NRCS provided technical assistance to the Choctaws in the creation of Lake Pushmataha, a 285-acre lake in Neshoba County.

November is American Indian Heritage Month and offers a great time to recognize the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians for their stellar record as stewards of the environment. Read more »

Left to right guest speaker Dr. James E. Pete and Rural Business Specialist Ken Lynch presenting Dr. Pete with one of his drawings.

South Dakota staff held a “kick-off” for Native American Heritage Month in early  November  with opening comments provided by State Director Meeks sharing a PowerPoint – 5 minutes 500 years – with statistical information gathered by the National Congress of American Indians, an Indian Taco meal, and guest speaker Dr. James E. Pete, who also provided a blessing before the meal. Read more »

A young Tohono O’odham girl smiles and shows off a peacock feather. The Tohono O’odham Community Action is working to create a healthy, sustainable and culturally-vital community for the Tohono O’odham Nation’s 28,000 members. Photo by Cheryl Francisco.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Profile America Facts, the first American Indian Day was celebrated back in May 1916.  Red Fox James, a Blackfeet Indian, rode horseback from state to state, gathering endorsements from 24 state governments to have a day to honor American Indians. In 1990, then President George H.W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November as National American Indian Heritage Month, and this year President Obama continued the tradition. Read more »

Before partners broke ground on two important community projects on November 15, tribal member Dayna Boyce performed a sacred blessing over the Maliseet tribal land, offering tobacco to bless the earth and giving thanks to the earth for the land to build upon. The Tribe will soon have a brand new state-of-the-art health center and six units of much-needed affordable family housing, thanks to its own contributions and assistance from USDA Rural Development and partners. Read more »

As we mark the beginning of National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month I would like to make a request of everyone reading this blog:  Take time today to learn more about the culture and history of the first people of this country.    There will be events across the Nation, including here in Washington.  I hope you’ll take the time to attend one. Read more »

Groundbreaking: From left to right: Rural Development Manager Janell Telin, Norman Perko – Council Member, Michael McCafferty – Dakota Nation Housing Development Authority, Winfred Rondell – Council Member, Joyce Country – Council Member, Rural Development Area Director Bruce Jones, Dale Bouer – Architect, Dave Red Thunder – Council Member, Steve Laughlin – primary designer on this project, Ed Red Owl – Chairman’s Attendant, Michael Selvage – Tribal Chairman for the Sisseton Whapeton Oyate, Jesse Larsen – Tribal Facility Manager, Rural Development State Director Elsie M. Meeks, Tonya Peterson – Senator Johnson’s Staff, Terri Larsen – Council Member, Garryl Rousseau – Vice Chairman for the Sisseton Whapeton Oyate, Connie Williams – Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin’s Staff, and Judy Vrchota – Senator John Thune’s Staff.

In the mid-1970’s, the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate (Sioux Tribe) relocated from a small tribal office building in Sisseton, SD, to establish a new tribal government at the Old Agency Dakota community in Agency Village, SD.  Since then, the tribe has grown immensely in population and in services provided to tribal members, who presently have to travel long distances in order to get needed services from tribal programs at various locations throughout northeastern South Dakota.  Today, the vision of providing needed services to its members in one central location is soon to become a reality, thus fulfilling the dream of decades ago with the move to Agency Village. Read more »