Articles tagged: Indigenous Affairs
Captivity Narrative
"News of the World" unsuccessfully tries to redeem the Western at its most harmful.
A version of this story ran in the March/April 2021 issue. More than most Westerns, News of the World is about things which no longer are. Where most entries o...Read More
Identity Is A Major Factor In Our Indigenous Affairs Reporting
Two stories this week from our Indigenous Affairs desk dive into the thorny issue of belonging. Here’s why.
It was a simple follow-up question, a final fact check to an already finished story. Marie Crabb, who identifies as Mescalero Apache, is running for city counci...Read More
Indigenous Identity at the Heart of San Antonio City Council Race
For years, candidate Marie Crabb has claimed to be Mescalero Apache. Those claims cannot be verified.
In early February, on a warm, sunny day, Marie Crabb left campaign literature for her neighbors in the Lone Star neighborhood on the south side of San Antonio. ...Read More
‘Truly Texas Mexican’ Bites Off More Than It Can Chew
A new food documentary fails to recognize the complexities of Indigenous identity in Texas.
From the March/April 2021 issue. Adán Medrano’s new documentary, Truly Texas Mexican, begins with a disclaimer: “This film may make you uncomfortable and...Read More
As Companies Build Thousands of Cell Towers, Indigenous Nations are Faced with Difficult Choices
In Texas, a tiny staff of tribal officials field hundreds of requests each day to build 5G towers in areas of cultural and historic importance.
Every day, Bryant Celestine opens his email to find around 80 messages that require immediate responses. Most of those emails come from the Tower Construction N...Read More
COVID-19 Response has Been Starkly Different for Indigenous Communities in Texas
While coronavirus rates remain high, officials have taken unprecedented actions not found anywhere else in the state.
On March 23, the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas issued its first stay-at-home order. In April, the tribe would restrict out-of-state travel, and in May, offic...Read More
Bringing the Dead Home
Thirty years after Congress passed the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, only a fraction of human remains held by Texas’ museums and universities have been returned.
Thirty years after Congress passed the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, only a fraction of human remains held by Texas’ museums and uni...Read More
Announcing the Texas Observer’s Indigenous Affairs Desk
News organizations in Texas don’t report on Indigenous communities. The Texas Observer intends to be different.
Six state and federally recognized tribes reside in the State of Texas including the Alabama-Coushatta, Kickapoo Traditional Tribe, Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo, Lipan...Read More
The Anti-Indigenous Handbook
Across the globe, anti-Indigenous organizations and sympathizers work to undermine the collective rights of Indigenous peoples. This collection of reports reveals some of the most common attacks Indigenous communities face today.
The Anti-Indigenous Handbook Across the globe, anti-Indigenous organizations and sympathizers work to undermine the collective rights of Indigenous peoples. Thi...Read More