May 6 to 17
The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
is formed.
The United Nations establishes the Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues as part of its Eco-
nomic and Social Council. Made up of 16 elected
and appointed members, the forum will represent
the concerns of the more than 370 Native peoples,
including American Indians, from 70 countries
around the world. The forum seeks to provide
the United Nations with the perspective of indig-
enous peoples, thus influencing and improving the
organization’s policies and projects affecting Native
groups.
July 31
Juan Diego becomes the first Indian saint.
Pope John Paul II canonizes Juan Diego, a 16th-
century Aztec peasant. According to the church, in
1531 Juan Diego had a vision of the Virgin Mary, a
miracle that left behind a mark on his cloak. Mary
told Diego to build a church in her honor. Juan
Diego presented a bishop with the image of Mary
on his cloak, which convinced the bishop to build
the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico
City. With his canonization, Juan Diego becomes
the first Catholic saint of Indian heritage.
August–September
The Rolling Rez tour takes the film Skins to
Indian communities.
In the run-up to the theatrical release of Skins, First
Look Pictures sends a mobile cinema, equipped
with one hundred seats and a popcorn machine, to
Indian communities for free screenings of the film.
Skins, which tells the story of two brothers on the
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota,
is the second feature directed by Chris Eyre. Eyre,
who is of Cheyenne and Arapaho heritage, explains
that “to be able to bring the film to my people is
the most rewarding experience I could have as a
filmmaker.”
September 7Lummi totem pole honors 9/11 victims.
At Arrow Park in Monroe, New York, a 13-foot
totem pole is dedicated to the memory of those
killed during the attack on the World Trade Center
on September 11, 2001. Called the Healing Pole, it
was carved by Lummi tribe member Jewell Praying
Wolf James, a descendant of the famous Chief Seat-
tle (see entry for DECEMBER 1854). While the pole
was transported from Washington State, it was dis-
played at several reservations, where it was blessed
by Indian religious leaders. During the pole-raising
ceremony, a delegation of Lummi Indians place red
powder and eagle feathers beneath the pole as sym-
bols of American Indians and of the United States.September 14The first powwow is held on the National
Mall.
A crowd of thousands come to the National Mall in
Washington, D.C., to watch the first powwow held
there. At this gathering, tribe members from across
the country come together to sing and dance. The
event also includes a tribute to LaDonna Harris,
the founder of Americans for Indian Opportunity
(see entry for 1970). The powwow, sponsored by
the National Museum of the American Indian (see
entry for SEPTEMBER 21, 2004), will become an an-
nual event.OctoberVermont Law School establishes the First
Nations Fellowship.
To encourage Indian students to study environmen-
tal law, Vermont Law School creates the First Nations
Fellowship. The course of study for fellowship win-
ners includes learning about pollution control,
resource allocation, and ecosystem management, as
well as the unique legal aspects of dealing with en-
vironmental issues on tribal lands. Graduates of the
program are expected to spend one year in service to
their communities after obtaining their degree.