Indigenous wellness experts are changing the way we think about health and beauty, challenging us to look beyond ourselves and ditch the shame. Try adding a cup of nettle tea to your day, dedicating a workout to a family member or playing a game with an elder. Rosanna speaks with three women approaching wellness in new ways, guided by Indigenous knowledge.
Have you ever heard of ammolite? It’s a rare gemstone made of fossilized ammonite shells that can be found in Canada’s Rockies. The stone is processed by lapidary artists like Bert Tallman, who cut, shape, sand and shine it up to be set in silver or gold jewellery. Rosanna speaks with jewellery makers who are creating wearable art inspired by culture, history and their traditional territories.
Mahsi’ choo means “thank you” in the Gwich’in language. It’s one of hundreds of Gwich’in words that are being brought into homes around the world through Molly of Denali. Rosanna speaks with creators who know the power of educational programming and are using it to share important teachings from an Indigenous perspective to the next generation.
A horse’s movements can stimulate 300 of our own muscles at once, just by us sitting in a saddle. It’s one of the reasons these animals make incredible physical therapists for those with mobility challenges – but their power encompasses the emotional and spiritual parts of our health as well. Rosanna hears from two women who have built their ranches around the understanding that horses are medicine, and they’re using that healing power to help youth in their nations.
“Not Black enough to be Black, not red enough to be red,” Julian Taylor’s music hasn’t always leaned into all parts of the singer’s Black and Mohawk identity. Rosanna sits down with Julian and his lifelong friend (and drummer) to talk about race, identity and the power of friendship as they make music out of it all.
A big pipe shoots constant fire and thick smoke into the sky above Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Ontario. As a child, Beze Grey thought clouds were made in their backyard because of those flares and smokestacks. A decade later and they’re part of a group of youth taking the government to court over its failure to protect the environment around them. This week Rosanna speaks with climate warriors, including Beze Grey, who are leading the next generation of action, informed by tradition and Indigenous ways of knowing.
Canada’s Arctic was the only place the new comedy series North of North could be shot – because there’s no other way to capture the humour, culture and modernity of the people there. Rosanna speaks to four creators behind two new productions that put community at the centre of their storytelling. The documentary New Blood takes us into Blackfoot Territory and North of North gives us a glimpse of Inuit Nunangat through the fictional town of Ice Cove.
How will you be bringing Mino-Bimaadiziwin into 2025? Four friends of the show gather to share gifts of poetry, song and wisdom – all to get us thinking about what it means to be “living the good life.” Whether you celebrate the solstice or a new calendar year, join Rosanna for a time of reflection, resolution and rejuvenation.
In Cree they are called wawataywin. In Inuktitut, atsaniq and in the Dene language, the northern lights are called ya’ke ngas. But don’t whistle at them, or you might attract unwanted attention out in the wilderness! Rosanna speaks with Indigenous people who are encouraging others to look at the Northern lights with a new perspective taking in lessons that have been passed down through generations.
In many Indigenous communities hockey is a BIG deal! It teaches teamwork, leadership, and brings together family and fans. This week Rosanna speaks with Indigenous hockey fanatics and learns that the game has also been a beacon of healing and hope.
The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair started writing letters to his granddaughter shortly after she was born. They are filled with lessons and love, and now they’re being shared with a nation. This week Rosanna explores the legacy of a great Indigenous leader, guided by his granddaughter, Sarah Fontaine-Sinclair.
Áísínai'pi (where the pictures are) holds more than 200 petroglyphs and pictographs that tell the story of the Blackfoot in southern Alberta. They help tell a different story of a province known for its hikes, ski slopes and dinosaur bones. This week Rosanna heads to Alberta to explore popular tourist destinations through an Indigenous lens. From the Rockies to the Badlands, take the road less traveled with our Indigenous guides.
We live on the back of a great turtle, according to the stories of many nations. The turtle represents the teaching of truth, and is a healer of the land and waters. This week Rosanna speaks with turtle protectors and land defenders who are safeguarding our shell-dwelling friends, and passing on their stories and songs.
From Arizona to Alaska, the Indigenous vote is the sleeping giant. The U.S. presidential election is over for another term, and activists say the results could have been drastically different if more Native Americans showed up to vote. This week Rosanna sits down with three voter rights activists and organizers to talk about the power of the Indigenous vote and what it will take to harness it.
In one of Canada’s oldest and largest cemeteries, clerks get multiple calls a day from people looking for loved ones. This week Rosanna takes us on a personal journey to Brookside Cemetery, in search of her grandfather Stanley McLeod. Along the way we learn how others are finding new and meaningful ways to honour our veterans and mark Remembrance Day.
Mazina Giizhik (the One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky) — also known as Murray Sinclair — made his journey to his ancestors yesterday. His death has Rosanna reflecting on a very special visit to his family home in September 2021, recorded in the lead up to the first ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Join us for a revealing, poignant and emotional conversation with Sinclair, Manitoba’s first Indigenous judge, a former senator, lead commissioner for the TRC, and just "Mur." In this intimate interview, recorded in his backyard gazebo, they discuss reconciliation: how far we’ve come, how far we have left to go and who is responsible for taking the journey.For more Unreserved, find and follow wherever you get your podcasts, or here: https://lnk.to/UnreservedCBC
Ray and Glory St. Germain are the co-authors of a 50-year love story. This week Glory joins Rosanna for an intimate conversation about the legacy of Ray St. Germain, all of which was driven by his love of music and love of family. Ray St Germain started out as a country and rockabilly musician in the 50s, sharing the stage with the likes of Johnny Cash and Kenny Rogers. At a time when many Metis people kept their identities quiet, Ray was loud and proud of being Metis -- and he wasn't afraid to sing about it!
Scary stories are meant to freak you out, but they also share important truths about our lives and our planet. Rosanna catches up with three Indigenous horror writers who are bringing new narratives to the genre, from films to poems.
The buffalo teaches us about respect, but those teachings come with a responsibility to support these animals and bring them back to their traditional lands. Rosanna travels to Blackfoot territory to meet people who are raising buffalo and buffalo consciousness – educating others on the ecological, biological and spiritual importance of this sacred creature. It’s also a time of celebration as an agreement between nearly 70 Nations – the Buffalo Treaty – turns 10 years old.
Medical experiments, forced sterilization, incidents of racism that lead to patient deaths – these are just a few of the historic and ongoing harms against Indigenous people in hospitals across Canada. The Canadian Medical Association has acknowledged and apologized for it, but what comes next? Rosanna speaks with three leaders in the medical field about the way forward.
Muirah Yuta
seedkeeper- Diane Wilson
Kevin Potter
After hearing the song Breathless on Q I can't get enough of Williams music.His lyrics and devotion to honesty makes his music and his stories captivating.Thanks for being real in every way.Hope to see him when he comes to London, Ontario.