Monday, March 11, 2019 – The human faces of the Indian Child Welfare Act
Autumn Adams spent a good portion of her life in foster care. She says the Indian Child Welfare Act saved her life because she was able to stay in her tribal community. ICWA is called the ‘gold standard’ of child welfare policy. The 40-year-old law is under fire through a number of court cases, including a recent federal court ruling out of Texas that deemed the law unconstitutional. We’ll hear from individuals who have been affected by ICWA.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019 – Understanding headdresses
The headdress is one of the most iconic items associated with Native Americans. They are prominent in countless photos and illustrations of Native people. But not all tribes have headdresses, and these cultural items can vary from tribes to tribe. For many nations, headdresses are earned and they often come with protocols and prayers that need to be followed to show respect. Recently a powwow organizer in Canada bestowed a headdress and a Blackfoot name to a non-Native female politician. The event stirred discussion about who has the right to wear or own a headdress. We’ll hear from different tribal members about what the headdress represents.

Wednesday, March 13, 2019 – Zia symbol: from sacred emblem to commercial exploitation
Ever since a non-Native anthropologist lifted the sacred Zia symbol for the New Mexico state flag contest in the 1920s, it’s appeared on everything from beer labels to album covers to t-shirts. Rarely does anyone using it think to ask Zia Pueblo first. The tribe unsuccessfully tried to copyright the symbol. In recent years, the state of New Mexico has taken steps to formally recognize the symbol’s origin. We’ll explore its history, meaning and subsequent popularity.

Thursday, March 14, 2019 – What’s in the Green New Deal for Native nations?
The ambitious plan put forward by congressional Democrats to address climate change, create jobs and mitigate economic inequality has a reference to “indigenous communities.” But the 14-page proposed resolution does not specifically mention tribes. That and the lack of acknowledgement for government-to-government relations concerns the Indigenous Environmental Network, which otherwise applauds the goals of the Green New Deal. Other critics call the plan unrealistic. We take a look at the Green New Deal from a Native perspective.

Friday, March 15, 2019 – Sugar bush season
The Ojibwe lunar calendar puts the sugar bush moon, or “Iskigamizige-giizas,” in April, but maple sap can start to run as early as February depending on the location. This time of year, Native families and communities in the northern United States and southern Canada are tapping trees or are getting ready to. It takes about 50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. We explore the maple syrup-making process and the cultural importance behind it.

Monday, March 4, 2019 – Ending HIV in ten years?
President Trump pledged a ‘moonshot’ level effort to end HIV by 2030 during his State of the Union Speech. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is implementing the directive. They’ve since committed to an ambitious but slightly lower goal of a 90 percent reduction of new HIV transmissions in ten years. For Native Americans, infection rates increased from 2011 through 2015 according to HHS. We’ll talk with representatives from the Indian Health Service and HIV prevention advocates about the president’s laudable goal and how it fits in with their efforts. We’ll ask them how realistic it is to eliminate HIV in ten years.

Tuesday, March 5, 2019 – Funding your project
So you’ve got a great idea, you have a plan and you have the energy. Now you need to find money to bring your ideas to fruition. Some projects, like documentary films or large art projects take a lot of funding and might require benefactors or more than one foundation grant to complete. Smaller projects, like getting new jerseys for a basketball team and traveling to a national sports event, might require crowd sourcing or fundraisers. We’ll discuss how to set financial goals and then ask for what you need to get your project complete.

Wednesday, March 6, 2019 – Get your garden ready
The number of young gardeners is at an all-time high, according to the 2018 National Gardening Survey. And backyard or community gardens are a great way for people to gain a better connection and understanding of food. The Native food sovereignty movement encourages people to grow their own food and to eat more Indigenous foods to promote health. But gardening doesn’t always come naturally, even for some motivated gardeners. We’ll have seasoned Native gardeners and farmers on the line to answer your gardening questions.

Thursday, March 7, 2019 – How North Dakota tribes countered a restrictive voting law
Tribes and voting advocates warned that a North Dakota law could have severely hampered voter turnout on reservations last November. Instead, many precincts on tribal land posted record voter participation rates. And get-out-the-vote efforts helped propel several Native candidates into elected office, including the state’s first Native Democratic female legislator. National Native News, along with Prairie Public Broadcasting and Solutions Journalism Network looked into how a potential setback turned into a win for tribes, voters and Native candidates.

Friday, March 8, 2019 – Funny Business: Making a living as a Native comedian
Making it as a stand-up comedian takes talent, commitment, thick skin and a lot of hard work. Even then, there’s no guarantee you’ll ever have a viable comedy career. At the same time comedians are in demand. Forbes reports comedy club revenue increased 17 percent over three years with an additional 13 percent growth projected for the next five years. Many Native comedians are developing loyal audiences in clubs, on YouTube and with digital podcasts. We’ll hear from some of them about what their day is like and what it takes to make it in the business.

Monday, February 25, 2019 – Book of the Month: The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee
“The Heart Beat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present” is a quick trip through time. Author David Treuer (Leech Lake Ojibwe) leads the non-fiction tour. He pushes back on the way Native people’s history is far too often framed through tragedy and loss while washing away Native existence and complexity. He also wants people to pick up his book not as a public service to Natives, but to truly learn about the country because as he says, “you can’t understand America unless you understand Native Americans.”

Tuesday, February 26, 2019 – Legislating language revitalization
South Dakota could become one of the few states in the country to officially recognize Indigenous languages. After emotional testimony by tribal leaders and language experts, the Senate State Affairs Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 126 that makes Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota the state’s official Indigenous languages. At the same time the U.S. Senate is considering reauthorizing the Ester Martinez Language Act that expired in 2012. The landmark legislation first passed in 2006 and allocates funding for Native language revitalization efforts across the country. We’ll learn more about legislative actions to help revitalize Native languages.

Wednesday, February 27, 2019 – Indigenous perspectives on borders
The high-profile political fight over the need for a wall on the border with Mexico offers an opportunity to look at borders from an Indigenous perspective. Before European contact, tribes had their own ways of signifying territories. Navajos, for example, identify their traditional Dinétah homeland as the area within the Four Sacred Mountains. Some other tribes continue to follow specific protocols—including asking permission—when entering another tribe’s territory. Historically, some tribes fought other tribes over resources and hunting territory. We’ll explore both traditional and current concepts of borders.

Thursday, February 28, 2019 – Indian traditions at Mardi Gras
Every Fat Tuesday in New Orleans, Mardi Gras Indians play a big part in the celebration. It’s a long-held tradition, but the origins combining African-American, Cajun and Native cultures is unclear. Dozens of Mardi Gras Indian tribes use terminology and practices similar to Native American tribes; they have members, chiefs and a particular way of dressing. We’ll get a snapshot of the Mardi Gras Indians and how they have evolved over time.

Friday, March 1, 2019 — Throat singing
Inuit throat singing is an ancient tradition that is getting increasingly modern recognition. The style that developed in Canada and Alaska is notable for its distinctive low, guttural and rhythmic sounds from female singers as they breathe both in and out. It was banned in boarding schools for decades but is enjoying a resurgence and is even mixed in with contemporary Indigenous music. We’ll listen to some throat singing and hear from the artists about what it brings to their cultures.
Info:

Monday, February 18, 2019 – Remembering Alaska Native civil rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich
A decade before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala. bus, Elizabeth Peratrovich and her husband were demanding equal rights for Alaska Natives. At the time Alaska Natives were lawfully excluded from theaters, hotels, restaurants and neighborhoods. Peratrovich made a famous speech in a territorial Senate hearing that spurred momentum to end discrimination against Alaska Natives. We’ll learn more about her story, her legacy, and the fight for civil rights in Alaska. Every year, the state sets aside a day to remember Peratrovich’s contributions.

Tuesday, February 19, 2019 – The benefits of music education
Numerous studies spanning decades show that music education can help students in other areas of their education, such as reading, vocabulary and even standardized tests. A number of organizations and Native musicians are working to expose more Native students to music education and even get musical instruments into classrooms. We’ll hear about the benefits of teaching music and get a glimpse of the efforts to improve music education for Native students.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 – Getting to the online truth
What can you believe online? The confrontation last month between Omaha elder Nathan Philips and a crowd of rowdy Catholic high school boys was hard enough to interpret from mainstream news reports. It was made even harder by fake social media posts, including an inflammatory note claiming to be from the mother of one of the students. The false tweet wishing the “pioneers had brought more blankets with smallpox” was widely retweeted before the account disappeared. We’ll look into some things to keep in mind when trying to form an opinion from what you read, whether it’s high profile events or texts from friends.

Thursday, February 21, 2019 – Music Maker: Black Belt Eagle Scout
This month we welcome Swinomish & Iñupiat musician Katherine Paul into our monthly celebration of music. Her musical venture is called Black Belt Eagle Scout and her newest album is titled “Mother of My Children.” As a teenager she taught herself to play the guitar and things rocketed from there. She says she plays music to process feelings and there are many emotions that ring out in the different tracks on the album including what it means to face loss and what it means to still dream afterwards. We’ll experience her passionate guitar solos and lyrics on our February Music Maker.

Friday, February 22, 2019 – February in the news
An investigation by the Catholic Dioceses of Covington found no evidence of racist or offensive statements during the viral confrontation between Catholic students and Omaha elder Nathan Phillips in Washington, D.C. last month. At least one tribal leader who witnessed the incident finds the conclusions in the report “laughable.” Also the Native American Journalists Association is pushing National Public Radio to more accurately report on the Indian Child Welfare Act. And Elizabeth Warren is officially running for president, setting up the potential for a barrage of insults in an ongoing war of words with President Trump. What is the best journalistic response to the president’s offensive tweets? Tune in for our news round up.

Monday, February 11, 2019 – The State of Indian Nations
National Congress of American Indians President Jefferson Keel delivers the State of Indian Nations address at the start of the NCAI Executive Council Winter Session. The address comes as Indian Country is watching a number of issues, including continued tribal economic development, threats to the Indian Child Welfare Act, concerns over pipelines and extraction industries on or near tribal land, and the potential for another federal government shutdown. Native America Calling will carry a recorded version of the address immediately following the live address from the Newseum in Washington, D.C. and will also carry comments from the congressional response.

Tuesday, February 12, 2019 – Child sex abuse allegations against an IHS doctor
Former Indian Health Service pediatrician, Stanley Patrick Weber, was convicted of sexually abusing children at the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana. He is also awaiting trial for sexually abusing children on the Pine Ridge Reservation in North Dakota. The new PBS documentary program Frontline documents the abuse and uncovers how Weber was apparently able to carry out abuses for decades. We’ll hear from those following the case and the Native leaders who helped bring Weber’s crimes to light.

Wednesday, February 13, 2019 – Dating or just hangin’ out?
There’s a lot of focus on preventing violence associated with teen dating. It’s an important message for Native Americans wanting to fight the disproportionate rate of violence among young people. February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness month, and we’re going to approach the issue from the standpoint of what contributes to a healthy relationship. Teens are often entering romantic relationships for the first time. It’s common to let new emotions get in the way of rational decision-making. We’ll hear about getting out of the friend zone, healthy ways to disagree with others and how to talk to your parents about your feelings.

Thursday, February 14, 2019 – Life after a heart attack
Heart attack survivors are often prescribed medications, sent to rehabilitation and urged to adopt healthier lifestyle and diet habits. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds Native Americans are more likely to be obese, smoke tobacco, and have high blood pressure and diabetes compared to other populations. Those are all risk factors for heart disease. One the day dedicated to affairs of the heart, we’ll talk about what to expect after surviving a heart attack.

Friday, February 15, 2019 – Making college welcoming for Native students
It starts with acknowledging the Indigenous people on whose traditional land the institution exists. But making college a welcome place also includes the right training for faculty and staff and offering courses that include context from a Native perspective. Those are among the recommendations listed in a new report by the American Indian College Fund titled “Creating Visibility and Healthy Learning Environments for Native Americans in Higher Education.” The report was spurred by an incident when a member of a Colorado campus tour called police because two prospective Native students ‘looked suspicious.’