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We’re within weeks of the Ancient One, also known as Kennewick Man, of returning to tribes in Washington state. It’s been a 20-year battle to get to this point. The argument between archaeologists and tribes was finally settled by a DNA test and several court rulings. We get an update on the status of the 9,000-year-old remains and find out how tribal leaders in Washington are preparing for their return.

Guests:

Michael Marchand (Colville) – chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation

Dr. Cynthia Coleman (Osage) – professor of communication at the Portland State University

Nakia Williamson (Nez Perce) – director for the Nez Perce Tribe cultural resource program

Break music: We Are Sinixt (song) Jim Boyd (artist) Voices from the Lakes (album)

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With a stroke of the pen, President Donald Trump revived the Dakota Access Pipeline construction. Now, officials say an easement to complete the pipeline is coming. The actions have sparked calls by pipeline opponents for renewed and escalated resistance. The chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe says the tribe will continue to fight the project in the courts. Where is the movement to halt the pipeline headed from here?

Guests:

Dave Archambault – chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

Dallas Goldtooth (Diné and Dakota) – Keep it in the Ground campaign organizer for the Indigenous Environmental Network

Geoff Simon – executive director of the Western Dakota Energy Association

Break music: M.O.S.T.C.O. (feat. Northern Cree Singers) (song) DJ Shub (artist) PowWowStep – EP (album)

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Grammy Nominee Radmilla Cody from the Navajo Nation is exploring her Diné foundation in her latest album “K’é Hasin.” The title translates to kinship and hope and sets the pace for the 13-track album that features both the Navajo and English language. With titles like “A Woman’s Journey” and “Walking Through Life,” listeners are invited to learn more about the importance of community and culture in sustaining a strong native life. We invite you to join us as we talk with our January Music Maker, Radmilla Cody.

Guests:

Radmilla Cody (Navajo Dine) – Recording Artist

Break Music: Red Ochre Cheek Clan (Tl’ááshchí’í) (song) Radmilla Cody (artist) K’é Hasin (album)

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It can be daunting to stand in front of a classroom trying to solve a complicated math problem. For many of us, just balancing our checkbooks is scary enough. For American Indian and Alaska Native students math scores are generally lower than the national average. We continue our look at STEM subjects by exploring some innovative ways math is taught to Native students. Can using culture help students improve in mathematics?

Guests:

Dr. Julius Yellowhair (Navajo) – optical engineer at Sandia National Laboratories

Dr. Henry Fowler (Navajo) – math professor and chair of the math division at Diné College

Dora Andrew-Ihrke (Yup’ik Eskimo) – retired teacher and consultant

Mentioned on the show: Educators of Native American Students

Break music: Wahine U`i (Beautiful One) (song) Linda Dela Cruz (artist) Linda Dela Cruz Hawaii’s Canary (album)

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President Donald Trump took quick action toward advancing the Dakota Access Pipeline project. We’ll discuss what was in the orders he signed this week. We’ll also talk about the strong response from tribal leaders, activists and protesters on the ground as we get a handle on recent news. Also, what does a repeal of Obamacare mean for the Indian Health Care Improvement Act? Those topics and your comments are up for discussion in our news round up.

Guests:

Mark Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock) – Charles R. Johnson Endowed Professor of Journalism at the University of North Dakota

Rob Capriccioso (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) – Washington D.C. Bureau Chief for Indian Country Today Media Network

Jenni Monet (Laguna Pueblo) – independent journalist and executive producer and host of the podcast Still Here

Break music: Nitohta (song) Asani (artist) Listen (album)

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Native American chefs put a great emphasis on using quality, fresh ingredients. They encourage others to grow and use their own vegetables in their home cooking. We’ll talk to some notable chefs and expert Indigenous gardeners about the importance of incorporating home gardens in our daily diet. It’s the time of year to start thinking about what’s going in our gardens or perhaps whether to till the soil for the first time.

Guests:

Karlos Baca (Tewa, Diné and Ute) – Indigenous food chef

Ellen Robertson (Rosebud Sioux Tribe) – Kunsi’s garden coordinator at the Enemy Swim Day School

Clayton Harvey (White Mountain Apache) – greenhouse manager at Ndée Bikíyaa, The Peoples’ Farm

Break music: Cree Sunrise (song) Art Napoleon (Travelling Sun) (album) Miyoskamin (Early Springtime) (album)

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A new law in Oklahoma says only enrolled members of federally recognized tribes can label and sell their art as “Native made.” That means artists from tribes recognized only by states are out of luck. Those in support of the law—including several tribes—say it protects the integrity of Native art. But others—like Peggy Fontenot, an artist from a state-recognized tribe—say the law tramples on her rights. Do you think we need stricter arts and crafts laws? Is it fair for a state to determine who is Native or not?

Guests:

Peggy Fontenot (enrolled in the Patawomeck tribe) – Native American artist

Caleb Trotter – Pacific Legal Foundation attorney

Kimberly Teehee (member of the Cherokee Nation) – Cherokee Nation government affairs director

Break music: Sisters (song) Tribe Called Red (artist) Nation II Nation (album)

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Over the past two decades, the rate of kidney failures among Native Americans quietly dropped a total 54 percent. That’s the word this month from the Centers for Disease Control. The milestone is remarkable considering Native Americans are more likely to have diabetes than any other group, and diabetes is the major cause of kidney failure. It didn’t require a magic pill or miracle cure. Health officials credit a sustained, concerted effort. The low-key success story is saving lives and millions of dollars.

Guests:

Dr. Andy Narva – director of the National Kidney Disease Education Program at the National Institutes of Health

Dr. Ann Bullock (Minnesota Chippewa Tribe/Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) – director of the Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention at the Indian Health Service

Break music: Pangaea (song) Visionaries (artist) Pangaea (album)

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Offensive words and actions can incite strong reactions. We’ve seen unfortunate incidents hit the headlines, like when a group of Lakota children are harassed at a hockey game in Rapid City. There are other times that are less noticeable but just as damaging. Native Americans in border towns are jeered on the street and told to ‘go back to the reservation’. What’s the best way to address hate and offensive behavior? What do you do when you or a fellow person of color is bullied or harassed?

Guests:

Whitney Rencountre (Crow Creek Sioux) – director of the Ateyapi youth program

Dr. Barbara Perry – professor of social science and humanities at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Kade Farris (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) – founder of Unity USA

Break music: Unity (song) Native Roots (artist) Most High (album)