AUGUST 2023

HAWAIIAN JOURNALIST/POLITICIAN SAMUEL KAHOLOʻOKALANI K. PUA DIED Born in Honolulu, October 27, 1867, Sam was educated at the Royal School in Honolulu. In 1892, he was elected to the House of Representatives and opposed … Continue reading “AUGUST 1, 1932”

EASTERN CHEROKEE CHIEF TSALADIHI (NIMROD J. SMITH) DIED Born in 1837, near Murphy, North Carolina (NC), Smith’s Cherokee band stayed in the state following the Indian Removal. Nimrod was connected, through his … Continue reading “AUGUST 2, 1893”

TOMB OF AZTEC EMPEROR AHUIZATL FOUND IN MEXICO CITY Mexican archeologists using ground-penetrating radar discovered the underground chambers bearing the remains of Emperor Ahuizotl, who ruled the Aztecs at the time … Continue reading “AUGUST 3, 2007”

FIRST ISSUE OF NAVAJO TIMES PUBLISHED The first official edition of the Navajo Times newspaper cost 10 cents. Until March 21, 1984, the Navajo Times was a black-and-white, tabloid-sized paper printed … Continue reading “AUGUST 4, 1960”

IROQUOIS BURN LACHINE TO AVENGE DESTRUCTION OF SENECA LAND & CROPS During the Beaver Wars, 1,500 Mohawk warriors launched a surprise nighttime attack against this New France settlement of 375 inhabitants on Montreal Island. … Continue reading “AUGUST 5, 1689”

ONEIDA WOMAN WARRIOR TYONAJANEGEN FIGHTS AT BATTLE OF ORISKANY    Tyonajanegen, whose name meant “Two Kettles Togther,” and husband Han Yerry Tewahangarahken,  whose name meant “He Who Takes Up the Snow Shoe,” … Continue reading “AUGUST 6, 1777”

JAMES YOUNG KĀNEHOA BORN—GOVERNOR OF MAUI/TRANSLATOR Born at Kawaihae, Hawai’i, his father was John Young, British advisor of Kamehameha I; his mother, the chiefess Namokuelua of Oahu aristocracy. At age 9, James was sent to the … Continue reading “AUGUST 7, 1797”

KOYUKON ATHABASCAN CHAMPION SPRINT DOG MUSHER GEORGE ATTLA BORN Born near Koyukuk, Alaska, George began mushing in the 1950s and quickly became a legendary open-class sprint dog racer. Revered internationally, the … Continue reading “AUGUST 8, 1933”

KIOWA-COMANCHE SCULPTOR & PAINTER TSATE KONGIA (BLACKBEAR BOSIN) DIED Born June 5, 1921, in Anadarko, Oklahoma, Bosin was exposed during his school years to the paintings of the famed “Kiowa Five.” … Continue reading “AUGUST 9, 1980”

SENECA RELIGIOUS LEADER GANIODAIO (HANDSOME LAKE) DIED Born in Ganowauges (near present Avon, New York) circa 1735, Handsome Lake, known by Ganiodaio (one of the chiefs in the Haudenosaunee’s Great Law), … Continue reading “AUGUST 10, 1815”

HIŊHÁŊ KÁǦA, FORMERLY “HARNEY PEAK,” RENAMED “BLACK ELK PEAK” The peak’s Lakota name means “Owl maker,” for the rock formations that look like owls which were associated with impending death by the Lakota. … Continue reading “AUGUST 11, 2016”

BATTLE OF PLUM CREEK–RESPONSE TO THE GREAT COMANCHE RAID OF 1840 This battle—really a running gun fight–stemmed from the Council House Fight & resulting Great Raid of 1840. The first event occurred … Continue reading “AUGUST 12, 1840”

NATIVE HAWAIIAN ACTOR DON HO BORN Ho, born in Honolulu of Native Hawaiian, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch & German descent, initially attended Springfield College in Massachusetts but returned home after a year … Continue reading “AUGUST 13, 1930”

AWA’UQ (REFUGE ROCK) MASSACRE—THE WOUNDED KNEE OF ALASKA  In the mid-1700s, Russian fur traders sought a foothold in the Aleutian Islands and Kodiak Archipelago, however, expeditions met with Aleut and Alutiiq … Continue reading “AUGUST 14, 1784”

CHEROKEE HUMORIST WILLIAM PENN ADAIR (“WILL”) ROGERS DIES Born November 4, 1879, in Cherokee Territory [near present Claremore, Oklahoma], Rogers learned to ride horses & do rope tricks growing up on a ranch. After … Continue reading “AUGUST 15, 1935”

KWAKWAKA’WAKW CARVER NAKAPANKAM (MUNGO MARTIN) DIED Born in 1879 at Tsaxis (Fort Rupert), Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC), Martin’s name meant a potlatch chief “ten times over,” or Datsa, meaning “grandfather.” … Continue reading “AUGUST 16, 1962”

ALGONQUIN QUEBEC OFFICIAL/POET MATCHEWAN (MICHELNOËL) BORN Noël, born in Messines, grew up in the La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve and in the Maniwaki & Abitibi regions of Quebec. After attending École normale de Hull, he … Continue reading “AUGUST 17, 1944”

CHOCTAW RECEIVED DEED TO NANIH WAIYA (ORIGIN MOUND) A large rectangular platform mound, measuring 25 feet high, 218 feet long, and 140 feet wide, Nanih Waiya is a Choctaw name meaning … Continue reading “AUGUST 18, 2008”

BATTLE OF BLUE LICKS-WYANDOT & BRITISH DEFEAT BOONE & KENTUCKIANS In August 1782, 10 months after Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown, a force of 50 British & Canadian loyalists and 300 Wyandot … Continue reading “AUGUST 19, 1782”

CANADIAN SURVEY CREWS ARRIVING AT FORT GARRY HELP IGNITE RED RIVER REBLLION The Red River Colony of Rupert’s Land [Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) land encompassing most or all present-day Manitoba & Saskatchewan, and parts … Continue reading “AUGUST 20, 1869”

HAWAIIAN CHANTER/MUSICIAN JAMES KA’UPENA WONG BORN Wong, born into a family rooted in Hawaiian culture, is a leading consultant in Hawaiian language and in the art form of chant–a traditional form … Continue reading “AUGUST 21, 1929”

INUK TRIBAL OFFICIAL PIITA (PETER) IRNIQ BORN—2ND NUNAVUT COMMISSIONER Irniq, born in Lyon Inlet, near Repulse Bay, Northwest Territories (NWT), grew up trapping, hunting, and travelling by dogsled. Attending residential schools … Continue reading “AUGUST 22, 1947”

CHEROKEE PFC TSALI (CHARLES GEORGE) BORN–KOREAN MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER Born in Cherokee, North Carolina (NC), George, whose name meant “Self-sacrifice,” belonged to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation. Private … Continue reading “AUGUST 23, 1932”

CHINOOK LINGUIST RANALD MacDONALD DIED—HELPED ADMIRAL PERRY OPEN JAPAN Born on February 3, 1824, in Fort Astoria, Oregon, of Chinook and Scottish parents, Ranald wanted to see Japan, but, in the … Continue reading “AUGUST 24, 1894”

MEXICAN ZAPOTEC ABSTRACT PAINTER RUFINO TAMAYO BORN Tamayo, born in Oaxaca, Mexico, of Zapotec heritage, entered Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes in 1917.   His first show, in New York (1926), … Continue reading “AUGUST 25, 1899”

MOHAWK CHIEF SAKAWARATON (JOHN “SMOKE” JOHNSON) DIED Born either December 2 or 14, 1792, at the Johnson settlement in Upper Canada (Ontario) and from a large & influential family, his Mohawk … Continue reading “AUGUST 26, 1886”

CANADIAN SUPREME COURT’S LAVELL DECISION UPHELD DISCRIMINATION AGAINST INDIAN WOMEN MARRYING NON-INDIAN MEN  Canada (AG) v Lavell, [1974] S.C.R. 1349, was a landmark 5–4 Supreme Court of Canada decision holding that Section 12(1)(b) … Continue reading “AUGUST 27, 1973”

AMERICANS OBTAIN ONEIDA AND TUSCARORA NEUTRALITY IN REVOLUTIONARY WAR Following the Colonists’ capture of Fort Ticonderoga, Benedict Arnold convinced General Washington to invade Quebec Province. Guy Johnson, a New York Loyalist friendly with … Continue reading “AUGUST 28, 1775”

IN TREATY OF EASTON, LENAPE CEDE TERRITORY FOR RESERVATION IN NEW JERSEY During the French and Indian War, the Lenape Indians, as part of the Easton Treaty of 1758 (between Pennsylvania, … Continue reading “AUGUST 29, 1758”

AHTNA MILDRED “MILLIE” GOODLATAW BUCK DIED–LINGUISTIC PIONEER Raised near Chitina, Alaska, Millie attended Chitina BIA School to the 8th grade before transferring to the Eklutna BIA boarding school. Buck was a … Continue reading “AUGUST 30, 2011”

ABENAKI FILMMAKER/MUSICIAN/ARTIST ALANIS OBOMSAWIN BORN Alanis, whose name means “Pathfinder,” was born in New Hampshire, but grew up on the Odanak & Trois-Rivières reserves in Quebec. Debuting, musically, at New York’s Town … Continue reading “AUGUST 31, 1932”