Native News

The Native News Project is a new initiative from MPR News.

Stay informed with the latest news about local and national Native American communities, highlighting stories and issues important to Native American communities in Minnesota and beyond.

Our coverage includes cultural events, policy updates, community stories and more to provide a platform for Native voices, perspectives and important news.

Community healing: Groundbreaking honors ‘all lives lost and forever changed’ by 2005 Red Lake shootings
On Saturday, supporters will gather for a groundbreaking ceremony on the Red Lake Nation for a memorial dedicated to those affected by the mass shooting in 2005. Ten people died that day, including the perpetrator.
Gas pipeline approved near pipestone quarry sacred to Indigenous people, with conditions
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved a permit to Magellan Pipeline Company along a route near a pipestone quarry considered sacred by many tribal nations. Tribal input over the past year resulted in the commission requiring the pipeline company to consult with tribes.
 ‘Rez Ball’ is a story for everyone
The Netflix film directed by Sydney Freeland and co-written by Sterlin Harjo is a story centered on a Native American basketball team fighting to be recognized as the champions they are.
Government food shortage persists in Minnesota’s tribal communities 
Tribal nations across Minnesota and the nation are still experiencing shortages in federal food shipments. The USDA delivers food to older people and low-income households. Tribal leaders say they are ready to reform federal tribal food programs through farm policy changes. 
 Native actors, TV show compete for Emmys
The 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards are set to kick off Sunday evening with several Indigenous actors making history.
The heat is on: Indigenous-led nonprofit seeks to lower heating expenses with solar thermal
Since 2018, an Indigenous nonprofit near the White Earth Nation in northwestern Minnesota has been installing solar thermal panels to cut home heating costs in impoverished communities.
Anishinaabe author Ashley Fairbanks invites children to honor ancestral Native land in her new book
Minnesota-born Anishinaabe author Ashley Fairbanks had her first book published on Aug. 27. The book is for children and is titled “This Land.” It invites kids to trace the history of their home and honor the Native people who lived on the land.