“Sharing one’s skin”

In the article, “Sharing one’s skin” by Jeanette Armstrong, Armstrong talks about the Okanagan tribe. Armstrong talks about the four capacities of self, Physical, Emotional, Thinking/Intellectual, and Spiritual. Armstrong says, “When we Okanagan speak of ourselves as an individual being within our bodies, we identify the whole person as having four capacities that operate together : the Physical self, the Emotional self, the Thinking/Intellectual self, and the Spiritual self. The four selves have equal importance in the way we function within and experience all things.” (p. 463)

Armstrong then talks about language and its importance saying, “We think of our language as the language of the land. This means that the land taught us our language.” (p. 465)

Finally, Armstrong talks about community and how the Okanagan view community writing, “Community is formed by people who are acting in cooperation with each other. Each person is cared for because each is bound by generations of interactions with one another.” (p. 468) Growing up, I was taught that we have a spirit within us that we feed and pray for. The elders in the kiva would tell us to pray and sing / dance for our spirit.

"Shaking one skin" By Jeannette Armstrong, Okanagan Community

Armstrong, Jeanette. “Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community,” in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds), The Case Against the Global Economy. San Francisco, CA, Sierra Club Books, 1996.

“How place names impact the way we see landscape”

In the article, “How place names impact the way we see landscape” memories and stories are connected by what they tell about the past. “A lot of places are attached to the story. And those stories are important for us to remember, because they’re really telling us something about ourselves and our past,” (p. 2/8)

"How place names impact the way we see landscape" By B. Toastie

Toastie, B. “How place names impact the way we see landscape.” High Country News:    Know the West, 1 May 2022, https://www.hcn.org/issues/54.5/people-places-how-place-names-impact- the-way-we-see-landscape.

“And then I went to school”

The narrator talks about his childhood, how different the times were. He talks about growing up with his Grandma and what he’s learned. He then goes on to talk about his school experience. He recalls times he felt uncomfortable and unwelcome. He also teels the times he was critisied for being native, being told, “Leave your indian at home” when he would speak his language.

"And then I went to school" By Joe Suina

Suina, Joseph “And I went to school” memories of a pueblo childhood,”. New Mexico Journal of Reading, Winter 1985, Vol. V, No.2.

“Indian of North America : conflict and survival”

“Indian of North America : conflict and survival” by Frank W. Porter III is an article that talks about problems natives have. Porter first talks about when North America was “discoverd” writing, “When Europeans first reached the North American continent, they found hundreds of tribes occupying a vast and rich country. The newcomers quickly recognized the wealth of natural resources.” (p. 7) Porter than talks about the repercussions of Natives, saying “The American Indian, described and portrayed in thousands of movies, television programs, books, articles and government studies, has either been raised to the status of the “Noble Savage” or disparaged as the “Wild Indian” who resisted the westward expantion of the American frontier.” (p. 8) After, Porter briefly talks about the involvement some tribes had. He writes, “During the colonial period, the British crown did not have a coordinate policy towards the Indians of North America. Specific tribes (most notably the Iroquois and the Cherokee) became military and political pawns used by both the crown and the individual colonies.” (p. 9)  Lastly, Porter talks about the different acts and policies that the Government has signed. He writes about the 1800’s and the 1900’s treaties, acts, and policies that tribes have signed. From 1954 to 1962, Congress passed a law that would terminate more than 100 tribes. Porter writes, “Between 1954 to 1962 Congress passed specific laws authorizing the termination of more than 100 trible groups. The stated purpose of thetermination policy was to ensure the full and complete intergration of Indians into American society.” (p. 11)

“Cannabis 101: History and Terminology”

In “Cannabis 101: History and Terminology”, J. Darrel Carrington talks about the history of cannabis, talking about  throughout history, saying “The use of cannabis and cannabinoid products trace back to around 12,000 years ago near the Altai Mountains in Central Asia, and since then, cannabis seeds have accompanied the migration  of nomadic peoples. Records of the medical use of cannabis appear before the common era in China, Egypt and Greece, and later in the Roman Empire.” (p. 1)  Carrington also talks about propaganda against cannabis, writing about Harry Anslinger, who at the time was the commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. We also learn about William Randolf Hearst, who hated minorities, and aggravated racial tensions. The last subject Carrington talks about is state laws. Carrington writes, “As of May 18, 2021, 36 states and 4 territories allow for the medical use of cannabis products…In addition as of April 14, 2021, 17 states, 2 territories and the District of Columbia have enacted legislation to regulate cannabis for adult use.” (p. 2)

“Waiting for the smoke to clear”

In "waiting for the smoke to clear", Katherine Florey talks about the legalization of marijuana and how both state and tribal moved forward after the legalization. Florey say's, "When the Obama Administration first extended its hands-off marijuana policy to tribes as well as states, much of Indian country celebrated, believing that federal tolerance would be an immediate boom for tribes." (p. 1) Florey also talks about different topics like State-Tribe relationship, negotiations and compromises and state regulations. In the conclusion, Florey writes, "Even as states jump into cannabis legalization with relatively little fear of friction with their neighbors or crackdown by the federal government, tribes facing much more uncertain legal landscape, with many more obstacles thrown in their path by both federal unpredictability and state intransigence." (p. 12)

The cannabis business has proven to be a successful economic resource. In Pojoaque, the cannabis business has been a helpful economic gain.

Tulalip Tribes Hope Cannabis can Combat Heroin Addiction

In the article, "Tulalip Tribes Hope Cannabis can Combat Heroin Addiction" by Andrea Brown, the Tulalip tribe funds a medical research to treat heroin addiction as well as Alzheimer's disease. Brown highlights bioengineering professor, Annelise Barron, who is a co-leader saying, "Its a good place to do this kind of works. This research requires behavioral testing of rats, a specialized field."

Tribal Board Directors Bonnie Juneau, Teri Gobin and Les Park toured the facility years before opening "Remedy Tulalip" a cannabis shop in Snohomish County. "Tribal board of directors members Bonnie Juneau, Teri Gobin and Les Parks toured the Stanford facility a few years before the August 2018 opening of Remedy Tulalip, the first cannabis shop on tribal land in Snohomish County."

Barron also shares her opinion on the research. "Like so many communities across the nation, we are deploying an ever-increasing amount of resources to fight this epidemic," "We decided a new approach was necessary. As sovereigns, we have a unique responsibility to our people, and providing a natural remedy to the opioid epidemic is our priority."

Brown, Andrea. “Tulalip Tribes hope cannabis can combat heroin addiction.” Heraldnet, 27 March 2019, https://www.heraldnet.com/news/tulalip-tribes-hope-cannabis-can-combat-heroin-addiction/. Accessed 5 February 2025.

Hemp production could be a Sustainable future for Indigenous communities, but barriers remain

The article, "Hemp Production could be a Sustainable future for Indigenous communities, but barriers remain" by Cody Mello-Klein shares about Alex White PLume. Klein writes "At 6 a.m. on Aug. 24, 2000, Alex White Plume was woken up to a call from his brother. All he said was 'They arrived' White Plume knew exactly who his brother meant. Walking outside, White Plume was ambushed by Drug Enforcement Administration agents holding submachine guns."

Klein also talks about hemp being used for other uses. "Unlike marijuana, hemp has low THC levels-less than 0.5% compared to an average 15% in marijuana- high CBD levels and thousands of potential uses. Hemp is used in clothing, animals and human food, rope and some exciting new uses as well.

Hemp is being seen as more than just income, but a sustainable "circular" economy for tribes.

In 1998 the Oglala Lakota tribe passed an ordinance, legalizing hemp on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Mello-Klein, Cody. “Hemp production could be a sustainable economic future for indigenous communities, but barriers remain.” Northeastern Global News, 7 October 2022, https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/10/07/hemp-production-indigenous-communities/. Accessed 5 February 2025.

Indigenous Farmers are Leading a "New Green Revolution" Focused on Hemp

The article "Indigenous Farmers are Leading a "New Green Revolution" Focused on Hemp" by James DeDecker talks about tribes across the US who use hemp. Some examples are the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and them using their sovereignty to grow hemp, but the DEA destroyed the farm.

Another example is in 2020, where tribes submitted over 34 plans to USDA, resulting in tribal hemp plans outnumbering state run program 53 to 42.

The article also talks about a project in Michigan, resulting in educational conferences and symposia about Native Agriculture and food sovereignty.

DeDecker, James. “Indigenous Farmers are Leading a “New Green Revolution” Focused on Hemp.” Foundation for Food & Agriculture, 9 October 2023, https://foundationfar.org/impact/insights/indigenous-farmers-are-leading-a-new-green-revolution-focused-on-hemp/. Accessed 7 March 2025.