APRIL 2022

MAHIHGAN PIMOTEYW (WILTON “WILLIE” LITTLECHILD) BORN– CREE LEGISLATOR, ATHLETE Born on Ermineskin Cree Reserve, Alberta, his name means “Walking Wolf.” Littlechild won the national Tom Longboat Award (1967 & 1974) and … Continue reading “APRIL 1, 1944”

INDEPENDENT STATE OF LOS ALTOS DECLARED IN MAYA CITY OF QUETZALTENANGO After Central America gained independence from Spain in 1821, tensions emerged in Guatemala between the cities of Guatemala City in … Continue reading “APRIL 2, 1838”

TSAWWASSEN FIRST NATION BECOMES SELF-GOVERNING–FIRST URBAN TREATY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. In accordance with the Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement (treaty), ratified by Canada, British Columbia, and the Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN) … Continue reading “APRIL 3, 2009”

ROBERT HOAPILI KEKAIPUKA’ALA BAKER DIED–AIDE TO HAWAIIAN KING KALĀKAUA Born circa 1846, in Waikapu, Maui, Hoapili was descended from the kings of the islands of Maui and Hawaii.  In 1879, he … Continue reading “APRIL 4, 1900”

INUK WILLY ADAMS APPOINTED SENATOR–FIRST INUIT TO SIT IN PARLIAMENT Born June 22,1934, in Fort Chimo, Northwest Territories (now Kuujjuaq, Nunavut), Adams became an electrician and later a businessman.  Appointed by … Continue reading “APRIL 5, 1977”

BRULE’ LAKOTA EDUCATOR/ACTIVIST CANOWICAKTE (CHAUNCEY YELLOW ROBE) DIED Born in Montana Territory around 1867, his name meant “Kills in the Woods.”  In 1883, Chauncey entered Carlisle Indian School.  While there, he … Continue reading “APRIL 6, 1930”

ULAYU PINGWARTOK BORN—NOTED INUIT ARTIST & PRINTER Born near Lake Harbour on southwestern Baffin Island, Ulayu started drawing after she moved to Cape Dorset in 1959 where Pingwartok was encouraged to … Continue reading “APRIL 7, 1904”

 MEXICAN YAQUI ACTRESS MARIA FELIX BORN María de los Ángeles Félix Guereña, born in Álamos, Sonora, Mexico, was of Basque, Spanish, and Yaqui heritage.  After a failed marriage, she moved to … Continue reading “APRIL 8, 1914”

GITXTAN LEADER NEIL J. STERRITT BORN–ORDER OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MEMBER Born in Hazelton, British Columbia, Sterritt worked in mining exploration in Canada and internationally, but returned to Hazelton in the 1970s … Continue reading “APRIL 9, 1941”

ATHABASCAN LEADER & ACTIVIST MARY JANE FATE DIED Born September 4, 1933, in Rampart, Alaska, her family were subsistence hunters.  Fate graduated in 1952 from boarding high school in Sitka before … Continue reading “APRIL 10, 2020”

PRESIDENT JOHNSON SIGNS INDIAN CIVIL RIGHTS ACT (ICRA) The ICRA attempted to provide tribal governments certain protections afforded by the U.S. Constitution.  However, it also served as a significant Federal intrusion … Continue reading “APRIL 11, 1968”

HAWAIIAN PRINCESS-POLITICIAN ABIGAIL WAHIʻIKAʻAHUʻULA CAMPBELL KAWĀNANAKOA DIED Born January 1, 1882, in Honolulu, her father, James Campbell, was a wealthy industrialist; her mother, Abigail Kuaihelani Maipinepine Bright, was part-Hawaiian.  On January … Continue reading “APRIL 12, 1945”

NISGA’A TREATY PASSED BY PARLIAMENT The Nisga’a people live in the Nass River Valley of northwest British Columbia (BC).  In the late 1800s, Nisga’a traditional territory was declared Crown land.  The … Continue reading “APRIL 13, 2000”

MASHPEE WAMPANOAG JOAN TAVARES AVANT BORN—WRITER, LEADER, HISTORIAN Born in Mashpee, Massachusetts, Avant, Director of Indian Education for the Mashpee Public School District, helped create a Wampanoag culture and history curriculum.  … Continue reading “APRIL 14, 1940”

PAWNEE MOSES “CHIEF” YELLOW HORSE APPEARS IN MAJOR LEAGUE GAME Born on January 28, 1898, in Pawnee, Oklahoma, Moses started his baseball career at Chilocco Indian Agricultural School where, in 1917, … Continue reading “APRIL 15, 1921”

MOHAWK KAHN-TINETA HORN BORN–MODEL, ARTIST, AND ACTIVIST Born in New York City, her name means “She Makes the Grass Wave.”  A model and actress, in the early 1960s, Horn became a … Continue reading “APRIL 16, 1940”

OJIBWE LANDSCAPE, MODERNIST PAINTER WAH WAH TEH GO NAY GA BO (GEORGE MORRISON) DIED Morrison was born in 1919 on Grand Portage Reservation, Chippewa City, Minnesota.  His Ojibwe name meant “Standing … Continue reading “APRIL 17, 2000”

OJIBWE CHIEF ASINIIWIN (ROCKY BOY) DIED Born circa 1851 in Montana Territory, his Ojibwe name meant “Stone Child,” or “Rocky Boy.”  In the 1880s, the Montana Chippewa and Cree were without … Continue reading “APRIL 18, 1916”

1st PANAMERICAN INDIGENOUS CONGRESS HELD IN PATZCUARO, MEXICO Beginning with its 1911 Revolution, Mexico was a leader in Indigenismo, a movement of Latin American elites advocating a dominant social and political … Continue reading “APRIL 19, 1940”

INUPIAQ ARTIST/EDITOR HOWARD UYAGAK ROCK OF TUNDRA TIMES DIED Born in Point Hope, Alaska, in 1911, Rock went to boarding school before attending the University of Washington.  In World War II, … Continue reading “APRIL 20, 1976”

HAWAIIAN CYRIL PAHINUI BORN–FAMED SLACK KEY GUITARIST Pahinui grew up Waimanalo, on Oahu.  His father was the slack guitar “Master,” Gabby Pahinui.  Cyril began playing ukulele at age 3, learned slack … Continue reading “APRIL 21, 1950”

INUPIAQ WHALER & CONSERVATIONIST HARRY “KUPAAQ” BROWER JR DIED Born on October 18, 1924, in Barrow, Alaska, Harry grew up in a mixed household.  At an early age, Harry learned to … Continue reading “APRIL 22, 1992”

MAYAN WAR-CALAKMUL DEFEATS PALANQUE, INSTALLS RULER XXXBy about 550 A.D., the city of Calakmul had established itself as a Mayan power.  In 562, the king, now known as Sky Witness, defeated … Continue reading “APRIL 23, 599”

THE QUINNIPEAC GREET REVEREND JOHN DAVENPORT & SETTLERS  When puritan minister Rev. John Davenport and merchant Theophilus Eaton led 500 followers from Boston to what would become New Haven, Connecticut, the … Continue reading “APRIL 24, 1638”

BLACKFOOT CHIEF ISAPO-MUKSIKA (CROWFOOT) DIED Born circa 1830 near present-day Lethbridge, Alberta, his name literally meant “Crow Indian’s Big Foot.”  At age 13, he showed bravery in striking an enemy tipi … Continue reading “APRIL 25, 1890”

MARIA CAMPBELL BORN–MÉTIS AUTHOR, PLAYWRIGHT, BROADCASTER, FILMMAKER Born in Saskatchewan, Maria’s first book, Many Laws (1969), addressed issues facing First Nations people moving to the cities.  Half-breed (1973), which initiated a … Continue reading “APRIL 26, 1940”

POTAKEE (BETTY MAE TIGER JUMPER) BORN–1ST SEMINOLE FEMALE CHIEF Born near Indiantown, Florida, her family moved to a reservation in Broward County to avoid dangers faced by mixed race children from … Continue reading “APRIL 27, 1923”

SWINOMISH-TUTLALIP MATIKA WILBUR BORN—NOTED PHOTOGRAPHER Wilbur grew up in La Conner, Washington.  She earned her bachelor’s degree from the Brooks Institute of Photography in 2006.  Matika began her career in fashion … Continue reading “APRIL 28, 1984”

DANE-ZAA BRIAN JUNGEN BORN—AWARD-WINNING ARTIST Born in Fort St. John, British Columbia, he was raised in Vancouver by an aunt after a fire killed both his parents.  Brian earned his Bachelor’s … Continue reading “APRIL 29, 1970”

“HAWAIIAN KINGDOM GOVERNMENT” GROUP OCCUPIES IOLANI PALACE A Native Hawaiian group advocating sovereignty briefly occupied the grounds of Iolani Palace in Honolulu saying it would carry out the business of what … Continue reading “April 30, 2008”