JANUARY 2023

SENECA ARCHEOLOGIST GAWASCO WANEH (ARTHUR C. PARKER) DIED Born on the Cattaraugus Reserve, NY, April 5, 1881, his Iroquois name meant “Talking Leaves.” Arthur’s Great-uncle, Ely Parker, was military secretary to … Continue reading “JANUARY 1, 1955”

MAYAN AJAW (COPAN) UAXACLAJUUN UB’AAH K’AWIIL ASSUMED THRONE Uaxaclajuun Ubʼaah Kʼawiil (aka “Eighteen Rabbit”), was the 13th ajaw or ruler of the Maya polity of Copán in modern Honduras.  He ascended to the throne upon the … Continue reading “JANUARY 2, 695”

ULUMĀHEIHEI (HOAPILII) DIED–ADVISOR TO KAMEHAMEHA I, ADOPTING FATHER OF KAMEHAMEHA V Ulumāheihei was born circa 1775.  His father helped Kamehameha I come to power.  Ulumāheihei inherited his father’s position in the King’s … Continue reading “JANUARY 3, 1840”

TAGISH STORYTELLER CH’ÓONEHTE’ MA/STÓOW (ANGELA SIDNEY) BORN Angela Sydney was born near Carcross, Yukon. Her mother was of Tlingit ancestry, her father, Tagish. At birth, she received three names-Ch’óonehte’ Ma (Tagish), … Continue reading “JANUARY 4, 1902”

LONE WOLF v. HITCHCOCK—CONGRESS HAD PLENARY POWER TO ABROGATE TREATIES Under the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867, 75% of adult males in each of the Kiowa, Apache, and Comanche tribes had … Continue reading “JANUARY 5, 1905”

CHEYENNE-ARAPAHO W. RICHARD WEST, JR. BORN–FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN Born in San Bernardino, California, West grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Son of artist Walter Richard … Continue reading “JANUARY 6, 1943”

NIPMUC SACHEM ZARA CISCO BROUGH DIED—WRITER, FASHION DESIGNER, ENGINEER Born in New York City (NY) on January 3, 1919, Brough, known as “Princess White Flower,” grew up on the tribe’s Grafton, … Continue reading “JANUARY 7, 1988”

HAWAIIAN BOXER JOSEPH KAHAHAWAI KIDNAPPED/KILLED FOR MASSEY RAPE In September 1931, socialite Thalia Massie alleged that 5 Hawaiian men assaulted and raped her.  Joseph Kahahawai, one of the 5 men, confessed … Continue reading “JANUARY 8, 1932”

ONONDAGA COGWAGEE (TOM LONGBOAT) DIED—FAMED LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER Born June 4, 1887, on the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford, Ontario, Longboat was forced into Canada’s residential school system. Refusing to speak English … Continue reading “JANUARY 9, 1949”

SAND LAKE CREE ARTIST CARL RAY BORN—FAMED “INDIAN GROUP OF SEVEN” ARTIST Born on Sandy Lake First Nation (SLFN), Ontario (ON), Ray left residential school at 15 working as a trapper, logger & miner. … Continue reading “JANUARY 10, 1943”

HAWAIIAN ALEXANDER LOLANI LIHOLIHO BECOMES KING KAMEHAMEHA IV Born February 9, 1834, in Honolulu, Liholiho was grandson of Kamehameha I and adopted son & heir of his uncle, Kamehameha III. Educated at the Royal … Continue reading “JANUARY 11, 1855”

POMO BASKETWEAVER MABEL McKAY BORN –LAST POMO DREAMER Born in Nice, California, Mabel was raised by her maternal grandmother, also a basket weaver, who taught her the language and how to … Continue reading “JANUARY 12, 1907”

OJIBWE BASKETWEAVER MINDIMOOYE GINEW IKWE (ROSE CREE) DIED Rose was born near the Turtle Mountain Reservation (TMR) in Belcourt, North Dakota, on July 21, 1921, and attended boarding school in Fort Totten, … Continue reading “JANUARY 13, 2004”

SHAWNEE-PEORIA BALLERINA EDNA MOSCELYNE LARKIN BORN Moscelyne was born in Miami, Oklahoma (OK) and raised in Tulsa. Sent as a youth to New York to study dance, at age 15, she … Continue reading “JANUARY 14, 1925”

ALEUT “TRADITION BEARER” ANFESIA SHAPSNIKOFF DIED—WEAVER/RELIGIOUS LEADER Born in 1900 in Atka, Alaska, her mother moved with her and her brother to Unalaska in 1905.  Anfesia later became the unofficial leader … Continue reading “JANUARY 15, 1973”

REIGN OF VICTORIA KAMAMALU AS PAHINU NUI (CO-RULER) BEGINS Born November 1, 1838, Kamamalu was the granddaughter of Kamehameha I and sister of both Alexander Liholiho (Kamehameha IV) and Lot (Kamehameha … Continue reading “JANUARY 16, 1855”

CREE CHIEF MISTAHIMASKWA (BIG BEAR) DIED Born circa 1825, near Jackfish Lake, Saskatchewan (SK), Big Bear participated in fights with the Blackfeet including the Battle at Belly River in 1870. By … Continue reading “JANUARY 17, 1888”

BATTLE OF MAZOCOBA–YAQUIS HOLD OFF MEXICANS In May 1897, the Yaqui & the Mexicans signed a treaty whereby the Yaqui abandoned their traditional lifestyle and became individual land owners. However, when General … Continue reading “JANUARY 18, 1900”

SAMOAN-AMERICAN TIAINA BAUL “JUNIOR” SEAU, JR. BORN—FORMER NFL STAR PLAYER Born in Oceanside, California, of parents from Aunu’u, American Samoa, Junior’s great grandfather was a chief in Pago Pago. Seau’s family … Continue reading “JANUARY 19, 1969”

SENECA CHIEF AND ORATOR OTETIANI, ALSO SAGOYEWATHA (RED JACKET) DIED Born circa 1750-51, near current Branchport, New York (NY), his given name was Otetiani. As chief, he took the name Sagoyewatha, … Continue reading “JANUARY 20, 1830”

INUPIAQ ARTIST RONALD SENUNGETUK DIED Born in 1933 in Kinigin, Alaska (AK), Ron attended high school in Sitka where he learned wood carving. At the School of American Craft, Rochester Institute of … Continue reading “JANUARY 21, 2020”

HOPI-HAVASUPAI SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATE/LEADER MONA POLACCA BORN Mona’s involvement in Indigenous social justice began at age 14 when she first heard about the Native American occupation of Alcatraz Island in 1969 and … Continue reading “JANUARY 22, 1955”

INUIT LAWYER/ACTIVIST DAVID CHARLES WARD (KIVIAQ) BORN Ward was born in Chesterfield Inlet, Northwest Territories, but grew up in Edmonton, Alberta. Given the Inuktituk name, Kiviaq, by his Inuit mother at … Continue reading “JANUARY 23, 1936”

OJIBWE MIZANAY GHEEZHIK (CALVIN MURRAY SINCLAIR) BORN– CANADIAN JUDGE-SENATOR Born on St. Peter’s Reserve near Winnipeg, Manitoba (MB), his name means “the One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky.” A high school … Continue reading “JANUARY 24, 1951”

NISGA’A SCULPTOR JAGAM TXALP (RON JOSEPH TELEK) DIED Born February 16, 1962, a member of the Eagle Clan of the Nisga’a Nation of northwestern British Columbia, Telek’s hereditary name meant “Four … Continue reading “JANUARY 25, 2017”

YANKTON SIOUX AUTHOR ZITKALA-ŠA (GERTRUDE BONNIN) DIED Born on the Yankton Reserve, South Dakota, February 22, 1876, her name meant “Red Bird.” Gertrude studied piano & violin and attended Earlham College … Continue reading “JANUARY 26, 1938”

INUIT POP SINGER SUSAN AGLUKARK BORN Aglukark was born in Churchill, Manitoba, but was raised in Arviat, Northwest Territories. Her 1992 album, Arctic Rose (re-released in 1994), and its 2-hit single, Song … Continue reading “JANUARY 27, 1967”

SIOUX MSGT WOODROW W. KEEBLE DIED–KOREAN WAR MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER Born on May 16, 1917, in Waubay, South Dakota, on the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Reservation, Woodrow attended an Indian school in … Continue reading “JANUARY 28, 1982”

SHOSHONE REGALIA MAKER EVA WASHAKIE McADAMS DIED Born on June 18, 1927, in Fort Washakie, Wyoming (WY), on the Wind River Reservation, Eva learned beadwork from her mother, grandmother, and aunt. … Continue reading “JANUARY 29, 2010”

MEXICAN ZAPOTEC PAINTER RODOLFO MORALES DIED Born May 8, 1925, in Ocotlán Morelos, Morales studied art at the Academy of San Carlos in Mexico City (1948-53). After graduating, he taught art at Escuela Nacional Preparatoria (1953-85).  … Continue reading “JANUARY 30, 2001”

MORRIS “MORRIE” THOMPSON BORN–KOYUKON ATHABASKAN LEADER, BUSINESSMAN Born in Tanana, Alaska, on September 11, 1939, “Morrie,” after graduating from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, first worked at RCA’s Gilmore Satellite Tracking … Continue reading “JANUARY 31, 2000”