Tahdooahnippah examined the trust relationships embedded in treaties between Tribal Nations and the U.S. government. His presentation included... the historic and ongoing significance of treaty rights as more than legal contracts — they represent sacred agreements founded on trust and mutual respect, grounded in the sacrifices made by Native ancestors.

“For Indigenous peoples, treaties represent not just rights, but also responsibilities passed down from generations who fought, suffered and even gave their lives to secure them,” Tahdooahnippah said. “These are not just legal documents; they are human rights and fundamental rights that define the trust relationship between tribes and the federal government.”

Read the full article here: https://ou.edu/news/articles/2024/november/ou-hosts-comanche-nation-chairman-for-tribal-engagement-series

The Native Nations Center proudly celebrates Native American Heritage Month this November—a time to honor the history, traditions, contributions, and... enduring cultures of Native and Indigenous Peoples, past and present.

We also invite you to join us for upcoming events in our Ethical Tribal Engagement Series, focused on fostering respectful and meaningful engagement with Tribal Nations during this important month of recognition. Spaces are filling quickly for in-person attendance for our upcoming Keynote and Poster Showcase happening on November 7, 2024, from 12:00 pm - 3:00pm at the OU Norman campus.

Learn more about the ETE Series here: https://www.ou.edu/nativenationscenter/events/ete

The Native Nations Center Team is growing! The NNC worked with the SCC NACCHE team on this grant and will soon be adding a new tribal healthcare policy analyst position....

American Indian people suffer from incredibly high rates of cancer. We are excited to work with the dedicated team at SCC NACCHE to address and elevate policy considerations at the intersection of tribal health sovereignty and federal priorities, particularly in the area of cancer health disparities. More to come about the new position.

#nncou #nativenationscenter #policyanalysis #policyresearch #tribalsovereignty #selfgovernance

The 2024-2025 Ethical Tribal Engagement Series is coming soon! Save the dates and join us throughout the year at OU Norman, OU Tulsa, and OU Health and Sciences Center for impactful... gatherings on ethical tribal engagement and collaboration. For more details and registration, visit nnc.events/ete. Follow us throughout the year as we roll out details about the ETE series!

For the past 12+ months, the Native Nations Center has worked diligently to renew its focus on research and tribal engagement. We are excited to provide the first-ever year-in-review ... to highlight our team's extraordinary efforts.

The Native Nations Center is excited to invite you to our first of four events of the Spring 2024 Ethical Tribal Engagement Series! We are kicking off the series with a pa...nel featuring Kelly Berry, Robin Minthorn, Paul Spicer, and Daniel Wildcat at the OU Norman Campus. Come join us on February 7th!

For more information and to register, visit our new dedicated webpage for the Ethical Tribal Engagement Series at https://www.ou.edu/nativenationscenter/events/ete.

The latest private equity investments are part of the tribe’s broad investment portfolio with venture capital and private investments in several industries including energy, healthcare, technology, real estate and other sectors.

The EO aims to respect tribal sovereignty by reforming federal funding to support Tribal Nations in having greater control over how they invest federal funding, acknowled...ging their expertise in addressing the needs of their communities.

Federal Tribal Consultation Notice: The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is formally consulting with tribes beginning in January 2024. As the federal agency responsible f...or granting patents and registering trademarks, the USPTO’s domain is intellectual property. The 2024 consultations seek to better protect tribal cultural resources, cultural expressions, and traditional knowledge. In addition to federally recognized tribes, the consultations include dates for state recognized tribes, Native Hawaiians, and inter-tribal organizations.

WASHINGTON - The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the opening the application process ...for $18.2 million available through the Tribal Cybersecurity Grant Program (TCGP) to help tribal governments address cybersecurity risks and threats. With the release of a Notice of Funding Opportunity, applicants have until January 10, 2024 to apply for a grant, which can be used to fund new or existing cybersecurity programs.

“We know that Tribes face unique cybersecurity challenges and often lack the resources needed to address them. The Tribal Cybersecurity Grant Program will play a critical role in helping Tribal governments build their capability and capacity to protect their communities from cybersecurity threats,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. “We encourage all federally recognized Tribal governments to apply for grant funds to protect our nation’s critical infrastructure and communities from malicious cyber activity. CISA is here to provide the expertise, tools, and technical assistance to be a reliable partner to Tribal governments in combatting the emerging cyber threats Tribes face each day.”

Fresh off the presses! Excellent CRS report providing an overview of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Budget. Aptly, the report notes that tribes often testify to the negativ...e impacts of government shutdowns on tribal citizens and resources, particularly for public safety and economic development. While Congress recently supported limited advanced appropriations for some federal programs, such as for Indian Health Service’s programming, “Many tribes have expressed support for advance appropriations to mitigate tribal impacts of government shutdowns, and to uphold federal treaty and trust obligations.”