Native Americans Feed the People During the Government Shutdown

Blackfeet, Lakota, Chippewa and Kickapoo Prepare to Feed the People During Government Shut Down

By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Oct. 29, 2025

The Blackfeet Nation in Montana is preparing to feed the people during the government shutdown by distributing buffalo meat and organizing an elk hunt. In Rapid City, South Dakota, Lakota are organizing mutual aid. In North Dakota, the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Nation is keeping all its food programs going, with hot meals and bagged lunches, and making sure children, elderly and college students don't go hungry.

On the west coast, an Indigenous restaurant owned by Crystal Wahpepah, Kickapoo, is serving up free bison tacos for young ones and elders in Oakland, California.

The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council said it has authorized the culling of 18 buffalo from the Blackfeet Nation herd. "The processed meat will be distributed directly to community members to help sustain food access during this period of uncertainty."

In Rapid City, there was a mutual aid planning session on Oct. 29. "SNAP looks like it will not be issued in November. Let’s get organized," said Wotakuye Mutual Aid Society (Meals for Relatives Rapid City COVID Response) In Pennington County, there are more than 5,000 households that will be affected, nearly 10,000 persons, and more than 4,000 are children.

Wahpepah's Kitchen in Oakland, California, is supporting its community with free bison tacos for elders and young ones, who are losing their SNAP benefits.
https://wahpepahskitchen.com/

In North Dakota, the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians said their Federal Shutdown Emergency Services Plan ensures the community will have food, heating and support.

Chippewa are issuing weekly food cards for SNAP recipients and furloughed workers. There are also community kitchens with bagged meals and hot meals daily. Senior meals will be noon meals and evening bag lunches.

Chippewa are also remembering their school and college students with emergency funds for weekend backpack programs and college students. All its regular food programs -- food distribution, food pantry and WIC -- will operate without interruption.

The Blackfeet Nation said, "This proactive measure is part of a broader effort by the Council to safeguard essential food distribution programs, particularly as the future of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) remains uncertain."

Read more at Censored News:

Navajo Farmer Kris Barney 'Remembering the Great Dine' Foodways'
Navajos gathered wild foods, cooked wild game, and dried food for winter, in earlier times of true self sufficiency.
Photos from Kris' farm on the Navajo Nation
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2025/10/kris-barney-remembering-great-dine.html