BREAKING: Interior Plans to Cut More Than 2,000 Jobs

Dear Friends,

With heavy hearts and our thoughts going out to our many friends and colleagues in service at Interior, we are saddened and frustrated to bring you today’s headline article on looming cuts at the department. The news broke yesterday, and this is a developing story, still in the courts. If we learn of anything you can do, we’ll share that here.

In other sad news, many of you may have learned of the devastating floods in western Alaska, which have destroyed Yup’ik villages, particularly Kipnuk and Kweigillongok. The Alaska Community Foundation’s Western Alaska Disaster Relief 2025 Fund has been established by local and regional Tribal organizations and partners to accept monetary donations.

Until next time,

Kate Sarther, VP of Communications & Outreach, Archaeology Southwest

Banner image: Department of the Interior, Matthew G. Bisanz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

BREAKING: Interior Plans to Cut More Than 2,000 Jobs

More than 2,000 employees could be cut from the Department of Interior during the ongoing federal government shutdown if the Trump administration gets its way.

In a court filing on Monday, the administration listed plans that would target roles in research, conservation, national park management, water policy, grant and budget planning, communication staff and wildlife management. The biggest hits would come to the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service and U.S. Geological Survey.

The filing does not include any plans that outline a total clearing of any agency or bureau. It also does not show any plans for cuts at the Bureau of Indian Affairs … . Shaun Griswold for High Country News | Read more »

Commentary: The Cost of Cutting Anthropology out of National Parks

What NPS anthropologists provide—and where there’s real need—is the ability to recognize the crossroads and overlaps between what the Park Service hopes to accomplish and the traditions and lifeways of communities who will be affected by their actions. When these roads conflict, an anthropologist can serve as a broker between the needs and responsibilities of both parties. They can also see and advocate for the ways each can help the other. Ellyn DeMuynck in SAPIENS | Read more »

New Public Lands Reading Group to Convene

Its purpose is to bring together current and former public lands professionals and scholars to read and discuss works that inform our current moment and to consider how we might build toward a more resilient and sustainable future. This is a nascent, informal effort to build and grow connections at a time of crisis for public lands. Living Landscape Observer | Learn more »

Commentary: “We’re Still Here”

Today, we celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day because it tells a more accurate story. It’s a day that recognizes the resilience of Native peoples—the original stewards of this land—and affirms our place in the present and the future, not just the past. But even if this day weren’t on the calendar, we would still be here, still celebrating our cultures, still fighting for our rights, and still loving our people.

Because every day is a good day to be Indigenous.

We carry forward languages that were nearly lost. We raise our children with teachings that go back generations. We protect sacred lands and sacred stories. We organize, vote, protest, create, lead, teach, and thrive. And we do it all while navigating the ongoing realities of colonization, invisibility, and erasure. Levi Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), Editor & Publisher at Native News Online | Read more »

Yakama Nation Activity Book Is Released

Protecting cultural heritage starts with education. The Save Indigenous History activity books give children and families meaningful ways to learn about archaeological sites and the importance of visiting them with respect, fostering cultural stewardship from an early age.

The Yakama Nation version is a particularly welcome addition to this series. It infuses the book with the Ichishkíin language and Yakama traditions, landscapes, and values. By rooting the material in Yakama-specific stories and places, it moves beyond generic educational efforts and upholds cultural identity and sovereignty. SaveHistory | Learn more and download (free) »

Attend a free Nov. 5 webinar (2:00 p.m. PST) about the activity book’s creation hosted by Yakama Nation, Columbia Riverkeeper, and SaveHistory | Learn more and register (free) »

October Live Lectures (Santa Fe NM)

Oct. 27, Chuck Adams, Coming & Going: 13,000 Years of Migration on the Southern Colorado Plateau. $20 at the door. 6:00 p.m., Hotel Santa Fe. Southwest Seminars | Learn more »

Oct. 23 Online Event: Native Bound Unbound: Archive of Indigenous Slavery

With Estevan Rael-Gálvez. Dr. Rael-Gálvez is the executive director of Native Bound Unbound: Archive of Indigenous Slavery, an initiative funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, leading a global team in the goal to document Indigenous/Native slavery across the Western Hemisphere. The objective of Native Bound-Unbound is to create a digital repository centered on the lives of the enslaved Indigenous people across the Americas. Crow Canyon Archaeological Center | Learn more and register (free) »

Oct. 24 In-Person Event (Nogales AZ): Following Their Footsteps: Indigenous Geography and the Anza Expedition of 1775–1776

With Aaron Wright. Wright’s presentation will explore how this Spanish colonial expedition utilized pre-existing indigenous trail infrastructure and knowledge to ensure a successful journey. The presentation is part of the Anza250 Lecture Series, 7 presentations across southern Arizona, commemorating the 250^th anniversary of the epic 1775–76 Anza Expedition, when over 240 Spanish colonists trekked overland from Sinaloa, Mexico, across Alta California (including present-day southern Arizona and California) to establish a Spanish presence in San Francisco. 4:00 p.m., Santa Cruz County Complex, 2150 N. Congress Dr., Nogales AZ. Anza Trail Foundation | Learn more and register (scroll down) »

The Nov. 4 meeting of Archaeology Café (Archaeology Southwest) is also part of this series. Learn more »

Oct. 25 In-Person Event (Dragoon AZ): 14^th Annual Autumn Fest

Celebrate the history, culture, and Arts of the O’odham. We will also welcome a variety of Native artists who will have their art for sale, including Harrison Preston (Wa:k O’odham/Tohono O’odham), who will be showing and selling his incredible pottery, basketry, and jewelry. Harrison is also part of the O’odham Ha’ha adam Collective, which works to preserve pottery traditions for future generations.  They will be demonstrating traditional O’odham pottery making throughout the day. This year, Autumn Fest will feature music by the Tohono O’odham Waila Cruz Band, the Wa:k Tab Dancers from San Xavier District will be dancing, and public talks about O’odham culture from scholars David Martinez, PhD (Akimel O’odham/Hia-Ced O’odham/Mexican) and Jennifer Juan (Tohono O’odham) throughout the day. 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. $10 per vehicle. Amerind Museum | Learn more »

Oct. 25 & 26 In-Person Event (Sedona AZ): 2025 AAS Annual Meeting

Hosted by the Verde Valley Chapter. This year’s meeting will be open to the public. In addition, a few of our Grant Program recipients and several members of ASU, NAU, and Archaeology Southwest will attend. This AAS State Meeting is in part a means to help support the Dr. David R. Wilcox Grant Program. From the monies raised we are able to help with funding for undergrads and grads in the fields of Anthropology, Archaeology, and any component field of such. Please consider making a donation to support this worthwhile program. Donations are tax deductible. Arizona Archaeological Society | Learn more and view agenda » | Register »

Oct. 29 In-Person Event (Tucson AZ): Mimbres Far from the Heartland

With Pat Gilman. Pat and Linda Gregonis will discuss Pat and Mary Whisenhunt’s new book Mimbres Far from the Heartland: Identity at the Powers Ranch Site of East-Central Arizona. 6:00 p.m., Tumamoc Hill Boathouse, 1675 W. Anklam Rd. Note: Street parking is available on Anklam, or the lot on the corner of Anklam and Silverbell. There is no event parking available on Tumamoc Hill. The Southwest Center | Learn more »

REMINDER: Nov. 8 In-Person Event: New Mexico Archaeological Council Annual Meeting

The meeting will be held at the Hibben Center, University of New Mexico. This year’s theme is Archaeology of the Middle Rio Grande. The list of speakers and abstracts will be posted soon and a schedule is forthcoming. NMAC | Learn more »

Nov. 12 In-Person (Queen Creek AZ) and Online Event: The Origin of the Yavapai People

With Douglass R. Newton. Their creation story explains that Yavapai people originated in the beginning, or many years ago, when either a tree or a maize plant sprouted from the ground in what is now Montezuma Well, bringing the Yavapai into the world. We gather at 6:00 p.m. with the presentation at 6:30. We meet at The San Tan Historical Society Museum, 20425 S. Old Ellsworth Rd. Arizona Archaeological Society, San Tan Chapter | Website » | Zoom link »

Save the Date: March 9–12, 2026, Tri-National Sonoran Symposium

Early Bird registration for the 9th Tri-national Symposium in Celebration of the Sonoran Desert is now open! Additionally, we are soliciting abstracts for presentations and posters from October 1st through November 22nd. We hope to see you in Ajo March 2026. Organized by representatives from the Tohono O’odham Nation, Mexico and the United States, this biennial symposium offers presentations and dialogue about the dynamics of natural and cultural ecology, environmental challenges, and their relationships to peoples—past and present—living in the Sonoran Desert. International Sonoran Desert Alliance | Learn more »

Video Channel Roundup

NEW! A History of Indigenous Women with Lily Gladstone. Episode 19 of Crash Course Native American History. Watch now »

NEW! A Cat’s Tale: How Domestic Cats Came to the Americas with Martin H. Welker, hosted by Old Pueblo Archaeology Center as part of their Third Thursday Food for Thought series. Watch now »

NEW! A Very Special Landscape: Trails and the Lava Fields of El Malpais National Monument with Paul F. Reed, hosted by Archaeology Southwest as part of our Archaeology Café series. Watch now »

NEW! The Bureau of Indian Affairs NAGPRA Assistance Program: Unique Paths Forward with Amy Gillaspie, hosted by Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. Watch now »

Catch up on some presentations not highlighted above that we might’ve missed, too! A simple click on any of the links to the YouTube channels of our Partners and Friends should catch you up. (And please do let us know if your channel isn’t in this list but should be.)

Albuquerque Archaeological Society
American Rock Art Research Association
Amerind Foundation
Archaeology Southwest
Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society
Arizona State Museum
Aztlander
Bears Ears Partnership
Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
Grand Canyon Trust
Grand Staircase Escalante Partners
Mesa Prieta Petroglyphs Project
Mission Garden (Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace)
Museum of Indian Arts and Cultures
Museum of Northern Arizona
Old Pueblo Archaeology Center
Pacific Coast Archaeological Society
San Diego Archaeological Center
School for Advanced Research
SHUMLA Archaeological Center
Southwest Seminars
The Archaeological Conservancy
Verde Valley Archaeology Center

Remember to send us notice of upcoming events and webinars, tours and workshops, and anything else you’d like to share with the Friends. Thanks!