The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians Tribal Court, which hears cases in both Michigan and Indiana, has a new building underway. Of interest to peacemakers, the courtroom, a “Healing Fire” room, and the entire complete footprint of the building are circular. We will post more pictures upon the completion of the newly constructed peacemaking facility.
Peacemaking doesn’t mean passivity.It is the act of interrupting injustice without mirroring injustice, the act of disarming evil without destroying the evildoer,the act of finding a third way that is neitherfight nor flight but the careful,arduous pursuit of reconciliation and justice.It is about a revolution of lovethat is big enough to set both theoppressed and the oppressors free. —Shane Claiborne et al., Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals (2010)
WORKSHOP: Incorporating Indigenous Conflict Prevention, Healing, and Harmony Models into Higher Education IPI will be at the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice conference in June. This workshop will address the following objectives: Exposure to challenges in the overarching curriculum used to train practitioners. Ways to develop courses and trainings to expose others to actual practices, and the core values behind them, that have held communities together for thousands of years. Understanding Navajo and other tribal… Read More »WORKSHOP: Incorporating Indigenous Conflict Prevention, Healing, and Harmony Models into Higher Education
WORKSHOP: “Indigenous Dispute Systems Design (Indigenous Planning, Dispute Systems Design, and Field Theory)” IPI will be at the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice conference in June. This workshop will address the following objectives: Introduction to the growing field of Indigenous Dispute Systems Design; Getting Community involved in systems design- how to, benefits, and required leadership; Anticipating and recognizing resistance to change; and Partnering with education systems and for youth-focused justice system design and re-entry… Read More »WORKSHOP: “Indigenous Dispute Systems Design (Indigenous Planning, Dispute Systems Design, and Field Theory)”
9th annual International Cyber-Conference on Dispute Resolution (April 10th) You are invited to our 9th annual International Cyber-Conference on Dispute Resolution, Wed. April 10, 2019 @ 12-2:30 pm (Pacific Coast Time). IPI advisors Polly Hyslop and Brett Lee Shelton will be presenting. Download the conference agenda. For nearly a decade, the International Cyber-Conference, starting in Alaska, has been a global dialogue between students, Indigenous peacemakers, academics, and the larger community, serving as a communication tool… Read More »9th annual International Cyber-Conference on Dispute Resolution (April 10th)
WORKSHOP: “Implementing Peacemaking Circles in Higher Education at Stanford University” IPI will be at the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice conference in June. This workshop will address the following objectives: One cutting-edge model for teaching non-native college students several beneficial practices associated with indigenous peacemaking circles. Successful model to Integrate peace circles into college residential setting. This work is the continuation of work that happened when The Native American Cultural Center, Native American Studies… Read More »WORKSHOP: “Implementing Peacemaking Circles in Higher Education at Stanford University”
WORKSHOP: “Healing Historical Trauma in Native America and the US – operationalizing from Rocks, Karma, Arrows” IPI will be at the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice conference in June. One of our workshops at the conference will be using a a performance “Rocks, Karma, Arrows” from a local theater group to address the following objectives: Basic understanding of historical federal policy shifts toward Indigenous nations of the United States; historical context of Rocks,… Read More »WORKSHOP: “Healing Historical Trauma in Native America and the US – operationalizing from Rocks, Karma, Arrows”
The National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ) is hosting their conference June 14-16, 2019 in Denver, CO. The Indigenous Peacemaking Initiative (IPI) Advisory Committee members will be sharing their knowledge at seven workshops at the conference. Please join the NACRJ and IPI for this enlightening event. Workshops by IPI include: “Healing Historical Trauma in Native America and the US- operationalizing from Rocks, Karma & Arrows” by Brett Lee Shelton & Sheldon Spotted Elk… Read More »SAVE THE DATE: June 14-16, 2019 “Elevating Justice: Widening the Circle” Conference by NACRJ
Article – “Beyond VAWA: Protecting Native Women From Sexual Violence Within Existing Tribal Jurisdictional Structures” This article addresses different approaches that Tribal nations might use to address cases involving domestic violence. Included is a good description of peacemaking and the considerations of its suitability in these cases, as well as a discussion of diversion programs, which might yield outcomes similar to peacemaking in certain circumstances. https://peacemaking.narf.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Allison-Article-VAWA-00199254x9D7F5.pdf
Peacemaker Patrick Wilson Honored in Michigan The Michigan Supreme Court and the Tribal-State-Federal Judicial Forum honored Peacemaker Patrick Wilson, from the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, for his instrumental work on the Forum and for helping install peacemaking in the Washtenaw County state court. (click here for the news release)
News – Peacemaking featured in Trends in State Courts 2018 Annual Publication Native American peacemaking practices are examined in this article including differentiating between peacemaking and other forms of dispute resolution, appropriate issues to take to peacemaking programs, and how and when in the court process a case get referred to a peacemaking program. Read the full summary here.
News – Tulalip Healing to Wellness Court graduates first person to complete program Tulalip tribe is celebrating their first graduate with more to come. See article here: https://www.heraldnet.com/news/tulalip-man-first-to-graduate-from-tribes-wellness-court/
News – “As drug courts expand across the country, this tribe was one of the first for Native Americans” Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa Tribal Court celebrates 20 years of service this year. Congratulations Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa, check out the article here for more details:https://www.circa.com/story/2018/12/13/nation/drug-court-for-native-americans-in-the-sault-ste-marie-tribe-of-chippewa-indians-has-been-perfected-over-time
News – “New Poll: When It Comes to Addressing Crime, New Mexico Voters Want Rehabilitation not Incarceration More and more, people are starting to see the benefits of alternatives to the adversarial system. A recently published poll in New Mexico reveals that 75% support rehabilitation and treatment over punitive approaches to crime, click on the picture below to view the summary of the poll conducted by nmSAFE Coalition.
Denver, CO – Indigenous Peacemaking Initiative to Present at AFCC 13th Annual Symposium on Child Custody On Friday, November 9, 2018 IPI members Tim Connors and Brett Shelton will present at the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) for an afternoon (3:30-5:00 PM) session: Evidence Reboot: From Traditional Custody Evaluation to Peacemaking. If you are in the area, come out and see IPI in action!
Lansing Michigan “Tribal Justice” screening with special guest Abby Abinanti On October 31, 2018, there will be a special screening of the documentary “Tribal Justice” along with a talk by the Honorable Abby Abinanti, one of the two Tribal Judges featured in the film. The event will take place at the Michigan Hall of Justice in Lansing, from 9 am to noon, and will also feature a panel of state and tribal judges discussing the… Read More »Lansing Michigan “Tribal Justice” screening with special guest Abby Abinanti
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Honor Peacemaker Timothy Connors The Nme’ Peacemaking Gavel by Patrick D. Wilson About three years ago my good friend and fellow Peacemaker Judge Timothy Connors attended the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Sturgeon Release. Tim relayed that he was immensely moved and felt a profound connection to the Sturgeon and to the release program. I helped put on an art exhibit at the Ramsdell Regional Center for the… Read More »Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Honor Peacemaker Timothy Connors
Senate Indian Affairs Committee Hears Testimony from Yurok Tribal Court’s Abbi Abinanti Peacemaking Judge Abby Abinanti, Chief Judge of the Yurok Tribal Court, spoke to congress in regards to Justice for Native American Youth, follow this link: “Justice for Native Youth: the GAO Report on ‘Native American Youth: “Involvement in Justice Systems and Information on Grants to Help Address Juvenile Delinquency.’” to read the transcript.
Indigenous Peacemaking Goes to International Forum Carson Smith of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma traveled to Caux, Switzerland this July to speak at the Caux Forum on “Just Governance for Human Security”. The international cross-section of participants at the event created a perfect environment to discuss human rights on a global scale. Carson’s presentation generally focused on Peacemaking in the United States and how this process furthers indigenous human rights and tribal sovereignty. Most of… Read More »Indigenous Peacemaking Goes to International Forum
NEWS – Life Comes From It – first of its kind grantmaking circle The Indigenous Peacemaking Initiative is pleased to be helping spread the word about the establishment of a new initiative, Life Comes From It. This is a first of its kind grantmaking circle where decisions are made by people heavily steeped in restorative Justice, transformative justice, and indigenous peacemaking. Life Comes From It describes its mission as follows: Our Mission Life Comes From… Read More »NEWS – Life Comes From It – first of its kind grantmaking circle