Native News

The Native News Project is a new initiative from MPR News.

Stay informed with the latest news about local and national Native American communities, highlighting stories and issues important to Native American communities in Minnesota and beyond.

Our coverage includes cultural events, policy updates, community stories and more to provide a platform for Native voices, perspectives and important news.

July 15, 2024 4:00 AM

Budding intertribal trade takes root in Minnesota with legalization of cannabis

Trade among tribal nations goes back millennia. Now, the legalization of cannabis is ushering in a new wave of intertribal trade.

by Melissa Olson

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July 12, 2024 1:50 PM

‘Stars Wars’ in Ojibwe set to premiere in Canada

The all-Ojibwe version of “Star Wars: A New Hope” (Anangong Miigaading) is set to blast off Aug. 8 with a premiere in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It features a host of Ojibwe-speaking voice actors.

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July 12, 2024 4:00 AM

Red Lake Nation College mounts cultural exchange with Indigenous Brazilians

Citizens from Red Lake and Leech Lake are now back in Minnesota after a first-of-its-kind cultural exchange to Brazil. The trip which involved students from Red Lake Nation College, the University of Minnesota and Bemidji State University was designed to encourage Indigenous communication internationally as well as within the U.S. and Brazil.

by Mathew Holding Eagle III

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July 9, 2024 1:47 PM

Supreme Court’s Chevron ruling could bring changes for tribes

The court’s recent ruling diminishes the power of federal agencies, potentially challenging tribes’ trust relationship with the federal government.

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July 9, 2024 9:38 AM

Behind Upper Midwest tribal spearfishing is a long and violent history of denied treaty rights

A fraught and violent history for centuries disrupted Indigenous people’s lives in the upper midwest, barring them from traditional food gathering practices like spearfishing, hunting and harvesting wild rice.

by The Associated Press

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July 8, 2024 2:08 PM

Overlooked: Who suffers the most from the opioid epidemic in Minnesota?

A lack of public health data has masked huge racial disparities in overdose deaths from fentanyl and other opioids. Sahan Journal examined more than 240,000 death records to get a clear and startling picture of the epidemic’s toll.