Monday, August 22, 2022 – Merging Native languages with braille

The resurgence of language revitalization helps keep cultural connections and exercise sovereignty. Those connections are diminished somewhat for those who are visually impaired and can’t read the written page. But there are those who are taking on the work of merging Native languages with braille, extending the full power of their culture to more of their citizens. Monday on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce speaks with Carol Begay Green (Diné), teacher of students with visual impairments at Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind; students Heather Joe and Bryant Becenti (Diné); and Christine Muise, contract Braille transcriber and tactile illustrator.

Tuesday, August 23, 2022 – How the Inflation Reduction Act helps Earth

The new legislation just signed into law includes unprecedented investment into measures intended to reduce climate change. It sends millions of dollars to tribal projects, but also keeps in place reliance on polluters. Tuesday on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce finds how the Inflation Reduction Act is a boost for the planet.

Wednesday, August 24, 2022 – The latest in repatriation efforts

The Alabama Department of Archives and History is the latest institution going through a repatriation process starting this month. The museum, which has dozens of human remains and hundreds of Indigenous funerary objects in its collection, hasn’t been in compliance with the Native American Graves Protection & Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) of 1990. And in Montana, several items were repatriated from the University of Missoula and will now be in the care of the Fort Peck Interpretive Center. Several other institutions still have collections containing thousands of human remains and objects that fall under NAGPRA but it’s been slow work to get actual objects back into the care of tribes. Wednesday on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce talks with repatriation advocates about current efforts.

Thursday, August 25, 2022 – Native outlaws

Saddle up ’cause Thursday on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce looks at the history of Native and Indigenous outlaws like the Apache Kid and Cherokee Bill.

Stay connected to NativeAmericaCalling.com and our social channels for updates on this episode.

Friday, August 26, 2022 – The Menu: Farm Bill and Navajo Pizza

The Farm Bill is a huge piece of legislation dealing with every aspect of agriculture and nutrition and it’s set to be reauthorized in 2023. That’s a change for Native food advocates to insert critical policies, change old policies, and promote food sovereignty. Plus, an entrepreneur opens a pizza shop in a small town on the Navajo Nation. Friday on Native America Calling, Andi Murphy serves up a new helping of “The Menu,” our regular roundup of the Native food movement.

 

NativeAmericaCalling.com

Monday, August 15, 2022 – The new book-banning trend

With some success, Native Americans have fought hard to have their voices heard in the narratives about them by predominantly non-Native sources. Those gains are under assault by a new surge of efforts to ban books by Native authors and other works that challenge colonial conventional wisdom. Monday on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce gets a sampling of books that well-meaning parents, administrators, and policy-makers want to keep off of school reading lists and public spaces with Dr. Debbie Reese (Nambe Pueblo), founder of American Indians in Children’s Literature blog; Kevin Maillard (Seminole), author and professor of Law at Syracuse University; Mandi Harris (Cherokee), a children’s librarian and PhD student in Information Science at the University of Washington; and Lynette Dial (Lumbee), a library supervisor for Hoke County Library.

Tuesday, August 16, 2022 – The legacy of Elvis for Native Americans

During his peak, Elvis Presley’s appeal crossed cultural boundaries. His profound popularity continues to resonate with many Native Americans, including a handful who are Elvis impersonators – and a hilarious reference on the hit series Dark Winds. On the anniversary of his death in 1977, Shawn Spruce checks in with Elvis fans about what the King of Rock and Roll means to them these many years later.

Wednesday, August 17, 2022 – Turning around threats to salmon

A federal court ruling has implications for Southeast Alaska commercial salmon fishing. The ruling says federal fisheries officials neglected to consider dwindling orca populations when approving Chinook salmon harvests. At the same time, tribes in the Pacific Northwest are putting additional pressure on federal officials to come up with a sustainable plan for endangered salmon in the Snake River system. Wednesday on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce gets updates on trouble spots for salmon.

Thursday, August 18, 2022 – Live at the 100th Santa Fe Indian Market

It survived the Termination Era, The Depression, a World War, and, most recently, a pandemic. The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts marks the 100^th Santa Fe Indian Market, a place to buy works directly from artists, to experience the creative vision of Native designers, and watch films by Indigenous filmmakers. Thursday on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce is live from the Market and gets a rundown of this year’s schedule and reviews the evolution of this major achievement of Native creativity and commerce.

Friday, August 19, 2022 – Live at the 100th Santa Fe Indian Market 

Artists from hundreds of Native nations are tending to their booths in the streets of Santa Fe, selling works they’ve labored for months to prepare. SWAIA’s Santa Fe Indian Market has come a long way in 100 years. Friday on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce is live from Indian Market for day two and will be joined by artists, designers, and organizers to get a feel for what’s in store for the next century.

NativeAmericaCalling.com