Monday, April 10, 2017 – The jurisdiction conundrum
A tribal police officer in California is fighting charges of assault and false imprisonment. It all stems from his attempt to make an arrest during a domestic dispute on reservation land. This is one example of jurisdictional clashes that result from the 1953 measure called Public Law 280. There are instances when tribal law enforcement officers can’t take action even if they see a crime because PL 280 complicates an already complex jurisdictional landscape. The Tribal Court Clearinghouse says “it has often been misunderstood and misapplied.” We hear about PL 280 and ways tribes are trying to get out from under it.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017 – Reviving Andrew Jackson
Of all the previous presidents to choose from, Donald Trump likes to align himself most with Andrew Jackson. He visited Jackson’s Hermitage in Tennessee and laid a wreath on his grave. For Native Americans, Jackson is forever associated with the Indian Removal Act and the “Trail of Tears.” His presidency also ended with a crippling economic depression. Since he’s back in the spotlight, we’ll take time to talk with historians about the full legacy of Andrew Jackson.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017 – April Music Maker: Bluedog
We make way for some killer Native blues this month. Our April Music Makers, Bluedog, are out of the Minneapolis, Minnesota area. For years they have given blues lovers what they love: great tunes flavored with a lot of Native soul and get-down boogie rhythms. We’ll visit with them about their new album “Red, White & Blues.” We’re inviting you to into the discussion as we pay tribute to the blues.

Thursday, April 13, 2017 — Keeping reservations dry
Pervasive alcoholism is among the main reasons tribal leaders ban the sale of alcohol on reservations. But that can be big business for liquor stores just outside of the border. Tribal leaders from the Pine Ridge Reservation are working to shut down four stores in nearby Whiteclay, Neb. They say the vast majority of their sales goes to worsen alcohol-related problems within Pine Ridge. Critics of the strategy say people wanting a drink will get alcohol somewhere else and might even increase the hazard by drinking and driving. Does banning alcohol on the reservation help the people or not?

Friday, April 14, 2017 — Hand games
The songs and the players might be different across Turtle Island, but the fun is the same. Hand games are played between families and within tribal communities. We celebrate hand games and talk with the pros about what makes them so fun. We also dig into the roots of hand games and why it’s important to keep them going.

Monday, April 3, 2017 – The enduring Pocahontas myth
The lingering American perception of Pocahontas is some form of the Disney film version: a tribal chief’s daughter bravely steps in to save Jamestown settler John Smith from a grisly execution by his Indigenous captors. There is little to no evidence any of that happened. Pocahontas is currently making headlines because England is devoting a considerable amount of attention to the 400th anniversary of her death. Will the general public ever really learn the truth about Pocahontas? Historians and tribal members help us update our portrait of Pocahontas’ life.

Tuesday, April 4, 2017 – Internet for everyone
A report for the FCC in 2015 found nearly two million people living on tribal land lack access to the internet. Even more than that can’t sign onto broadband. That digital divide makes it harder for Alaska Natives and Native Americans living in rural areas to complete tasks online that the rest of us take for granted: paying bills, looking for a job, and communicating with each other.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017 — Getting your affairs in order
The average funeral costs more than $7,000, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. That’s a hefty sum, especially when a family doesn’t plan ahead. Families face additional confusion when there’s no will for valuables, homes or land left behind. We will go over some basic, appropriate ways to prepare for the inevitable.

Thursday, April 6, 2017 — Native perspectives in public schools
The governor of Wyoming recently signed the Indian Education For All bill, which requires educators to create Native curricula for public schools statewide. The bill mandates organizers work with Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes to come up with the lesson plans. Wyoming is one of a handful of states putting an emphasis on teaching Native viewpoints.

Friday, April 7, 2017 — Go ahead, boycott Hawaii!
When a federal judge in Hawaii put a halt on President Trump’s travel restrictions, supporters of the policy vowed to boycott Hawaii. The boycott appears to have fizzled, but not before Native Hawaiians actually expressed support of the boycott. They were expressing their frustration over losing more and more control of their culture and island homeland. The news comes on the heels of a legal tussle involving an island purchased by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. We’ll get an update from Native Hawaiians.

Monday, March 27, 2017 – A budget to make America great again?
The Donald Trump administration’s budget blueprint suggests serious cuts to education, programs for the poor and health care while increasing funding for the Department of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs. The proposed budget, called America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again, is a limited snapshot of what the president aims to cut and bolster. But it does give us a glimpse into the administration’s priorities.

Tuesday, March 28, 2017 – Culture in the classroom for school success
One school on the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota puts a focus on culturally based education and it might be getting results. From sugar bushing to round dance competitions, cultural practices are part of the educational process. Overall, only 56 percent of American Indian students graduated on time in Minnesota in 2015, according to the Minnesota Department of Education. The average is 84 percent. In this continuation of our collaboration with the American Graduate initiative, we’ll talk with educators from the White Earth Reservation about their approach and what they’re seeing.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017 – Book of the Month: “The Woman Who Married A Bear” by Tiffany Midge
“The Woman Who Married A Bear” by Standing Rock Sioux Nation author and poet Tiffany Midge is racking up awards, including a recent 2017 Western Heritage Award. The book, filled with poetry about Native identity and culture, allows readers to celebrate both the simplicity and complexity of our emotions and relationships.

Thursday, March 30, 2017 — Encouraging young entrepreneurs
The Native American Youth Empowerment Symposium aims to get young Native people thinking about finances and business. At this year’s gathering in New Mexico, Native youth are getting the chance to network, apply for scholarships and learn from seasoned entrepreneurs. The goal is to provide tools to young people to be leaders in their Native communities.

Friday, March 31, 2017 – March in the News
Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has a long history of hearing cases involving Indian Country. We’ll explore what his nomination could mean for the Supreme Court. The FBI raided the Eastern Band of Cherokee Housing Authority as part of a fraud investigation. The tribal chief is enduring calls for his impeachment. And we’ll get the latest on the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline, on our news round-up.

Monday, March 20, 2017 – Protecting wild rice
For wild rice, or manoomin, water literally is life. The grass species grows in shallow bodies of water. It is food for people and animals alike. But when the water is polluted wild rice becomes the “canary in the coal mine.” Since the 1970s, Minnesota has had water quality standards to protect wild rice. Now, the state’s Pollution Control Agency is in the process of changing the standards. Some tribes are concerned the rice is in danger.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017 – The tricky business of marijuana
It’s a confusing time for the marijuana legalization movement. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have decriminalized small amounts of marijuana use. But the federal government maintains its criminal designation. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently said that heroin is only “slightly worse” than marijuana. For tribes getting into the business, confusion around pot legality is just as murky. The “Cole Memo” appeared to provide a green light for tribes in states that legalized recreational use. But there a few high profile setbacks.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017 — HIV and AIDS prevention
Fortunately, HIV and AIDS rates remain lower for Native Americans than for some other groups. One exception: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in a 2011 study that Native injected drug users experience the highest rates of HIV infections than any other demographic. National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is this week. The theme is “Unity in CommUnity, Stand Strong to Prevent HIV.”

Thursday, March 23, 2017 –Music Maker Rhonda Head
Opaskwayak Cree Nation singer Rhonda Head’s latest CD “Kisahkihitan” stems from her passion for classical music. The Cree language title of the album translates to “I love you”. And there is plenty of love in the way Rhonda sings her own compositions. She says a lot of inspiration for these songs comes from the landscape of her First Nation.

Friday, March 24, 2017 — Racist resurgence?
A Montana radio host suggested Native basketball players should host their own tournament because the players are “unruly.” Also in Montana, Native basketball fans say they couldn’t claim their seats for a game until the white people are seated first. The problem isn’t limited to the U.S. At a forum organized by the CBC, one Cree woman said concert security assumed she was the source of other fans’ complaints about an intoxicated person being belligerent. The problem turned out to be a white man sitting nearby. She was sober. Are anecdotes about racism increasing, or are they just par for the course?