SEPTEMBER 2021

MAYA QUEEN (TIKAL) “LADY OF TIKAL” BORN A Mayan queen of the city of Tikal, she assumed the throne on April 19, 511, at the age of six, but did not … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 1, 504”

TLINGIT ARTIST JAMES “JIM” SCHOPPERT DIED Born May 28, 1947, in Juneau, Alaska, Schoppert earned a Master’s in Fine Arts from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 1981.  He felt that … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 2, 1992”

HOPI PAINTER, SILVERSMITH MICHAEL KABOTIE BORN Born on the Hopi reservation in Arizona, Kabotie lived there until the reservation high school closed.  After his junior year at Haskell Indian School in … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 3, 1942”

IPPERWASH CRISIS BEGINS IN ONTARIO For the duration of World War II, the Canadian Government expropriated reserve land from the Ojibwe of Kettle and Stoney Point First Nation to use for … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 4, 1995”

INCAN DESCENDANT JOSÉ MANUEL GUTIÉRREZ GUERRA, PRESIDENT OF BOLIVIA, BORN Born in Sucre, Chile, Guerra was scion of two aristocratic families from Chuquisaca, Bolivia, who traced family descents from Incan royalty.  … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 5, 1869”

OGALALA LEADER TȞAŠÚŊKE WITKÓ (CRAZY HORSE) IS KILLED AT FORT ROBINSON Born in the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1841 and son of an Oglala Sioux shaman also named Crazy … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 6, 1877”

HOPI POTTER DEXTRA QUOTSKUYVA NAMPEYO BORN Born in Polacca, Arizona, Dextra was in the fifth generation of a distinguished ancestral line of Hopi potters:  Great-granddaughter of Hopi–Tewa potter Nampeyo of Hano … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 7, 1928”

NATIVE HAWAIIAN COMPOSER COLORATURA SOPRANO HELEN DESHA BEAMER BORN Born in Honolulu, Hawai’i, her ancestors included Ahiakumai Ki’eki’e, Queen of the island of Hawai’i and daughter of Kameiamoku, the favored wife … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 8, 1882”

PUEBLO ARTIST QUAH AH (TONITA PENA) DIED Born May 10, 1893, in San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico, Tonita, whose Pueblo name meant “White Coral Beads,” was raised by her aunt, Martina … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 9, 1949”

THE GREAT NORTHERN CHEYENNE EXODUS FROM OKLAHOMA BEGINS After the Great Sioux War, in 1877, 900 Northern Cheyenne were sent to the Darlington Agency (in modern Oklahoma) to join their kinsmen, … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 10, 1878”

MORRIS “MORRIE” THOMPSON, KOYUKON ATHABASKAN LEADER, BUSINESSMAN BORN Born in Tanana, Alaska, “Morrie,” after graduating from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, first worked at RCA’s Gilmore Satellite Tracking Station.   A … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 11, 1939”

HAIDA CARVER DA*AXIIGANG (CHARLES EDENSHAW) DIED Born circa 1839, in Skidgate, British Columbia (B.C.), Edenshaw, whose Haida name meant “Noise in the Housepit,” learned to carve canoes from his father.  He … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 12, 1920”

UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (UNDRIP) ADOPTED The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was adopted by the General Assembly by a majority of 144 … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 13, 2007”

NAVAJO/PUEBLO GOLFER NOTAH BEGAY III BORN The only full-blooded Native American to have been on the PGA TOUR, Notah was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM.  At Stanford University, he earned … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 14, 1972”

SUSQUEHANNOCK ATTACK NEW AMSTERDAM STARTING PEACH TREE WAR In 1655, the dominant Native people in the Delaware River Valley were the Susquehannock.  Forming a solid relationship with colony of New Sweden, … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 15, 1655”

KALANIKAUIKAʻALANEO KAI KEŌPŪOLANI-AHU-I-KEKAI-MAKUAHINE-A-KAMA-KALANI-KAU-I- KEALANEO (KEŌPUOLANI)-QUEEN CONSORT OF KAMEHAMEHA I-DIED Born of high rank circa 1778 and raised on Maui by her grandmother Kalola, Keōpūolani married Kamehameha I in 1795.  Like Kamehameha’s … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 16, 1823”

FORT LARAMIE TREATY OF 1851 (HORSE CREEK TREATY) WITH THE PLAINS INDIANS SIGNED In early 1851, Congress sought a treaty with Plains Indians to assure peace along the Overland Trails.  As … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 17, 1851”

LOKONO JOHN PETER BENNETT ORDAINED–1ST INDIGENOUS ANGLICAN PRIEST IN GUYANA Born at Cabacaburi Anglican mission, on the Pomeroon River, Guyana, on November 30, 1914, Bennett completed his schooling by age 12.  … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 18, 1949”

CANADA’S SUPREME COURT POWLEY DECISION RULES ON MÉTIS HUNTING & FISHING RIGHTS The Powleys, father & son, were charged in 1993 with possession of a moose they’d shot out of season and … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 19, 2003”

HEILTSUK RENEW PEACE TREATY WITH HAIDA The Heiltsuk and Haida nations initially signed an historic peace treaty at a potlatch in Massett, Haida Gwaii, hosted by Haida Nation chiefs.  The two … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 20, 2014”

HAWAIIAN FALSETTO SINGER BENNY KALAMA DIED Born June 29, 1916, on the Big Island, Hawai’i, Benny, in addition to being a famed falsetto singer, was also an arranger, composer, musician and … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 21, 1999”

STATUE HONORING PUEBLO LEADER PO’PAY (POPE’) UNVEILED IN ROTUNDA Born circa 1630 in what is now New Mexico, Po’Pay led the 1680 Pueblo Revolt against the Spanish which helped ensure survival … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 22, 2005”

GREAT BRITAIN PAYS OJIBWE CHIEFS $8,500 FOR WHAT IS NOW TORONTO At Carrying Place on the Bay of Quinte, Sir John Johnson of the British Indian Department and Deputy Surveyor General … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 23, 1787”

SAINT HERMAN OF ALASKA ARRIVES AT KODIAK ISLAND ALASKA Russian Orthodox Christianity has had played a significant role in many Alaskan Native communities.  Russian colonization of Alaska began in 1741 and the … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 24, 1794”

EXPLORER JONATHAN CARVER MEETS FEMALE HO-CHUNK CHIEF HO-POE-KAW Ho-poe-kaw, whose Ho-Chunk name meant “Glory of the Morning,” grew up on Doty Island (current Menasha, Wisconsin).  The 1st woman mentioned in Wisconsin … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 25, 1766”

GUATEMALAN MAYAN ARTIST ANIBAL LÓPEZ DIED Born to a Maya family from San Marcos on April 13, 1964, López had to fend for himself very early and his studies ended in … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 26, 2014”

TLINGIT WEAVER CHAS’ KOOWU TLA’A (TERI ROFKAR) BORN Born in San Rafael, California, Rofkar was introduced as a child to Tlingit weaving by her maternal grandmother, Eliza Moses Mork.  She also … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 27, 1956”

SAULTEAUX CHIEF PEGUIS (WILLIAM KING) DIED Born near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, circa 1774, Peguis moved west with his family after a 1781 smallpox epidemic that killed thousands of Ojibwe in … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 28, 1864”

GREENLAND INUIT LYRICIST, PAINTER INTEL’ERAQ (HENNING JAKOB HENRIK LUND) BORN Born in Nanortalik, Greenland, Lund grew up near a community of relocated East Greenlandic Inuit.  Of mixed Inuit/European descent, he learned … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 29, 1875”

CARRIER LEADER MARY JOHN, SR. DIED Born in Lheidli, British Columbia (B.C.), June 15, 1913, Mary grew up in Saik’uz, B.C.  Leaving school at age 14 and married at 16, she … Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 30, 2004”