​     As a member of the “Apsaalooke Nation”, Supaman makes his home on the Crow reservation in Montana. “Supaman” Is Christian Takes Gun Parrish, a Native American dancer and innovative hip hop artist who has dedicated his life to empowering and spreading a message of hope through culture and music.
     He has been the recipient of the Nammy “Native American Music Award”, “North American Indigenous Image Award”, and  7 “Tunney Awards”. He recently was awarded  The Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award in Canada for best video and was voted MTV’s new Artist of the Week!
     His latest video’s titled “Prayer Loop Song” and “Why” both have gone viral and have received over 2 million views on youtube and facebook which has put him in high demand touring extensively throughout the U.S.A and internationally.
     He has performed for Google at the Google headquarters in San Francisco and got to dance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City. He recently was asked to audition for America’s Got Talent and the Broadway play Hamilton.  
     Christian’s presentation combines Native American culture and urban hip hop culture which dazzles audiences and captivates listeners. For this he has gained the respect of his culture and generation. The communicative talent along with the compassion that exudes from his music allows him to connect with people from all walks of life.
​     His uncanny ability to motivate, encourage, and inspire through dance, and hip hop music keeps him at the forefront among his contemporaries. 
  

HB 814 Secretary of the Commonwealth; powers and duties; creation of a Virginia Indian advisory board. Authorizes the Secretary of the Commonwealth to establish a Virginia Indian advisory board to assist the Secretary in reviewing applications seeking recognition as a Virginia Indian tribe and to make recommendations to the Secretary, the Governor, and the General Assembly on such applications and other matters relating to recognition. The bill sets out the membership and powers and duties of any Virginia Indian advisory board established by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Dennis Zotigh and his father are the co-founders of the WORLD HOOP DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS. Listen to a live recorded interview of Dennis on Native America Calling Radio about the Hoop Dance and its history. Dennis Zotigh is Kiowa, Santee Dakota and Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, offers workshops in Hoop Dance. 

Our goal with The Gathering 2017 is to invite Dennis Zotigh perform the Hoop Dance.

By Joe Heim, Washington Post

A group challenging federal recognition of Virginia’s renowned Pamunkey Indian tribe has lost its case before the Interior Board of Indian Appeals.

The decision, which was made Thursday but not widely shared until Monday, removes the final legal hurdle standing in the way of the Pamunkeys’ decades-long quest to attain the coveted federal status.
The tiny tribe east of Richmond, which claims Pocahontas as an ancestor, will now receive all of the benefits and rights of federally recognized tribes. It can, if it chooses, pursue casino gambling in a state that has long opposed it — something that the tribe has considered in the past.

[Pamunkey Indians wanted to open Virginia’s first casino]

The Pamunkey tribe applauded the quick ruling in a statement released through its lawyer, Mark Tilden.

“The tribe never doubted that its final determination would become final and effective, though it is pleased that the IBIA was able to reach final resolution so quickly,” the statement read. “The tribe can now move forward in its new chapter as a federally-recognized Indian tribe.”

Tribal leaders had worried that the challenge by Stand Up for California, a small nonprofit opposed to unlimited expansion of tribal gaming, would mean a delay that could last years. Instead, it lasted a few months.

In July, the Pamunkey became the first Virginia tribe to win federal recognition from the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. The 200-member tribe celebrated the hard-won victory, but the jubilation was short-lived. In October, recognition was put on hold when Stand Up for California, which seeks to impose stricter guidelines for tribal recognition, issued a last-minute challenge to the Pamunkey decision.

Stand Up for California’s founder, Cheryl Schmit, had teamed up with casino giant MGM in 2014 to oppose the Pamunkey’s attempts to gain recognition. MGM, which is opening the $1.3 billion National Harbor casino and resort in Maryland’s Prince George’s County later this year, has voiced opposition to any casinos being built in neighboring Virginia.
[A famed Virginia tribe seeks federal recognition amid casino fears]
In its October challenge, Stand Up argued that the Pamunkey did not meet requirements for recognition, saying that current tribe members are not descended from Indians and that there were questions about whether the tribe operated as a functioning political entity.


But in its ruling, the Indian appeals board said that Stand Up had no standing to challenge the tribe’s new status. “Stand Up,” it said, “fails to articulate any type of factual interest that we believe was intended to be covered by the acknowledgment regulations, nor does Stand Up allege that it is adversely affected by the Assistant Secretary’s determination to acknowledge the tribe.”

The board also disagreed with Stand Up’s assertions that federal recognition for the Pamunkey tribe would have “significant impacts to the state and local government jurisdictions, surrounding communities, property owners, businesses, Indian and non-Indian individuals, and federally-recognized Indian tribes as well.”
Stand Up’s Schmit said Monday that she knew that her group’s standing to mount the challenge was always going to be a tough argument to make, but she doesn’t believe the objections were in vain. The arguments that she raised about the tribe’s eligibility will be available, she said, to other groups or individuals with standing who may want to challenge future actions taken by the tribe.
With the resolution of the recognition question, the Pamunkey becomes the 567th federally recognized tribe. An additional 356 tribes, including six from Virginia, are seeking federal recognition, and the money for housing, education and health care that comes with it.

PowWows.com is an online resource for Native Americans to stay in touch with each other and their roots, and for anyone to learn about Native American culture. Pow Wows are gatherings that bring together descendants of Native American Indians who have scattered all over North America, with extant Native American tribes, in celebrations that feature Native American music, dancing, and ancient, meaningful rituals. Those who are not descended from Native Americans are more than welcome to attend and watch, and even participate, given that they respect and follow the established rules and traditions of the Pow Wow. Visit PowWows.com to explore the many aspects of Native American culture, from Native American history to Native American art and music. Young Native American descendants, whether tribe members or not, can access information about available educational opportunities, including Native American scholarships to colleges and universities. 

In 2015 Pow Wows.com published over 725 stories, from Gathering of Nations, mascots, issues, protests, celebrations, sports and more!  Below are the 15 most popular stories published on PowWows.com in 2015!

    In a speech earlier this year at the Creating Opportunity for Native Youth event, First Lady Michelle Obama linked the obstacles in Indian Country to historical mistreatment by the United States. "Folks in Indian Country didn’t just wake up one day with addiction problems," Obama said, according to her remarks. "Poverty and violence didn’t just randomly happen to this community. These issues are the result of a long history of systematic discrimination and abuse." 

      "Let me offer just a few examples from our past, starting with how, back in 1830, we passed a law removing Native Americans from their homes and forcibly re-locating them to barren lands out west. The Trail of Tears was part of this process," Obama added. "Then we began separating children from their families and sending them to boarding schools designed to strip them of all traces of their culture, language and history. And then our government started issuing what were known as 'Civilization Regulations' – regulations that outlawed Indian religions, ceremonies and practices – so we literally made their culture illegal."
     "And these are just a few examples," the first lady said. "I could continue on like this for hours."