DECEMBER 2021

MÉTIS LEADER GABRIEL DUMONT BORN Born at Red River (now Manitoba), Dumont, a skilled tracker and hunter, spoke 6 Native languages along with Michif-French.  By the 1860s, he was chief of … Continue reading “DECEMBER 1, 1837”

LOREN D. LEMAN BORN–1ST PERSON OF ALASKAN NATIVE HERITAGE (ALUTIIQ) ELECTED STATEWIDE Raised in a commercial fishing family in Ninilchik, Alaska, his ancestry included a marriage in Kodiak in 1700s between … Continue reading “DECEMBER 2, 1950”

NATIVE HAWAIIAN SONGWRITER KUIOKALANI ‘KUI’ LEE DIED Born on July 31, 1932, Shanghai, China, to Hawaiian entertainers, Kui returned to Hawaii at age 5 after his mother died.  Lee performed on … Continue reading “DECEMBER 3, 1966”

HAIDA TOTEM CARVER SKIL KEW WAT (FREDA DIESING) DIED Born on June 2, 1925*, in Prince Rupert, British Columbia (B.C.), her Haida name meant “Little Magic Woman.”  One of the first … Continue reading “DECEMBER 4, 2002”

KUYOKON AUTHOR POLDINE CARLO BORN Born in Nulato, Alaska, Poldine was raised by her grandparents–two of the most powerful medicine people along the Yukon River.  She and her husband, Bill Carlo, … Continue reading “DECEMBER 5, 1920”

CREE PLAYWRIGHT TOMSON HIGHWAY BORN Born in Brochet, Manitoba, Thomson studied music and English literature at the Universities of Manitoba and Western Ontario.  His plays, The Rez Sisters (1986) and Dry … Continue reading “DECEMBER 6, 1951”

INUIT SHEILA WATT-CLOUTIER FILES FIRST INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE In her capacity as the elected Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC), Watt-Cloutier, born in Kuujjuak, Nunavik, petitioned the … Continue reading “DECEMBER 7, 2005”

GWICH’IN WRITER COLUMNIST EDITH JOSIE BORN Born in Eagle, Alaska, her family moved to Old Crow, Yukon, when she was 16.   Edith left school after fifth grade, but learned to … Continue reading “DECEMBER 8, 1921”

CHICKASAW PUBLISHER NATIONAL DELEGATE ESTELLE CHISHOLM WARD DIED Born on June 18, 1875, in the Chickasaw Nation of Indian Territory, her grandfather was Jesse Chisholm of Chisholm Trail fame.  Estelle attended … Continue reading “DECEMBER 9, 1946”

SAC AND FOX ACTIVIST GRACE THORPE BORN Daughter of Jim Thorpe, Grace was born in Yale, Oklahoma.  A descendent of Chief Black Hawk, she also had Potawatomi, Kickapoo, and Menominee heritage.  … Continue reading “DECEMBER 10, 1921”

BRITISH COLUMBIA AGREES TO RENAME THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS “HAIDA GWAII” British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell announced the renaming at the signing of a reconciliation protocol.  The traditional Haida name, which … Continue reading “DECEMBER 11, 2009”

COUER d’ALENE JAZZ SINGER MILDRED “ROCKIN’ CHAIR LADY” BAILEY DIED Born February 27, 1907, in Tekoa, WA, Mildred Rinker grew up on the Coeur d’Alene reservation and later in Spokane.  A … Continue reading “DECEMBER 12, 1951”

WILLIAM C. ROGERS—THE LAST ELECTED CHEROKEE NATION PRINCIPAL CHIEF-BORN Born in the Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory, Rogers enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861 and served in the First Regiment … Continue reading “DECEMBER 13, 1847”

“KIOWA SIX” PAINTER JACK HOKEAH DIED One of a group of Kiowa artists (including Spencer Asah, James Auchiah, Stephen Mopope, Monroe Tsatoke, and Lois Smoky) who became famous studying painting at … Continue reading “DECEMBER 14, 1969”

P.L. 91-550 SIGNED RETURNING BLUE LAKE TO TAOS PUEBLO The Taos Pueblo Indians pressed for decades to regain control of the Blue Lake in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.  Blue Lake … Continue reading “DECEMBER 15, 1970”

MÉTIS WRITER JOANNE ARNOTT BORN Born “on the banks of the Assiniboine River,” in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Joanne studied at the University of Windsor, then moved to British Columbia in 1982.  Much … Continue reading “DECEMBER 16, 1960”

ORIGINAL AZTEC CLAENDAR SLAB UNEARTHED IN MEXICO CITY The Aztec Calendar Stone, also called the “Sun Stone,” one of the most famous objects in world archaeology, was created during the last … Continue reading “DECEMBER 17, 1790”

ALASKAN NATIVE CLAIMS SETTLEMENT ACT (ANCSA) SIGNED INTO LAW When signed into law by President Richard M. Nixon, the ANCSA, Public Law 92-203 (85 Stat. 688), codified at 43 USC 1601-24, … Continue reading “DECEMBER 18, 1971”

CHACO CULTURE NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK (NHP) IS DESIGNATED Chaco Culture NHP, located in the Four Corners region of New Mexico, is in a remote canyon cut by the Chaco Wash.  In … Continue reading “DECEMBER 19, 1980”

MOHAWK ONONDEYOH (FREDERICK O. LOFT) FOUNDS LEAGUE OF INDIANS OF CANADA Prompted by the 1911 “Oliver Act,” which amended the Indian Act so as to threaten the integrity of reserve lands, … Continue reading “DECEMBER 20, 1918”

GUATEMALAN MAYAN ARTIST CARLOS MERIDA DIED Born Carlos Santiago Ortega on December 2, 1891, near Guatemala City, Merida was of Maya-Quiche heritage.  He studied painting at the Instituto de Artes y … Continue reading “DECEMBER 21, 1985”

FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE HAWAIIAN SUPREME COURT WILLIAM S. RICHARDSON BORN Born in Honolulu, of Native Hawaiian ancestry, Richardson graduated from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa before earning his … Continue reading “DECEMBER 22, 1919”

INUK PENCIL ARTIST TIMOOTEE “TIM” PITSIULAK DIED Born on March 10, 1967, in Kimmirut, Nunavut, Pitsiulak was nephew of artist Kenoujuak Ashevak [see October 3].  Tim grew up speaking Inuktitut as … Continue reading “DECEMBER 23, 2016”

CHOCTAW CHIEF PUSHMATAHA DIED Born about 1764, his Choctaw name meant “Warrior’s Seat is Finished.”  From 1779 to 1814, Pushmataha waged war against the Creek, even siding with US and earning … Continue reading “DECEMBER 24, 1824”

POTLACH ARRESTS OF KWAKWAKA’WAKW CHIEF DAN CRAMNER AND OTHERS IN ALERT BAY, BRITISH COLUMBIA Under an 1884 federal law, persons taking part in a potlatch could be jailed.  Chief Dan Cranmer … Continue reading “DECEMBER 25, 1921”

CREEK MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PITCHER ALLIE “SUPER CHIEF” REYNOLDS DIED Born February 10, 1917, in Bethany, Oklahoma, his mother was a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.  Attending what is now … Continue reading “DECEMBER 26, 1994”

ALASKAN INUPIAQ ACTOR ACH-NACH-CHIAK (RAY MALA) BORN Born in Candle, on Seward Peninsula, Ray was raised by his grandmother.  At 14, he walked 100 miles to Nome to work.  In the … Continue reading “DECEMBER 27, 1906”

HO-CHUNK (WINNEBEGO) SCHOLAR/REFORMER WO-NA-XI-LAY-HUNKA (HENRY ROE CLOUD) BORN Born on the Winnebago Reserve in Nebraska, his name meant “War Chief.”  Why he took the name “Henry Cloud” is unknown.  The 1st … Continue reading “DECEMBER 28, 1884”

WOUNDED KNEE MASSACRE SPOTTED ELK (BIG FOOT) BAND In 1889, the messianic Ghost Dance religion arrived on the Pine Ridge Reservation promising the return of the Messiah, disappearance of white invaders, … Continue reading “DECEMBER 29, 1890”

REPUTED-MAYAN AJAW (PALENQUE) K’INICH AHKAL MO’ NAHB III ACCEDED Born in 678 during the reign of his grandfather, Palenque’s long-lived ruler Kʼinich Janaab Pakal I, often referred to as “Pakal the Great,” … Continue reading “DECEMBER 30, 721”

CHEROKEE U.S. REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAM WIRT HASTINGS BORN Born in Benton County, Arkansas, Hastings’s family moved to Beattie’s Prairie, Delaware District, Cherokee Nation.  Graduating from Cherokee Male Seminary (1884), he taught school … Continue reading “DECEMBER 31, 1866”