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The violence in Charlottesville Virginia and subsequent reactions from President Donald Trump are creating a firestorm of debate about free speech, history and racism. The racist organizers of the Charlottesville event continue to hold public rallies and promise to expand their efforts. In one sense, Native Americans are all too familiar with racist attacks and battles over hurtful statues and offensive mascots. At the same time, the renewed vigor among white supremacy organizations and the absence of unequivocal condemnation from the top requires thoughtful preparation for those who encounter it. We’ll unpack this latest racist eruption from an Indigenous perspective.

Guests:

Dr. James Riding In (Pawnee) – Interim Director of American Indian Studies at Arizona State University and Associate Professor

Julian Brave Noisecat (Canim Lake Band Tsq’escen/ Lil’Wat Nation of Mount Currie) – Writer

Jenni Monet (Laguna Pueblo) – freelance journalist

Break Music: Chant (song) Robert Mirabal + Ethel (artist) The River (album)

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Native Americans have a deep connection to their surrounding land. Individuals display that connection through hunting, fishing, foraging, and ceremony among other things. But there is a demonstrated lack of diversity when it comes to outdoor recreation. A 2015 survey by the National Park Service shows nearly 80 percent of visitors are white. The percentage of Native American visitors to National Parks is in the single digits. Some Native outdoor enthusiasts are working to improve those numbers. We’ll talk with them about what outdoor recreation has to offer Native Americans, and visa-versa.

Guests:

Dr. Len Necefer (Diné) – founder of Natives Outdoors

Ashleigh Thompson (Red Lake Ojibwe) – Ph.D student in archaeology. Outdoor enthusiasm, distance runner, hiker, climber and snowboarder

Alisha Deegan (Hidatsa and Arikara) – chief of interpretation and cultural resources at the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in North Dakota

Break music:  Harmony Nights (song) Cheevers Toppah & Alex Smith (artist) Harmony Nights: Native American Vocal Harmony (album)

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Newly-released research shows childhood obesity rates in Native America are stabilizing. The researchers behind the study say that’s good news for a population that statistically struggles with maintaining a healthy weight. We’ll talk with the scientists who conducted the study and other experts about the findings and what they mean for bringing obesity in our youth under control.

Guests:

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

Dr. Spero Mason (Pembina Chippewa) -Director of the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health and Associate Dean for Research School of Public Health University of Colorado Denver

Kibbe Conti (Oglala Sioux) – Registered Dietitian and nutrition specialist at the Rapid City Indian Hospital

Break Music: Old School Hop (song) Cree Confederation (artist) Pakosiyimitan (album)

 

 

 

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Congress is considering a measure to help fund Amber Alert systems on reservations. The bill gained momentum after the kidnapping and murder of 11-year-old Ashlynn Mike on the Navajo Nation last year. While a swift response to stranger abductions is important, the problem of missing children in tribal communities is more complex. Our guests for this show all have different perspectives on the problem of Native children who go missing and how to respond.

Guests:

Janet Franson – founder of Lost and Missing in Indian Country. She’s a retired homicide investigator and she works cold cases for the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office

Jim Walters – program administrator for the Amber Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program

Meskee Yatsayte (Navajo, Potawatomi and Mextica) – volunteer advocate

Break Music:  Tapwe Oma (song) Fawn Wood (artist) Iskwewak (album)

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A new film premiering on public television examines two tribal court systems in California. Tribal Justice, follows Quechan tribal chief judge Claudette White and Yurok chief judge Abby Abinanti as they serve their communities. We’ll talk with the director and the judges about practicing tribal restorative justice

Guests:

Claudette White (Quechan/ Cocopah Tribe/Kumeyaay) – chief judge of the Quechan Tribal Court

Abby Abinanti (Yurok) – chief judge of the Yurok tribe

Anne Makepeace – producer and director of Tribal Justice

Break Music:  A Simple Man (song) Burning Sky (artist) A Simple Man (album)

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Whether you are heading to tribal college across town or traveling to a university miles away from home, the first day of class can be exciting and terrifying. We’ll have tips for surviving the first hour, day, week and months of college. From how to talk to your professor, to navigating a nutty roommate, we’ve got you covered for managing the maze of college. We’ll also have some ways high school seniors can think ahead to this day a year from now.

Guests:

Josh Lucio (Zuni Pueblo) – program associate for scholarships and programs for the American Indian Graduate Center

Kiara Lee Weathersby (Navajo Nation) – coordinator at MOSAIC at Arizona State University

Robin Maxkii (Stockbridge Munsee) – recently graduated tribal college student and American Indian College Fund Student Ambassador

Breanne Luger(Lakota) – student at Sitting Bull College, AIHEC Student Congress president
Student Ambassador for the American Indian College Fund

Break Music:  Show Stopper (song) BlackStone (artist) On The Oregon Trail (album)

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We’re recognizing National Radio Day coming up on Aug. 20 by hearing from some tribal radio stations around the country. Did you know there are nearly 60 tribal radio stations? They broadcast music, news, public affairs, locally produced programs and Native America Calling. Many have programs in Native languages and all have a special connection and purpose in their communities. Help us celebrate by telling us listening to tribal radio means to you.

Guests:

Tom Wilson (Sisseton Wahpeton) – station manager for KSXW

Marie Rock (White Earth) – program manager on-air at KOJB “The Eagle”

Sue Matters – station manager of KWSO in Warm Springs, Oregon

Break Music: Navajo Radio (song) Arigon Starr (artist) Meet the Diva (album)

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In Alaska, fish camp is a carryover of a time when Alaska Natives traveled with the seasons to harvest food. Today, it is a time to gather with family, catch and process fish for the winter. Drying, smoking and canning are all part of the experience. Fish camp is hard work, but the rewards of having traditional food in the middle of winter are worth it. We’ll talk with Alaska Natives from a variety of areas about their fish camp experiences.

Guests:

Anna Sattler (Calista Corporation/Village Corporation Kwethluk Inc.) – host of Anna’s Alaska off the Eaten Path

Deanna Baier (Curyung Tribal Council) – Bristol Bay 4-H tribal educator

Anna Ashenfelter (White Mountain Tribe) – office manager

Break Music:Qalurru (Dip Netting) (song) Pamyua (artist) Drums of The North: Traditional Yup’ik Songs (album)

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More than a dozen filmmakers from across Turtle Island are featured in the 17th annual Native Cinema Showcase, held Aug. 15 to 20 during the Santa Fe Indian Market. We’re giving you an early preview and putting the spotlight on a few films as we talk about Native storytelling in the world of cinema.

Guests:

Valerie Red-Horse Mohl (Cherokee) – director and producer of “Mankiller”

Roselynn Akulukjuk (Inuk) – director of “The Owl and the Lemming”

Break Music: Qalurru (Dip Netting) (song) Pamyua (artist) Drums of The North: Traditional Yup’ik Songs (album)

 

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As Western science took over the mainstream in North America, traditional Indigenous science took a backseat. It’s not taught in most schools Native children attend. Sometimes Indigenous science is not viewed as valuable by non-Native scientists. This can create conflicts when the two paths cross.

Guests:

 

Dr. Kyle Whyte (enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation) – Timnick chair in the humanities and professor of philosophy and community sustainability at Michigan State University

Dr. Robin Kimmerer (Citizen Potawatomi ) – SUNY distinguished teaching professor of environment and forest biology and the director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Break Music:  Trixter Trot (song) Tha Yoties (artist) Midnight Patrol (album)