Acorn Woodpecker

Bunky Echo-Hawk, of the Pawnee Nation in Oklahoma and Yakama Nation in Washington, is a graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts who is focused on fine art, graphic design, photography, creative writing, traditional singing and dancing, community outreach and a unique style of “live art” aimed at merging his traditional values with art for greater purpose.

"Butch" Felix, the Lakota Eyapaha (Master of Ceremonies) for the 39th Annual Graduation ceremonies of Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Reservation, stood at the podium and after glancing behind him at the seated dignitaries in attendance said, "There is a big hurricane about to hit Washington D. C. so all of them fled the Capitol and ended up here on the Rosebud Reservation."

The behemoth food conglomerate Kellogg Company is fiercely protective of its Toucan Sam character, the spokes-bird for the popular Froot Loops cereal. Kellogg has aggressively gone after many companies using (or attempting to use) toucans in their logos—but it may wish it had left the toucan in the Maya Archaeology Initiative's logo alone.

Cherokee/Pawnee artist Daniel HorseChief created the approximately 11-foot tall statue titled "The Seeker." It was installed at the school on Aug. 24 without fanfare but an official dedication ceremony for the statue will be held later.

A funny thing happened to several languages on their way to extinction -- they were saved, pulled back from the brink by teenagers and the Internet, of all things.

Samuel Herrera, who runs the linguistics laboratory at the Institute of Anthropological Research in Mexico City, found young people in southern Chile producing hip-hop videos and posting them on YouTube using Huilliche, a language on the brink of extinction.

Hopi Credit Association (HCA) is very proud to announce they have received a grant award for the second time from the Native Youth and Culture Fund which is sponsored by First Nations Development Institute of Longmont, Colorado. The $10,200 of grant funds received helps Hopi HCA to continue with their annual summer Youth Financial Literacy Camp.

Tlingit speakers and educators are fighting to keep that language alive. As those at Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) put it, creating new speakers will be key in accomplishing this.

Several "Indian head" pennants hang on display at the Maidu Museum, each with a profile of a man wearing a feathered war bonnet. The images, almost exactly the same, do not depict a prominent Native American in history or a person that once lived. Instead, "it's the same generic idea of an Indian that gets manufactured," and stands to represent all Indians, said Brian Baker, who curated the exhibit.

Spanish moss dangling from trees like Rapunzel’s hair. Yellow alligator eyes peering out of the murky waters of the bayou. A daytime cacophony of cicadas and a nighttime symphony of frogs and crickets. An aura of Old World charm and moldy decay that makes you wonder if vampires truly do roam the streets at night.

Awesiinyensag presents original stories, written in Anishinaabemowin, that delight readers and language learners with the antics of animals who playfully deal with situations familiar to children in all cultures. Suitable for all ages, this book can be read aloud, assigned to classes, shared at language tables, gifted to elders, and enjoyed by those curious about the language and all who love Anishinaabemowin.

Thousands of commuters, riders and walkers will see simply a mural as they pass by and through the light-rail transit station at Cedar and Franklin avenues in Minneapolis.

But to the artists who painted the 18-by-200-foot mural to be unveiled Monday, it is a nascent symbol of cultural independence for American Indians living in the city and the neighborhood.

Beginning Saturday, August 1, visitors to the Museum Center at Five Points in Cleveland, TN, can see a stunning exhibit of works created by 93 Cherokee artists. Different parts of the Cherokee culture are represented in "Generations: Cherokee Language Through Art." Ages of participants range from 3 to 91 years old, and the 85 pieces in the show display a wide range of media, styles and approaches.

The Native American Dollar series began in 2009 and has highlighted the contributions and accomplishments of Native Americans on an annually rotating reverse design. The themes have been Agriculture with the “Three Sisters” method of planting (2009), Government with the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois Confederacy (2010), and Diplomacy with the first written treaty between Native Americans and English settlers (2011). The design for 2012 will represent the spread of the horse and trade routes of the 17th century