Articles tagged: Indigenous Affairs
Bloodlines
Emily Grace Spydell died in adoptive care. Her biological family says the Indian Child Welfare Act could have saved her—but her tribe’s legal code prevented it.
Emily Grace Spydell died in adoptive care. Her biological family says the Indian Child Welfare Act could have saved her—but her tribe’s legal code prevented...Read More
Mapping Indigenous Communities of Texas: Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (kirikir?i:s)
The Wichita built towns along Red and Brazos River in North Texas. Those sites remain important to the tribe to this day.
Before contact with settlers, the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes were composed of multiple, autonomous bands that shared a similar culture and language, collecti...Read More
A Place Where Two Things Can be True at Once
Despite the United Methodist Church’s history of violence toward Indigenous people, the Dallas Indian Mission is a place of cultural exchange and community.
On a Sunday in June, Michael Tongkeamha wears a casual outfit, all black from head to toe. He stands tall at the pulpit next to Pastor JB Jackson at the Dallas ...Read More
How the Alabama-Coushatta Use Fire to Save the Longleaf Pine
In an ecosystem that needs fire to flourish, the actions of the tribe could decide the future of the longleaf pine.
On a Wednesday in March, a cool, northerly breeze rustled through the pines. It was a good day for a fire. Gesse Bullock, a 16-year woodlands firefighter and bu...Read More
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