Monday, November 29, 2021 – Making strides in Native-led school curricula
A survey in 2019 backed by the National Congress of American Indians concluded that the lack of access to adequate funding, equitable curricula, and professional development hinders suitable Native American lessons in schools. The good news is many states since then have recognized those barriers and are making strides to introduce Native-led curricula into schools. The state of Minnesota, for instance, is committing an extra $1.3 million for recruiting and training Native teachers, bringing in more input from Native educators and connecting better with Native students.

Tuesday, November 30, 2021 – Uncovering the history of U.S. boarding schools
Researchers in Nebraska have worked for years to find and organize documents from the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School. Part of the project includes identifying students who were buried on school grounds whose records were lost over the years. As the federal government begins its scrutiny of the country’s boarding schools, we’ll hear about what it takes to adequately uncover the truth about the 300 schools aimed at forced assimilation of Native children.

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 – Music Maker: PIQSIQ
The Indigenous voice has a lot of power. That power is amplified when it echoes the sounds of our Indigenous nations. The Indigenous artistry of Inuksuk Mackay (Inuit) and Tiffany Ayalik (Inuit), known as PIQSIQ, exemplify that power with their latest album “Live from Christ Church Cathedral.” You hear Inuit throat singing in a space that the duo says was once forbidden and highlights a lively moment in time when the duo improvised on the spot. Each song narrates a part of the journey to resist the colonization that once demonized Inuit culture and identity.

Thursday, December 2, 2021 – Taking control of the Food Distribution Program
The Oneida and Lummi nations and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium are among those taking part in an effort to operate their own federal commodity food programs, known as “Commods”. The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservation’s Self-Determination Demonstration Project offers authorization to tribes under Public Law 93-638 to select foods included in program food packages for the first time. It’s a big step toward tribal food sovereignty and a move that could boost local and tribal food economies.

Friday, December 3, 2021 – Connecting with small Native businesses
It’s the time of year many small Native businesses rely on for a major portion of their annual income. There are always challenges to stand out among the big box stores and online retailers during the gift-giving season. In addition to the ongoing pandemic, many small merchants have to also cope with difficulties getting materials through a supply chain slowdown. We’ll check in with some Native sellers about the joys and difficulties of this time of year.

Monday, November 22, 2021 – Federal boost for language and culture
From the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana’s living history installation to the Red Lake Nation’s charter school, dozens of tribes are devoting emergency federal relief aid to projects to preserve traditional language and culture. The U.S. Government is distributing close to $88 million in American Rescue Plan funding to some 300 arts and cultural institutions, including tribal projects. We’ll hear how plans are coming along for some selected tribes.

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 – What do tribes get out of the massive federal infrastructure bill?
The $1-trillion infrastructure bill just signed by President Biden is an unprecedented infusion of federal funds for thousands of projects across the country. Tribal leaders applauded the action that could go toward beefing up water systems at Warm Springs, Oregon, the Navajo Nation and parts of rural Alaska. Other funds will go toward broadband connections and helping coastal tribes cope with climate change. We’ll get a picture of the opportunities for what many tribes are calling a ‘historic’ opportunity.

Wednesday, November 24, 2021 – The Menu: more new restaurants and food books
Crystal Wahpepah (Kickapoo and Sac and Fox) opened Wahpepah’s Kitchen in Oakland, California, one of the area’s first Native restaurants, after years of catering and teaching diners about the richness of Indigenous food. Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz (Tewa and Chicana) debuts her book “Earth Medicines,” a collection of healthy recipes and ancestral knowledge. Native America Calling’s resident foodie Andi Murphy explores the latest developments in Indigenous food and food sovereignty.

Thursday, November 25, 2021 – Slavery from an Indigenous perspective
The scourge of slavery was an unfortunate reality for Indigenous people in the history of North America. Spanish colonizers set in motion a complicated legacy of slavery throughout the Americas that changed identity, culture and relationships forever. We’ll talk about the history and legacy of Indigenous slavery and get insights from speakers with the National Museum of the American Indian’s symposium, “The Other Slavery: Histories of Indian Bondage from New Spain to the Southwestern United States.” (This is an encore show so we won’t be taking listeners’ calls)

Friday, November 26, 2021 – Effective solutions to ending stereotypical displays
A viral video of a California teacher resorting to objectionable Native stereotypes in the classroom begs the question: what will it take to get the message across? Some pockets of the population remain blind to mandatory diversity training and public education campaigns designed to end culturally insensitive comments and actions. (This is an encore show so we won’t be taking listeners’ calls)

Monday, November 15, 2021 – Teaching Well: Pueblo wisdom curriculum
Pueblo educators have just updated a K-12 curriculum and teacher training regimen for New Mexico schools designed from a Native viewpoint. It offers guidance on Pueblo history and culture with a basis in Pueblo core values including respect, compassion, balance and service. The original idea stemmed from the state’s celebration of 100 years of statehood, which also didn’t fully incorporate Pueblo historical contributions and wisdom.

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 – Structural inequities cost additional Native lives during the pandemic
Many Native nations suffered disproportionate harm from the COVID-19 pandemic. New research suggests state and federal policy decisions and long standing structural inequities increased the magnitude of the pandemic for Native people and unnecessarily cost additional lives. We’ll talk with the researchers about the study and hear from tribal leaders and health officials about what they are experiencing.

Wednesday, November 17, 2021 – Book of the Month: “Gaa-Pi-Izhiwebak”
The Aanjibimaadizing, a program of the Mille Lacs Band, is committed to keeping Indigenous language thriving. To help this mission along they launched a project to bring their language to the pages of a multi-book series. We are putting the spotlight on the latest book in the collection “Gaa-Pi-Izhiwebak.” It features stories that stem from cultural teachings, histories and memories that a group of tribal elders hold dear. We’ll hear from those involved in the project including the book’s illustrator who had the charge of rendering elders’ stories into colorful images.

Thursday, November 18, 2021 – The COP26 Indigenous outlook
The organizers of the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland faced criticism that attendees heard little from the very groups that are most affected by climate change around the globe. Indigenous people, youth and women clamored to have their voices included in the climate discussions. We’ll hear from those who were there to assess the benefits and missteps of the recently-concluded event.

Friday, November 19, 2021 – Cultural Connection: turkeys
Navajo, Hopi, Shawnee and Creek tribes are among the many Native nations that have turkey clans. Southwest tribes domesticated the bird long before settlers arrived and the animal is a character in many tribal stories. At a time of the year when the bird plays a big role on the dinner table, we’ll look at the significance of turkeys from a Native perspective.

Monday, November 8, 2021 – Huy: helping Indigenous prison inmates
A program in Washington State works to protect the legal rights of Native inmates in prison. Huy works to maintain access to Native ceremonies and traditional medicine. But they also help expand educational, vocational and economic opportunities. The program is designed to improve inmates’ chances for success once the re-enter society.

Tuesday, November 9, 2021 – Native New York
So many school students and members of the public are subjected to myths and misinformation about the tribes in what is now New York. Three separate exhibitions are currently offering Native-informed perspectives on the current and historical role tribes play in the region. Native New York at the Native American Museum of the American Indian New York takes visitors to 12 present-day New York City destinations that have ties to the Haudenosaunee, Lenape, Mohawk and other tribes. It includes a curriculum for 4-6 graders that teachers can access for accurate and respectful classroom lessons.

Thursday, November 11, 2021 – Stories by veterans
The stories by Native American veterans offer lasting messages of both courage and healing. The Citizen Potawatomi Nation is among the tribes working to preserve their veterans’ stories. The Tribal Heritage Project is recording the memories of their citizens who served in the U.S. Military. We’ll discuss the importance of the project from both sides of the camera lens and hear some of the stories that will forever be part of the Nation’s legacy.

Friday, November 12, 2021 – Triumph, heartbreak and bareback horse relay racing
The documentary film, “Pure Grit,” follows a young champion as she competes in the exhilarating and dangerous sport of horse relay racing. It’s more than a movie about competition; With visuals of both breakneck action and quiet, kitchen table confessions, it delves into the personal successes and setbacks of rider Sharmaine Weed and her family on the Wind River Reservation.

 

Monday, November 1, 2021 – The legacy of the Santa Fe Trail
The start of the Santa Fe Trail turns 200 this year. For most of that time the narrative of the influential route that took scores of settlers and U.S. Army soldiers across established Native land has been told from a non-Native perspective. Although it’s mainly a story of displacement and violence, the full history is richer and more nuanced. We’ll hear the Native side of the history and legacy of the Santa Fe Trail.

Tuesday, November 2, 2021 – The shame of the Braves
After a three game stretch in Atlanta during Major League Baseball’s premiere event, audiences worldwide will have witnessed multiple examples of the objectionable ‘tomahawk chop’ and a chant borne from ill-informed Native stereotypes. As Atlanta and Houston battle for the World Series title, we revisit the ongoing efforts to by professional sports teams to hang on to names and images that denigrate Native people and culture.

Wednesday, November 3, 2021 – Financial fallout of divorce
Divorce takes a major emotional toll. It also usually brings a significant financial burden as well. Couples that have combined resources and bank accounts now have to fairly divide up assets and face the reality of going it alone again. There are also lawyer’s fees, child support and other considerations. Native couples also might face residency restrictions on tribal land once they’re no longer married. We’ll find out about ways Native couples can face the realities of divorce without making a difficult process harder.

Thursday, November 4, 2021 – Catholic reconciliation in Canada?
Pope Francis is scheduled to meet with an Indigenous delegation when he visits Canada in December. His trip is billed as part “of the long-standing pastoral process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.” It comes after the discovery of hundreds of potential unmarked grave sites on the grounds of former residential schools operated by the church. The schools housed mainly Indigenous children who were forced to attend. We’ll explore the significance of the visit and what it might accomplish.

Friday, November 5, 2021 – Woodstock remembered
A group of young Native artists received VIP treatment leading up to what became the storied event starting on August 15, 1969. They were excited to offer their work to a new East Coast audience and take in the impressive line-up of musical acts. But they were in for a big surprise as the adventure on Max Yasgur’s farm in New York took on a life of its own and became a historic gathering. We’ll get remembrances from those who were there and what the experience means to them now.