One Week Until the FBA’s D.C. Indian Law Conference

Agenda and registration here.

Seattle U. School of Law Field Trip to the Elwha River

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Here are some pictures from Sunday’s Seattle U. field trip to view the progress of the Elwha River’s restoration. The trip was led by Robert Elofson, Director of the River Restoration Project for the Lower Elwha Tribe. It was part of a class on the restoration of the River after the removal of the two dams, which is taught by Professors Catherine O’Neill and Eric Eberhard. What lucky students to have the chance to examine the mechanics of a tribal triumph like this one and then to see the on-the-ground evidence firsthand!

Washington to Retrocede PL 280 Jurisdiction over Yakama Reservation

Here.

Preliminary Agenda for the FBA’s November Indian Law Conference Now Available

Early bird registration ends on Friday.

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Here’s the information:

Join the Federal Bar Association Indian Law Section on Tuesday, November 10 in Washington, DC for their 17th Annual Washington DC Indian Law Conference! In addition to a complimentary luncheon with our keynote speaker, distinguished speakers will be examining the impact of pivotal change in Indian Law. Schedules topics are listed below:
· Strengthening the Indian Child Welfare Act
· Positioning a Case before the Supreme Court
· Washington Football Team, Jim Thorpe, and Ownership of Indians
· Ethical Considerations in Ethical Development

Don’t miss out on your chance to be a part of this critical conversation!
Go to http://www.fedbar.org/DCIL15 for more information! You can also register online by clicking here!

Sherman Alexie on his decision to include a poem by a white poet masquerading as an Asian-American poet in Best American Poetry

Here. His decision is the subject of heated debate right now in the poetry world. It may be unpopular, but I think Alexie did the right thing. There is after all at least a fiction that we value poems based on their artistic achievement, not based on who wrote them. The privileged poet who submitted under an ethnic pen name was misguidedly trying to prove that wrong and was sadly blind to his own privilege as a white male poet, but if Alexie had retroactively ousted his poem based on the misleading pen name it would seem to suggest that the value of poems is all about who wrote them. In which case, we may as well leave writing to the already famous.

Ojibwe Gearing Up for Treaty Hunting and Gathering Case

The potential case concerns wild rice gathering and hunting off reservation and will likely include a habitat protection component. The Minnesota Public Radio article is here.

Kirkus Review of Sarah Deer’s New Book on Rape and Colonialism

Here.  Kirkus calls the book “[a]n incisive and imperative academic study.”  Congrats to Professor Deer!

Alanis Obomsawin’s film “Trick or Treaty” now available for rental

This is an incredible film about the treatment of treaties and Native peoples in Canada. It’s now available for rental from Canada’s National Film Board. I saw it at the NAISA conference this June and highly recommend it. It is extremely sad and disturbing at times but also incredibly inspiring.

HuffPo on 13 Issues Facing Native Peoples Beyond Mascots & Casinos

Here’s the article by Julian Brave NoiseCat. Thanks to E.E. for the link.

BIA Oil & Gas Regs for Osage County Put on Hold

A federal judge put the regulations on hold in response to a suit filed by the Osage Producers Association and a similar suit filed by Osage Minerals Council, a tribal entity. A news article is here, and Fredericks Peebles & Morgan’s press release is here: 08 12 15 Press Release