The Rupert Report

From the Desk of AIANTA's CEO | July 10, 2023

For the first time in 140 years, the community of Angoon has a dugout canoe to call its own. If this news doesn't prove "We Are Still Here," we don't know what will!

AIANTA Highlights for the Coming Week

Growing Money For Your Agricultural Enterprise: What It Takes To Get To YES!

Tuesday, July 11, 2023 1:00pm (Mountain)

In this webinar session, attendees will learn about different strategies for funding their agritourism enterprise. Being prepared with good business planning and solid strategies to create a successful agritourism business makes it easier to get to "yes." Our industry professionals bring years of experience from three different models to guide the attendees to the best fit for their style of doing business and to maximize the outcomes for success.

Register For The Professional Certificate Program in Cultural Heritage Tourism!

Registration deadline: August 23, 2023

Explore the fundamentals of tribal tourism planning with the Professional Certificate Program in Cultural Heritage Tourism offered by AIANTA in partnership with the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies. The online program brings together industry experts who help students explore the importance of including authentic Native American cultural experiences in their tourism planning. 

The Professional Certificate in Cultural Tourism provides tourism entrepreneurs and community leaders with the tools to identify and develop the assets that would most appeal to visitors. It is a self-managed online program that allows participants to learn the content and complete the requirements at their own pace each week. The program is comprised of six courses. One course is scheduled per week with one week allocated for catch up upon conclusion of the program. Each course requires 6 hours of study, including readings, tourism lectures and presentations. Participants are required to complete a written assignment at the end of each course.

Upon successful completion of the six courses, students receive a Professional Certificate in Cultural Heritage Tourism from The George Washington University School of Business. This is a non-credit, non- degree program.

AIANTA is offering 15 NATIVE Act scholarships that are available for tribal professionals to participate in this certificate program. We are currently accepting applications. The scholarships for the course are funded by NATIVE Act funds through a collaboration with the Office of Indian Economic Development. AIANTA is thrilled to offer registration support for participants in our 15 tribal regions. One member per Tribe, Native Nation and/or Native Hawaiians will be considered for participation in the program. Spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, as qualified applications are received. Application deadline: Monday, July 31, 2023. Apply here.

AITC Silent Auction Call for Donations!

Join us October 2-5, 2023 at the Excellence in Tourism Industry Awards Gala and Silent Auction to honor the best in Indian Country and raise money to help build a professional workforce. The 25th Annual American Indian Tourism Conference (AITC) in Durant, Oklahoma at the Choctaw Casino Resort, concludes with a memorable evening gala for the 12th annual Excellence in Tourism Industry Awards Gala and Silent Auction. 

During the gala, guests have the opportunity to bid for Native art from around the country, as well as other items and gift certificates to a variety of amazing Native destinations. The proceeds from the silent auction raise funds for AIANTA’s Hospitality and Tourism Scholarship Program.

You can help AIANTA raise funds for our scholarship program by donating your art, or other items or by purchasing a table. Your support helps American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students pursue post-secondary degrees in hospitality, tourism management and other tourism-related fields. 

All Silent Auction donations must be received by September 30, 2023.

Webinar: Introducing the "Going Home" Fund

July 25, 2023

Non-Native museums, academia, and private collectors are in possession of culturally significant objects that are linked to contemporary Native cultures. As a result, material objects that are vital to preserving the cultural identity of Indigenous communities are often out of reach to the originating communities. To help facilitate the return of culturally significant items, the “Going Home Fund”, led by a national council of Native repatriation specialists, museum professionals, and attorneys, will:

•  Fund repatriation, gifts, or loans.
•  Increase public awareness of the value of returning items to the originating communities.
• Build connections between tribal communities and non-Native collecting institutions and individuals.
• Strengthen the capacity of tribal museums to seek loans and gifts.
• Serve as a conduit for individual donors and organizations wishing to return items.
• Establish a network of appraisers, attorneys, and other professionals who can lend their support to facilitating returns.

The Fund is supported through a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. If you would like to join the Mellon Foundation in its efforts to ensure the cultural continuity of indigenous peoples, please use this contribution form or contact president@atalm.org. To learn more about the Going Home Fund, read the Project Plan.

Great Lakes Tribal Economic Summit 2023

Four Winds Casino Resort, New Buffalo MI

September 19 - Sep 20, 2023

Economic development is booming in Indian Country in many sectors, including energy, finance, real estate, infrastructure and agriculture. Join the Great Lakes Tribal Economic Summit this September in southwest Michigan for a gathering of tribal leaders, tribal economic development professionals, policymakers, and state and federal officials! The second Great Lakes Tribal Economic Summit will be held at the Four Winds Casino, owned by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi in New Buffalo, Michigan.