Friday, May 9, 2025

Photo: White Mountain Petroglyphs in southwestern Wyoming. (James St. John / Flickr) Protections for Indigenous rock art in Wyoming are in limbo after state lawmakers and the Trump administration took potentially conflicting actions related to them. Kathleen Shannon has more. Senate File 91, which handily passed the state Legislature, increased the penalties for any kind of petroglyph or pictograph site destruction to a $750 fine and up to six months in prison. The measure moved forward as the U.S. Department of the Interior fast-tracked energy projects through a decades-old legal review of such sites. Crystal C’Bearing, tribal historic preservation officer for the Northern Arapaho Tribe, said she used to have 30 days to comment on a project, but now has seven. “In terms of tribes, our sacred sites and our places of significance, that’s our history on the ground. It’s not in books, it’s on the land. So it’s really important for tribes to have that voice in there to protect those sites.” The original Wyoming bill included nearly $500,000 for the state’s Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources to survey and make 3D models of Wyoming’s petroglyphs, but it was ultimately cut. According to a 2024 “State of the Art” report, of the nearly 1,100 Indigenous rock art sites across Wyoming, about a quarter have been vandalized or defaced. Beyond Wyoming’s borders, C’Bearing noted her office provides legally mandated consultation on any projects in her tribe’s ancestral migratory territory, which includes portions of 17 states. She added she takes on hundreds of requests. “That 30-day window was barely enough time. Now we have to kind of prioritize those so we can push them through. But it’s a challenge.” C’Bearing emphasized the office is allowed to request more time to review projects, giving consultants some leeway. When Native-owned businesses first begin navigating the market, it can be a challenge. However, one organization is providing more than financial support to business owners. South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s C.J. Keene checks in. The Four Bands Community Fund offers support alongside loans for Indigenous-owned businesses – and these programs directly impact the lives of South Dakota’s Cheyenne River tribal members. Members like Bonnie LeBeaux, who used their resources to successfully grow her quilt making business. “Being a new entrepreneur, you’re learning everything as you go. I was taking college courses at the time for business, but the college business curriculum doesn’t prepare you for entrepreneurship.” Assistance like credit management, business planning, and loan assistance. Assistance LeBeaux says was vital to the success of her business. “It’s so easy, they’re accessible to the community. I think that’s what makes it not so intimidating. I don’t think that there’s any other programs that are able to help entrepreneurs in the hands-on way that Four Bands does.” Now, LeBeaux says she hopes to use her loan to expand her businesses workspace. The first Four Bands program was the Cheyenne River Entrepreneurial Assistance Training and Education (CREATE). Under that program, LaBeaux and other locals have managed to revitalize the Cheyenne River economy. According to Four Bands, prior to their programs less than 1% of businesses in Cheyenne River were Native owned in a community that was 75% Indigenous. A bill to create a statewide alert for missing Indigenous people passed the Arizona Legislature this week. The bill passed the House by a vote of 57 to 0. Lawmakers believe such an alert may have helped in the case of Emily Pike, a Native teen who went missing and was later found dead. The Turquoise Alert, also known as Emily’s Law, was sent to the state’s governor for approval.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today.