Monday, March 29, 2021 – Groundbreaking Native women artists
Mary Thompson “Te Ata” Fisher (Chickasaw) was an actor and storyteller and one of the very first ambassadors of Native culture on stages throughout the world from the 1920s until her death in 1995. Maria Tallchief (Osage) broke barriers as a ballerina, becoming prima ballerina of the New City Ballet, all while remaining outspoken for Native rights. They are among the Native women who create memorable art and provide inspiration for artists who come after them. During March, we’re celebrating historic Native women.

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 – Traditional regard for bears
The Southern Ute tribe holds annual spring bear dances which show respect for the bear spirit. Oneida, Ojibwe and Hopi are among the many tribes that have bear clans. As spring begins, bears begin waking up from hibernation. We’ll awaken your interest in the traditional significance of bears with conversations with elders, culture bearers and biologists.

Thursday, April 1, 2021 – Repairing and reaffirming Trump’s legacy with tribes
The U.S. Department of Interior reversed a Trump Administration decision that removed the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Tribe’s control over Missouri River mineral rights. The recent action returns tribal control that had been in place for decades. Dozens of other decisions that affected tribes during the Trump years are awaiting scrutiny, including the reduction of Bears Ears National Monument, rolling back key provisions in the National Environmental Policy Act, and worked to disestablish the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s reservation lands. We’ll look at some of the policies from the Trump Administration that tribes are working to reverse, and those they want to continue.

Friday, April 2, 2021 – Tik Tok’s Native stars
A young Navajo woman skateboards in traditional clothing. An Inupiaq woman demonstrates cutting up bowhead whale meat. A Cree man hoop dances in regalia. These are among the videos by Native people that are gaining attention on the Tik Tok app. #NativeTikTok also includes history lessons and information about missing and murdered Indigenous people. We’ll talk with Tik Tok creators about getting noticed on the popular video platform and other social media.

Monday, March 22, 2021 – Native women leaders make history fighting for the people
There are a several exceptional Native women who’ve spoken out, broken barriers and improved the lives of Native Americans. Elizabeth Peratrovich (Tlingit) is a civil rights activist who helped end discrimination against Alaska Natives in Alaska. Elouise Cobell (Blackfeet) went toe-to-toe in court with the U.S. government over its mismanagement of Indian land. And Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) is the first Native American U.S. Interior secretary. We’re continuing our celebration of historic Native women with a program about warrior women who shook things up to improve people’s lives.

Tuesday, March 23, 2021 – “You’re cancelled!” Cancel culture in Native America
Among the recently retracted books by Dr. Seuss is one that includes a stereotypical drawing of an ‘Eskimo’. The company handling publication of the beloved children’s author/illustrator discontinued the books because of problematic portrayals that don’t stand the test of time. The action earned praise from some and backlash from others who say it’s cancel culture run amok. Individuals, institutions, public monuments and works of art and literature are all facing new accountability over current or past actions and statements that don’t align with modern sensitivities. But is the accountability fair? Who decides what the standard is?

Wednesday, March 24, 2021 – Vaccine availability: it depends on where you are
The Navajo Nation says it’s vaccinated more than 20% of enrolled citizens. That’s compared to just 12% of the United States population. Despite successful vaccine rollouts by many tribes, some Native people living in urban areas are finding access to the vaccine elusive. Some travel thousands of miles to get the shot on their home reservations. Others have to wait it out. The National Indian Health Board is asking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to prioritize vaccine distribution to the estimated 4,000 Native Americans in Washington, D.C. because the Indian Health Service cannot adequately tend to them. We’ll get an update on where vaccine distribution is working and where it’s not.

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations

Thursday, March 25, 2021 – What’s the best use or your stimulus check
If you’re one of the nearly 160 million Americans getting a $1,400 stimulus payment from the federal government you should put some thought into what to do with it. The best use of the money depends what your immediate needs are, whether you have a lot of credit card debt, and whether you face more reduced income down the road. In this hour we’ll talk with financial experts about how to manage money through tough economic times.

Friday, March 26, 2021 – March in the News
Debra Haaland continues to make history and in the process reaches out to Native media. Also the Native American Journalist Association is standing in solidarity with Asian journalists calling for more responsible reporting on the rise in anti-Asian violence and the spa shooting in Atlanta. And the Violence Against Women Act advances in Congress. We’ll get updates on recent news important to Native people

https://aaja.org/2021/03/17/aaja-guidance-on-atlanta-shootings/

 

Monday, March 15, 2021 – Native women leaders make their mark
Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani (Kanaka Maoli) is remembered as a fierce advocate for her people. Wilma Mankiller (Cherokee) was a trailblazer and an important figure in developing the Cherokee Nation’s self-governance. Those are among the many Native women who distinguished themselves in the face of adversity. For Women’s History Month we’re celebrating prominent Native American women leaders.

Tuesday, March 16, 2021 – Indigenous Canadians lead the push for change
A Mi’kmaw man in Nova Scotia is mounting a legal challenge in the ongoing fight over lobster fishing rights. Wet’suwet’en Nation traditional leaders continue their stand against a pipeline in western Canada. And advocates are calling for better services after a Yellow Quill First Nation woman froze to death following her release from jail. We’ll catch up on the major issues in Canada and how Indigenous people are setting the course to influence change.

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 – Momentum for Choctaw Freedmen?
After the recent historic change in the Cherokee constitution opening the door to Black Cherokee citizenship, the Choctaw Nation is now facing a fight pitting sovereignty against formal recognition for Choctaw Freedmen. The chief of the Choctaw Nation opposes proposed language in congressional legislation that would require the tribe to allow Freedmen enrollment. The bill is in response to Freedmen—descendants of slaves who also claim Choctaw heritage—who say they are denied citizenship because of their race. But Choctaw Chief Gary Batton says the tribe, not Congress, determines enrollment. We’ll get an update on the status of the ongoing Choctaw Freedmen issue.

Thursday, March 18, 2021 – Healing the land: Tribal ecological restoration
The Oneida Nation successfully restored wetlands that can now support culturally significant fish. Bizhibayaash (Circle of Flight) was a large project that was successful in restoring wetlands which helped revitalize waterfowl and wild rice in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe has multiple land and animal restoration programs in and around the St. Lawrence River that are supported by a 2013 settlement. We’ll highlight recent examples about how tribes are helping the land with traditional ecological knowledge, science and environmental justice work, at a time when preservation is as important as ever.

Friday, March 19, 2021 – Rolling the dice on Native role-playing games
A new tabletop role-playing game focuses on Indigenous people in a future where colonization never happened. Coyote & Crow blew past the game designers’ $18,000 Kickstarter goal in 45 minutes, and currently is almost $500,000 and counting. The game joins a list of other mainstream role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons that have their own Native following. We’ll hear from Native role-playing gamers who are passionate about playing these types of games.

Monday, March 8, 2021 – Rematriation: Indigenous women restoring balance
Indigenous women in the United States and Canada are leading efforts to reclaim culture and knowledge through matrilineal power. On International Women’s Day, we’ll learn about re-matriation to honor Mother Earth and to change the narrative about Indigenous women.

Tuesday, March 9, 2021 – Are school sports safe yet?
With COVID-19 infection rates decreasing across the country, there’s added pressure on schools and rec leagues to start up again. A court settlement just opened up school sports in the state of California. Many states continue to hold off or are debating whether or not to resume. Sports are an important part of life for Native athletes and their parents.

Wednesday, March 10, 2021 – Another federal COVID relief bill: Is it enough?
The proposed $1.9 trillion COVID stimulus plan includes another $20 billion for tribes. It also includes additional funding for housing assistance and the Bureau of Indian Education. It’s another lifeline to offset the economic devastation in the wake of the pandemic. We’ll learn more about the current funding plan and whether it and the previous CARES Act money are enough to keep tribes afloat until the public health threat and its subsequent financial crisis passes.

Thursday, March 11, 2021 – Avoiding the top threats to kidney health
A new study just released by John Hopkins Medicine researchers suggests lab tests could help predict the likelihood of serious kidney problems. In the UK, health officials are trying out a smartphone app that uses artificial intelligence to diagnose kidney disease earlier. Those are among the advances that offer promise for earlier detection of kidney disease, one of the key factors for saving lives. It’s all the more important now, since one out of every 7 people hospitalized for COVID-19 end up with kidney injury. For Kidney Health Awareness Month we’ll learn the biggest threats to kidney health and how to avoid them.

Friday, March 12, 2021 – Music Maker: Sunburnt Stone
On their newest album, Sunburnt Stone invites listeners into soulful stories that travel from the dustiest rez roads to the hardest pavement. The band from the Navajo Nation says the title cut, “El Navajo,” oozes with spaghetti western undertones. From there they demonstrate their guitar mastery on songs like “Every Single Second”. We’ll hear from the band about the road they took to bring their music to life.

Monday, March 1, 2021 – Preparing for the next pandemic
It’s hard for tribes and individuals to think about future crises while dealing with the current one. But tribal public health and emergency management officials are taking what they’re learning now to prepare for potential threats to come. Shortages of food, supplies and medical care are all problems that surfaced in the past year of the pandemic. Some tribes found themselves worse off than some others. We’ll hear what ideas are emerging about what to do to be ready for the next pandemic.

Tuesday, March 2, 2021 – The complexities of Mexican Indigenous identity
Indigenous identity is viewed differently by the Mexican government. There aren’t registered tribes but there are autonomous Indigenous communities. Indigenous Mexicans self-identify, come from Indigenous communities, speak an Indigenous language and practice traditional and cultural ways. How that translates across the border and in U.S. Indigenous communities is complicated.

Wednesday, March 3, 2021 – Healthcare superheroes
Native healthcare workers provide healing during the most painful and frightening times of our lives. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they are the superheroes on the front lines, facing down the effects of the deadly virus. They work long hours, make life-and-death decisions, and don’t often get the thanks they deserve. We’ll take time to hear what healthcare workers do and show them gratitude for taking on the tough jobs.

Thursday, March 4, 2021 – Oliphant: four decades of hampered tribal jurisdiction
A U.S. Supreme Court decision in March, 1978 continues to hinder tribal sovereignty on a daily basis. The ruling in Oliphant v. Suquamish Indian Tribe stripped tribes of most criminal prosecutions against non-Indians. Those cases became the responsibility of the federal government. In his dissent, Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote “I am of the view that Indian tribes enjoy, as a necessary aspect of their retained sovereignty, the right to try and punish all persons who commit offenses against tribal law within the reservation.” The Violence Against Women Act was an attempt to remedy the persistent trend of non-Native abusers of Native women slipping through the cracks of the federal justice system. We’ll look at the distressing consequences of Oliphant and efforts through the years to fix it.

Friday, March 5, 2021 – Pieces of tradition: Native American quilts
Sewing was an important tradition for Native Americans long before it became a popular pandemic pastime. Many tribes, especially the Seminoles and those from the Great Plains, took up quilting around the turn of the 20th Century. The intricate patterns in Native quilts reflect tribal heritage and the artistry of the individual quilters. Native quilts are used to tell stories and are offered as gifts to honor achievements. We’ll talk with quilters about how their craft goes beyond merely making covers for beds.