This is for every little Rez Kid

Golden Globes

If you’re Native or know a Native, I’m sure by now you’ve either heard or seen the news about Lilly Gladstone winning the first ever best actress award by a Native woman.

I was super proud to witness it, and even got a bit emotional when she started speaking her language.

Lilly began her speech in the Blackfeet language which loosely translated to:

“Hello my friends/relatives. My name is Piitaaki (Eagle Woman). I am Blackfoot. I love you all.”

 Then switching to English, saying, "I love everyone in this room right now! Thank you." Gladstone continued, "I don't have words. I just spoke a bit of Blackfeet language, a beautiful community, nation that raised me. They encouraged me to keep going, keep doing this. I'm here with my mom, who even though she's not Blackfeet worked tirelessly to get our language into our classroom, so I had a Blackfeet language teacher growing up."

 "This award belongs to—and I hope I don't get counted down too fast because this is an historic one—I'm so grateful that I can speak a little bit of my language, which I'm not fluent in, up here because in this business, Native actors used to speak their lines in English and then the sounds mixers run them backwards to accomplish Native languages on camera."

 Gladstone continued, "This is an historic one. It doesn't belong to just me. I'm holding it right now. I'm holding it with all of my beautiful sisters, and the film at this table over here, my mother, standing on all of your shoulders. Thank you."

 She then starts listening specific thank yous: "Thank you, Marty. Thank you, Leo. Thank you Bob. You are all changing things. Thank you for being such allies. Thank you Chief Standing Bear." Gladstone then begins speaking Osage, to thank Osage Nation (her character, Mollie, is Osage). "I'm at a loss for what else to say. Thank you to Apple. Thank you my manager and my agent, Jill and Sasha. Thank you to all of you."

"And this is for every rez kid, every little urban kid, every little Native kid out there who has a dream, who is seeing themselves represented and our stories told by ourselves in our own words, with tremendous allies and tremendous trust from with and from each other. So thank you all so much!

Why is the win so significant to Natives?

I can’t remember being spoken to as directly as I was last week during the golden globes. 

It reminded me of when Obama was elected for his first term and included the words “Native American” in his inauguration speech.

It was the first time in my life I had ever heard Natives mentioned by a U.S. President. We’re never included in anything big.

Never.

This time is different. This time it was purposeful and by one of us.

Most people I know couldn’t care less about award shows or celebrities. They consider most celebs to be these out of touch, virtue signaling, woke-liberal agenda phonies.

Which, hey, to be honest, most probably are.

Not Lilly.

Even if she becomes out of touch one day, she isn’t right now. She’s in her moment and representing her people with pride.

So, one more to go Lilly!

Let’s bring home the Oscar.

As always, If you don’t know now you know, a Native!

Land Back for the Hoopa Valley Tribe of Northern California

Full Article via Daily KOS-

HOOPA, Calif. — On Dec. 20, the Hoopa Valley Tribe announced the acquisition of 10,395 acres of land bordering the western boundary of the Tribe’s Reservation,

The return of the Hupa Mountain property brings the Tribe’s landholdings to a total of over 102,000 acres, according to a press release from the Tribe.

When the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation was created, the Hupa people lost access to and use of more than two-thirds of their ancestral lands. The Tribe’s $14.1 million purchase of the land rightfully returns management, conservation and use of the land to Hupa People. 

“Today is a day of intense celebration for our Tribe,” said Hoopa Valley Tribal Chairman Joe Davis. “As a tribal nation that has long led the way in self-governance and self-determination, the Hoopa Valley Tribe worked hard to secure this once-in-a-generation opportunity to reclaim a meaningful portion of our ancestral lands. Many thanks to our Tribal Council for their leadership, our Tribal staff for their dedication and creativity, and the many public and private partners who helped make this possible.”

The acquisition of 10,395 acres previously held by New Forests, an Australia-based forestland manager, constitutes the Tribe’s largest reacquisition of land since the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation was established in 1864. The newly regained land includes the headwaters of Pine Creek, which flows into the Klamath River and is a spawning stream for sacred salmon. The land also provides gathering sites for food and basketry materials, along with a variety of plant and wildlife species that hold great importance in the Tribe’s culture.

Of special significance for a Tribe that has historically interwoven the health of its people with the condition of its land, this restoration is poised to improve both. The Tribe will use its expertise to restore the historic salmon run in Pine Creek, building on the inter-tribal and inter agency efforts underway to restore the Trinity River and remove the dams on the Klamath River. 

Additionally, the Tribe’s wildlife managers have plans to rebuild the elk population — a traditional food source — by creating a network of high-elevation meadows. And tribal forestry staff will expand their work to aggressively fight sudden oak death, which affects the acorn crop and creates hazardous fire conditions that threaten both homes and the Tribe’s drinking water supply.

“There is still a lot of work to do — but we continue to make progress in getting back to where we need to be. There is hope in what we celebrate today,” Davis said. “Managing the land is an integral part of our identity and culture. Acquiring our ancestral territory allows the Hoopa Valley Tribe to sustain our traditions and improve the health and well-being of our people.”

Tantoo Cardinal - Dene & Cree

Tantoo Cardinal, a distinguished Native actress, has been a vital force in the film and television industry since the 1970s. Born on July 20, 1950, in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, she belongs to the Dene and Cree nations. Cardinal's upbringing in a community facing the aftereffects of colonialism profoundly influenced her career and advocacy.

Initiating her career in the 1970s, she quickly emerged as a leading figure in Canadian cinema. She gained recognition for her authentic portrayals of Indigenous characters, a rarity in those times. Her roles often reflected the realities and struggles of Native peoples, earning her critical acclaim for her depth and sensitivity.

Her versatility as an actress is evident in her wide-ranging filmography, which includes standout performances in "Dances with Wolves," "North of 60," and "Black Robe." Her acting prowess has been consistently lauded for its emotional depth and realism. More recently, she appeared in the notable film "Killers of the Flower Moon," directed by Martin Scorsese, adding another prestigious credit to her illustrious career.

Beyond her acting achievements, she is a fervent advocate for Native rights and representation in media. She has tirelessly worked for the inclusion of more Tribal narratives and storytellers in the film industry. Her efforts extend to mentoring emerging Native actors and supporting projects that amplify Native voices in mainstream media.

Her remarkable contributions to the arts and her advocacy work have been recognized with several lifetime achievement awards and honors, including being named a Member of the Order of Canada. This accolade reflects her significant impact on both the arts and her community.

Throughout her career, Tantoo has not only proven herself as a talented actress but also as an influential advocate for Indigenous causes. Her legacy transcends her filmography, inspiring future generations of Native artists and activists. Her unwavering dedication to her craft and community continues to leave a lasting mark in the film industry and beyond.

This section as always is brought to you by the Kossin Brand.

The purpose of the Kossin brand is to connect our people through inclusivity and commonalities.

Many other brands and companies aim to divide and conquer, however at Kossin they do not.

If you enjoy this section and being introduced to a new Native every week please click the “Support Kossin Here” button below and support them by buying some Kossin Merch.

f you enjoy our memes don’t forget to follow on Twitter now known as X.com, Instagram and Tik Tok for more exclusive content. The profile links are listed below. @LouistheNative on all platforms. 

Redwood Valley Little River Band of Pomo Indians

We would like to personally thank our newest Tribal sponsor, the Redwood Valley Little River Band of Pomo Indians.

The Redwood Valley Little River Band of Pomo Indians (Redwood Valley Rancheria) is a federally recognized Indian tribe located in Redwood Valley, Mendocino County, California. For several thousand years the Tribe’s ancestors lived along the West Fork of the Russian River, located north of Calpella, CA. The Tribe interacted with other Pomo tribes located within the Russian River watershed, the Eel River watershed, and tribes found along the coasts of the Clearlake and the Pacific Ocean.

 Much was lost with the advancement of European settlers before and after the California Goldrush.  In 1908 Redwood Valley Rancheria was established as a home for "Homeless Indians." However, In 1958 the United States Congress terminated Redwood Valley Rancheria and many other tribes by enacting the California Rancheria Termination Act. In 1983 this act was declared illegal as a result of the Tillie Hardwick, et al. v. United States of America, et al. Case. Redwood Valley Rancheria and many other rancherias had their tribal status restored.

 The Redwood Valley Little River Band of Pomo Indians is a sovereign indian tribe with the powers of self-governance. Its tribal members elect a Tribal Council which acts as the governing body. The Council is authorized to write and enact ordinances and resolutions, conduct tribal business, and perform other actions that are commonly delegated to local governments.

​Today, Redwood Valley Rancheria has 159 acres of land in trust. It manages a wide array of social, educational, environmental and infrastructure programs. Click on the menu above to find out more about these programs.

Thank you for supporting Native businesses and believing in one of your own!

A Special Thank you to our reader of the Month

Alison G.

She is extremely supportive of our publication and always has great feedback that supports our growth.

Thank you from us here at I Know a Native newsletter.