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ON THE COVER
Ron His Horse Is Thunder (Hunkpapa Lakota), the great-great-grandson of Sitting Bull, is filling a major position in today’s battle lines involving the future of Native culture and life as president of Sitting Bull College in Fort Yates, North Dakota on the Standing Rock Reservation. Photo by Gwendolen Cates.

FEATURES

Special Section: Tribal Colleges
One of the keys to building sustainable Indian communities and cultures is a self-directed, well-supported and sophisticated system of higher education—something that has been sorely lacking until now. Join us as we survey the rapid sophistication in schools of higher education aimed at and guided by Natives and tribal governments.

Building Native Communities
An overview of the tribal college movement—when, why and how it got started, and where it’s headed. By Paul Boyer.

Snapshot Profiles
Sisseton Wahpeton College, South Dakota; Chris Martinez (Assiniboine Sioux), a notable student; Danny Lopez (Tohono O’odham), teaching by example; and Karen Swisher (Sioux), an outstanding administrator. By Tina Deschenie (Diné/Hopi).

Tribal Colleges Directory
Details on all 35 schools in the tribal college system, including contact information, year founded, degrees/certificates offered, tuition, enrollment and interesting facts. By Debra Utacia Krol (Salinan/Esselen).

Holiday Memories
The ways in which families observe the Christmas season speak volumes about their values, joys and troubles, as our authors recall. By Joseph Bruchac (Abenaki), William S. Penn (Nez Perce) and Evelina Zuni Lucero (Isleta Pueblo). Illustrations by Douglas Miles (San Carlos Apache/Akimel O’odham).

Holiday Gift Guide
Our annual ideas on unusual and fine gifts made by Native artists and craftspeople.

DEPARTMENTS

On the Wind
Nora Naranjo-Morse’s new monumental sculpture installation. Plus, other important news in the arts, education, the environment, business, politics, sports, health and other realms of life in Indian Country. By Daniel Gibson.

Happening
We go west to Los Angeles and the Southwest Museum for its annual Intertribal Marketplace featuring more than 100 fine artists, and then cross town to its sister institution, the Museum of the American West, for its presentation of three new theatrical works in its exciting Native Voices program. Plus, details on other special events of Native interest across North America. By Daniel Gibson.

Spirit of the Harvest
Chef Arlie Doxtator (Oneida) of the Green Bay, Wisconsin area mixes tradition with innovation as the basis for his budding catering and food consulting business. Here he dishes up some tasty Three Sisters Relish and a mean Pumpkin Crème Brûlée. By Beverly Cox and Martin Jacobs.

History
Kateri Tekakwitha (1656–1680) was born a Mohawk but died, many feel, literally a saint. We follow the outlines of her remarkable life and the ongoing effort to see her officially declared the first Native saint from the United States or Canada. By PaulaAnne SharkeyLemire.

Galleries
We set the artistic kettle to simmer with a sampling of the wood and stone carvings, serigraphs, bentwood boxes, drums and other traditional and contemporary works found at Arctic Raven Gallery in Friday Harbor, Washington. Also, brief looks at other Native-oriented galleries throughout the continent. By Russ Tall Chief (Osage).

Museums
Our focus this issue is the exhibition Navajo Weaving: 19th-Century Blankets, 20th-Century Rugs, 21st-Century Views now showing at the Arizona State Museum at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Also, previews of other shows at major museums coast to coast. By Wendy Weston (Diné).

Books
Follow our picks of some of the best recent picture books, large art books and books for children—perfect for holiday gifts. By Deborah Utacia Krol (Salinan/Esselen).

Music
Joe Gonzales, a.k.a. Thunderhand Joe (Mescalero Apache), and the Medicine Show are shakin’ up California with their old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll and recently released their first CD. We also take a listen to new releases by Bill Perry (Raw Deal), Robert Richmond (Sour Milk Moon) and Bill Miller (Spirit Songs: The Best of Bill Miller). By j. poet.

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