Native America Calling

Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) rose from a New Mexico Democratic Party organizer to the House of Representatives then to President Joe Biden’s cabinet. She made history every step of the way and rode that momentum to now lead the state New Mexico as governor. We’ll hear from Gov.-elect Haaland about her historic win and how she intends to keep that momentum going. While Haaland’s election earned international headlines, some other Indigenous candidates made notable gains. We’ll hear from first-time elected leaders in Washington and Arkansas. GUESTS Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), New Mexico governor-elect Jacob Allen (Chickasaw Nation), Arkansas state representative-elect for District 10 Chelsea Dimas (Nahua and Purépecha), Washington state representative-elect for District 14 Renee Hernandez Greenfield (Cochiti Pueblo, San Ildefonso Pueblo, Taos Pueblo descendent), Washington state representative-elect for District 26   Break 1 Music: Leader’s Honor Song (song) Jay Begaye (artist) Night of the Northern Lights (album) Break 2 Music: Zombies Ate My Natives (song) Tall Paul (artist) Ghoulash (album)

The story of California’s tribes is one of federal military force, bad-faith treaty agreements, and schemes by the federal government to diminish Native American power in order to exploit the state’s gold and other vast natural treasures. The systems forced on the state’s Native inhabitants nearly 200 years ago continues to define who is and who isn’t recognized today. We’ll hear from a historian about the Treaty of Temecula and its role in defining tribes in the state. We’ll also hear one person’s account to track and reconnect with her own tribe that suffered under the established system. GUESTS Allison Herrera (Xolon Salinan), Indigenous Affairs journalist and former John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University Sean Milanovich (Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians), PhD in Native American History at University of California, Riverside and a Cahuilla language teacher William Madrigal (Cahuilla and Luiseño), adjunct professor at California State University San Marcos and University of California, Riverside   Break 1 Music: Tosay Hwilit [White Bird] & Taciovakok [a Herb] – Deer Dance (song) Musicians & Singers from Old Paschua Village, Tucson & Rio Yaqui, Sonora (artist) Yaqui Ritual and Festive Music (album) Break 2 Music: Zombies Ate My Natives (song) Tall Paul (artist) Ghoulash (album)

Nearly all of the artwork by Gina Herrera (Tesuque Pueblo) reflects some aspect of her 25 years in the U.S. military. The California-based mixed media artist questions her own practices and the effect she has on the environment through her assemblages of metal, plastics, found objects, and even military insignia. We’ll hear from her about her unique passion to convey both her culture and her military career, and how that comes out in an exhibition she is part of at the Elmhurst Art Museum in Illinois.. We’ll also talk with artists in an exhibition connected to a seminal time of activism, Native identity, and military ambivalence for Native Americans around the time of the Vietnam War in the 1970s. The Outburst exhibition at Santa Fe’s Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian complies works by artist directly connected to the war as well as those with family connections. GUESTS Mateo Romero (Cochiti Pueblo), artist Dante Biss-Grayson (Osage), Air Force veteran, artist, and founder of Sky-Eagle Collection Frank Buffalo Hyde (Onondaga Nation, Beaver Clan, and Nez Perce), painter, mix media sculptor, and art writer Gina Herrera (Tesuque Pueblo), veteran artist Joseph Lefthand (Descendent of Cheyenne and Arapaho, Taos, and Zuni tribes and American settlers), former contemporary artist   Break 1 Music: Veteran’s Honoring Song (song) Red Hawk Medicine Drum (artist) New Beginnings (album) Break 2 Music: Zombies Ate My Natives (song) Tall Paul (artist) Ghoulash (album)

Tribes and Native organizations nearly universally oppose the provisions of the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, which water down tribal say over projects that threaten cultural resources. The bill’s supporters see it clearing the way for major energy infrastructure projects, including clean energy, but it also includes major changes to the current requirements for government-to-government consultation. National Congress of American Indians President Mark Macarro calls it an “extreme existential threat”. We’ll pry into the details and find out what it could mean for the protection of cultural and spiritual heritage sites going forward. We’ll also hear about a controversial reroute of a gas pipeline in Minnesota. The new route would pass near Pipestone National Monument, where tribes have historically sourced red stone for ceremonial prayer pipes for centuries. Native activists and tribal officials argue that the pipeline’s new route threatens the sacred land. GUESTS Charlie Thayer (Lac Courte Oreilles), policy lead for the National Congress of American Indians Theresa Pasqual (Acoma Pueblo), executive vice president of Indigenous affairs at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center and former executive director of Acoma Pueblo Historic Preservation Office Crystal C’Bearing (Northern Arapaho and Cheyenne River Sioux), tribal historic preservation officer for the Northern Arapaho Tribe Franky Jackson (Prairie Island Indian Community), tribal historic compliance officer for Prairie Island Indian Community   Break 1 Music: Intertribal Song (song) Dakota Nation (artist) Home of the Champions (album) Break 2 Music: Zombies Ate My Natives (song) Tall Paul (artist) Ghoulash (album)

A coalition of Michigan tribes is on mission to restore Arctic grayling to Michigan rivers. The fish was once an important food source, but it hasn’t been seen in nearly a century. The coalition just released thousands of fingerlings for the second year in a row hoping they can start repopulating on their own. A similar effort focused on Alewives in Maine is showing signs of success after three decades. In Alaska, restoration of once-plentiful salmon populations is a priority for the more than 20 tribes that just signed a co-management agreement with the federal government. The new Bering Sea Interior Conservation District is a unique collaboration to manage habitat and harvests in order to improve salmon numbers for subsistence fishers. GUESTS Archie Martell (Sault St. Marie Tribes of Chippewa), fisheries division manager for the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Damon Galipeau (Penobscot Nation), river guide and forestry lead and cultural program coordinator for Wabanaki Youth in Science Violet Anniskett (Iñupiaq), college student at Iḷisaġvik College Frank Katchatag (Inupiaq from the Native Village of Unalakleet), chair of the Bering SeaInterior Tribal Commission and Tribal ConservationDistrict Mickey Stickman (Koyukon Athabascan), Nutalo Tribe councilmember and member of the Bering Sea Interior Tribal Commission   Break 1 Music: To Keep the World We Know (song) Bruce Cockburn (artist) O Sun O Moon (album) Break 2 Music: Zombies Ate My Natives (song) Tall Paul (artist) Ghoulash (album)

Def-i (Diné) cut his teeth as a rapper freestyling in rural New Mexico. He just put the skills he’s been honing in the years since to the test in a pair of back-to-back freestyle events; he participated in a three-day rap cypher marathon followed by a 13-hour freestyle attempt to break a Guinness World Record. Def-i calls it a “grueling challenge”. Longtime Minneapolis-based rapper Tall Paul incorporates his Ojibwe language into much of his creative works. That is the case in his latest single, “Prayers in a Song 2”, which explores Native identity and reconnection. He also released a horror-themed EP titled Ghoulash. The record offers scathing social and political commentary, with lyrical imagery fit for a Halloween party and track titles like “Zombies Ate My Natives”, “Horror D’oeuvres”, and “iLL Eagle Alien.” Both talented rappers join us on our Native Playlist, our regular feature celebrating Native music.   Break 1 Music: Resilient (song) Def-I (artist) Resilient (album) Break 2 Music: Put Your Feathers On (song) Blue Moon Marquee & Northern Cree (artist) Get Your Feathers Ready (Album)

A grassroots campaign in Hawai’i, built from the ashes of the deadly fire in Lahaina, sent a first-time Native Hawaiian candidate to the state legislature. The Green Party’s Pāʻele Kiakona unseated the incumbent Republican in what his supporters say is a commitment to protect āina from predatory developers. It’s one of dozens of state elections that collectively add to Native representation around the country. At the same time voters in several states approved ballot measures to require photo IDs in order to vote, even for mail-in voters. Such measures have proven to be a hurdle for some Native voters. We’ll look at the influence of some of the election decisions beyond the national races. GUESTS Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi (Kanaka Maoli), freelance journalist Amelia Schafer (Brothertown Indian Nation descendant), north central correspondent for ICT Nika Bartoo-Smith (Osage and Oneida Nations descent), joint reporter with ICT and Underscore Native News Margaret Carmel, politics editor for the Anchorage Daily News Samantha Blencke, senior staff attorney for the Native American Rights Fund   Break 1 Music: Ke Aloha I Ka Pu’uwai / He ‘Ili ‘Ula Au a He Hawai’I (song) Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu (artist) Call It What You Like (album) Break 2 Music: Put Your Feathers On (song) Blue Moon Marquee & Northern Cree (artist) Get Your Feathers Ready (Album)

In rejecting the direction President Donald Trump took the country in the past two years, voters also sent a record number of Native Americans to elected office. Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), who made history as the first Native American cabinet secretary, makes history a second time as the first Native woman elected governor. Peggy Flanagan (White Earth Band of Ojibwe) is the first Native woman in the U.S. Senate. Claire Valdez (Ysleta del sur Pueblo) breezed to her seat in New York. She joins fellow Native U.S. Reps. Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk), D-Kansas, Tom Cole (Chickasaw), R-Oklahoma, and Josh Brecheen (Choctaw), R-Oklahoma, in the U.S. House. In races too close to call, both Mary Peltola (Yup’ik) in Alaska and Jonathan Nez (Navajo) in Arizona have slim leads in their attempts to flip their respective Republican incumbents. In addition, the balance of power in Congress has shifted, offering a check on initiatives coming from the executive branch. We’ll find out what the electoral wins and losses mean for going forward and get a look at what remains in the balance. GUESTS Ruth Buffalo (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation), former North Dakota State Representative from Fargo, North Dakota and the first Native American woman elected to the North Dakota Legislature Allen Wright (Choctaw), president and founder of the Hustings Group Joaqlin Estus (Tlingit), longtime journalist and former ICT correspondent Jeanette DeDios (Jicarilla Apache and Diné), KUNM Radio reporter Hannah Bissett (Knik Tribe), deputy finance manager and fundraising specialist at Ship Creek Group   Break 1 Music: Victory Song (song) All Lead Singers Home Of The Champions (artist) Home Of The Champions (album) Break 2 Music: Put Your Feathers On (song) Blue Moon Marquee & Northern Cree (artist) Get Your Feathers Ready (Album)

While Native American voters generally stick with Democrats, any actual data on what is driving their decisions for the midterm elections is scarce. We’ll talk with first-time voters as well as veteran get-out-the-vote organizers to hear what is on the minds of voters this Election Day, which President Donald Trump calls “the most important midterm … in our lifetime.” Gasoline and grocery prices make headlines daily, but are historically low poverty rates an issue that voters think about? Are they worried about looming changes to health care access? We’ll ask about what’s important to those headed to the polls. GUESTS Muñeca Danforth (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin), Miss Indigenous Wisconsin Tayler Higgins (Seldovia Village tribal member and Cook Inlet Region Corporation shareholder), youth advocate Jordan James Harvill (Cherokee and Choctaw), national program director for Advance Native Political Leadership Mary Kim Titla (San Carlos Apache), executive director of United National Indian Tribal Youth   Break 1 Music: Show the People (song) Bear Creek (artist) On The Move – Powwow Songs Recorded Live at Apache Gold Break 2 Music: Put Your Feathers On (song) Blue Moon Marquee & Northern Cree (artist) Get Your Feathers Ready (Album)

Win or lose, Native American women are making a major showing in state and national races on Election Day. There is a very good chance Native women will fill a state governor’s seat and be represented in the U.S. Senate for the first time in history. The gains in representation come as a record number of Native candidates are on local, state, and national ballots around the country. As the nation prepares to vote, we’ll discuss the direction of political winds for Native candidates and issues. GUESTS Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee), author and journalist Michael Stopp (Cherokee and Muscogee), Oklahoma GOP analyst and president and CEO of Seven Star Holdings James Brooks, state reporter at Alaska Beacon   Break 1 Music: Intertribal (song) Cree Confederation (artist) Pakosiyimitan (album) Break 2 Music: Put Your Feathers On (song) Blue Moon Marquee & Northern Cree (artist) Get Your Feathers Ready (Album)