The Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs (NCIA) works to promote legislation that benefits tribes and Native people in Nebraska. It assists with implementing state and federal programs to provide equitable services. It educates people about issues impacting Native communities. Some of NCIA's projects include facilitating the Standing Bear sculpture in Lincoln, organizing a youth STEM program, partnering to transfer a trail to the Ponca Tribe, awarding scholarships, and assisting with repatriation of remains under state law. NCIA also does outreach like reenacting the Standing Bear trial and presenting on Native issues. Current projects involve renovating the Dr. Susan LaFlesche hospital and archiving data from the Genoa Indian School.

1. Nebraska
Commission
on Indian
Affairs

2. Tribal
Governmental Relations
NCIA is tasked to actively promote state and
federal legislation beneficial to Tribes and
Indian citizens in Nebraska, and monitor and
assess their impact. Assist in development
and implementation of state and federal
programs that provide equitable services and
opportunities for Nebraska’s Native
population.. Educate legislators, educators,
school-age youth and the general public on
the issues and legislation that impacts Indian
country in Nebraska; especially government
and private resources to improve the lives of
Nebraska’s Indian citizens.
Whiteclay Tribal Summit

3. Standing Bear
Sculpture
NCIA was instrumental in facilitating this
$250,000 joint project with the City of
Lincoln. All funds were privately donated with
0 tax dollars spent on the project.
Renowned sculptor Ben Victor’s epic 10-foot
bronze sculpture honoring Native civil rights
icon Ponca Chief Standing Bear was unveiled
at a dedication ceremony on Lincoln,
Nebraska’s Centennial Mall on Sunday,
October 15. The piece, which has been
designated as a Nebraska 150 Legacy
project, will serve as a nationally significant
sculpture honoring the struggle for Native
American civil rights in America.

4. Sovereign
Native Youth
Program
The NCIA/MATC Sovereign Native Youth STEM Leadership Academy is a
six-day summer academy that provides Native American students with the
leadership skills to positively impact their tribal communities and shape
their futures. The academy, held on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
campus, offers a broad range of interactive, hands-on activities that expose
students to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and
transportation-related opportunities after high school while gaining a
greater appreciation for Native American history and culture.
NCIA facilitated donation of approximately $75,000 of private funds with
remaining funds provided via MATC federal grant funds.

5. Standing Bear
Trail Project
NCIA partnered with the Nebraska Trails
Foundation to facilitate the gifting of a
$1,000,000 trail section to the Ponca Tribe
of Nebraska. This trail is now open and is
used for recreation by people across the
state.
The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, which had its
land taken away in the late 1800s, is getting
a trace back: a 19.5-mile trail segment in
Southeast Nebraska. On Sunday, the tribe
signed an agreement with the Nebraska
Trails Foundation and the Homestead
Conservation and Trail Association to
assume ownership of the trail segment,
which stretches from just south of Beatrice
to the Nebraska-Kansas border. The
foundation is donating the trail segment --
about 230 acres of land -- to the tribe. The
Homestead Conservation and Trail
Association, which supports a network of
trails in Gage County, will maintain the trail
segment with $150,000 from the foundation.

6. Scholarships
Through private donations and proceeds
from NCIA’s Standing Bear Breakfast
Celebrations 33 scholarships totaling
$47,500 have been awarded to Native
students representing nine different tribes
in Nebraska.
NCIA has now embarked on an ambitious
project to permanently endow two $2,500
scholarships with a funding goal of
$111,000. This effort is well underway
funded from private donations, the sale of
Chief Standing Bear maquettes and funds
from purchase of Native American license
plates. Zero tax dollars will be spent on
funding this project.
NCIA also assists in identifying recipients
for respected attorney Charlie Wright’s
Chief Standing Bear
Scholarship which
provides scholarships
to attend Law School
at the University of
Nebraska.

7. Repatriation
Nebraska Revised Statute 12-1208
(3) If the society finds that the discovered human skeletal remains or
burial goods are of American Indian origin, it shall promptly notify
in writing the Commission on Indian Affairs and any known
persons in the order listed in section 30-2223 or, if no relatives are
known, any Indian tribes reasonably identified as tribally linked to
such remains or goods in order to ascertain and follow the wishes of
the relative or Indian tribe, if any, as to reburial or other disposition.
The Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs plays a key
role in the Unmarked Human Burial Sites and Skeletal
Remains Protection Act
Tribal Repatriation Summit

8. Agency Outreach
Reenactment of Standing Bear Trial
NCIA worked with Nebraska Boy Scouts to stage a
historic reenactment of the Trial of Chief Standing Bear
in the Nebraska Supreme Court with Justices
Heavican, and Wright presiding over the presentation.
Presentation at
Hastings College
NCIA director Judi gaiashkibos
presented to 200 Hastings
College students about Native
affairs in Nebraska.
One State One Book
In consultation with Nebraska’s 1st Lady Susanne Shore, an
initiative with the Nebraska 150 Celebration to provide a copy
of “Chief Standing Bear of the Ponca” by Virginia Driving Hawk
Sneve for every fifth grader in the state was implemented. The
book is accompanied by a specially developed curriculum for
teachers.

9. Current
and Future Projects
Dr. Susan LaFlesche Picotte Hospital
NCIA is facilitating a million dollar project funded by private
donations and grants to renovate the Dr. Susan LaFlesche
Hospital into occupied offices and museum attracting cultural
tourists from across the Midwest region benefiting the
Northeast Nebraska regional economy.
Genoa Indian School Data Archiving Project
Providing Native Consultation to
Fontanelle Raptor Recovery Project