Magazine

July 1, 2023

This month, we take an in-depth look at life in Indian Country. HCN and ProPublica’s four-part package reveals how Colorado River Basin tribes in Arizona — including the Navajo, Chemehuevi, Hopi and Tohono O’odham — must fight for every drop of the water they were guaranteed by a 1908 Supreme Court decision. We consider the pros and cons of hunting bison just outside Yellowstone, and why Newtok, Alaska’s residents have had to wait decades to relocate while climate change destroys their village. And we feature a profile of Larissa FastHorse, the first-known Native American woman to have a play on Broadway, as well as a witty essay about one writer’s love-hate affair with Native romance novels. Elsewhere, U.S. and Central American climate migrants are fleeing to Baja California, and public education in the West is suffering from lack of funds. Did you know that elk and other wild animals have unique regional dialects? How can we help “horse girls” hold on to their wildness as they grow up?

Feature

How Arizona squeezes tribes for water

A High Country News/ProPublica investigation shows that Arizona goes to unusual lengths in water negotiations to extract restrictive concessions from tribes.

Anna V. Smith, Mark Olalde and Umar Farooq June 14, 2023 From the print edition

The Trojan horse of Native theater

Larissa FastHorse’s ‘The Thanksgiving Play’ made Broadway history. That’s a good thing — right?

Nick Martin July 1, 2023 From the print edition

Decades after the Colorado River flooded the Chemehuevi’s land, the tribe still doesn’t have its share

Nearly all of the tribe’s water remains in the river and ends up being used by Southern California cities.

Anna V. Smith, Mark Olalde and Umar Farooq July 5, 2023 From the print edition

How private interests benefit from tribal water settlements

When power players like mining and agriculture are involved, tribal nations, usually the senior-most water-rights holders, often must fight obstruction.

Anna V. Smith July 6, 2023 From the print edition