Native America Calling

Rebecca Jim (Cherokee) was a school counselor in 1979 when she witnessed Tar Creek run orange with pollution from nearby mining tailings. The federal government eventually made it a Superfund site. She has been an environmental advocate ever since and is even known as the Tar Creek Keeper, raising awareness for the 11-mile waterway and leading a non-profit organization dedicated to ongoing cleanup and holding polluters accountable. Jim is our December Native in the Spotlight.

Native America Calling runs down some of the standout Indigenous tracks from the past year. We get expert recommendations from The Mainstream's Brett Maybee (Seneca), Indigenous in Music’s Larry K (Ho-Chunk), and Sounds of Survivance’s Tory J (Quinault) from KEXP. They give us a wide range of selections that include rock, folk, jazz-fusion, soul, and more, in addition to the insightful stories behind the music. We wrap up the 2024 Native Playlist with music you don’t want to miss.

Guitarist Jesse Ed Davis (Kiowa) was an in-demand session player starting in the mid 1960s, appearing on dozens of recordings with artists such as Taj Mahal, Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, and Jackson Browne. He appears on solo albums by three of the four Beatles. Davis toured with The Faces, alongside Rod Stewart and Ron Wood. The Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Okla., is mounting an exhibition celebrating Davis’ life and work along with a tribute concert featuring Jackson Browne, Taj Mahal, and Joy Harjo. We’ll hear from some of the people who knew and worked with the man Bonnie Raitt called “one of the most original, and soulful, and cool guitar players.” We hear about Davis and the exhibition honoring him in this encore show (we won’t be taking live telephone calls from listeners). GUESTS Joy Harjo (Mvskoke), 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate, musician, playwright, and co-curator of the Jesse Ed Davis: Natural Anthem exhibition Chebon Tiger (Seminole and Mvskoke), musician Douglas Miller, author of Washita Love Child: The Rise of Indigenous Rock Star Jesse Ed Davis and co-curator of the Jesse Ed Davis: Natural Anthem exhibition Steven Jenkins, director of the Bob Dylan Center

Snow is on the ground and that means it’s story time. Storytelling is an art. But it is also the primary method for so many tribes to convey history, cultural lessons and spiritual guidance. The Diné story about the coyote and the lizard warns listeners to be wary of who they trust. A Chickasaw story explains how two brothers split up on their journey, becoming the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes. We’ll hear those and some other selected stores by experienced Native storytellers. GUESTS Ogimaawab aka Joseph Sutherland (Nishnawbe Aski First Nation), Ojibwe language and culture educator Sunny Dooley (Diné), blessing way Hané teller Dancing Star aka Donna Courtney (Chickasaw Nation), Chickasaw Nation Storytelling program manager Gene Tagaban (Tlingit, Cherokee, and Filipino), storyteller, performing artist, and wellness and health trainer

The Osage Nation successfully transferred more than 40,000 acres of land it purchased years ago into trust. It’s the second largest tribal trust land transfer in history. Their Oklahoma neighbor, the Cherokee Nation, is celebrating the transfer of five former boarding school properties into trust. The tribe says the properties on their reservation present opportunities to improve their surrounding communities. We’ll hear from each of the tribes and others about significant tribal land agreements. GUESTS Geoffrey Standing Bear, principal chief of the Osage Nation Chuck Hoskin Jr., principal chief of the Cherokee nation Lora Ann Chaisson, principal chief of the United Houma Nation

President Joe Biden’s apology for the federal government’s role in Indian Boarding School abuses was among the top news stories for Native Americans this year. It was an unprecedented event, but received a mixed reaction from Native policy watchers. Other notable news includes a survey showing significant Native voter support for Donald Trump in the presidential election. We’ll get additional insights into the stories important to Native Americans, plus a few you may have missed. GUESTS Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post reporter Levi Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi), publisher and editor of Native News Online and Tribal Business News Shaun Griswold (Laguna, Zuni, and Jemez Pueblo), journalist Mary Annette Pember (Red Cliff Ojibwe), national correspondent for ICT

A focus on reducing chronic absenteeism for Native American students is paying off in a Cheyenne-Arapaho school system. It’s a hands-on initiative with an intensive interest in reaching students in the Oklahoma tribe. It comes as absenteeism remains at high levels for all students since the COVID-19 pandemic, but especially so for Native students. We’ll hear about promising methods to help keep kids on the track for learning. GUESTS Hollie Youngbear (Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes), Watonga Public Schools Indian Educator Jacob Metoxen (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin), legal specialist with the Tribal Law and Policy Institute Johanna Farmer (Rosebud Sioux Tribe), program attorney with the National American Indian Court Judges Association

After a period of colonial suppression, traditional kapa making is enjoying a sustained resurgence. In recent decades, a growing number of Native Hawaiian artists have mastered the labor-intensive process of harvesting, scraping, and soaking the bark of the wauke plant and embellishing the resulting fabric with colorful traditional designs. A new generation of artists is benefiting from this reclaimed expertise. GUESTS Dalani Tanahy (Native Hawaiian), Hawaiian kapa artist Lehuauakea (Native Hawaiian), Hawaiian kapa artist Micah Kamohoali’i (Native Hawaiian), Hawaiian artist, fashion designer, and educator Roen Hufford (Native Hawaiian), Hawaiian kapa artist

Bull and bareback riding, team roping, and barrel racing are among the highly anticipated competitions to watch at this year’s National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. We’ll talk with rodeo announcer Randy Taylor and some of the Native athletes working to make their names known in the arena. GUESTS Randy Taylor (Cherokee), professional rodeo announcer Jacob Lees (Tlingit). professional bareback rider JC Yeahquo ((Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara), team roping header Danielle Lowman (Navajo), breakaway roper

A bill to formally provide federal protections to the Ocmulgee Mounds in Georgia is making progress in Congress. If approved, it would establish the state’s first National Park and Preserve overseen by the National Park Service. The land is the ancestral home of the Muscogee Creek Nation and other tribes. The preservation momentum comes as several other locations look to better document and protect mounds. In Wisconsin, officials identified two mounds in Milwaukee’s oldest cemetery. We’ll get updates on recent efforts to recognize and preserve mounds. GUESTS Raelynn Butler (citizen of Muscogee Nation), secretary of culture and humanities for the Muscogee Creek Nation Tracie Revis (citizen of Muscogee Nation and Euchee), director of advocacy for the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative Sunshine Thomas-Bear (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska), cultural preservation director, NAGPRA representative, and tribal historic preservation officer for the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska — and director for the Angel De Cora Museum and Research Center

Tribally run business owners and individual Native American entrepreneurs are preparing for tariffs and other international trade shifts if Donald Trump delivers on his promise to enact tariffs on good from certain countries. Trump initiated a trade war during his first term that hampered tribes and business that trade directly with foreign countries or that readily use foreign products. We’ll find out how Native companies with foreign ties are preparing. GUESTS Wayne Garnons-Williams (Plains Cree from Moosomin First Nation), chair of the International Inter-tribal Trade and Investment Organization Larry Chavis (Lumbee), economist and business school professor Tyler Tawahongva (Hopi), owner of Cloud 9 Recycling James Collard, director of planning and economic development for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation

Donald Trump targeted trans issues during his presidential campaign. He promised to take aim at gender-affirming care early in his upcoming term in office, including restricting federal funds for trans medical support. That could have a major effect on such care within the Indian Health Service. In addition, at least half of all states now ban gender affirming care for minors. A pending U.S. Supreme Court decision will determine the future of such care in those states. We’ll gauge the direction for trans issues and find out how trans advocates are preparing both politically and personally for the next few years. GUESTS Shelby Chestnut (Assiniboine), executive director of the Transgender Law Center Dr. Itai Jeffries (Occaneechi), program director for the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board's Paths (Re)Membered Project Dr. Hannah Wenger, clinical consultant and contractor at the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board’s Trans and Gender Affirming Care ECHO Program and Paths (Re)Membered Project

The disproportionately high number of unsolved cases for missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP) inspired Haley Omeasoo to launch a research lab on the Blackfeet Nation’s Montana reservation. Ohkomi Forensics offers tribal police and other law enforcement agencies scientific data in an attempt to make connections with current and past investigations. It’s one of the ways Native advocates all over the country are working to fill gaps to improve the troubling statistics for Native crime victims. GUESTS Haley Omeasoo (enrolled member of the Hopi Tribe and a descendent of the Blackfeet descent), executive director and president of Ohkomi Forensics Eleanore Sunchild (Thunderchild First Nation), Indigenous human rights attorney with Sunchild Law and member of the Redrum Motorcycle Club Bree R Black Horse (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma), MMIP Assistant United States Attorney for the Northwest Regions Melissa Skeet (Diné), endurance roller skater

Tribal leaders are heading to Washington, D.C. for President Joe Biden’s last White House Tribal Nations Summit. The gathering is touted as a chance for tribal representatives to interact with Administration officials and gauge progress and hurdles when it comes to the federal government’s trust responsibility. The future of the regular meetings with the executive branch is uncertain. In his previous term, President Donald Trump chose not to convene regular meetings with tribes. We’ll get a preview of the upcoming summit and assess the potential for future interactions with the White House. GUESTS Larry Wright Jr. (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska), executive director for National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Kevin Washburn (Chickasaw Nation), dean at the University of Iowa College of Law Levi Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), publisher and editor of Native News Online and Tribal Business News

It’s getting harder to stay ahead of cyber criminals. Tribes and tribal businesses are among the entities facing growing security threats. Some have had to pay large sums and shut down their network operations in response to cyber attacks. The newest report from Experian notes an increasing number of attacks and foresees a rise in younger hackers equipped with sophisticated AI technology. Organized foreign criminals are constantly hunting for security weaknesses to steal people’s personal information. The threat requires a response in know-how and financial resources. We’ll find out what’s happening behind the scenes as cyber security experts work to protect your data. GUESTS Renita DiStefano (Seneca Nation), president and CEO of Second Derivative, LLC Brandon Benallie (Diné), cybersecurity expert Shane Hill (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin), manager of cybersecurity for the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin

Holiday shoppers are busy nailing down deals on smart TVs, cookware sets, and leather handbags at big-name online and retail stores. Native business owners and individual entrepreneurs offer an alternative during the holiday buying rush with gift ideas that make both an impression for the receivers and a difference for the sellers. We have some experts on gifts made by Native Americans that you might not have thought of. GUESTS Rico Worl (Tlingit and Athabascan), social designer and founder of Trickster Company Major Robinson (Northern Cheyenne), owner of Sage & Oats Trading Post Tally Monteau (Hunkpati Dakota), project manager for Triia with NADC Calvin Crosby (Cherokee), owner of King's English Bookshop and executive director of Brain Food Books

Representatives from the Canadian government just traveled to northern Quebec to apologize to the Inuit people of Nunavik for the mass killing of sled dogs some six decades ago. The apology comes with $45 million in compensation. The actions are acknowledgement of the government’s callous regard for the wishes, much less the livelihoods, of the Inuit as it carried out the slaughter of more than 1,000 dogs. The money will go toward revitalizing sled dog culture through training and operational support. We'll hear about what brought on the action and how Nunavik Inuit worked to secure accountability. GUESTS Jennifer Probert Erhart (Upper Tanana Athabascan), dog musher and tribal court support specialist in the tribal government and justice division at Tanana Chiefs Conference Carl Erhart (Koyukon Athabascan), dog musher Lucy Grey (Inuk), Makivvik Corporation coordinator for the dog slaughter file Charlie Arngak (Inuk), deputy mayor of Kangiqsujuaq MP Iqwinder Gaheer, Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Malton in Ontario, Canada

If you ever buy or sell a parcel of land or build a home or business, you’ll likely need a land surveyor. They are the first professionals on the scene when people need to find and document property lines, reservation boundaries, utilities, and topography. On a bigger scale, much of the American west was originally mapped and named by explorers like Lewis and Clark and John Wesley Powell in the 1800s. It’s now up to Native American surveyors to include their unique understanding of the land going forward. We’ll hear from Native land surveyors about their work and the need to recruit more Native people to their ranks. GUESTS Halbert Goldtooth (Diné), professional land surveyor and owner of Goldtooth Surveying Jake Stephens (member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), manager of the Tribal Surveying Office for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Jamie Hansen, survey manager for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes

The title of Pulitzer Prize-winning Ojibwe writer Louise Erdrich latest book refers to the north-flowing river along the North Dakota-Minnesota border. It’s the geography of The Mighty Red that stretches in all directions from the small town loves and losses that Erdrich’s characters inhabit. Readers follow the teenage Ojibwe protagonist Kismet Poe as she navigates race, class, and an uncertain economy. Along the way, we learn how bison bones were once used to turn beets into sugar. It’s all woven together with Erdrich’s uniquely exquisite prose. We talk with Louise Erdrich about her newest novel.

In Navajo origin stories, the turkey is a hero. He gathers up all the seeds from the third world and brings them to the fourth world we live in today. Many other tribes revere turkeys and make use of their feathers. Anishinaabe journalist Leah Lemm documents her own cultural reconnection by gathering wild rice, or manoomin, in her home reservation in Minnesota for the first time. Salmon are coming back to the tributaries of the Klamath River in California for the first time in a century after tribes helped bring about the largest dam removal project in history. And a Diné entrepreneur creates an unlikely fusion of traditional flavors and the increasingly popular boba drink craze. Those are the topics all on The Menu, our regular feature on Indigenous food stories and news. GUESTS Kenneth Brink (Karuk), vice chairman of the Karuk Tribe Sheldon Blackhorse (Diné), cultural advisor, actor, and math tutor Kevin Wilson (Diné), owner of Native Boba Tea Co. Leah Lemm (citizen of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe)