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Some tribes don’t open up their language for outsiders to learn. But others have materials and classes readily available for anyone within or outside the tribe. With more and more first language speakers walking on each day, should more emphasis be on letting everyone learn the language? Where do you stand on letting outsiders learn our Native tongues?

Guests:

Delphine Red Shirt (Oglala Sioux) – senior lecturer at Stanford University special languages and Native American studies

Peter Hill  -language coordinator for the Lakota Immersion Childcare Center

Tipiziwin Tolman (Dakota and Lakota) –  lead Lakota language activities instructor in the pre-school room at the Lakota Language Nest

Break Music: Vipismal – The Hummingbird Song (song) Earl Ray (artist) Traditional Songs Of The Salt River Pima (album)

 

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More than half of all Native American and Alaska Native women have experienced sexual violence. That is one of the troubling statistics that emerged from a study released last month by the National Institutes of Justice. The study relied on interviews with nearly 2,500 women in 2010. Those women face a journey of physical, emotional and spiritual pain. One that is often filled with humiliation, fear and feelings of isolation. We will talk about what happens after rape, where to get support and how people move towards healing.

Mentioned on Today’s Show:

What To Do When You’re Raped, An ABC Handbook for Native Girls

Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network

Guests:

Sarah Deer (Muscogee Creek Nation of Oklahoma) – professor of law at William Mitchell College and author of “The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America”

Pam Kingfisher (Cherokee) – Project Coordinator for Women’s Reproductive Justice at the Native American Women’s Health Education Resource Center

Break Music: Stomp Dance (song) George Hunter (artist) Haven (album)

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Gaming continues to provide an economic opportunity. Casinos are a major economic tool for most of the federally recognized tribes. But it’s anything but a smooth ride. What is the current state of gaming for Native Nations? Does gaming still make economic sense for tribes? We’ll explore that and how some tribes are venturing beyond the boundaries of their tribal lands to build casinos.

Guests:

Victor Rocha (Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians) – owner and editor of Pechanga.net

Jason Giles (Muscogee Creek) – executive director of the National Indian Gaming Association

Break Music:  Four Two-Step Songs (song) Pyawasits, Silas & Webster (artist) Wild Rice: Songs From The Menominee (album)

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The U.S. Census Bureau is debating whether to add an enrollment question for Native Americans in 2020 Census count. The agency is conducting a test in two communities. Native Americans—especially those in remote, rural areas—are among the populations that are poorly represented on the Census. Are there consequences for being under-counted? Were you counted back in the 2010 Census?

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

 

The need for Native American and Alaska Native foster parents is great. Finding safe and nurturing homes for Native children who need them is a critical element for a successful future. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that at any given time around 400,000 children are living in foster care. What makes a good foster parent? Do foster parents need special skills to provide good care for the children they take in?

Guests:

Alecia McConnell (Confederated tribes of the Umatilla) -Foster youth advocate

Kendra Lowden (Potawatomi and Osage) – Foster Care Resource manager for the Chickasaw Nation Child Welfare services

Velma Armijo (Jemez Pueblo) – Foster parent

Tiffany Sewell – Indian Child Welfare Act Administrator for Colorado department of Human Services

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

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From the moment the pregnancy test gives a positive result many parents start worrying about how to have a healthy baby. What are the right foods to eat during pregnancy? How much exercise should you get? And now we can add the Zika virus to the list of potential threats. We’ll speak with experts about the best choices and behaviors to have the healthiest possible pregnancy.

Guests:

Dr. Ellen Mozurkewich – associate professor at University of New Mexico in obstetrics and gynecology

Dr. Alex Thundercloud (Ho-Chunk Nation) – director for the office of clinical and preventive services for the Indian Health Service

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Zika information

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

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When news broke last week that a Paris auction included several sacred Native American items, including human remains, people were furious. Many—including tribal leaders, organization leaders and government officials expressed their disappointment and dismay. Just one sacred item out of hundreds was spared from the sale at the Eve auction house. How do these important items leave the Native community? How do they end up overseas? Is there a way to stop the unscrupulous trade of sacred Native items?

Guests:

Kurt Riley (Acoma Pueblo) – governor of the Acoma Pueblo

Conroy Chino (Acoma Pueblo) – advisor for the Pueblo of Acoma

Aaron Sims (Acoma Pueblo) – attorney from the Chestnut Law Office, the Acoma Pueblo’s general legal council

D. Bambi Kraus (Tlingit) – president of the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers

Break Music: For the Light (song) Digging Roots (artist) For the Light (album)

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A new film documents a group of Native American high school girls who defy tradition by playing—and excelling at—lacrosse. “Keepers of the Game” reveals both the obstacles and triumphs of the team and the girls individually. We talk with the director of the documentary about making the film and the reception it’s receiving with audiences and critics. We’ll also explore the history of lacrosse and what it means for girls to take up the sport.

Guests:

Louise Herne (Mohawk) – Mohawk Bear Clan Mother

Tsieboo Herne (Mohawk)  – college student and featured in Keepers of the Game

Judd Ehrlich – director and producer of Keepers of the Game

Break Music: Form a Circle (song) Native Roots (artist) Celebrate (album)

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Every day, nearly 80 people receive organ transplants. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services statistics also show another 22 people die waiting for an organ transplant. Organizations like Donate Life and the American Transplant Foundation urge people to register as organ donors, but there’s still a shortage of donors across the board. Many Native Americans view organ donation as a violation of their cultural and traditional beliefs. In this program we’ll discuss organ transplants. The practice is a proven life-saver, but it also clashes with some cultures. Are you a donor?

Guests:

Shana Harming (Lower Bruel Sioux) -research coordinator for the College of Nursing at South Dakota State University

Dr. Karla Abbott (Cheyenne River Sioux) – assistant professor of nursing at Augustana University

Dr. Ann Marie Bott – Alaska Area IHS oncology pharmacists

Break Music: Friendship Dance (song) Kontiwennenhawi (artist) Tsionathonwisen (album)