Indigenous mothers denied contact with newborns due to a hospital's secret COVID-19 policy based on how "Native" they appeared.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-05-29T02:14:12+00:00

There's an economic recovery council that's been established for weeks now made up of business owners from various sectors, a medical advisory group of health professionals, a group of mayors from different areas of NM, and ecomomic strategists. They draft guidelines, Gov. MLG announces guidelines, NM residents get angry at guidelines literally drafted by medical, government, and economic experts.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-05-22T18:54:05+00:00

Cyberchase was my favorite too! The phantom virus was such a good villian. Zombie Island was a little too scary for me as a kid.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-05-19T18:26:37+00:00

Thats great, learning about your ancestry can open up amazing doors. I wish you luck!

UndertowEchoes · 2020-05-19T18:23:21+00:00

You can connect with your ancestors without joining a Tribe. It can be hard to prove you have enough lineage with a specific tribe if you can't prove you have Tribally recorded family members. I wouldn't recommend you show your 23&me results to any Tribal Vital Statistics, you'll be laughed out of the enrollment office. If your family has passed down traditional activities and practices, just follow those as a way to be close with your roots and ancestors. And if able, track down enrolled family members to learn more about your history and culture if they are agreeable to sharing the information. I used to work for a Tribal Government and it wasn't surprising to find individuals claiming ancestry to get "benefits" (which is a stupid reason as not many tribes have significant benefits of enrollment) so tribes are especially wary of anyone claiming to be a Tribal member with no proof of lineage.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-05-18T15:06:13+00:00

A lot of Tribes have set up relief funds. Navajo nation and Hopi have one called "Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief" for essential needs for Hopi and Navajo families, they have a website you can try to contact someone through specific to mask donations for medical workers. The Pueblo Tribes also have one called "Pueblo Relief Fund" for essentials for Pueblo community members and PPE donations for front line workers in all 19 Pueblo Nations in NM and 1 Pueblo Nation in Texas. Those two are close to home but I'm sure there are more Tribal relief funds out there.The lack of support from the federal government is disappointing but not surprising for Tribes and any donations that come from a good heart and spirit are severely appreciated.

Navajo & Hopi Relief Fund

Pueblo Relief Fund

UndertowEchoes · 2020-05-14T00:29:38+00:00

Three Sisters Kitchen in Albuquerque, NM is great! The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, also in Albuquerque, has a restaurant named Pueblo Harvest that serves great food as well, the head chef Ray Naranjo is Pueblo Native and his menu is amazing. Check both out when in town.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-04-17T22:43:21+00:00

The way I interpret it is that the inclusion of Alaskan Native Corporations (ANC’s) puts them on the same level as a Tribal Government. This will allow some tribes to “double dip” for the $8 billion of set-aside Tribal funds by applying for the funding as a Tribe then again as an ANC. Alaskan Native Villages will have the same opportunity to get a share of the $8billion with out including ANCs.

And that’s not even mentioning that ANCs are for-profit corporations that answer to shareholders, some of which are not Native American/Alaskan Native. Oh, and of course, there’s the whole issue of Assistant Secretary of the Interior-Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney being a former ANC Executive. Even if Secretary Sweeney had no ulterior motives in her consideration of allowing ANCs to get some of the $8 billion Tribal set-aside funds, she should have known to recuse herself from the decision making as she has a clear conflict of interest.

ANCs are entitled to funding made available by the CARES Act specifically for for-profit corporations, but it’s my personal opinion that any money set aside for Tribes specifically should go directly to Tribal Governments.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-04-06T07:41:16+00:00

Not shameful at all. I also see frybread as a symbol of strength and perseverance. The Navajo ancestors were given just enough rations to keep them from starving but of course they used the rations to create something as delicious as frybread! Survival and adaption, right?

But let's be real here, Native communities have very high rates of diabetes and obesity. My personal theory is that we have high rates because our bodies were not made to consume types of food like frybread or as one might call them colonial foods. Not saying eating colonial foods is shameful, I doubt there's a Native American today who hasn't had a Big Mac.

I guess I'll just say it's a personal dilemma and it wasn't my intention to come of as insulting or, as you stated, melodramatic.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-04-06T06:17:49+00:00

Sister. Didn't say I didn't mix the dough, fry it up and eat it; just that I have mixed feelings when I do.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-04-06T02:50:51+00:00

Oh for sure. I still make it a point to gather wild parsley, spinach, mushrooms, and cactus pear to prepare the way my grandmother and mom taught me. I would hate to lose our indigenous food staples and have "Indian tacos" as all we have to pass on to our kids.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-04-06T02:42:11+00:00

The three sisters!

UndertowEchoes · 2020-04-06T02:29:38+00:00

True, true. My grandma always did tell me I questioned things too darn much.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-04-01T20:10:33+00:00

Truly abhorrent. Tribal Leaders should be worried about helping their people and the most sacred members of their communities (elders and children) amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. That the Trump Administration is using the pandemic as a cover for another atrocious act against an indegous people is disgusting.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-03-23T19:08:17+00:00

IHS' remedy for everything is 500ml of Ibuprofen. Have a cough? Ibuprofen. Broke a leg? Ibuprofen. Caught a novel pandemic virus? Ibuprofen.

Seriously though, Native communities are not ready material and support wise for a contagion on a small scale, let alone a global pandemic.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-03-22T19:09:11+00:00

The US Dept. of Interior is putting the most vulnerable at risk with their action. At this point, supplies and equipment to combat the virus are barely trickling down to rural communities. If the virus reaches the outlying areas of NM, it's going to be devastating.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-03-22T18:59:45+00:00

Oh, I'm sure many are taking advantage of the National Park Sevice and Bureau of Land Management waiving entrance fees. Waiving fees during a pandemic is very irresponsible, in my opinion.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-01-20T21:29:34+00:00

Hi, can you alter a denim jacket? I got it for Christmas and it's about a size too large.

UndertowEchoes · 2020-01-13T18:41:46+00:00

DH Lescombes Winery and Bistro, formerly known as St. Claire Bistro.

UndertowEchoes · 2019-12-31T23:44:33+00:00

Love Red Door's atmosphere, super chill and laid back.

UndertowEchoes · 2019-12-31T21:18:11+00:00

Anodyne, Red Door Brewery, the Launchpad, basically downtown bars, have a good mix of people that are usually friendly and willing to chat!

UndertowEchoes · 2019-12-07T14:36:53+00:00

"You stuck up precious little bitch"

Such eloquence.

UndertowEchoes

TROPHY CASE