Warm Welcome for Dancers at State of the Tribal Nations

Posted By Toyacoyah Brown February 17th, 2015 Last Updated on: February 17th, 2015

At the annual State of the Tribal Nations in Montana last week, dancers took to the center aisle of the house chambers. Ramey Growing Thunder, director of the Fort Peck Tribes’ Language and Culture Department, captured this wonderful moment and shared on her Facebook page.

According to the Montana Governor's Office of Indian Affairs, the state is home to 7 reservations and the state-recognized Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Reservation
Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation
Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation
Crow Tribe of the Crow Reservation
Fort Belknap Tribes of the Fort Belknap Reservation
Fort Peck Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation
Little Shell Chippewa Tribe (state recognized)
Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Reservation

As reported by the Helena Independent Record, Gerald Gray, chairman of the Little Shell Chippewa Indians, urged the Legislature to expand Medicaid to increase Native Americans’ access to quality health care.

“Montana has the highest percentage of uninsured adult American Indian in the nation, with over half of our state’s American Indian population uninsured,” Gray said, adding, “Medicaid expansion would go a long way towards putting a serious dent in Montana’s health disparity statistics and in giving individuals access to basic health care.”

Healthcare was just one of many issues brought up during the address. For more on the story visit Helena Independent Record.

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