#department of indian affairs

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

CANADA DEPARTMENT OF INDIAN AFFAIRS CIRCULAR OTTAWA, 15th December, 1921. It is observed with alarm that the holding of dances by the Indians on their reserves is on the increase, and that these practices tend to disorganize the efforts which the Department is putting forth to make then self-supporting. I have, therefore, to direct you to use your utmost endeavours to dissuade the Indians from excessive indulgence in the practice of dancing. You should suppress any dances which cause waste of time, interfere with the occupations of the Indians, unsettle then for serious work, injure their health or encourage them in sloth and idleness. You should also dissuade, and, if possible, prevent them from leaving their reserves for the 'purpose of attending fairs, exhibitions, etc., when the absence would result in their own farming and other interests being neglected. It is realized that reasonable amusement and recreation should be enjoyed by Indians, but they should not be allowed to dissipate their energies and abandon themselves to demoralizing amusements. By the use of tact and firmness you can obtain control and keep it, and this obstacle to continued progress vill then disappear. The rooms, halls or other places in which Indians congregate should be under constant inspection. They should be scrubbed, fumigated, cleansed or disinfected to prevent the dissemination of disease. The Indians should be instructed in regard to the matter of proper ventilation and the avoidance of over-crowding rooms where public assemblies are being held, and proper arrangement should be made for the shelter of their horses and ponies. The Agent shall avail themselves of the services of the medical attendant of his agency in this connection.

Except where further information is desired, there will be no necessity to acknowledge the receipt of this circular. Yours very truly, Duncan Campbell Scott Deputy Superintendent General Thos. Graham, Esq.. Indian Agent. [Perhaps one of the bluntest example of the attempt to extirpate Indigenous cultural practices, and frankly, their existence as communities, by the Canadian Department of Indian Affairs.]

#primary document #department of indian affairs #settler colonialism in canada #settler colonialism #violence of settler colonialism #banning cultural practices #racism in canada #anti-indigenous racism #indigenous people #first nations #indigenous history #canadian history #duncan campbell scott

[savedfromsalvation]

This is all well and good, but when will they start investigating the wrongful deaths of Native children at these prison schools?

#native americans #deb haaland #interior department #united states senate committee on indian affairs #indian boarding schools

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #7

Feb 23-March 1 2024

The White House announced $1.7 Billion in new commitments from local governments, health care systems, charities, business and non-profits as part of the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities. The Challenge was launched with 8 billion dollars in 2022 with the goal of ending hunger in America by 2030. The Challenge also seeks to drastically reduce diet-related diseases (like type 2 diabetes). As part of the new commitments 16 city pledged to make plans to end hunger by 2030, the largest insurance company in North Carolina made nutrition coaching and a healthy food delivery program a standard benefit for members, and since the challenge launched the USDA's Summer EBT program has allowed 37 states to feed children over the summer, its expected 21 million low income kids will use the program this summer.

The US House passed a bill on Nuclear energy representing the first update in US nuclear energy policy in decades, it expands the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and reduces reducing licensing fees. Nuclear power represents America's single largest source of clean energy, with almost half of carbon-free electricity coming from it. This bill will boost the industry and make it easier to build new plants

Vice President Harris announced key changes to the Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program. The CCDBG supports the families of a million American children every month to help afford child care. The new changes include capping the co-pay families pay to no more than 7% of their income. Studies show that high income families pay 6-8% of their income in childcare while low income families pay 31%. The cap will reduce or eliminate fees for 100,000 families saving them an average of over $200 a month. The changes also strength payments to childcare providers insuring prompt payment.

The House passed a bill making changes to the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program. The 8(a) is an intensive 9 year program that offers wide ranging training and support to small business owners who are socially and economically disadvantaged, predominantly native owned businesses. Under the current structure once a business reaches over 6.8 million in assets they're kicked off the program, even though the SBA counts anything under $10 million as a small business, many companies try to limit growth to stay on the program. The House also passed a bill to create an Office of Native American Affairs at the SBA, in order to support Native-owned small businesses.

The White House and HUD announced steps to boost the housing supply and lower costs plans include making permanent the Federal Financing Bank Risk Sharing program, the program has created 12,000 affordable housing units since 2021 with $2 billion and plans 38,000 additional units over ten years. As well as support for HUD's HOME program which has spent $4.35 billion since 2021 to build affordable rental homes and make home ownership a reality for Americans. For the first time an administration is making funds available specifically for investments in manufactured housing, $225 million. 20 million Americans live in manufactured housing, the largest form of unsubsidized affordable housing in the country, particularly the rural poor and people in tribal communities.

The Department of Energy announced $336 million in investments in rural and remote communities to lower energy costs and improve reliability. The projects represent communities in 20 states and across 30 Native tribes. 21% of Navajo Nation homes and 35% of Hopi Indian Tribe homes remain unelectrified, one of the projects hopes to bring that number to 0. Another project supports replacing a hydroelectric dam in Alaska replacing all the Chignik Bay Tribal Council's diesel power with clear hydro power. The DoE also announced $18 million for Transformative Energy projects lead by tribal or local governments and $25 million for Tribal clean energy projects, this comes on top of $75 million in Tribal clean energy projects in 2023

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg put forward new rules to ensure airline passengers who use wheelchairs can travel safely and with dignity. Under the planned rules mishandling a wheelchair would be a violation of the ACAA, airlines would be required to immediately notify the passenger of their rights. Airlines would be required to repair or replace the wheelchair at the preferred vendor of the passenger's choice as well as provide a loaner wheelchair that fits the passenger's needs/requirements

The EPA launched a $3 Billion dollar program to help ports become zero-emission. This investment in green tech and zero-emission will help important transportation hubs fight climate change and replace some of the largest concentrations of diesel powered heavy equipment in America.

the EPA announced $1 Billion dollars to help clean up toxic Superfund sites. This is the last of $3.5 billion the Biden administration has invested in cleaning up toxic waste sites known as Superfund sites. This investment will help finish clean up at 85 sites across the country as well as start clean up at 25 new sites. Many Superfund sites are contained and then left not cleaned for years even decades. Thanks to the Biden-Harris team's investment the EPA has been able to do more clean up of Superfund sites in the last 2 years than the 5 years before it. More than 25% of America's black and hispanic population live with-in 5 miles of a Superfund site.

Bonus: Sweden cleared the final major barrier to become NATO's 32nd member. The Swedish Foreign Minster is expected to fly to Washington to deposit the articles of accession at the US State Department. NATO membership for Sweden and its neighbor Finland (joined last year) has been a major foreign policy goal of President Biden in the face of Russian aggressive against Ukraine. Former President Trump has repeatedly attacked NATO and declared he wants to leave the 75 year old Alliance, even going so far as to tell Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" with European NATO allies

#Thanks Biden #Joe Biden #Politics #US politics #Democrats #Climate change #end hunger #hunger #proverty #disability #native Americans #tribal rights #clean energy #child care #housing #housing crisis

[kp777]

#native americans #deb haaland #interior department #united states senate committee on indian affairs #indian boarding schools

[rudrjobdesk]

रक्षा मंत्री राजनाथ सिंह ने फिर की 'अग्निपथ योजना' की समीक्षा, आज तीनों सेना प्रमुख करेंगे प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस

रक्षा मंत्री राजनाथ सिंह ने फिर की ‘अग्निपथ योजना’ की समीक्षा, आज तीनों सेना प्रमुख करेंगे प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस

नई दिल्ली: रक्षा मंत्री राजनाथ सिंह ने रविवार को भी तीनों सेना प्रमुखों के साथ अग्निपथ स्कीम को लेकर समीक्षा बैठक की. रक्षा मंत्री के अकबर रोड स्थित आवास पर सुबह 10:15 मिनट पर शुरू हुई यह बैठक करीब 2 घंटे तक चली. डिपार्टमेंट ऑफ मिलिट्री एफएयर्स (DMA) के एडिशनल सेक्रेटरी लेफ्टिनेंट जनरल अनिल पुरी, भारतीय थल सेना प्रमुख जनरल मनोज पांडे, भारतीय वायुसेना प्रमुख एयरचीफ मार्शल वी.आर चौधरी और नौसेना…

View On WordPress

#Agneepath Scheme Review #Agnipath Scheme #Agniveers #Defence Minister Meeting #Defence Minister Rajnath Singh #Department of Military Affairs #Indain Air Force #Indian Army #Indian Navy #rajnath singh #Rajnath Singh Reviews Agneepath Scheme #अग्निपथ स्कीम #अग्निवीर #तीनों सेना प्रमुख #रक्षा मंत्री बैठक #राजनाथ सिंह

[aradhya21]

IMD says monsoon on track; warns of heavy rainfall in northeast states

The monsoon is progressing normally and is likely to reach Maharashtra in the next two days, the India Meteorological Department said on Thursday.

The accounts for around 70 per cent of the country's annual and is considered the lifeline of its agriculture-based economy.

The scientist said conditions are favourable for the further advance of monsoon over Goa and some more parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the next two days.

Assam was hit by a wave of floods last month.

Last year, the had forecast that the monsoon would arrive in Delhi nearly two weeks before its usual date (June 27).

#MAHARASHTRA #INDIAN METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT #NORTHEAST #MONSOON #IMD #RAINFALL #CURRENT AFFAIRS #NATIONAL

[goverment-agency-bracket]

#government agencies #brackets #tumblr polls

[srbachchan]

DAY 5496

Jalsa, Mumbai                Mar 4/5,  2023               Sat/Sun 8:53 AM

🪔 .. March 05 .. birthday wishes to Ef Satish Kumar Paig from Kochi .. 

And the greetings of togetherness to Ef Suresh Jumani and his better half Tanya from Chennai for their 24th wedding anniversary .. 💍💕

..

the wishes do come and go from the family now known often as the Ef ..

And it needs to be told .. not be held .. 

In Hyderabad at the shoot for Project K, during an action shot, I have got injured .. rib cartilage popped broke and muscle tear to the right rib cage .. canceled shoot .. did Doctor consult and scan by CT at the AIG Hospital in Hyderabad and flown back home .. strapping has been done and rest been advocated .. yes painful .. on movement and breathing .. will take some weeks they say before some normalisation will occur .. some medication is on also for pain .. 

So all work that was to be done has been suspended and canceled dropped postponed for the moment until healing occurs ..

I rest at Jalsa and am mobile a bit for all the essential activities .. but yes in rest and generally lying around ..

It shall be difficult or let me say .. I shall be unable to meet, the well wishers at Jalsa Gate this evening .. so do not come .. and do inform as much as you can to those that intend coming ..

All else is well .. 

Getting time to spend time with Babuji and his genius, his mind his words and his immense creativity .. the essence of life resides in his writings .. and such a learning and amazed joy to be in his company ..

There is desire to share .. to share what ever little that I may interpret from his words and his memories of the times spent with him .. to lament the limited .. to be in awe of the vision and the intellect of such a being .. and wonder how ever did one think of all that was written spoken thought by him ..

HOW ..

... and a book of a collection of some of the letters he corresponded with certain individuals finds me leafing through them to meet the mind of Babuji and one such :

Apne vatavaran se koi nirapeksh nahin reh sakta  . Har pankaj mein pank ka kuch na kuch ansh rehta hai  - pankaj ko keechad lapetne ki zaroorat nahin . Kuch lapet te hain ye aur baat hai . Aap kehte hain videsh mantralay ka vatavaran ya dilli ka vatavaran aapki kavita mein nahin aaya . Itna asamprikt rehna kisi ke liye sambhav nahin . Vo kisis na kisi roop mein aaya hi hoga . aisi sadhana mujhmein aa gai hai ki kamalvatt keechad ke oopar rahoon to meri aplabhdhi  bahut choti nahin hai  .

You cannot be dispassionate or indifferent to your environment. In every lotus ( Pankaj – the one that blooms in sludge and slime viz. the lotus ) a bit of the sludge always remains – it is not essential for the lotus to wrap itself in sludge . Some do it, but that is a different matter . You say that ‘the atmosphere or the environment of the Foreign Affairs Ministry or that of Delhi has not been reflected in your poetry’ . To be so untouched for anyone is not possible . It does appear in some form or the other . I have now achieved such meditative accomplishment that remaining above the sludge and mud of the lotus is no small cognitive accomplishment for me .

.. you may wonder about the Foreign Ministry .. and Delhi in reference .. 

Babuji was the lecturer in the English Department of the prestigious Allahabad University .. he did his PhD in English literature from Cambridge in 1954 .. went in 1952 and within 2 years finished his PhD which normally takes 4 years .. his dissertation was ‘W B Yeats and Occultism’  ..

WB Yeats ..  the accomplished and famed Irish poet, who had a passion for the occult, particularly that which emanated from India ..

When Babuji returned after this achievement, a rare PhD, perhaps the very first Indian to have got a PhD from Cambridge in English Literature, he was not given the recognition he so deserved from the University. In fact they actually reduced his salary. This was very upsetting for Babuji and he resigned from Allahabad University, joined the AIR, the All India Radio as a Producer, until eventually he was called by Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India to the Foreign Ministry, now known as the External Affairs Ministry, then headed by Panditji , to be the OSD, Officer on Special Duty in the Hindi Department, in New Delhi . 

Such learnings are indeed most rare .. and to have time now, as always, to be in the midst of all the incredible writings, is a god send .. I am blessed  .. and to be able to share some of this with all is a duty .. 

I feel your presence at the Jalsa gate .. but shall be unable to show the face ..

Apologies ..

love .. ❤️

Amitabh Bachchan

[apricitystudies]

what i read in dec. 2022:

(previous editions) bold = favourite

class, race, & labour

the philippines’ dangerous dependence on the exploitation of its people

the blackstone rebellion: how one country took on the world’s biggest commercial landlord (denmark)

reliance on hi-tech solutions to climate crisis perpetuates racism

china’s army of retirees seek return to work as economic toll on their families mounts

how professionalism is used as a tool for racism

gender, sexuality, & intersectionality

reclaiming dignity, reasserting agency: female labour migration in indonesia

for transgender students, a safe space in university halls is ‘great comfort’ — but not a given (singapore)

you should have been listening to octavia butler this whole time

how to be a slut

politics & current affairs

peru lawmakers propose bill to strip indigenous people of protections

the night raids (usa/afghanistan)

how a massacre of nearly 300 in syria was revealed

the cartel, the journalist and the gangland killings that rocked the netherlands

hundreds of members of extremist group oath keepers worked for us department of homeland security

japan's militarisation gets a boost from ukraine war despite pacifist constitution

history, culture, & media

barbara johns: the us' forgotten civil rights hero

‘i’m afraid one day it’s going to go’: saving singapore’s old buildings one photograph at a time

drugs killed 8 friends, one by one, in a tragedy seen across the us

seventy-five years after indian partition, who owns the narrative?

aristocrat inc.

HUMAN_FALLBACK

#studyblr #studyspo #university #productivity #academia #reading list #reading lists #student #myresources

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"NEGOTIATE WITH INDIANS," Weekly British Whig (Kingston, Ont.) September 23, 1912. Page 1. ---- Commission to Secure Surrender of Aboriginal Rights. ---- Ottawa, Sept. 19. - A commission will be appointed shortly to negotiate with the Indians in the newly annexed parts of Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba for the surrender of their aboriginal rights. They will be restricted to reserves and be compensated financially for any rights they may forego.

#indian act #parliament of canada #department of indian affairs #settler colonialism in canada #first nations #land expropriation #first nations reserve #indigenous history #indigenous rights #indigenous people #northern ontario #treaty system #northern manitoba #northern quebec #canadian history

[people-of-the-stars]

Beautiful Pictures.

Emilia Clarke.

Emilia Clarke, whose full name is Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke, was born on October 23, 1986, in London, England. She is an English actress known for her remarkable performances in various film and television roles.

Game of Thrones: Emilia Clarke gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones (2011–2019). Her compelling performance as the Mother of Dragons earned her nominations for four Primetime Emmy Awards1.

Other Notable Roles:

Star Wars: Clarke played Qi’ra in the Star Wars film Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018).

Romantic Dramas: She appeared in the romantic dramas Me Before You (2016) and Last Christmas (2019).

Terminator Genisys: Clarke portrayed Sarah Connor in the science fiction film Terminator Genisys (2015).

Early Life and Heritage:

Clarke’s father, Peter Clarke, was a theatre sound engineer, and her mother, Jennifer, is a businesswoman.

She has an older brother, Bennett, who worked in the camera department on Game of Thrones.

Clarke has Anglo-Indian heritage from her maternal side. Her maternal grandmother was the child of a secret affair between Clarke’s great-grandmother and a man from the Indian subcontinent.

She considers her Indian heritage an integral part of her identity and has emphasized her ties to India.

Education and Passion for Acting:

Clarke became interested in acting at the age of three after seeing a production of the musical Show Boat.

She attended Rye St Antony School in Headington and St Edward’s School, Oxford.

Broadway and Stage Performances:

Clarke made her Broadway debut as Holly Golightly in the 2013 play Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

She also played Nina in a West End production of The Seagull that was suspended due to the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Emilia Clarke’s talent, versatility, and captivating presence have left a lasting impact on both the small and big screens.

#emilia clarke #actress #celebrity #beautiful #pictures #cute #beauty #peopleofthestars #Youtube #emilia clarke fan #emilia clarke bio

[homomenhommes]

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … April 3

1895 – The libel trial instigated by Oscar Wilde begins, eventually resulting in his imprisonment on charges of homosexuality.

1924 – Marlon Brando, American actor born. (d.2004); Academy Award-winning American actor whose body of work spanned over half a century. Widely regarded as one of the most influential actors of modern time, Brando is best known for his roles as Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire and Terry Malloy in On The Waterfront, both directed by Elia Kazan in the early 1950s, but mostly for his Academy-Award winning performance as Vito Corleone in The Godfather. He also portrayed Colonel Walter Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, the latter two directed by Francis Ford Coppola in the 1970s. Brando was also an activist, lending his presence to many issues, including the American Civil Rights and the American Indian Movement. He was named the fourth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute.

Brando's sexuality has been a matter of debate. Not only did he have numerous affairs with women (such as actress Rita Moreno, who reportedly attempted suicide after they broke up), but he is also alleged to have enjoyed sex with men. In his 1976 biography The Only Contender by Gary Carey, Brando was quoted as saying, Homosexuality is so much in fashion it no longer makes news. Like a large number of men, I, too, have had homosexual experiences and I am not ashamed. I have never paid much attention to what people think about me.

He would appear to have had many such experiences and his name has been linked with many including Cary Grant, Rock Hudson, Farley Granger, Montgomery Clift, John Gielgud and James Dean.

Brando and Wally Cox

He also appears to have had a long-term relationship with fellow actor Wally Cox, who was also his best friend since their childhood days. Brando is quoted as saying: "If Wally had been a woman, I would have married him and we would have lived happily ever after."

After Cox died in 1973, Brando kept his ashes for 30 years; they were eventually scattered with his own. Cox's third wife only discovered he possessed them after reading an interview in TIME Magazine where Brando was quoted as saying: "I have Wally's ashes in my house. I talk to him all the time." She wanted to sue, but her lawyers would not accept the case.

Another alleged lover was the French actor Christian Marquand, after whom Brando named his son.

During the filming of Streetcar (1951), in the garden of Vivien Leigh's's mansion, David Niven discovered Brando and Laurence Olivier swimming in the pool. Olivier was kissing Brando. "I turned my back to them and went back inside to join Vivien. I'm sure she knew what was going on, but she made no mention of it. Nor did I. One must be sophisticated about such matters in life."

In a recent biography Brando Unzipped, Darwin Porter, (2006) details the alleged affairs with Grant, Hudson, and Granger. The book also features an alleged picture of Brando performing fellatio on a male lover. The validity of the photograph has yet to be substantiated.

James Dean And William Bast

1931 – William Bast was an American screenwriter and author living in Los Angeles. In addition to writing scripts for motion pictures and television, he is the author of two biographies of the screen actor James Dean.

Bast was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When his family moved to Los Angeles, enrolled at UCLA, where he majored in Theater Arts, rooming with a fellow Theater Arts student from Indiana named James Dean. In 1952 he moved to New York to join Dean and pursue a career in radio and television. There, he initially worked in the Press Relations department at CBS and subsequently, in 1953, wrote his first scripts for the NBC television sitcom The Aldrich Family.

After the death of Dean in an automobile accident in 1955, Bast chronicled his five year relationship with the actor in James Dean: a Biography. After moving to London, Bast wrote The Myth Makers for Granada Television, a fictionalized drama inspired by Dean's funeral, which Bast perceived as grotesque and publicity-driven, with a shattering effect on Dean's rural-American family and his hometown of Fairmount, Indiana. In the United States, the script was produced again by NBC's Dupont Show of the Month and aired under the title The Movie Star.

In 1975, Bast produced and scripted James Dean: Portrait of a Friend for NBC, a movie for television based upon his first James Dean biography.

In 2006, Barricade Books (USA) published Surviving James Dean, a second, more candid book by Bast about his relationship with Dean; which featured material that Bast did not include in his earlier account due to personal trepidations and social mores of the 1950s. In Surviving James Dean Bast describes Dean in a compassionate light; how they met at UCLA, shared an apartment in Santa Monica, dated the same woman, and also had a sexual relationship. He also describes the events that happened to him after Dean's death, largely as a result of having written his first book.

In the late 1950s, Bast adapted Jean Giraudoux's play Tiger at the Gates for Granada Television, and wrote scripts for the BBC and Independent Television, including episodes of the classic series The Prisoner. Back in the States he wrote episodes for Combat!, Perry Mason, Ben Casey, The Outer Limits, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Honey West, and Dr. Kildare, among other series.

He died on May 4, 2015 at the age of 84; he had Alzheimer's disease.He was partnered in work and life to Paul Huson, actor and author.

1942 – Tony DeBlase (d.2000), one of the great innovators and leaders of the leather community and creator of the Leather Pride Flag was born. Throughout his life Tony DeBlase contributed to the leather community in a variety of ways.

He used the two aliases of Fledermaus and Richard W. Krousher for his fictional work which focused on leather and S and M. Of his many awards "the one DeBlase said he treasured most was the coveted Caligula Award from Chicago Hellfire Club for service to Inferno". DeBlase joined the Chicago Hellfire Club shortly after its inception. "What's more, DeBlase was a major factor in the development of Inferno and in exporting the lessons learned and formulas tested there to other, less experienced SM clubs".

In 1969 DeBlase, a gay man, got married and moved to Chicago. He describes the situation, "I got married in [19]69. The woman had been my secretary while I was museum directory. She had polio as a child and was confined to a wheel chair. Told her I was gay. I loved her very much. We had several good years together"In 1982 he published a collection under his alias Fledermaus which have become “imitated classics of the genre”. He chose the name because of his work outside of leather and S&M. "Its a German word for bat. … Since I was doing my dissertation on bats, and the story was set in a German castle, it seemed like an appropriate name"

By 1986 DeBlase had divorced and he and his male partner moved to San Francisco and bought the Drummer family of magazines.

In 1989 in Chicago he presented a 'proposed' idea for a pride flag for the leather community, which was widely adopted. He presented the flag at International Mr. Leather. The flag was originally created by DeBlase because wanted a symbol for the community.

He died peacefully in Portland, Oregon, on July 21, 2000, after an extended illness, largely involving liver failure. He was survived by his lover of more than 24 years, Dr. Andrew Charles.

1955 – The American Civil Liberties Union announces it will defend Allen Ginsberg's book Howl against obscenity charges.

1959 – David Hyde Pierce is an American actor, best known for his role as psychiatrist Dr Niles Crane on the sitcom Frasier.

Pierce was born in Saratoga Springs, New York. He moved to New York City, where he worked several menial jobs (including selling ties at Bloomingdales and working as a security guard) while acting in the theatre during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Pierce's first big television break came in the early 1990s in a sitcom that was cancelled after a brief run despite promising reviews. His career would soon, however, take off with a role on another sitcom. Because of his resemblance to Kelsey Grammer, the role of Niles Crane on the Cheers spin-off Frasier was created for him.

Pierce also acts in movies from time to time. He appeared alongside Meg Ryan in Sleepless in Seattle, with Jodie Foster in Little Man Tate and alongside Ewan McGregor in Down With Love. Pierce has a distinctive voice and, like his Frasier co-star Kelsey Grammer, is often called upon to provide voice work.

In 2005, he joined Tim Curry and others in the stage production of Spamalot. In August/September 2006, he starred in Curtains, winning him a 2007 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical.

Pierce's father and grandfather suffered from Alzheimer's Disease, resulting in him being very active in fighting for research into the disease. He is also a regular supporter of AIDS charities as well as gay and lesbian causes.

After years of media speculation about his sexuality, Pierce came out in 2007. Pierce's longtime life partner is TV writer/director/producer Brian Hargrove. He and Hargrove were married in California on October 24, 2008, just before Proposition 8 was adopted as law, banning same-sex marriages in the state. They live in New York and Los Angeles.

1963 – Colorado repeals its ban on voting by anyone convicted of sodomy.

[merelygifted]

Jeffrey Gibson is first Indigenous artist with U.S. solo show at Venice Biennale : NPR

The U.S. State Department has selected an Indigenous artist to represent the country at the 2024 Venice Biennale.

Jeffrey Gibson, a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, will be the first such artist to have a solo exhibition in the U.S. Pavilion at the prestigious international arts event.

That's according to a statement this week from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the government body responsible for co-curating the U.S. Pavilion, alongside Oregon's Portland Art Museum and SITE Santa Fe in New Mexico.

The State Department's records of the U.S. Pavilion exhibitions date back to when it was built, in 1930.

Although Indigenous artists have shown work more broadly in Venice over the years, the last time Indigenous artists appeared in the U.S. Pavilion at the Biennale was in 1932 — and that was in a group setting, as part of a mostly Eurocentric exhibition devoted to depictions of the American West.  ...

#Jeffrey Gibson #Arts #Native Peoples #Native Americans #Venice Bienniale #ABOUT TIME TOO

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed Thursday that 41 Canadian diplomats have left India after New Delhi threatened to revoke their diplomatic immunity. CBC News reported earlier that a large number of them had departed the country overnight.

The departures followed two weeks of negotiations between India and Canada after India issued a demand for "parity" in the number of diplomats present in the two countries, a source with knowledge of the situation told CBC News.

That demand was part of an angry reaction by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegation last month that Indian agents were involved in the murder of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Surrey, B.C. on June 18.

India claimed to have only 21 accredited diplomats in Canada and said that Canada had 62 in India, spread across its High Commission in New Delhi and four consulates in Mumbai, Chandigarh and Bengaluru. [...]

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Tagging: @politicsofcanada

#cdnpoli #Foreign Policy #India #Narendra Modi

[olowan-waphiya]

Fake Indian art still a major problem despite federal responsibilities

Criminal pleas surface amid vague ‘Indigenous’ claims Tuesday, March 14, 2023 By Acee Agoyo, Indianz.Com

Efforts to strengthen the Indian Arts and Crafts Act are gaining new steam as government authorities try to enforce a law aimed at addressing fraud and exploitation of Native cultures and ways of life. On Monday, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs unveiled a discussion draft bill called the Amendments to Respect Traditional Indigenous Skill and Talent Act of 2023. Also known as the ARTIST Act [PDF], the proposed legislation seeks to protect the arts, crafts, goods and other creative works that American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian people have produced since time immemorial.

“The ARTIST Act would update the Indian Arts and Crafts Act to support creative economies and strengthen enforcement of current law and protections against counterfeit competition for Native artists and their works,” the committee said in a news release on behalf of Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), the chair of the legislative panel. “This discussion draft reflects direct stakeholder input as well as years of committee oversight and broad commitment to the protection of Native cultural patrimony and revitalization of Indigenous languages,” the release continued.

As enacted in 1990, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act makes it a crime to market, sell or promote an item as “Indian” unless it was created by a citizen of a state or federally recognized tribe or by an artisan certified by a tribe. The law was written to prevent the historical and ongoing misrepresentation of Native arts by non-Native entities. Yet Native artists and their advocates have long complained about the lack of enforcement as fakes and frauds have continued to flood the market and undermine an important source of income in Native communities across the United States.

It’s an issue that Secretary Deb Haaland, who is the first Native person to lead the Department of the Interior, has recognized as a major problem. “Native art is a critical part in telling the story of this country and can only be told by Native artists,” Haaland said in a video message after making history as the first Native person in a presidential cabinet. “Buying authentic pottery, jewelry, mixed-media creations, paintings and other art from Native American artists helps support tribal economies.” “Unfortunately forgery and copies hinder the positive economic opportunities available to Native artists and their families,” said Haaland, who is a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna.

The law was updated in 2000 and in 2010 to strengthen enforcement. But as fraudulent works continue to be sold in some of the largest art markets in the U.S., the ARTIST Act builds on prior efforts by broadly expanding the ways in which federal officers can investigate suspected violations. Federal officers, for instance, would be authorized to make arrests, engage in searches and even conduct seizures for suspected violations of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act.

They would also be able to inspect shipments coming into the U.S. to ensure compliance with the law, according to provisions of the draft. And for the first time, Native Hawaiians would gain protections for their creative works. The ARTIST Act modifies existing definitions in federal law to ensure that the original inhabitants of Hawaii aren’t left out of enforcement efforts that are available to American Indian and Alaska Native artisans.

To help pay for these enforcement measures, the ARTIST Act authorizes ways in which people suspected of violating the law can have their property forfeited and be required to shoulder the costs of investigations through fines and penalties. A new Indian Arts and Crafts Forfeiture Fund would be established to assist the work of the Department of the Interior.

The draft discussion bill also requires visible and permanent labeling of items that come into the U.S. from Canada or Mexico. Anything that could “possibly be mistaken for, arts and crafts made by Native Americans” must be “indelibly marked with the country of origin,” according to provisions of the the ARTIST Act.

Finally, the ARTIST Act would require trainings of federal law enforcement officers, not only on the Indian Arts and Crafts Act but on the recently-enacted Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act, also known as the STOP Act. The latter law makes it a crime to export tribal cultural property, another issue that has threatened Native cultures and ways of life. “For too long, the export and sale of sacred and culturally significant items from Native peoples in Hawaiʻi, Alaska, and across Indian Country has deprived these communities of their own history and heritage,” Schatz said after the measure was passed and signed into law during the prior session of Congress. “Our bill will help stop the black market trafficking of these items and bring them home.”

Just this month alone, federal authorities announced the resolution of three cases in which the Indian Arts and Crafts Act was violated. In all three instances, non-Natives created and sold fraudulent art by misrepresenting, falsifying and lying about their non-existent tribal backgrounds. In Washington, 52-year-old Lewis Anthony Rath and 67-year-old Jerry Chris Van Dyke, also known as Jerry Witten, pleaded guilty on March 1 to breaking the law.

Both men admitted that they sold fake “Indian” goods in the historic Pike Place Market in Seattle, one of the most heavily trafficked tourist areas in the city. “When non-Native artists falsely claim Indian heritage, they can take sales away from true Indian artists working to support themselves with skills and techniques handed down for generations,” Nick Brown, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington, said in a news release. “Stores and galleries need to partner with artists to ensure those artisans and craftsmen advertised as Indian Artists truly have tribal status,” Brown added, offering advice to businesses to ensure they comply with the law.

Rath falsely claimed to belong to the San Carlos Apache Tribe — while producing items that mimicked the Pacific Northwest tribal cultures that are hundreds of miles from his supposed Native homeland in Arizona. According to federal authorities, the goods were sold at the Raven’s Nest Treasure and the Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, both of which represented to customers that Rath was Native. And when agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is part of the Department of the Interior, searched Rath’s home and studio, they found feathers from protected birds — including ones from golden eagles. He pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of these items in addition to violating the Indian Arts and Crafts Act.

Meanwhile, Van Dyke falsely claimed to be from the Nez Perce Tribe and was selling goods that he claimed were of Alaska Native origin — again far away from his supposed tribal background in Idaho. According to federal authorities, he produced the items using materials that were supplied to him by the non-Native owner of a gallery in Pike Place.

“Van Dyke had worked with the gallery for more than ten years, with the gallery owner providing him with woolly mammoth ivory, antlers, animal bones and fossilized walrus ivory to make the pendants that it sold,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington said in the March 1 news release. A day later in Texas, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District announced the sentencing of Kevin Charles Kowalis, 60, for violating the law. According to federal authorities, he falsely marketed and sold jewelry online that he claimed were of “Zuni” and “Navajo” origin even though he does not belong to either tribal nation.

“Fraud can come in many forms but always carries the intent to deceive a victim,” U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas said in a news release. “Offenders like this defendant victimize both our cherished Native American community and consumers who believe they’re collecting authentic pieces of Native American culture. We will not stand idle while someone takes advantage of our citizens and our federal resources.” Kowalis will serve five years probation for his crime and was ordered to forfeit his inventory, pay a special assessment and pay restitution to a victimized artist from the Pueblo of Zuni.

The total amount appears to be relatively low — less than $1,500, according to court records. No fines were ordered due to his “inability to pay,” the criminal judgment reads. “This sentencing is important in the fight to end this type of fraud,” said Assistant Director Edward J. Grace of the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement. “Our dedicated team of special agents works on behalf of the Department of the Interior and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board to protect American Indian and Alaska Native artists and the consumers who purchase authentic Native American art and craftwork.”

Over in Washington, Rath and Van Dyke are due to be sentenced on May 17. As part of a plea agreement, federal prosecutors said they won’t seek prison time for Van Dyke. Rath did not obtain any promises regarding sentencing in his plea agreement. A federal judge, though, will make the final determination on punishments for both individuals.

“The Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB) is very pleased that Jerry Chris Van Dyke and Anthony Rath have been brought to justice for their roles in selling fake Indian artwork in violation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act,” said Director Meridith Stanton, the leader of the IACB, which is part of the Department of the Interior. “Cases like these are critical to preserving the integrity and viability of authentic Native American art and craftwork in general, as well as preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Nez Perce Tribe and the San Carlos Apache Tribe and the economic livelihoods of their artists and craftspeople,” said Stanton.

The IACB helps look into potential violations of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, offering examples of possible wrongdoing. But the board’s website notes that items that are marketed or portrayed as “Native American style” or “Native American inspired” can be sold without violating the law — so long as there is “qualified labeling” available to the consumer.

The draft discussion of the ARTIST Act maintains the legality of these categories of “Native American-style jewelry” and “Native American-style arts and crafts” but requires that such items be “indelibly marked” or labeled in a “permanent” fashion, to ensure the consumer is aware that they are not produced by an American Indian, Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian artist.

And while the title of the ARTIST Act contains the word “Indigenous,” the proposed bill does not contain any definitions of a term that has become increasingly used by people who are creating, marketing and selling art that they claim is Native in origin.

An example just emerged in New York, where a self-described activist opened an exhibit in February that appropriates numerous elements of Native culture even after admitting to Indianz.Com that they do not belong to any tribal community. The exhibition, located at a small gallery in the Upper East Side of New York City, notably incorporates the red imagery that Native women developed and brought to prominence to raise awareness to their missing and murdered sisters and relatives. It also includes a visual representation of a Native quilted blanket — albeit with the word “PRETENDIAN” stitched into it.

The Soul of Nations Foundation has prominently marketed the installation as “Indigenous” in origin, a designation that has prompted some Native people to consider reporting it to the Indian Arts and Crafts Board for possible violations of the Indian Artist and Crafts Act. In fact, the non-profit’s executive director and founding member, Ernest Hill, contacted Indianz.Com numerous times in advance of the opening on February 24, soliciting news coverage for an individual who removed all references to their supposed tribal affiliation over a year ago.

Yet Hill, whose parents served as religious missionaries to the Navajo Nation and to other reservations, has since refused to answer questions about the exhibition — including inquiries about the artist’s supposed tribal background.

Materials that Soul of Nations produced for the installation claim it is directed to “Indian Country” but the organization has repeatedly refused to respond to inquiries about the use of the designation in connection with someone who admitted they lack ties to any tribal community. Hill and Soul of Nations also have refused to clarify the source of funding for the project.

In press materials, they proudly assert that the installation has received “support” from the Department of State. On social media, Hill and Soul of Nations gave a different story. In response to a prominent Native environmental leader who has repeatedly attempted to hold the self-described activist accountable for the false claims of tribal belonging, they claimed that “no outside funding was provided for this exhibition.”

When asked to explain the discrepancy between the press materials and the social media post regarding their claim of receiving federal support, Hill and the Soul of Nations refused to respond. The organization started blocking Native users on social media and began restricting interactions on one of its accounts after questions were raised about the installation. The Soul of Nations website, incidentally, includes a prominent reference to the “Senate Committee on Indian Affairs” on a page that has been used to solicit monetary donations. The Department of State is also listed in the same section of the site.

Since the opening of the installation last month, the self-described “Indigenous” individual has posted on social media about being on “Day 371” of a “cancel” and a ‘call out” that has purportedly kept them “jobless.” The number of days is counted from the February 25, 2022, story on Indianz.Com that reported on their their non-existent tribal affiliations. The next post on the private account was about the installation, which opened to the public a year following publication of the story. The user has since deleted hundreds of posts about their supposed tribal background from the account, whose name is a variation of an anti-LGBTQ slur.

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is accepting comments about the Amendments to Respect Traditional Indigenous Skill and Talent (ARTIST) Act of 2023 until April 14. Comments can be sent to [email protected].

#art #native american #indigenous #indigenous artists #native news #scams #frauds #us politics #us government #indian law #native art #indigenous art #native artists #current events #Youtube

[todaysdocument]

Sixteen-year-old Ruth Bluebird wrote to the Commissioner of Pensions on February 1, 1928, to try to speed along the approval for her father, former Oglala Lakota Indian Scout Jefferson Blue Bird (aka Zintka Tola). 

His pension was approved six weeks later. 

Record Group 15: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs

Series: Case Files of Indian Wars Pension Applications

Transcription: 

Kyle S.D.,

Feb 1st, 1928.

Winfield Scott.

Commissioner of Pensions.

Washington D.C.

Dear Sir: -

I know that you are more than busy but I here-by with a request of favor which I hope you will be able to grant it.

I note that you have stated the claim will be considered when reached in its order. But we are in utmost need of money and we can not ["ob" crossed out] very well

[page 2]

obtain our needs.

My father is not able to work and my mother is in her dying bed. We just don't know when we're going to get our next meal. My father has been sick every since I can remember and you shall see his examnation papers sooner or later.

I am sixteen years old and I am attending school but I quite and taking care of my father and mother.

So I hope you will have the [letter crossed out] goodness to eccept my request and forward my father's

[page 3]

[circled] O.K.

#3

[underlined] I.S.O. 16648

pension to him.

[underlined in red] Jefferson Bluebird

later [underlined in red] Co. D. Ind. Scts U.SA

I.S.O.

no. [underlined in red] 16648

Thank you in advance.

Very Respectfully,

I am Ruth Bluebird

#archivesgov #February 1 #1928 #1920s #Native American history #American Indian history #Indigenous American history #Oglala Lakota #Lakota Sioux #pine ridge reservation #military #U.S. Army #Indian Scouts