Native America Calling
1,942 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 106 ratingsInteractive, daily program featuring Native and Indigenous voices, insights, and stories from across the U.S. and around the world.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
04-13-18 The social media privacy conundrum
April 13, 2018 18:06 - 59 minutes - 27 MBAre you having to make the choice between liking your cousin’s baby pictures and protecting your privacy? Your actions on Facebook and other social media leave an invisible footprint that companies pay a lot of money to uncover. If you’re on Facebook it’s likely your political preferences, shopping habits, educational status and other information is in the hands of sophisticated marketers. If you’re not on Facebook, you might be missing out on updates about friends and family across the count...
04-12-18 Elders as teachers
April 12, 2018 18:34 - 59 minutes - 27 MBElder wisdom is greatly valued in many Native nations. It isn’t usually something that makes its way into the university setting, however. But a handful of Native studies programs are inviting elders in as lecturers, mentors and tutors. They provide traditional knowledge and expand the resources available to students
04-11-18 The best thing to do with your tax refund
April 11, 2018 18:19 - 59 minutes - 27 MBApril is a good time to brush up on sound money management principles. We’ve all heard that following a budget is a good practice. But what other words of wisdom about money are good to follow? Student loans, cell phone bills, and relatives down on their luck all eat into the daily effort to build a personal nest egg. Experts advise you to start good habits early, have a plan and stick with it. We’ll talk with experts and young folks about money mistakes and wins.
04-11-18 The best thing to do with your tax refund
April 11, 2018 18:13 - 59 minutes - 27 MBApril is a good time to brush up on sound money management principles. We’ve all heard that following a budget is a good practice. But what other words of wisdom about money are good to follow? Student loans, cell phone bills, and relatives down on their luck all eat into the daily effort to build a personal nest egg. Experts advise you to start good habits early, have a plan and stick with it. We’ll talk with experts and young folks about money mistakes and wins.
04-10-18 Native business women gather strength
April 10, 2018 18:19 - 59 minutes - 27 MBNative women make up half of all business owners in Native America according to estimates in the most recent “State of Woman-Owned Business Report” by American Express. At the same time they represent one of the smallest fractions of business owners in the country. The organizers of the first ever Native Women’s Business Summit aim to capitalize on the intelligence, creativity and resourcefulness Native women bring to their endeavors. But they also recognize Native women often have to overcom...
04-09-18 An hour of Native poetry
April 09, 2018 18:29 - 59 minutes - 27 MBWe’re turning the mic over to Native poets to celebrate National Poetry Month. Their words can take readers and listeners on an intimately personal journey. They can also provide artistic narration for social and cultural movements. Which Native poets inspire you? Join our show and pitch in your own short poem.
04-06-18 The crackdown on public protests
April 06, 2018 18:11 - 59 minutes - 27 MBSince the violent clashes between Dakota Access Pipeline protesters and law enforcement officers, states have passed dozens of laws restricting public protests and increasing penalties for convictions. Most recently, the Wyoming legislature passed a bill that would fine organizations as much as $1 million if they are found supporting protests that impede ‘critical infrastructure.’ The governor vetoed the measure. The First Amendment does not give permission to break laws, but protests and civ...
04-05-18 Remembering James Luna
April 05, 2018 18:18 - 59 minutes - 27 MBArtist James Luna (Luiseño/ Ipai/Mexican) famously put his own body on display as a museum artifact in 1987. Later, he divided his face in two with his work, “Half Indian/Half Mexican,” a photo commentary on “the absurdity of being of measurability mixed blood ancestry.” In 2014 he reimagined Ishi, the last of the Yahi tribe, with photography. Last month the Native art world mourned when Luna unexpectedly walked on at the age of 68. We’ll remember his art and life with family and friends.
04-04-18 Tackling a dropout crisis on Tohono O’odham Nation
April 04, 2018 18:10 - 59 minutes - 27 MBLess than half of students graduated from Tohono O’odham Nation high schools a decade ago. It was a wake-up call for the superintendent at the time, Alberto Siqueiros. He set the school on a plan to improve graduation rates, test scores and overall performance. He cleaned house, removing half the district’s staff and raising teacher salaries. Today one high school in the school district sees 87-percent of their students graduate. We’ll talk with him and others about the successes and challeng...
04-03-18 Through the Generations: Summer camps
April 03, 2018 18:11 - 59 minutes - 27 MBFor the past 29 years, the Keex’ Kwaan Culture Camp in Kake, Alaska has helped link the community’s Native youth to their elders and culture. In Albuquerque, N.M., the Traditional Teachings Camp from the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center invites urban youth to learn about Pueblo culture through cultural activities and gardening. In the next in our series, Through the Generations, we’ll take a look at several tribally-run summer camps that focus on linking Native youth, elders and land traditions....
04-02-18 Soothing seasonal allergies
April 02, 2018 18:13 - 59 minutes - 27 MBThe trees are budding, flowers are blooming and in some places the pollen count already has allergy sufferers staying inside. More than 50 million people experience allergies each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are many kinds of allergies, like seasonal allergies and animal allergies, and a wide range of symptoms including itchy eyes, congestion and anaphylactic shock. In this program, we’ll break down the causes and treatments for allergies while exp...
03-30-18 March in the News
March 30, 2018 18:11 - 59 minutes - 27 MBIndian Country Today is back with veteran journalist Mark Trahant (Shoshone/Bannock) as the editor. We’ll talk with him about what new innovations and directions the revived ICT will incorporate. We’ll also talk about disappearing red abalone numbers in California. We hear from journalists covering recent important issues in Native America. It’s our regular news round up.
03-29-18 Book of the Month: “That’s What They Used to Say” by Donald Fixico
March 29, 2018 18:11 - 59 minutes - 27 MBIn certain Native communities, what gets passed on orally to future generations can be a wealth of Indigenous knowledge. But how much value do we place on this process in modern times? This month our featured author Donald Fixico (Shawnee/Sac and Fox/Mvskoke Creek/Seminole) explores what accessing this type of information sharing does for tribal communities. He hones in on his own experience and explains the role storytellers play in forming Native identity. “That’s What They Used to Say: Ref...
03-28-18 Johnson-O’Malley: More than school supplies
March 28, 2018 18:13 - 59 minutes - 27 MBWhen Oglala Lakota educator Robert Cook’s son came to him asking for a violin to play in the school orchestra, he told him the family didn’t have the money for the instrument. But the Johnson-O’Malley Program in their tribe was able to provide the funds for the instrument, creating a lifelong musician. Since 1934 the JOM has provided funding for American Indian and Alaska Native students in public school. The money provides school supplies, cultural activities and other enrichment for Native ...
03-27-18 Traditional influence, classical composition
March 27, 2018 18:12 - 59 minutes - 27 MBWhen Chickasaw classical composer, Jerod Tate creates music he’s always “feeling ethos, romance and deep feelings about Indian people,” he said. In some of his newest works, Tate tells traditional stories through large orchestrated oratorios. Another composer, Wolastoqiyik Jeremy Dutcher, based in Canada, is honoring his people’s language by composing music around old wax cylinder recordings from 1910. These two Indigenous artists will join us to talk about telling stories through classical m...
03-26-18 ‘I’ll publish it myself’: Native zines
March 26, 2018 18:23 - 59 minutes - 27 MBIn the age when people publish instantly on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and their own blogs, it might be difficult to see where zines—low-tech, photocopied, self-published magazines—have a place. But they’re still around. You might find them laying around at your local coffee shop or alternative bookstore. The zine publisher might print one out and mail it to you. Kayla Shaggy’s (Diné and Anishinaabe) zine, “Monstrous,” is filled with drawings of monsters. She says the format offers “the fre...
03-23-18 March Music Maker: DDAT
March 23, 2018 18:22 - 59 minutes - 27 MBA blend of funk, jazz and Indigenous hip-hop soul is what happens when DDAT steps on the stage. In their self-titled album DDAT is showing what happens when music genres dance together. The group is comprised of Navajo MC Def-I and the Delbert Anderson Trio, whose members have ties to the Navajo Nation. The rapid pace of rhyme and lyrics is what the group calls a pure fusion fire of tracks. We'll hear about the process of making the DDAT sound.
03-22-18 The artist's hustle
March 22, 2018 18:19 - 59 minutes - 27 MBArt for the sake of art is great, but for many artists, at some point bills need to be paid. That moment when real cash money is exchanged for hard work can be exhilarating. But there are a lot of questions about getting to that point and how to keep it going. What is a fair price to ask for your art work? Do you charge by the hour or by the inch? And what do you do when customers think you are asking too much? We’ll talk with artists and experts about the business side of art.
03-21-18 Help for unsheltered relatives
March 21, 2018 18:10 - 59 minutes - 27 MBWarming shelters for the homeless in Rapid City are well-intentioned but ultimately “do more harm than good” says Police Chief Karl Jegeris. He says the shelters are partly to blame for the recent deaths of Connie Red Nest and Ernie Evans. Officials believe they died of exposure in sub-zero temperatures. Rapid City is just one place working against the odds to try and help people—many of them Native Americans—who don’t have a safe harbor from weather, violence, and their own addictions. Shelt...
03-20-18 Strategies for safe schools
March 20, 2018 18:15 - 59 minutes - 54 MBThe shooting at a Parkland, Florida high school sparked a new level of discussion about school safety and gun policy. It culminated most recently with a nationwide walkout by thousands of students protesting the inability to effectively address gun violence. The discussion rarely gets much past arming teachers on one side and banning certain guns on the other. Native school administrators and teachers are continually looking for ways to protect their students. We’ll talk about some of the rea...
03-19-18 Protecting personal sacred items
March 19, 2018 18:21 - 58 minutes - 27 MBThe Transportation Security Administration is requiring cultural sensitivity training for agents at selected airports. That comes after the TSA settled a lawsuit with the Native American Church over agents mishandling sacred items. The lawsuit articulates the persistent problem of non-Native people undermining Native culture and belief by reaching out to touch Native regalia, eagle feathers, hair or sacred items without permission. In this case the traveler asked the agent to avoid desecratin...
03-16-18 Native 20-somethings changing the world
March 16, 2018 18:24 - 59 minutes - 27 MBA group of Indigenous 20-somethings gathered last summer to answer two questions: What does healing mean to your generation? How does your generation heal? Organizers scheduled a two hours conversation. It ended spanning seven hours and left the participants with a mission to create change. They issued themselves a momentous challenge to end intergenerational trauma with their generation. We talk with members of the Indigenous 20-Something Project about how they plan to achieve this task.
03-15-18 Native Radio in the Spotlight: KSUT Tribal Radio
March 15, 2018 18:15 - 59 minutes - 27 MBKSUT is one of the pioneers of Native radio. The Southern Ute Tribe’s station started in 1976 in Ignacio, Colo. Most of the programming back then was in the Ute language. It has grown over the years and is now a go-to place for Native programming, music and cultural affairs. A new documentary, “Tribal Radio,” is also helping to tell their story. We throw the spotlight on this tribal radio station to hear how they’re making a difference.
03-14-18 State championship madness!
March 14, 2018 18:10 - 59 minutes - 27 MBBasketball madness is upon us and many high school teams from Native communities are vying for state championships. High school basketball is one of the main events for Native athletes and fans. The competition brings out some serious talent from players and an entertaining Friday night for enthusiastic crowds. We’ll talk with some coaches about their seasons and how basketball plays a vital role in their communities.
03-13-18 The disproportionate Indigenous prison rate in Canada
March 13, 2018 18:10 - 59 minutes - 27 MBCompared to the United States, Canada incarcerates a small number of people. But who Canada locks up is alarming. A report in the Canadian news magazine MacLean’s found that while incarceration rates are falling overall, they are surging for Indigenous people. The increase is more than double for Indigenous women over the last decade. The article finds Indigenous people are ten times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. Critics point to racism and a criminal justice system ...
03-12-18 Sherman Alexie: talent, celebrity, and harassment
March 12, 2018 18:13 - 59 minutes - 27 MBThree women are on the record with allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct against writer Sherman Alexie (Coeur d'Alene). More allegations could surface. Alexie issued a preemptive response to the allegations with a statement admitting “there are women telling the truth about my behavior” but also stating he has “no recollection of…threatening anybody or their careers.” It’s bringing up larger questions about sexual assault or harassment in Native America. What do the alleg...
03-09-18 Native women on the ballot
March 09, 2018 19:11 - 59 minutes - 27 MBFour Native women are throwing their hats into the ring for the chance to become the first Native woman elected to the U.S. Congress. In addition there are two Native women running for governor and one for lieutenant governor. What’s behind the surge in Native female candidates? We’ll get insights from some of them about what prompted their run for office and what issues they think are important.
03-08-18 Sacred Journeys: a Native artist collaboration
March 08, 2018 19:15 - 59 minutes - 27 MBTwo-time Grammy award winner, Robert Mirabal (Taos Pueblo) and renowned ballet dancer and instructor Jock Soto (Navajo) are teaming up for an live production honoring Native culture and history in New Mexico. The stage production is a combination of dance, music and spoken word. They’ll join us in Studio 49 to talk about their collaboration and their decades of influential work.
03-07-18 Life decisions
March 07, 2018 19:18 - 59 minutes - 27 MBAdvance directives or living wills deal with the painful discussions about the end of life and resorting to artificial life support. But one health organization in Alaska is taking a different approach to the subject. They are starting with a simple question ‘how do you want to live’? In classes and conversations, health professionals are guiding people through the process of creating a legal document that let’s loved ones know their wishes in case of accident or major health issue. They tack...
03-06-18 Natives behind the decks
March 06, 2018 19:12 - 59 minutes - 27 MBWhen you think of “Native American music” flutes and drums probably come to mind right away, right? But that’s not all there is. Native musicians are producing tunes in every genre. They’re even engineering their own sounds by mixing music and audio from wherever their imagination takes them. In this program, we’ll hear what it sounds like when a Native DJ gets behind the decks and scratches up some records
03-05-18 Teaching difficult topics
March 05, 2018 19:14 - 59 minutes - 27 MBA book on Canadian residential schools was too traumatic for a third grader according to one mother who complained to the CBC. The book, I am Not a Number, tells a story of a Jenny Kay Dupuis’ grandmother, a residential school survivor. The school apologized for sending the book home, but the incident brings up a good question: when is it appropriate to introduce difficult topics like boarding schools, genocide and forced removal of Native people? We’ll talk with educational experts about how...
03-02-18 Breaking down traditional food barriers
March 02, 2018 19:17 - 59 minutes - 27 MBTraditional foods like caribou and seal meat were not on the menu at an elder care center in Kotzebue, Alaska. That’s because the center couldn’t allow anything the U.S. Food and Drug Administration didn’t approve of. Some residents went from their traditional diets to eating cafeteria spaghetti and packaged pudding. That all changed when the Maniilaq Association helped build a traditional foods processing center. Tribes are finding the importance of restoring traditional diets for their peop...
03-01-18 ”I want to thank the Academy…”
March 01, 2018 19:20 - 59 minutes - 27 MBThe good news is the list of Native artists voting in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences grew by three in the past year. The bad news is no film featuring Native actors, characters or story lines was nominated for an Oscar. Still, there were some notable films to talk about, including the Hollywood dramas “Wind River,” and “Hostiles,” and a documentary about Wilma Mankiller. As we gear up for the film industry’s biggest night, we will look back at some of the highlights for Nativ...
02-28-18 Treating addicted babies
February 28, 2018 19:16 - 59 minutes - 27 MBThe opioid epidemic continues to rise and affect families. Pregnant mothers can expose their unborn children to these addictive substances while in the womb. The newborns face what’s known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), and it can lead to serious health problems. We’ll talk about treatments for addicted Native mothers, caring for babies with NAS, the short and long term medical problems, and the resources available.
02-27-18 Building bridges through archaeology
February 27, 2018 19:16 - 59 minutes - 27 MBIf done right, the discipline of archaeology is a powerful tool to help tell the stories of the past. But archaeologists haven’t always adequately respected Native culture, leading to mistrust between tribes and outside scientists. New methods are taking hold and more Native people are bringing their perspectives to the field. More and more, tribes are finding ways to collaborate with those who study the past. We’ll talk with a Native archaeologist who encourages others to consider archaeolog...
02-26-18 The realities of Trump’s proposed budget
February 26, 2018 19:16 - 59 minutes - 27 MBIf history’s any guide, President Trump’s most recent budget proposal has zero chance of passing Congress intact. But the spending decisions tell a story of the administration’s priorities. On one side, the budget includes an increase to the Indian Health Service, including funding for opioid addiction programs. But it also calls for cuts to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Indian Child Welfare Act, and Native housing help. The administration also proposes eliminating a handful of programs—l...
02-23-18 February in the news
February 23, 2018 19:07 - 59 minutes - 27 MBA lot of news happens during the sweetest, shortest month of the year. We’ll talk with Native journalists who are covering big issues that face Native America. From national policy to tribal politics, we’ll take time to check in with journalists, newsmakers and others about the important issues of the day. Join us for our regular news round-up.
02-22-18 Book of the Month: “Heart Berries” by Terese Marie Mailhot
February 22, 2018 19:07 - 59 minutes - 27 MB“Heart Berries” is memoir that takes readers to a reality that counters a Hollywood romanticized version of what it means to be an Indigenous person. Terese Marie Mailhot from the Seabird Island Indian Reservation doesn’t hold back on what it means to live through a heavy childhood and everything after. She gives insights from her deepest thoughts and reflections on healing from trauma and all that she’s witnessed. Join us for our February Book of the Month to hear about Mailhot’s journey.
02-21-18 After the Colten Boushie verdict
February 21, 2018 19:18 - 59 minutes - 27 MBA white Canadian farmer is cleared in the shooting death of Colten Boushie, a Cree man from the Red Pheasant First Nation. The verdict from a jury with no apparent Indigenous members prompted an angry outcry and calls to address flaws in the justice system. The premier of Saskatchewan says there needs to be a dialogue on racism across Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented an agenda to Parliament that would overhaul relations between the government and Indigenous peoples. Can this tr...
02-20-18 Through the Generations: the new Native ranchers
February 20, 2018 19:14 - 59 minutes - 27 MBKelsey Ducheneaux (Cheyenne River Sioux), 24, is a fourth generation rancher and owner of DX Beef. She’s one of a handful of Native farmers and ranchers under the age of 25. The USDA’s Census of Agriculture counted 293 of them in 2012. She’s also the youth programs coordinator for the Intertribal Agriculture Council, helping promote interest in ranching among young Native Americans. Some tribes, organizations and individuals are working to connect the wisdom from elders in the industry to the...
02-19-18 Marijuana’s controversial cousin: hemp
February 19, 2018 19:17 - 59 minutes - 27 MBGrowing hemp is not as simple as putting seeds into the ground. The St. Croix Chippewa Indians tribe in Wisconsin is suing the state’s attorney general. It’s legal to grow hemp in the state, but the tribe insists they shouldn’t have to submit to the state’s oversight. Other tribes are also getting pushback in their attempts to turn hemp into a cash crop. The plant is related to marijuana but does not contain the psychoactive effects. It is listed as a Schedule I drug by the Drug Enforcement A...
02-16-18 The State of Indian Nations
February 16, 2018 19:09 - 59 minutes - 27 MBThe new president of the National Congress of American Indians, Jefferson Keel (Chickasaw Nation) delivers the State of Indian Nations address. This is Keel’s third nonconsecutive term as NCAI president. We’ll bring you the speech as well as the congressional response.