Monday, January 4, 2021 – Are online gatherings here to stay?
Hoop dancing competitions, stand-up comedy and an annual gathering of Native elders and youth are all events the pandemic forced online. The switch to Zoom and other online meeting spaces created significant technical challenges in the past year like getting the picture and sound to work and maintaining internet connections. It also highlighted other hurdles like getting input from all those who want to contribute and finding ways to network with fellow attendees. We’ll look at how some event planners have made the most of online gatherings. We’ll also hear how virtual meetings have evolved and whether they’re here to stay.

Tuesday, January 5, 2021 – COVID-19 vaccine update
COVID-19 vaccines from two pharmaceutical companies are making their way to Native populations and tribes are among those creating vaccine distribution plans. Hundreds of Native health workers, elders and others were among the first to receive the vaccine. It’s among the more promising developments in the fight against the pandemic in at least a year, that has disproportionately affected Native Americans. But many individuals remain wary of the vaccine, citing possible unforeseen side effects, and a general distrust of the federal government and the Indian Health Service. We’ll get an update from health leaders and tribal leaders about vaccine distribution.

Wednesday, January 6, 2021 – Traditional hide tanning
Hide tanning was a traditional practice long before mass produced leather. Many people still put in the many hours and years of skill required to tan hides by hand. We’ll get a look into the world of Native hide tanning and traditional techniques like brain and smoke tanning. We’ll also hear why Native tanners place such importance on traditional methods.

Thursday, January 7, 2021 – Best books of 2020
A biography of Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flannagan (White Earth Ojibwe), rez dogs and protecting sacred water are all topics of books that made American Indians in Children’s Literature best of 2020 list. It’s been a challenging year, but Native authors made significant contributions to the list of books published. We’ll go over the AICL list and hear about what people consider the best Native books are for all ages. What books by Native authors did you curl up with this year? Send us your best-of list to comments@nativeamericacalling.com.

Friday, January 8, 2021 – Book of the Month: 2021 Hopiyaasangwni (Hopi Calendar)
We kick off 2021 with a view into Hopi life. We’re doing it one day at a time with the “2021 Hopiyaasangwni (Hopi Calendar).” The different months feature images that reflect Hopi culture and teachings courtesy of young Hopi artists. Important dates and phases of the moon are woven in with monthly reflections in the Hopi language. It’s put out by Mesa Media, which says the aim is to get people of all ages speaking Hopi in daily life.

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Monday, December 28, 2020 – Remembering those who walked on in 2020
Eddie Benton-Banai (Anishinaabe Ojibwe) was one of the founders of the American Indian Movement. He met his fellow co-founder Clyde Bellecourt (White Earth Ojibwe) in jail in the late 1960s and they and others fought for sovereign land rights and against police brutality. Benton-Banai walked on in November at the age of 89. Maxine Racehorse Edmo (Shoshone-Bannock), a longtime Native education and language revitalization advocate, was appointed to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education by President Jimmy Carter. She walked on in September at the age of 91. Those are two of the many Native Americans who died this year that we will take time to honor.

Tuesday, December 29, 2020 – Book of the Month: Seasons of Alaska
Best Beginnings Alaska published four baby board books to help fill a gap in Alaska children’s literature. They call the project “Seasons of Alaska” and it lines up with their mission of ensuring children have the tools they need to succeed in school and to include books that have an accurate representation of Native life in Alaska. Each book covers one season and highlights the beauty of rural Alaska. They feature the creativity of four Alaska Native authors who teamed up with photographers to celebrate the different seasons. We’ll visit with those who helped bring the pages to life.

Wednesday, December 30, 2020 – Making the best of the worst year
The COVID-19 is a major contributor to making 2020 the deadliest year in U.S. history. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report deaths from COVID-19 putting the nation on track to registering 3 million deaths for the first time. The threat of the disease also devastated the economy and costs millions of people their jobs. Time Magazine officially dubbed 2020 as “The Worst Year Ever.” But if you’re one to look at the glass half full, this year was also filled with a lot of small, positive things for many of us. Quarantines afforded an opportunity to learn new skills, reassess goals, volunteer for a cause or get closer with friends and family. As the “worst year” comes to a close, we’ll take time to focus on some of the hidden blessings.

Thursday, December 31, 2020 – December in the news
The COVID-19 pandemic and a contentious presidential election dominated the news is 2020. But there were many other news stories that exemplified Native issues and people. We’ll look back on some of the top stories of the year and get a glimpse of some of the stories you may have missed. We’ll aslo check up on recent news dominating the headlines.

Friday, January 1, 2021 – Modern and traditional interpretations of ribbon shirts
From powwows to boardrooms, ribbon shirts are a visual symbol of Native pride. They can be subtle or showy, but ribbon shirts almost always have a hint of personal expression and tribal tradition. They are usually made from cotton or linen, often with long sleeves but not always, with colorful ribbons appliqued or sewn into seams as tassels. Like many Native fashion trends, ribbon shirts owe their origins and inspirations to a number of sources. We’ll spend the hour discussing the history and evolution of ribbon shirts. (This is an encore show, so we won’t be taking phone calls).

Monday, December 21, 2020 – Notable Indigenous podcasts
Podcasts featuring Native producers and perspectives are gaining increased recognition. Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee Nation) won the 2020 American Mosaic Journalism Prize for her podcast ‘This Land’. Native America Calling producer Andi Murphy’s Native foodways podcast ‘Toasted Sister’ was among Saveur Magazine’s top 100 favorite things of 2020 and won the Native American Journalists Association first place award for general excellence. We will sample some of the stand-outs in the rapidly growing number of Native-produced audio and video you might want to add to your podcast subscriptions list.

Tuesday, December 22, 2020 – Native veterinarians
Veterinarians and vet techs stitch wounds, reset bones, vaccinate and generally ease the pain for animals that can’t tell us what ails them. We’ll visit with veterinarians about the unique perspectives Native people bring to the profession and the need for more Native vets to keep animals in our lives health.

Wednesday, December 23, 2020 – Native leadership for the U.S. Department of Interior
Rep. Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo, D-NM) is set to make history as the first Native American to hold a presidential cabinet position. The Washington Post reported President-elect Joe Biden is naming Haaland to the post that oversees public lands and all the Native reservation trust land. Haaland’s nomination would need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is within DOI. We’ll examine what this historic appointment means for tribes and the public lands under Interior’s purvue. We’ll also explore what some of the department’s priorities might be during the Biden Administration.

Thursday, December 24, 2020 – More than movies: 2020 pop culture round up
We take a look back at some of the highlights in 2020 movies, TV and comics with Native themes, characters and entertainers. We’ll also get a glimpse of some highlights coming up, including the Peacock streaming TV show Rutherford Falls, created by Sierra Teller Ornelas (Navajo). Indian Country Today’s Vincent Schilling give us his top movie and TV picks for the year and what is on his radar for 2021.

Friday, December 25, 2020 – 2020 Music Maker in Review
Our conversations with a dozen Native musicians through the year were full of some eventful moments. The music they shared inspired us and also taught us more about the different tribal nations that our Native airwaves reach each weekday. In this prerecorded program we’ll take a look back at some of the highlights from our program and revisit some of our 2020 Music Makers to check in on where their musical path has taken them since we last talked. We’ll also get their perspectives on creating and performing during the pandemic. (This is a prerecorded show. We won’t be taking live phone calls).

Monday, December 14, 2020 – 2020 movers and shakers: NCAIED’s 40 under 40
This year’s 40 under 40 list includes a college vice president, a foundation coordinator and a neurosurgeon. The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development recognizes 40 people 40 years of age or younger every year who demonstrate notable leadership, initiative, and dedication and who make significant contributions to business or their community. They are tribal leaders, storytellers, business owners and healthcare workers doing good work. We’ll talk with some of this year’s winners to highlight some of the promising Native leaders who are on the move.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020 – One health center’s fight against COVID-19
Tribally-run health care clinics have never been more important than right now. Since the start of the pandemic, the Winslow Indian Health Care Center in Arizona has maintained in-patient services, urgent care and comprehensive health services. It is a crucial source of health care during a major health crisis on the Navajo Nation. Like all medical facilities across the country WIHCC is feeling the strain of unrelenting health care demands. We’ll zero in on how one tribally-run clinic is meeting the health care needs of tribal citizens when they need it most.

Wednesday, December 16, 2020 – Tribal casino wins and losses during the pandemic
Tribes closed casinos and hotels at the beginning of the pandemic in order to prevent further spread of the virus. A few tribes have turned their closed casinos into pandemic support centers with drive-up testing and isolation rooms for people who test positive for COVID-19. But closing casinos cuts off a key source of revenue from gaming and the associated hospitality industries like lodging, restaurants, golf, and merchandise sales. We’ll talk about the risks of operating during a pandemic weighed against the reality of severe economic hardship of not operating.

Thursday, December 17, 2020 – Honoring the Dakota 38
Every December, Dakotas commemorate the executions of 38 men following the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. President Abraham Lincoln ordered the hanging of the warriors on December 26, 1862 in Mankato, Minnesota. Two other chiefs were hanged three years later. The commemoration draws attention to the events leading up to the hangings that aren’t often included in history books about the years of broken promises, oppression and imprisonment by the U.S. Government that led to starvation and other hardships for the tribes. The pandemic has cancelled the annual 330-mile memorial horseback ride from the Lower Brule Reservation in South Dakota to Mankato. We’ll take time to remember this tragic chapter in history.

Friday, December 18, 2020 – December Music Maker: The Red and Blues Band
The Red and Blues Band started as a creative outlet playing gigs at Haskell Indian Nations University. Now its members have built their talents into a strong musical force with charging rock rhythms. And the band’s biting lyrics take on the injustices foisted on Indigenous peoples across the globe. Our final Music Makers of the year offer their gift to the world with their latest album “Resistance is Fuel.” The musicians will talk to us about the songs they say are a direct response to continued brutality against Indigenous people and the fight for justice.

Monday, December 7, 2020 – Staying safe while caring for someone with COVID-19
When someone in a multi-person household contracts COVID-19, it puts everyone else living there at greater risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends strict use of masks and gloves and establishing rigorous cleaning routines. The CDC also recommends isolating the infected person away from others in the home. Native Americans have a higher average number of household members than the general population, ramping up the chances for infection in the home. We’ll hear first-hand accounts from those who cared for loved ones with COVID-19 and get a rundown of best practices when the pandemic hits close to home.

Tuesday, December 8, 2020 – The race to spend federal coronavirus aid money
Tribes have until the end of this month to spend their share of the $8 billion in federal emergency coronavirus funds. The money comes with a number of restrictions that are causing some confusion. The money can only go for expenses directly related to losses caused by the pandemic. Lawsuits delayed distribution of the funds, shortening the window of time tribes have to make use of them. We’ll hear from tribal officials about some of the challenges that come with the federal money meant to offset the economic crisis caused by the pandemic.

Wednesday, December 9, 2020 – Challenging times for college students
The challenge of remote college classes combined with the high cost of post-secondary education is taking a toll. A survey by a higher education marketing agency found a third of all prospective students say they are less likely than before the pandemic to pursue a college degree. Many colleges across optimistically opened to in-person classes at the beginning of the school year, only to revert to online-only instruction weeks, or even days, later. Students are also rebelling against high tuition costs in light of the reduced quality of education. We’ll check in on the latest from educators and students.

Thursday, December 10, 2020 – In line for the coronavirus vaccine
Drug makers will start distributing doses of the vaccine against the coronavirus within days. Tribes, along with the Indian Health Service, have distribution plans in place that put health care workers and elders at the front of the line. It could be many more months before it’s available for many citizens. While the prospect of the vaccine offers relief, there remains some uncertainty over the distribution schedule and the logistical requirements. In addition, distribution among Native Nations could be hampered by lingering distrust of outside medical treatments. We’ll get updates on the latest information and perspectives on the coronavirus vaccine.

Friday, December 11, 2020 – Shifting marijuana laws open tribal economic opportunities
Five states this year legalized marijuana use, either for medicinal or recreational purposes. Four of those states cleared marijuana use in ballot measures on Election Day. That brings the total number of states allowing some kind of marijuana use to 35. The landscape is changing rapidly for tribes aiming to capitalize on the growing legal cannabis market. States don’t have jurisdiction to enforce marijuana laws on reservations, but tribes have encountered resistance from some states where the drug is outlawed. In addition, tribes and states are both technically subject to federal law that classifies cannabis as a Schedule 1 controlled substance. We’ll get an overview of evolving tribal marijuana economic development efforts.