This article was originally published in Vol. 1, No. 1, October 1985. In this article, Rÿser discusses the actions Indigenous nations should take based on international legislation developed between 1970 and 1985. While he considers much of this change superficial, he focuses on the 1977 Protocol I and II additions to the Geneva Conventions, which present new opportunities other than war for nations to achieve self-detemination. Comparing these protocols to the original Geneva Conventions—which enabled genocide within decolonized states under the guise of respecting state sovereignty—Rÿser highlights their potential. He explains the functions of Protocol I, showing that while it is focused on international conflict, it supports Indigenous causes by implicitly including Fourth World combatants through its defintion of the involved parties and the role of supervising states. Rÿser emphasizes how it normalizes recognition of Indigenous nations and helps prevent genocide. He also discusses Protocol II on internal conflicts, which, though a step forward, is less comprehensive and therefore unlikely to be widely applied given Fourth World nations’ limited access to international institutions. Overall, Rÿser calls on Indigenous nations to take initiative in enforcing both protocols, suggesting they ratify the accords to enable peaceful conflict resolution and seize the opportunity to positively influence the international order and gain equal footing with states.

This review of When Dream Bear Sings: Native Literature of the Southern Plains, edited by Gus Palmer, explores the depth, nuance, and cultural significance of Algonquian oral literature as presented in thirty-five translated stories, fables, and instructional narratives. Historically, European translations of Algonquian languages by missionaries, government agents, and scholars often produced distorted or nonsensical renditions, omitting essential tonal, physical, and ceremonial elements. Palmer’s anthology corrects this by capturing the “theatre” of oral storytelling—facial expressions, gestures, and ritual elements—alongside the spoken word. The collection includes tales of tricksters, origin stories, historical accounts, and moral lessons, such as the Cheyenne narratives “The Bear and the Coyote” and “Birdie’s Grandmother’s Story of How Corn and Buffalo Were Given to the Cheyennes.” These stories preserve cultural knowledge, social values, and survival strategies passed down through generations, highlighting the resilience of Indigenous identity and the continuing vitality of Algonquian traditions.

This review discusses Dr. Leslie E. Korn’s book Eat Right, Feel Right, which emphasizes the importance of consuming clean, minimally processed foods to support both physical and mental well-being.

This paper examines the ongoing efforts within the United Nations (UN) to establish modalities and criteria for the participation of indigenous institutions in the UN Organization, particularly in the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, and treaty bodies. It highlights that this consideration, anticipated for the UN's 70th General Assembly and potentially reaching a decision in September 2017, marks a significant shift, challenging over 370 years of a modern state system that has largely denied the political legitimacy of Fourth World nations. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the 2014 World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP) have provided crucial principles, such as the right to free, prior, and informed consent, mandating indigenous participation in decisions affecting their rights. The paper traces the historical exclusion of indigenous nations from international discourse, from the 17th century dominance of nations and empires to their subordination within the modern state system. It distinguishes between the organic definition of "nation" and the artificial construct of "state" as defined by the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia. Despite the historical denials, as exemplified by the Haudenosaunee's repeated attempts to gain admission to the League of Nations and later the UN, the current consultations by the UN General Assembly President signify a potential breakthrough. The paper summarizes the diverse views from states, nations, and NGOs on eligibility criteria and accreditation processes, noting significant divergences but also areas of convergence. It concludes that while the full resolution of indigenous participation is a long-term endeavor, the current movement signifies a crucial step towards Fourth World nations gaining a rightful seat at the international decision-making table.

This article introduces a new dispute resolution process that we have termed a Hybrid Process, which has been designed to support nation-to-nation building in Canada. It is clear that classic theories and current mediation practices are not suited to conflicts that involve Indigenous peoples. In the past, we have used conventional mediation processes with First Nation People and it has not worked because mediation is not an Indigenous cultural practice. When conventional mediation has been employed, First Nation People have often not been participatory and have understandably withdrawn from the process. However, the mediation process is both malleable and adaptable, and the Hybrid Process is built on those solid foundations. A Hybrid Process refers to a combination of two culturally unique practices – Indigenous peacemaking and mediation. The combination of these two practices provides a culturally sensitive and holistic approach to conflict and nation building. This process has been designed for multi-party conflicts involving Indigenous leaders, communities, governments and stakeholders. Due to the complex nature of Indigenous relations in Canada, this process utilizes a team of culturally fluent practitioners to facilitate the process. Designed by a First Nations leader and former Grand Council Chief and two Canadian mediators, this process introduces a new perspective to resolving disputes in a changing landscape and incorporates what we have learned over many years and thousands of mediations.

This article is a condensed version of a case study of Gram Sahas in Scheduled Areas of Rajasthan, India conducted under a University Grants Commission of India sponsorship considering the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA). The study arose from the scholarly intent of the researcher to probe into the apparatus created in the wake of the 73rd constitutional amendment with regard to specific provisions for Scheduled Areas in general and Rajasthan in particular.

This review critically examines Eric Cheyfitz’s The Disinformation Age, which explores the decline of liberal democracy in the United States through a lens reminiscent of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. Cheyfitz addresses pressing themes such as economic inequality, American exceptionalism, systemic erasure of race, and the failures of capitalism. The book situates these issues within a historical context of American imperialism in the early nineteenth century. Importantly, Cheyfitz proposes solutions grounded in Indigenous knowledge and Native American epistemologies, advocating for a sustainable society that is both environmentally responsible and economically equitable. The review highlights the book’s contribution to critical discourse by linking contemporary political challenges with Indigenous philosophies, offering a vision for reimagining democracy and justice beyond conventional Western paradigms. This work provides an essential critique of current social and political structures through a decolonial perspective.

The article discusses the collaboration between Kayano Shigeru and Saito Hiroyuki in translating Ainu folktales into English, focusing on The Ainu Wolf Carving.

This literature review casts a rather large net aimed at identifying and assembling the different veins of research that primarily im-pact indigenous health promotion and interventions, and secondarily, immigrant health and interventions. It is especially concerned with specimens of participatory research, community based participatory research (CBPR), and community-generated media. A large scope of the related data currently available is qualitative and/or quasi-experimental at best.There are a number of operational constraints that contribute to this, and the act of conducting research in these populations is stymied by some of the same factors that are foundational to many of the salient health issues that emerge. Sociocultural isolation and invisibility to mainstream society; a seasoned distrust of outsiders, government officials, and academic researchers; and a general state of marginalization and political disenfranchisement all compound in establishing similar barriers to positive health outcomes and high quality research designs and impact evaluation.This paper will explore a non-indexed list of important themes that emerge through the intersection of indigenous health: community health, participatory research, community and indigenous media, limited quantitative data, and the development of culturally specific instruments or programs.

Native American tribal nations may have survived in the face of 500 years of violent displacement as a result of European colonization, but have undergone profound changes to their land bases and ways of life. Settler colonialism is an imposed structure within which tribes have been forced to negotiate their circumstances, with Congress being one of the primary instruments of the settler state. This essay argues that there are several barriers inherent in the political system that precludes fair and effective Congressional representation, and that there are certain fundamental problems associated with tribes’ limiting themselves to working within the domestic system.