While candidates for the Republican and Democratic parties reign supreme in headlines, there are those Native American voters who aren’t bound by the two-party system. A number of viable candidates for president including Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Dr. Cornel West, and Dr. Jill Stein, who are also working to win Native votes. And there are even some third-party and independent Native candidates in local and national races. We’ll hear from some of the top presidential candidates outside the main two parties about what they offer. GUESTS Pauly Denetclaw (Diné), political correspondent for ICT News Dr. Bernard Tamas, professor of Political Science at Valdosta State University and author of The Demise and Rebirth of American Third Parties
For the first time, the federal government acknowledges the devastation to Native America tribes caused by a century of dam building on rivers in the Pacific Northwest. The report by the U.S. Department of Interior notes the benefits for the region’s burgeoning population in need of cheap power, irrigation, and steady jobs. But that same push dismissed the needs of the tribes that already occupied the land, resulting in flooding homes and sacred sites, and the decimation of salmon runs, their chief reliable food source.
Iñupiaq and Yup'ik writer Laureli Ivanoff illuminating Alaska Native foodways is recognized with a 2024 James Beard Media Award. Dakota gardener Teresa Peterson’s new book, Perennial Ceremony: Lessons and Gifts from a Dakota Garden, is a tour through the seasons and a story about how gardening, and resulting recipes, affect everyday life, family, healing, and wellness. And a pilot program by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Education at a New Mexico high school puts agriculture into the curriculum. That’s all on The Menu on Native America Calling, a special feature hosted and produced by Andi Murphy.
Hubert Logan, Mega Bear, Wampum Baggs, and Tad Nugget are all back for Volume 3 of the Super Indian saga. Creator Arigon Starr (Kickapoo and Muscogee Creek) continues the tale of the Native boy who developed super powers after eating commodity cheese tainted with “Rezium”. We’ll talk with Starr about the new comics and what else she’s been up to since the last edition of Super Indian.
The state of California has agreed to return 2,800 acres of land to the Shasta Indian Nation. It’s not just any 2,800 acres. It was home to the Shasta people, but was flooded by a series of dams in a giant hydroelectric project more than a century ago. And Congress just approved a similar transfer of 1,600 acres of land along the Missouri River for the Winnebago Tribe that the federal government acquired through eminent domain in 1970. We’ll hear about the latest transactions and other noteworthy progress in tribal land returns.
Phoenix, Ariz. is the latest city to face federal allegation of police discrimination against Native Americans and other people of color. A U.S. Department of Justice investigation cites serious statistical disparities when it comes to police interacting with and charging Native people compared to other residents. The report also accuses the department of using unnecessary and excessive force. We'll hear from Native community members about how the report compares with what they know about law enforcement disparities in and around Phoenix. We'll also talk with Native advocates in other places where the Department of Justice has investigated discrimination complaints.
Singer-songwriter Quinn Christopherson (Ahtna Athabascan and Iñupiaq) is on a cross-country tour along with GRAMMY award-winning Alaska (by way of Portland, Ore.) band Portugal. The Man and winning over audiences with his insightful music delivered with passion and a charismatic optimism. Christopherson burst into people’s consciousness after winning the 2019 Tiny Desk Contest. He is part of Alisa Amador’s new single "I Need to Believe" and he collaborated with Pattie Gonia and Yo Yo Ma in what might be the most hopeful song about climate change anyone’s ever heard. Sound artist Edzi’u (Taku River Tlingit and Tahltan) builds complex layers of music from instruments, their own voice, and environmental sounds in a welcoming, emotional atmospheric storytelling. They’re releasing a new album Tunnel Vision with the new single “This Love”. Both artists join Native America Calling this Monday in the latest edition of our regular feature Native Playlist.
Skateboarding has gone from a rebellious alternative culture to an Olympic sport. It’s also becoming increasingly popular among Native athletes and recreational boarders and organizers are stepping up their support with places to skate. Skateboarding has roots in Native Hawaiian surf culture, and Navajo, Hopi, and Oglala Lakota nations are among those that see the benefits of dedicated skate parks. Advocates point to the increasing knowledge about the benefits of skateboarding, especially for young people of color. It’s National Go Skate Day and we’ll hear from skaters and skating advocates about what the sport does for people and communities.
The superintendent of schools for Rapid City, S.D. just issued an apology after a federal investigation found “persistent and statistically significant disparities” when it comes to Native American students. The report specifically cited the superintendent saying tribes don’t value education and complaining about Native students running on "Indian time". The report comes after a series of incidents drawing the ire of tribes, including a requirement by the Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) Administration that state employees remove their tribal affiliations from email signatures. Is South Dakota peculiar or are they driving a trend?
As digital technology increasingly becomes the main infrastructure for information and commerce, tribes will need to create an informed strategy to make sure their voices are included. That is one of the driving factors behind the new Center for Tribal Digital Sovereignty that just launched by Arizona State University and the National Congress of American Indians. The project will research and help tribes navigate important trends and issues including broadband connectivity, AI, and data privacy protection.
More than 30 pieces of century-old Hopi pottery, baskets, and other items are making a return visit to the Hopi community, making them available to the descendants of the artists for the first time. The project is called Tuma Angwu Owya. The pieces were originally acquired by a wealthy Massachusetts family who visited the Hopi reservation during cross-country trip in the late 1920s. They forged a lasting relationship with some Hopi community members. Their collection is now housed at Wesleyan University, which is helping facilitate this unique return to their place of origin for a weekend. We’ll talk with the event organizers about bringing these works back to the Hopi reservation.
Indigenous scientists often have a foot in two worlds: modern science and the wisdom that comes from sacred and traditional knowledge. Each has their strengths and their own bearing on ways to achieve ecological sustainability. First Nations ecologist Dr. Jennifer Grenz, author of Medicine Wheel for the Planet, says Western institutions have the right idea with inclusion — but their methods can still be detrimental to Indigenous scholars and communities.
A Massachusetts museum is assembling works to explore how Indigenous people interacted with whales and the marine environment throughout history. The New Bedford Whaling Museum combines a one-woman show by Shinnecock multi-media artist Courtney M. Leonard with a collection of scrimshaw work by Indigenous artists around the country, putting contemporary and historical expressions side by side.
A half dozen Indigenous leaders are getting a boost for incorporating traditional connections with making people and their communities better. The recipients of this year’s Bush Foundation Fellowship include the head of a clinic innovating culturally appropriate care, a Native-led birthing initiative, and a system for helping families affected by the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women issue. Each receives a $100,000 grant to develop their work further. We’ll hear from the fellows about their passions and their plans for the future.
An early summer heat wave just scorched the Southwest, breaking high temperature records, and another potentially record-breaking weather system is on it’s way. 2023 was the worst year on record for heat-related deaths in Phoenix, Ariz. A 14-year study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds Indigenous populations in the U.S. suffer a higher percentage of heat-related deaths than any other population. NASA is just one of the agencies documenting the increasing frequency of high heat and drought, both of which put fire management officials on alert for the potential of another destructive wildfire season. We’ll find out how Native American emergency management and public health officials are gearing up to prepare for potentially deadly weather conditions.
When it’s most relevant, Indigenous art can force people to confront important and tough issues. It’s also a creative window to view the artist’s individuality and identity. We’ll mark that creativity on this Pride Month episode, talking with Indigenous LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit artists about the intersection of two driving issues of identity that are both a celebration and a source of contention.
At one point in history, the various tribes in the Plains region developed a shared universal language. But it didn't rely on the spoken word. Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL), or Hand Talk, was a complex means of communication that spread over a large swatch of North America. It was a way for deaf people to communicate before the invention of American Sign Language (ASL). Colonial intrusion and assimilation policies caused the number of PISL practitioners to drop off drastically. Now, a handful of PISL speakers are trying to revitalize this unique language.
Mental health conditions tops the list of causes for pregnancy-related deaths over a three-year period in a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Calling the problem an “urgent public health crisis”, the Biden Administration is forming a task force to report to Congress about ways to turn the statistics around. We’ll get reports from those who know about mental health treatments for pregnant Native Americans.
Native Americans, in general, have traditionally supported Democrats, and that has made a significant difference in a few key races. Some candidates are reaching out to the Native vote to get them into office, or to keep them in. The historic election of U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (Yup'ik/D-AK) brings the number of Native Democrats in Congress to the highest it’s ever been: two. We’ll hear from some notable Native Democrats about the issues they see as important to Native voters.
After a report in 2011 report on disparities in Hawaii’s criminal justice system, that state has been working on ways to provide more equitable treatment of Native Hawaiians and other people of color. Those include inmate education efforts, cultural outreach, and programs to help inmates re-enter society. As they wait for a pending update to that initial report, organizers of those initiatives say they are making strides in improving the statistics while making their communities safer.