’s Gabriel...

After much speculation, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren announced earlier this week that he will seek reelection later on this year.KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio has more.President Nygren became the youngest president in Window Rock after defeating incumbent Jonathan Nez four years ago.Nygren won that race by just more than 3,500 votes. In a video message on social media, Nygren picked up his...

Photo: A cross and mural honor slain teen Emily Pike along U.S. 70 Route near Peridot on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. (Gabriel Pietrorazio)The FBI announced earlier this month that it is, once again, putting extra agents in the field to address a backlog of cold cases on tribal lands.As KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, this effort is part of a years-long joint initiative with the Bureau...

Photo: U.S. Department of Interior building. (Kmf164 via Wikimedia)Tribal leaders are raising concerns about a possible overhaul of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) that could lead to more staff cuts.During a congressional hearing last week, National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) president Mark Macarro warned lawmakers a proposed reorganization could reduce positions critical to...

Photo courtesy National Indian Child Welfare AssociationThe U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Indian Child Welfare Act in 2023, according to reporting by SCOTUSblog, affirming the law’s role in keeping Native children connected to their families and tribes.But nearly two years later, implementation challenges remain.Legal analysis from Cornell Law School says states are still working to fully carry...

Photo: Marcia Lowry outside the federal courthouse in Anchorage on September 8, 2025. She was lead attorney in the class action lawsuit against the Alaska Office of Children’s Services. (Matt Faubion / Alaska Public Media)Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed a federal class-action lawsuit filed against the Alaska Office of Children’s Services (OCS) Tuesday.The lawsuit was brought by a national...

Photo: Utqiagvik coast in June 2022. (Alena Naiden)Arctic sea ice has been shrinking in recent decades, reaching record lows both in summer and in winter.A new study shows a continuation of this trend: ice is sticking to Alaska’s northern shores for less time than it used to.Researchers say this can have implications for the climate, resource development, and subsistence hunting.The Alaska Desk’s...

Over the weekend, a Diné pro athlete from the Arizona Ridge Riders ascended to the top ranks of competitive bull riding worldwide. KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio has more.“Keyshawn just crafted his career moment, and he perches above them all and is the master of the Pit.”For the first time, Keyshawn Whitehorse from Kraken Springs, Utah won the Ty Murray Invitational after hanging onto a bucking bull...

Photo: Debris sits in piles in Kwigillingok after the remnants of Typhoon Halong brought widespread devastation to the region. (Brea Paul)The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) opened $1 billion in grants for disaster management last week.The news comes after the agency terminated the program for that work a year ago, but a federal court found that termination unlawful, and ordered the...