sNok signflz SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 ATNI receives $225,000 economic development grant WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians received a $225,000 federal grant to assist with job creation and capital investment strategy, according to a press release from Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley that was released on Tuesday, Sept. 7. The funding will support the ATNI Economic Development Association Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and support ATNI mem- ber Tribes meet their economic development goals, facilitate interTribal economy building, support Tribal entrepreneurs and build an ecosystem of Tribal economic development professionals, said Amber Schulz-Oliver, executive director of ANTI Economic Development Association. “I am pleased that this funding will help Tribes here in the Northwest exercise their self-determination and sovereignty to create jobs and tackle the critical economic issues that affect their communities,” Merkley said. n NATIVE AMERICAN WATCHLIST Watchlist: Experience a traditional whale hunt in Alaska By Kamiah Koch Social Media/Digital Journalist Your home is your castle and you want it to look that way. Relax and let us take care of the work. Call today and make an appointment to have one of our property service representatives come and listen to your needs and provide you with an estimate 503.383.4064 CCB #208867 LCB #9720 Licensed, bonded and insured. Paid ad Become a Tribal Water Operator Help Keep Tribal Communities Safe One Drop At a Time For more information, contact your local tribal utility or the ITCA Operator Training Program at 602.307.1548. The Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. is an equal opportunity provider and employer. This material is based upon work supported under a grant by the Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Rural Utilities Service. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Paid ad BACK TO SCHOOL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM The 2021-2022 school year is around the corner and the BACK-TO-SCHOOL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM is now available to Tribal Member students. Please see below for more details. Who: Tribal Member K-12 students (Enrolled in the 2021-2022 School year). Qualified tribal member applicants are eligible for up to $300 for school supplies and school clothing. Receipt Verification The applicant will be required to provide copies of receipt(s) of approved purchases within 30 days of the processed check. Registration Information Sign-ups begin on August 2, 2021 and closes at 5pm on September 17, 2021. Please allow up to two weeks to process applications and checks once your application has been received. Complete the application and send back to the Youth Enrichment Program. Please note: Incomplete applications may delay the processes and approval. Applications are available at the following locations: The Youth Education building on campus (Mon-Friday 8am-12 & 1pm-5pm) Tribal Website (Under the Youth Education page) Contact the Youth Enrichment program and one can be emailed to you. Please see email and phone contact below. Have questions, need an application or other? Please contact 503-879-2101 or YouthEnrichment@grandronde.org 17 With 18.4 million subscribers on National Geographic’s YouTube channel, sharing a video on traditional Native whale hunting in Alaska is bound to get some views. “Prayer for the Whale” is a nine-minute film posted on Nov. 27, 2018, as part of the Short Film Showcase, a collection of short “captivating” videos selected by National Geographic’s video team. The video in an immersive experience following the Inupiat people as they hunt for whales. The only audio is the words of an Elder expressing gratitude for the whale, singing and the sounds of the harsh northern Alaskan sea ice. The documentary-style video shows the Native whalers sitting at the water’s edge, patiently waiting in freezing temperatures for the whales. Conditions do not look comfortable as their shelter is constantly blow- ing in the wind and a polar bear begins to stalk nearby. At one point a commotion occurs and the polar bear is killed. The Native hunters are constantly watching the horizon for the whales to breach. The actual killing is never shown, but in the next shot a whale is seen floating lifelessly. They impressively bring the whale up on to the ice by hand and with the help of the entire community. The video has beautiful images of life on ice. A bird’s-eye-view cam- era shot shows how they process the gray and red pieces of the whale against the white ice. The video ends with the community sharing a meal and celebrating the harvest that will feed them through the winter. “Prayer for the Whale” shows a way of life not many have seen. The video garnered almost 2 million views on YouTube since its publication. To watch the video yourself, you can go to https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=XIYag5MWhPU or find it linked on the Smoke Signals Watch- list playlist on the Smoke Signals YouTube channel. n