Mastodon

RNS-Spider-Native-Naming6

Yakama citizens Aleeyah McJoe, 12, from left, Ava McJoe, 11, and her sister, Toppenish Creek Jr. Queen Audrina McJoe, 12, pack gifts for naming ceremony attendees on June 10, 2026. Gift giving is an important part of Yakama naming ceremonies, said Donella Miller, Yakama, fish science manager at Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. (Photo by Lyric Aquino, Underscore Native News + Report for America)

Explore More in:
No paywalls here. Thanks to you.
As an independent nonprofit, RNS believes everyone should have access to coverage of religion that is fair, thoughtful and inclusive. That's why you will never hit a paywall on our site; you can read all the stories and columns you want, free of charge (and we hope you read a lot of them!)

But, of course, producing this journalism carries a high cost, to support the reporters, editors, columnists, and the behind-the-scenes staff that keep this site up and running. That's why we ask that if you can, you consider becoming one of our donors. Any amount helps, and because we're a nonprofit, all of it goes to support our mission: To produce thoughtful, factual coverage of religion that helps you better understand the world. Thank you for reading and supporting RNS.
Deborah Caldwell, CEO and Publisher
Donate today