Monday, June 27, 2022 – The Menu: award winners and new restaurants

The James Beard Foundation gave high honors to Owanmi for best new restaurant. The popular Indigenous restaurant in Minneapolis is a product Shawn Sherman and Dana Thompson. It’s one of a growing number of Native-run restaurant and businesses opening across the country. In the Southwest, chef Raymond Naranjo (Santa Clara Pueblo and Odawa) broke out on his own and started a new mobile food business, Manko. Today on Native America Calling’s regular feature The Menu, Andi Murphy talks with Raymond; Jacque Seigfried from Nātv; and lactation consultant Camie Goldhammer.

Tuesday, June 28, 2022 – Native women take to the skies

Commercial piloting is an industry that for decades has been largely dominated by men. But a growing number of Native women are trying to break through the glass ceiling. For many Native communities, bush and commercial piloting is an essential service to remote areas. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce hears from commercial pilots Dolena Fox (Yup’ik) and Shadunjen van Kampen (Champagne and Aishihik) as well as Daniella Pettiti (Cree), flight instructor with First Nations Technical Institute.

Wednesday June 29, 2022 — Supreme Court decisions and Indian Country

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court officially overturned Roe v. Wade, a decision that protected the right for women to choose to have an abortion. The decision sparked protests and praise on either side of the political divide. When a conservative Supreme Court can revisit and overturn an important decision like Roe v. Wade, how likely is it they’ll revisit cases like McGirt or those which affect Two-Spirit rights or tribal sovereignty? Wednesday on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce talks with legal experts about how Indian Country is affected by decisions of the Supreme Court—and could be affected by future decisions.

Thursday, June 30, 2022 — Streaming Native stories

It’s an exciting time for Native audiences to see Native stories and talent on screen. Thursday on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce reviews some new series and new seasons of Native shows that are available to stream. In “Life Below Zero: First Alaskans” (streaming on National Geographic and Disney+), we dive into four Alaska Native communities and get a taste of subsistence hunting. In “Wildhood” (streaming on Hulu), we take a road trip with a couple of Mi’kmaq youth to explore family history and Indigenous and Two-Spirit identity. And the second season of “Rutherford Falls” is out on Peacock and Alyssa Yáx̱ Ádi Yádi London sits down with key cast and crew members.

Friday, July 1, 2022 — Live from the Eastern Band of Cherokee powwow

This Friday on Native America Calling, as we head into the three-day weekend, Shawn Spruce takes you to a place that knows how to celebrate with family-friendly cultural authenticity – in a special live broadcast from Cherokee, NC. This year, the Eastern Band of Cherokee marks the 47th year for their annual powwow. The tribe promises an “explosion” of regalia, dancing competitions, food, crafts, and music – and we’ll learn more about the Qualla Boundary and Cherokee history in the Southeast.