Archives for December 2017
NAC: Jan. 1 – 5 2018
Monday, January 1, 2018 — Bowling in Native America
(Encore show) Whether you bowled a few games as a kid, or you’re still striving for that perfect 300 game, you know the fun bowling alleys offer in the New Year. The sound of bowling pins crashing at the end of the lane is music to a bowling enthusiast’s ears. The sport has a significant Native following. There is a lot of talent heading to Native bowling tournaments year-round. We talk to a few Native bowlers about the sport and why Native leagues are so popular.
Tuesday, January 2, 2018 – Books for young readers
Colors in the Cree language, the Indian Child Welfare Act, and stealing Native bone marrow are a few of the topics covered in books on one list of the best Native books of 2017. Debbie Reese (Nambé Pueblo) spends her time reading and scrutinizing children’s literature that features Native themes and characters for the blog American Indians in Children’s Literature. Reese helps sort out the exceptional books from those that sink into stereotypes or misinformation.
Wednesday, January 3, 2018 – Scholarships abound
It’s never too early to think about applying for scholarships to help pay for college. There are a number of scholarships available specifically for Native students. The Cobell Scholarship, the American Indian College Fund, the American Indian Graduate Center and The American Indian Science and Engineering Society are just a few organizations that help Native students with college tuition costs. We’ve got a few experts who can offer advice for navigating the scholarship field.
Thursday, January 4, 2018 – Remembering those who walked on
Chief Irving Powless Jr., Daha’tgatdohs, Beaver Clan Chief of the Onondaga Nation walked on in November. The Navy veteran, was known for fighting for the treaty rights of his tribe as well as playing lacrosse. He’s one of the notable people we’ll talk about in our annual show to honor those who walked on in 2017.
Friday, January 5, 2018 — Boys With Braids
A Facebook video of a First Nations boy responding to school bullies at school who teased him because of his long hair has been viewed almost 1 million times. Still, eight-year-old Mylon McArthur insisted his mother cut his braids because he wanted to stop the teasing. Boys With Braids organizers encourage men and boys to wear their long hair with pride and aim to educate others about the importance and meaning of Native hair.
Ready or Not: Here comes 2018
Photo Credit: Official White House Photo by Stephanie Chasez
President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks on tax reform in the Grand Foyer at the White House, Wednesday, December 13, 2017, in Washington, D.C. , announcing that Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate have agreed on a deal on Tax Reform legislation.
The year 2017 has been, well, let’s just say interesting.
This is Trahant Reports.
We saw the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as president. That meant the immediate rollback of Obama era regulations on everything from the climate to public health.
Indian Country is very much in the thick of this debate.
One of the president’s first acts was to reverse the Obama administration demand for an environmental impact statement at Standing Rock. No time for such niceties. Drill, baby, drill! It wasn’t long before oil was flowing through the Dakota Access Pipeline. But if President Trump and his oil company allies thought that was the end of the debate … they are sorely mistaken. It’s a long battle over energy, the climate, and the nation’s priorities.
The president and his Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke wasted no time in going after National Monuments such as Bear’s Ears in southern Utah. The administration supposedly “studied” the issue but the results were known long before the investigation began. These monuments were to be made smaller (opening up more potential oil and gas development).
The Trump administration is dealing with the impacts of climate change every day: Massive storms in Alaska; fires in California; and, hurricanes on the Atlantic and Caribbean oceans. But instead of coming up with a plan, the Trump government said it would withdraw from the international framework on climate change.
Speaking of priorities, the Congress took on legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But even that framework was misleading. Because the idea was bigger: It was to turn Medicaid into a block grant program for the states. That would cut millions of people off insurance rolls — and make it that much harder for the Indian Health Service to serve patients.
But here’s the thing: An interesting coalition was built that included Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and John McCain of Arizona. Plus Democrats. So the revamping of health care did not happen.
At least in theory. Since then all Republicans have come together to agree on their favorite cause, tax cuts. This legislation was, as promised, signed into law before Christmas. The legislation sharply drops the tax bill for corporations – and the very wealthy. There are a few breaks for the rest of us, except they are tiny and don’t last very long.
And the new tax law means there will be less money going into the federal treasury. The deficit will climb. Big time. And guess what Congress will do to fix that? Cut domestic programs – such as those that serve American Indians and Alaska Natives.
So if you think 2017 was an interesting year. Get ready for 2018. It promises to be even more chaotic.
I am Mark Trahant.
Native in the Spotlight: Pomaika’i Lyman
NAC: Dec. 25 – 29
Monday, December 25, 2017 — Music Maker in review
Tiger Lee, Raye Zaragoza, Tha Yoties, and Radmilla Cody. Those are just a few of the dozen Music Makers we’ve featured on Native America Calling over the past year. We’re picking out our favorite moments and some choice tunes to liven up your holiday. Sit back and turn up the volume as we hear some graceful melodies and driving beats from some notable Native musicians. This is a pre-recorded show so we won’t take live calls, but feel free to reach out to us on our web page NativeAmericaCalling.com, on Facebook or Twitter.
Tuesday, December 26, 2017 — Native in the Spotlight: Pomaika’i Lyman
Pomaika’i Lyman (Kanaka Maoli) draws her musical inspiration from her late grandmother, “Aunty” Genoa Keawe, an iconic Hawaiian musician who performed in Hawaii and across the world. Pomaika’i’s voice and traditional Hawaiian ha’i melodies have been compared to her grandmother’s. We’re shining the spotlight on Pomaika’i to find out what’s next for her singing career and why she feels it’s important to keep the family’s musical legacy going.
Wednesday, December 27, 2017 — Jewelry: a woman’s touch
Native jewelry makers create wearable art that connects to their culture. In many tribes, men are the ones who work the metal and set the stones for earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. But there are now many Native women jewelry craftspeople. Some perfect traditional designs and materials. Others introduce new, modern elements. We’ll talk with several female jewelry makers about what inspires their expression.
Thursday, December 28, 2017 – Beating the odds: a conversation with Nicco Montaño
Nicco Montaño (Navajo) is the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first women’s flyweight champion. What’s even more impressive is she won the championship bout with a broken foot. Afterwards her hometown of Lukachukai, Ariz. welcomed her with a parade and a potluck lunch in her honor. The TV show, Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion followed her journey to the championship title. We’ll talk with Montaño about her passion for mixed martial arts and what it takes to win in the sport.
Friday, December 29, 2017 – December News
As we get ready to ring in the New Year, we’ll also catch up on the news from Native America. From national policy to tribal politics, we take time to regularly speak with journalists, newsmakers and others about the important issues of the day. We’ll also share our top 10 Native news stories from 2017. Join us for our regular news round-up.
2017 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Day 10
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The 59th Annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo concluded Saturday night December 16, 2017 in the city of lights, Las Vegas, Nevada. High-fives all around in Indian country as Navajo team roper Erich Rogers wins a world title with his partner from Arizona, Cory Petka. We have results and interviews with the 32nd rendition of the WNFR since it’s arrival in Las Vegas in 1985.
2017 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Day 9
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The 9th of 10 go rounds of Wrangler National Finals Rodeo competition concluded Friday December 15, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the 329th sold out performance at the Thomas and Mack Event Center in the past 32 years the WNFR has been in the city of lights. We have results and interviews of the go round champions and interviews for NV1 Radio Network supported by Wrangler Jeans and Shirts.
Jordan First Native American Woman to Hit Campaign Trail for Governor
Paulette Jordan is campaigning to be the Governor of Idaho.
This is Trahant Reports.
There have been very few Native Americans who have ever run for office at that level (I can think of three: Alaska’s Byron Mallott, Idaho’s Larry EchoHawk, and Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota).
Now add Jordan to that list. And she’s the first Native woman who has the audacity to ask citizens to run their state. Yay!
She also already has winning over conservative Idaho voters. Two years ago when Democrats were losing races across the country, she captured her second term as a state representative, winning by a margin of 290 votes. That might not sound like a lot, but she won during a Republican wave.
Jordan is a citizen of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.
She grew up in a farming family, Jordan says her grandparents showed her that cultivating the land was a continuation of our ancestral traditions of caring for homelands. The Coeur d’Alene peoples have cared for Idaho homelands since time immemorial and Idahoans today practice the same combination of self-sufficiency and cooperation that her grandparents once did. She told her constituents: This is what connects us to each other.
At her announcement, Jordan said, “when asked, ‘what are you going to do next to improve this world?’” She answered: “I am going to run for governor.”
Idaho once regularly elected Democrats to state office, including former Interior Secretary Cecil Andrus (who won office a record four times). These days it’s a super-majority Republican state. But things change. Idaho is also a state where the legendary National Congress of American Indians President Joe Garry served in the state senate and was a candidate for the U.S. Senate. It’s where Jeannie Givens served in the legislature and she ran for the U.S. House of Representatives (in fact, likely the first Native woman to do so). Both Garry and Givens are Coeur d’Alene tribal members. It’s also a state that that elected Larry EchoHawk, a Pawnee, first to the legislature, and later as Idaho’s state’s Attorney General. EchoHawk did lose a bid for governor. And, so yes, it’s an uphill climb for Jordan. But it’s not impossible.
One telling story about Jordan is that she lost her first race for the legislature in 2012 by less than a hundred-fifty votes. She did not give up. She went right back to work — and won two years later.
Jordan said there is even an advantage to being a member of the minority party. She said being in the majority can be insular and keep their circle small. She said: “In my family, our circle can always get bigger, and that’s what I see for Idaho. A bigger circle is what achieving justice for all looks like.”
I am Mark Trahant
Salmon fishing vs. mining in southwest Alaska
NAC: December 18 – 22
Monday, December 18, 2017 — The enduring apocalypse theme
The end of the world as we know it is a popular topic for filmmakers, writers and artists. Current real life events are also fueling apocalyptic discussions. In recent years the scientists and others who control the Doomsday Clock moved the perceived threat to its highest level since the mid-80s. Indigenous people have their own prophesies and signs of the end. They also have unique histories of resilience in the face of colonization, disease, war and foreign invasion. We’ll take on the End of Times from a Native perspective.
Tuesday, December 19, 2017 — Shifting gender discussions
“She,” “he,” “zhe” or “they”? Gender fluidity, transgender, cisgender, non-binary, genderqueer? Just keeping up with the preferred words to talk about someone’s gender is increasingly complicated. In Native America those descriptions are sometimes put into one term: “two-spirit.” We’ll talk about how awareness of gender fluidity is changing for Native Americans and everyone else. We are also asking how those with less-defined gender identity are finding ways to fit in.
Wednesday, December 20, 2017 – Pebble Mine: The Alaska Water Wars
Once nearly dead, the proposal to build a massive open-pit copper and gold mine on pristine wetlands in southwest Alaska is gaining new momentum. The Trump Administration is more favorable to the Pebble Mine project and the company pitching it is promising it will be smaller and more environmentally responsible. Some Alaska Natives representing villages closer to the proposed mine site say it offers much-needed jobs. But resistance against the mine remains strong, especially near the commercial fishing hub of Dillingham. Opponents say just building the mine would damage critical salmon spawning habitat and an accident could be disastrous to the billion dollar fishing industry. We’ll talk with representatives from both sides and hear from a reporter who just completed a five-part series weighing the threat to the environment and Indigenous cultures with the promise of economic benefit.
Thursday, December 21, 2017 – Radio’s next act: Native podcasts
Standing Rock, Native media, and even Indigenous food are some of the topics that a rising crop of Native podcasts tackle. The approaches range from serious and analytical to funny and personal. Media experts say audio podcasts can help bring marginalized issues to light by cutting out the gatekeepers between producers and the audience. At its most basic, all it takes to start is a microphone and something to record on. Edison Research finds about 40 percent of the population has listened to a podcast at least once. Are you one of them? What are your favorite podcasts?
Friday, December 22, 2017 — The new Native TV characters
The Netflix show, “Longmire,” has come to an end. The modern Western police drama broached several Native issues including the Violence Against Women Act, tribal jurisdiction and adoption of Native children by non-Native families. We’ll discuss the show’s triumphs and failures and also hear about some other promising projects that Native screenwriters and actors are bringing to the small screen.
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