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Chances are you won’t be limited to a single career your whole life. But there are ways to build skills and knowledge that will help you throughout your lifetime regardless where your vocation takes you. Once you leave school or enter a trade, there are some things to know about what to expect and what’s expected of you no matter what you do. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce learns what to know as you start the journey of your working life with Rafael Tapia (Pascua Yaqui), vice president of program at Partnership With Native Americans; David Bledsoe, senior manager of student success engagement and communications for the American Indian College Fund; and Dr. Corey Still (Cherokee), vice president of academic affairs for Bacone College.

 

Break 1 Music: High Above The Eagle Soars (song) Blackstone (artist) On The Oregon Trail (album)

Break 2 music: Duck and Dive (song) Black Thunder Singers (artist) Black Thunder (album)

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More than six decades after it errantly took land away from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the federal government is returning nearly 12,000 acres. The transaction resolves a dispute over the Minnesota tribe’s land that began when federal officials improperly interpreted a U.S. Department of Interior order and started selling off what was clearly Leech Lake land. Reversing the process was no easy feat and required a unique collaboration with county officials. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce speaks with Faron Jackson Sr. (Ojibwe), chairman of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe; Ben Benoit (Ojibwe), environmental director for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe; and Josh Stevenson, Cass County Administrator.

 

Break 1 music: Still My Son (song) Annie Humphrey (artist) Eat What You Kill (album)

Break 2 music: Duck and Dive (song) Black Thunder Singers (artist) Black Thunder (album)

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In response to meat shortages spurred by the pandemic and a consolidated meat industry, the federal government is dedicating $1 billion to smaller, independent meat processing endeavors. That’s a promising boost for a handful of local, tribally operated meat processing facilities that service tribal ranchers and consumers. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce talks with agriculture advocates about leveraging federal money to diversify the meat processing industry with Roger Fragua (Jemez Pueblo), executive director of the Flower Hill Institute, as well as Chris Roper and Dave Carter, directors of regional technical assistance for the Flower Hill Institute.

 

Break 1 music: Hunting Chant (song) Art Napoleon (artist) Miyoskamin (Early Springtime) (album)

Break 2 music: Duck and Dive (song) Black Thunder Singers (artist) Black Thunder (album)

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Greg Sarris’ memoir gives voice to all Indigenous people’s connection to land and culture as he recounts his own personal journey. Sarris is chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and a prolific novelist. In his new memoir Becoming Story: A Journey Among Seasons, Places, Trees, and Ancestors, he gathers a series of essays about his life and his encounters with the land – and the people, the important places, and events that define who he is.

 

 

 

Break 1 music: Happy Sundance (song) Dallas Arcand (artist) Modern Day Warrior (album)

Break 2 music: Honor Song (song) Thunder Hill (artist) Relentless (album)

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Wayne Newton’s legacy as a stage and screen performer is well established over his six decades in show business. He’s also a strong advocate for Native people, working for years to help his tribe gain recognition and on behalf of Native veterans. Host Alyssa Yáx̱ Ádi Yádi London interviewed Newton in front of a live audience at the NCAIED RES conference in his hometown, Las Vegas, NV. We bring you their entire conversation and might have time for a bit of “Danke Schoen”.

Or watch the conversation here:

 

Break music: Honor Song (song) Thunder Hill (artist) Relentless (album)

Show music: Danke Schoen (song) Wayne Newton (artist)

Show music: Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast (song) Wayne Newton (artist)

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The mass shootings in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX are a shock to our collective sense of security. In addition to those two high-profile incidents, the Gun Violence Archive lists at least 14 shootings with four or more victims in the U.S. just over the Memorial Day weekend. Solutions for such violence seem beyond the reach of law enforcement officials and elected leaders.

Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce asks Native experts about ways to approach the prevention and healing of violence with Dr. Mark Standing Eagle Baez (Mohawk, Pawnee, Coahuiltecan, and Mexican), assistant professor of Counseling and Clinical Psychology at Bemidji State University; Leslie Logan (Seneca), founding member of the Mothers of the Seneca Nation and contributing writer for Indian Country Today; and Lynette Stant (Diné), 3rd grade teacher at Salt River Elementary School and 2020 Arizona Teacher of the Year.

 

Break 1 music: War Cry Movement I (song) Cris Derksen (artist) The Cusp (album)

Break 2 music: Honor Song (song) Thunder Hill (artist) Relentless (album)

 

Resources for individuals and families:

wewillstandupfilm.com

Native Center for Behavioral Health-University of Iowa College of Public Health resources

 

Modern medicine relies heavily on pharmaceutical remedies for many mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. But there is some evidence that traditional ceremony and cultural connections can also provide a measure of healing. There is hope that adherence to traditional methods might be part of a regimen to improve the outsized representation of Native people for outcomes such as suicide and substance abuse. They may even be linked to improving some physical health maladies. (This is an encore show and we won’t be taking phone calls live on the air)

GUESTS

Dr. Joseph Gone (A’aniiih Gros Ventre), professor of anthropology and global health & social medicine at Harvard University, clinical community psychologist, and president of the Society of Indian Psychologists

Dr. Melissa Lewis (Cherokee), assistant professor at University of Missouri

Jonathan Tsosie (Navajo), first year UNM medical student

Break music: War Cry Movement I (song) Cris Derksen (artist) The Cusp (album)

 

Native Americans are well-represented on the wrestling mat at the high school and college levels. The NCAA wrestling championships have just ended and athletes and coaches are already eyeing prospects for next season. We hear about notable Native wrestlers and find out the appeal wrestling presents for Native athletes, in this encore presentation of Native America Calling on Memorial Day.

 

GUESTS

Mark Branch (Kaw Nation) – head wrestling coach for the University of Wyoming Cowboys

Kirk Bahr, outgoing wrestling coach at Menominee Indian High School in Shawano, WI

Zach Blankenship (Cherokee and Navajo) – senior at Bixby Oklahoma High School and a wrestling recruit for Oklahoma State University

Seth Duckworth (Muscogee (Creek) Nation) – wrestling reporter for Pistols Firing

 

Break 1 Music: Electric Pow Wow Drum (song) The Halluci Nation (artist) A Tribe Called Red (album)

Break 2 music: 10000 Generations (song) Khu.éex’ (artist)

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This year’s National Senior Games just wrapped up in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The games have a sizeable turnout of Native elders that compete in over 20 different events ranging from shuffleboard to track and field. For nearly 35 years the games aim at promoting athletics as well as health and wellness for elders. We’ll talk with some of those that were involved in the games and get a glimpse of what it was like on the scene.

 

GUESTS

Janelle Rattler (Eastern Band of Cherokee), Qualla Boundary Senior Games and Senior Olympics coordinator

Debra Lente-Jojola (Isleta Pueblo), National Senior Games shuffleboard competitor 

Kamiyo Lanning (Eastern Band of Cherokee), recreation manager for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Break Music:

Singing Together (song) Drumming Hill Singers (song) Memories

Naawakinta (Thanks You My Fathers) (song) Clark Tenakhongva (artist) Öngtupqa (album)

 

It’s the time of year to throw our mortar boards in the air and mark new educational milestones. It’s also a time to fight back against school officials trying to keep Native students from wearing eagle feathers at graduation ceremonies. For many high schools and colleges this year is the first in-person graduation celebration in three years. We’ll take a snapshot of what the class of 2022 has in store in this encore broadcast. (So we won’t be taking live calls)

 

GUESTS

Rep. Dr. Ponka-We Victors-Cozad (Ponca and Tohono O’odham), Kansas state representative

Louisa Kakaianaaq Riley (Inupiaq), Inupiaq language teacher and mentor for Nunamiut Schools

Break music: Celebrate (song) Devin Whirlwind Soldier (artist)