The ICT Newscast for Friday, June 26, 2026, covers a land return to the Ho-Chunk Nation in Wisconsin, boarding school healing, a California tribe’s new micro energy grid and the Ponca and Caddo tribes new community facilities. Check out the ICT Newscast on YouTube for this episode and more.
Land Returned to Ho-Chunk Nation
165 acres of land have been returned to the Ho-Chunk Nation from the Dane County Conservation Fund. The land, valued at nearly $6.5 million, includes six archaeological sites and 22 ancient burial mounds, according to Ho-Chunk Tribal Preservation Officer Bill Quackenbush.
Boarding School Oral Histories Project Concludes
After two and a half years, the Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition has completed its oral histories project. The initiative aimed to record and preserve testimonies from boarding school survivors, raising awareness and bringing justice for those who endured one of the U.S. government’s most brutal attempts to erase Indigenous culture. Organizers credit former Interior Sec. Deb Haaland with helping advance the project’s mission, including securing formal recognition of the atrocities and apologies from President Biden.
Paskenta Band Breaks Ground on Microgrid
The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians in Northern California has broken ground on a new microgrid project. Paskenta Enterprises CEO Damon Safranek said the project will strengthen the tribe’s sovereignty while providing reliable electricity. According to Safranek, who also serves as the tribe’s CEO, the project has been roughly a decade in the making.
Ponca Tribe Expands Food and Health Programs
The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska is growing food as part of its tribal home visiting program, which works to keep families together while promoting healthy food access and living habits. Ponca Health Services CEO Keith Morrow discussed the tribe’s broader healthcare offerings and facilities. The tribe plans to build a new facility soon that will include a space for healthy cultural meal demonstrations.
Caddo Nation Tackles Childcare Desert
The Caddo Indian Nation in Oklahoma is addressing a local childcare desert by building a new childcare center featuring indoor and outdoor classrooms, a gym, pool, library, nursing center, learning centers and a playground inspired by the Caddo Nation’s mound-building tradition. Childcare Director Lauren French emphasized the importance of creating a space for families as well as children, noting that rural families are likely to rely on the facility for years to come.
Navajo Hip Hop Artist Nataanii Nez Means Turns Music Into Indigenous Advocacy
Rapper Nataanii Nez Means has made Indigenous storytelling part of his music, using his platform to raise awareness around Native issues while bringing people together through hip hop. Off stage, he runs youth workshops teaching songwriting and recording with hope to inspire young Indigenous people to find pride and beauty in their own communities and identities.
View previous ICT broadcasts here every week for the latest news from around Indian Country.
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