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Today on Native America Calling, as we head into the three-day weekend, Shawn Spruce takes you to a place that knows how to celebrate with family-friendly cultural authenticity – for a special live broadcast from Cherokee, NC. This year, the Eastern Band of Cherokee marks the 47th year for their annual powwow. The tribe promises an “explosion” of regalia, dancing competitions, food, crafts, and music – and we’ll learn more about the Qualla Boundary and Cherokee history in the Southeast with fancy dancer Eric Bird; Museum of the Cherokee Indian director Shana Bushyhead Condill; Daniel Tramper, Deer Clan Productions owner and powwow organizer; and Frieda Saylor, clinical director of Behavioral Health Services at Cherokee Indian Hospital.

 

Break 1 Music: Going Back (song) Paula Nelson (artist) C.H.A.N.T. Cherokee Hope and New Traditions (album)

Break 2 Music: Dee Zee (song) The Delbert Anderson Trio (artist) MANITOU (album)

 

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It’s an exciting time for Native audiences to see Native stories and talent on screen. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce reviews some new series and new seasons of Native shows that are available to stream with Vincent Schilling (Akwesasne Mohawk), editor of NativeViewPoint.com and a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic, and Jody Potts-Joseph (Han Gwich’in), cast member of “Life Below Zero: First Alaskans” (streaming on National Geographic and Disney+), a series about four Alaska Native communities and subsistence hunting.

We also discuss “Wildhood” (streaming on Hulu), a road trip film with a pair of Mi’kmaq youth exploring family history and their Indigenous and Two-Spirit identity.

Plus, an exclusive conversation about the second season of “Rutherford Falls”, now out on Peacock, between Alyssa Yáx̱ Ádi Yádi London and key creators and cast members Sierra Teller Ornelas (Navajo), Michael Greyeyes (Cree), Jana Schmieding (Lakota), Dustin Milligan, Jesse Leigh, and Ed Helms. Watch the full conversation below:

 

Break 1 music: The Real People (song) RiverFlowz (artist) RiverFlowz Rural Recordings Atauciq (album)

Break 2 Music: Dee Zee (song) The Delbert Anderson Trio (artist) MANITOU (album)

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The U.S. Supreme Court has officially overturned Roe v. Wade, a decision that protected the right for women to choose to have an abortion. The decision sparked protests and praise on either side of the political divide. When a conservative Supreme Court can revisit and overturn an important decision like Roe v. Wade, how likely is it they’ll revisit cases like McGirt or those which affect Two-Spirit rights or tribal sovereignty? Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce talks with legal experts Matthew Fletcher (Ottawa and Chippewa), law professor at the University of Michigan Law School and author of the “Turtle Talk” blog; Ann Tweedy, professor at the University of South Dakota School of Law; and Melody McCoy (Cherokee), staff attorney for the Native American Rights Fund about how Indian Country is affected by decisions of the Supreme Court—and could be affected by future decisions.

 

Break 1 Music: Fight Like A Woman (song) Sihasin (artist) Fight Like A Woman (album)

Break 2 Music: Dee Zee (song) The Delbert Anderson Trio (artist) MANITOU (album)

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Commercial piloting is an industry that for decades has been largely dominated by men. But a growing number of Native women are trying to break through the glass ceiling. For many Native communities, bush and commercial piloting is an essential service to remote areas. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce hears from commercial pilots Dolena Fox (Yup’ik) and Shadunjen van Kampen (Champagne and Aishihik) as well as Daniella Pettiti (Cree), flight instructor with First Nations Technical Institute.

 

Break 1 music: I Am Yup’ik (song) I Sing, You Dance (artist) I Am Yup’ik (album)

Break 2 Music: Dee Zee (song) The Delbert Anderson Trio (artist) MANITOU (album)

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From the rich colors used in Navajo weaving to all the colors of the rainbow beaded into medallions and regalia, Indigenous hues carry meaning, stories, and emotion. Some colors specific to tribes represent the available animals, plants, and minerals used to make them. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce talks with Native artists about traditional and contemporary meanings, sources, and uses of color: Anong Beam (M’Chigeeng), founder of Beam Paints; Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo), founder and technologist at alterNative Media; Zefren Anderson (Diné), experimental archaeological weaver and silversmith.

 

Break 1 music: Dancing Colors (song) Black Eagle (artist) Flying Free (album)

Break 2 music: Umumutayayata (Rolling Thunder) (song) Clark Tenakhongva (artist) Öngtupqa (album)

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When the cost of living goes up, your choices boil down to increasing your own income or cutting costs. Inflation is taking a bite out of our personal budgets. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce explores just how much inflation is costing you, how long it’s expected to stick around, what causes it, and which approaches can help you be less strapped for cash with Sunny Guillory (Sioux), Northwest Indian College financial literacy coordinator; Kerry Shabi (Aaniih/Nakoda), business development coordinator at Montana Native Growth Fund; Summer Red, education senior manager at the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE); and Cora Mae Haskell, retiree from Four Bands Community Fund.

 

Break 1 music: Money Cannot Be Eaten (song) Rosary Spence (artist) Maskawisiwin (album)

Break 2 music: Umumutayayata (Rolling Thunder) (song) Clark Tenakhongva (artist) Öngtupqa (album)

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Tax breaks and other incentives are driving wealthy, outside investors to buy up property in Puerto Rico. That’s pushing housing prices up, exacerbating the island’s debt crisis, and threatening the country’s long-held tradition of public access to beaches. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce speaks with Roberto Borrero (Taino), president of United Confederation of Taino People; Gualterio Alomar (Taino), president of the Organization for Culture of Hispanic Origins; Zulma Oliveras (Taino) an activist, counselor and LGBTQ+ advocate; and Tai Pelli (Taino), international relations and human rights officer for the United Confederation of Taino People.

 

Break 1 Music: Taino-Arawak Welcome Song (song) Joan Henry (artist) Kanogisgi – Song-Carrier (album)

Break 2 music: Umumutayayata (Rolling Thunder) (song) Clark Tenakhongva (artist) Öngtupqa (album)

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The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Tribal Council reversed course on recognizing marriage equality after their citizens and others spoke up. Today on Native America Calling, in celebration of Pride month, Shawn Spruce takes a look at the varying actions across Native nations to acknowledge same-sex unions in light of the growing trend among states to do so with Curtis Alexander Jr. (Omaha), president and public relations chair for Winnebago Two-Spirits, and Alray Nelson (Diné), lead organizer for Diné Equality and executive director for Navajo Nation Pride.

 

Break 1 music: Intertribal (song) Sweetgrass (artist) Follow the Trial (album)

Break 2 music: Umumutayayata (Rolling Thunder) (song) Clark Tenakhongva (artist) Öngtupqa (album)