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.

May 20, 2024 1:04 PM

Art Friend: An art critic and a Native journalist look into hidden history of 19th-century American landscape painting

Art Friend headed to Winona for an exhibit that looks at the complex and sometimes contradictory meanings of 19th-century American landscapes.

by Alex V. Cipolle

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May 16, 2024 4:00 AM

‘I’m glad it’s home’: A family heirloom links back to Bemidji’s founding and Indigenous history

Firearm safety begins with personal responsibility, and over a century ago it wasn’t much different. But a historic moment in time integral to Bemidji’s founding is shedding new light on that importance — connecting the past with the present — while, with old age, bringing one man a better understanding of himself.

by Mathew Holding Eagle III

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May 15, 2024 7:14 PM

Sean Sherman featured on ‘Top Chef: Wisconsin’ episode highlighting Indigenous cuisine

Sean Sherman, also known as the “Sioux Chef” was featured as a judge on the newest episode of “Top Chef: Wisconsin.”

by Cathy Wurzer and Aleesa Kuznetsov

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May 15, 2024 4:23 PM

Hinckley-Finlayson schools face blowback for banning Native drum group at graduation

A northeastern Minnesota school district with a large Native American student population is facing blowback after its board voted to forbid a tribal drum group from singing at its upcoming high school graduation ceremony.

by Dan Kraker

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May 15, 2024 1:45 PM

A place for ceremony, healing: Hennepin County will add sweat lodges to serve Native detainees

Sweat lodges are dome-shaped, heated structures and are sacred spaces for Native people. They have spiritual and cultural purposes, and allow Native people to connect with the Creator, nature and others. During a sweat, traditional songs are sung and participants pray.

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May 12, 2024 8:00 AM

Grand Portage Band and MnDOT to unveil Ojibwe-English road signs

This week the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and MnDOT are unveiling six dual-language English-Ojibwe signs along Highway 61, the first time the agency will post signs in an indigenous language outside reservation boundaries.

by Dan Kraker

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May 6, 2024 4:53 PM

Tribal members reflect on 100th anniversary of Indian Citizenship Act at Minnesota Capitol

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act, which gave Native Americans U.S. citizenship. Representatives of Minnesota’s 11 sovereign tribal nations gathered at the state Capitol to reflect on accomplishments, and what more needs to be done.

by Ellie Roth

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May 3, 2024 5:04 PM

Minnesota teen honored by Girl Scouts USA after saving the lives of her mother and grandmother

Fifteen-year-old senior Girl Scout Ilona Delaney, a citizen of Red Lake Nation, was honored with the Bronze Cross for risking her own life to save her grandmother and mother from drowning during a family boating trip last summer.

by Melissa Olson

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May 1, 2024 9:49 AM

Celebrating American Indian Month with the reopening of local community center

Indigenous communities in Minnesota celebrate American Indian Month throughout May. A part of this month’s celebration is the reopening of the Minneapolis American Indian Center after a two-year closure for renovations.

by Nina Moini, Melissa Olson and Aleesa Kuznetsov

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April 30, 2024 4:02 PM

Renovated Minneapolis American Indian Center reflects urban Indigenous identity

The Minneapolis American Indian Center provides social services to the urban Native community and has served as a central gathering place for nearly 50 years. The redesign reflects a sense of belonging and history and showcases ways the Minneapolis Indigenous community embraces its future.

by Melissa Olson

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