Describes the Tribal Telecommunications Network, a non-profit Native American organization promoted by the Hopland Band of the Pomo Indians. Outlines network uses and objectives: identifying and locating economic and information resources, creating jobs, and teleconferencing tribal meetings. (SV)

Studies of families, twins, and adoptees support a genetic predisposition to alcoholism. Alcohol metabolism may affect the regulation of alcohol intake, because interference with production or elimination of the alcohol metabolite acetaldehyde has behavioral effects. Ongoing research is examining individual and tribal differences in alcohol…

A connection with nature constitutes the difference between Western science and indigenous perspectives of the natural world. Understanding the synchronicity of natural and astronomical cycles is integral to Anishinaabe cosmology. Examples show how the Anishinaabe cultural worldview and philosophy are reflected in their celestial knowledge and how…

Following hearings concerning inadequate telephone access on American Indian lands, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) committed to promoting a government-to-government relationship with federally recognized tribes and consulting with them prior to implementing regulatory actions, and created financial assistance programs for telephone…

At a panel discussion held at Imagining Indians Native American Film and Video Festival (Scottsdale, Arizona, June 1994), Americans Indians debated and expressed their concerns regarding intellectual property rights and the effects of commercialism on the integrity of Native American cultural beliefs and practices. Tribes must decide which aspects…

Describes the spiritual transformation of an Idaho State Penitentiary Cherokee inmate who worked with an Indian elder and an Alcoholics Anonymous elder to utilize the interrelated teachings of the American Indian Medicine Wheel (the East, new beginnings) and the first three steps (honesty, hope, and faith) of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.…

Describes Lakota belief systems connected with the stars and how those beliefs directed Lakota existence, movements during the year, and ceremonies. Discusses winter camps, associated cultural practices such as storytelling, ancient wisdom, the concept of mirroring (constellations and corresponding land forms on earth), and the Black Hills annual…

Rebecca Adamson, president and founder of First Nations Development Institute, compares the values of traditional American Indian economies that stress sustainability and limited inequalities among society members with the deficiencies of the Western economic system. Discusses First Nations Development Institute's view of Indian gaming and how it…

Freida Jacques, Onondaga clan mother, discusses the discipline of the "good mind," which involves becoming aware of your thoughts, examining the intent of your actions, and deciding whether your intent is based on love or fear and anger. Peace and healing must be achieved through forgiveness and respect. Sidebars discuss Native American…

American Indians and other Native peoples are using maps to chart their resources, fight for their land, and remember their history. Describes the efforts of the Zuni Pueblo in the Southwest; the Gitxsan Nation (Canada); the Kuna, Embera, and Wounaan tribes (Panama); and the Mayas (Belize). A sidebar lists Geographic Information Systems (GIS)…

Based on her belief that all of our lives are stories that are pieces to a puzzle forming the truth behind the sacredness of life, Anne Dunn--Ojibwe storyteller and author--seeks to build bridges between cultures, between generations, and between oral and written storytelling. Includes a review of her book "When Beaver Was Very Great."…

The Menominee Gaming and Hospitality Institute (College of the Menominee Nation, WI) assists Indian people in mastering skills needed to operate their own gaming enterprises and to manage hotels or resorts. In addition to certificate and degree coursework, the institute is developing a computerized industry database and a product development…

Language is easiest to learn before age 5. The Cherokee Nation supported production of a toy that teaches young children basic Cherokee words. When figures that come with the toy are placed into it, a computer chip activates a voice speaking the name of the figure in Cherokee. Learning takes place on visual, auditory, and tactile levels. (TD)

Describes efforts of the InterTribal Bison Cooperative (Rapid City, SD) to reintroduce the buffalo for cultural purposes to American Indian reservations. Explains how the buffalo's return is contributing to community wellness. Discusses career opportunities for both Native and non-Native people in buffalo management. (LP)

On the Yankton Reservation (South Dakota), Native American women have formed a sisterhood based on teachings of the traditional Brave Heart Society of the Ihanktonwan Dakota Nation. They have researched early women's societies and customs; acted as role models; and revived traditional values among young women through retreats, "learning…