Native America Calling

Ten years since a world-changing blackout, an Anishinaabe community must embark on a mission of discovery if they’re going to survive. First Nations author Waubgeshig Rice revisits the survivors from his first novel, Moon of the Crusted Snow, as they search south for sustainable future in his next novel, Moon of the Turning Leaves. We’ll hear from him how he works to bring hope into a post-apocalyptic story. Plus, we’ll be joined by one of Jim Thorpe’s granddaughters about his posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Personal stories of pregnancy-related complications by Indigenous women are the centerpiece of a new informational campaign by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC wants to raise awareness about the high rate of pre- and post-natal complications among Native women. The effort comes just as the March of Dimes launched its own initiative to improve poor maternal care outcomes. It includes a map of "maternity care deserts", many of which are in areas with high Native populations. We’ll talk about these and other efforts to improve care for pregnant Native women.

Guitarist Jesse Ed Davis (Kiowa) was an in-demand session player starting in the mid 60s, 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.”

Local southern California tribes will share management of a new 4,500-square-mile marine sanctuary. The designation from the Biden Administration cites the need to protect at-risk plants and animals, including whales, dolphins, and sea turtles. Establishing the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary is the first such designation initiated by Native Americans. The idea started more than a decade ago by a member of the Northern Chumash Tribe. We’ll find out about how the sanctuary designation came about and what its managers hope it accomplishes.

Tensions are high in New Caledonia as the remote Pacific island nation's Indigenous people are pushing for independence more than 170 years after the island was colonized by France. At least 13 people have died in protests triggered in May when the French government attempted to institute voting changes that would bolster the political power of New Caledonia's white settler communities at the expense of the Indigenous Kanak people. There's been little progress in the four decades after the Kanak tried to force better recognition from New Caledonia's political leaders aligned with Paris. It's a fight that has parallels to current and past struggles by Indigenous people in North America and elsewhere.

The stories she heard as a young girl from her own elder relatives inspired Holly Miowak Guise to research and document the experience of Alaska Native veterans of World War II. Her work is compiled in the book, Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II. Her work encompasses the U.S. Government’s occupation of the Aleutian Islands, the trauma of religious boarding schools, and the historic Alaska Native fight to overcome institutionalized discrimination. We’ll talk with Guise about her work and the people she encountered.

Native Americans have a long and rich tradition of producing artwork from behind bars. In the past, it was both a means of artistic expression and a way to document and communicate important events. Modern inmate artwork is also a vehicle for creative expression. It is also a valuable tool for personal growth and rehabilitation. We’ll hear about artwork’s healing and redemptive significance for incarcerated Native Americans.

Good pay and a strong job demand are among the factors that make the information technology industry an promising career choice. But a study by the Kapor Center shows Native Americans are significantly underrepresented in the IT workforce. The divide is even wider for Native women. Starting early — offering computer science instruction in high schools — is one way IT advocates say will move the statistics in the right direction. We’ll talk about that and why Native IT experts are needed.

President Donald Trump and Republicans pulled off a decisive victory. Are Native Americans poised to benefit from the change in power? We’ll get the early analysis about what the election results mean from a Native perspective and hear more about how Native candidates fared up and down the ballot. We'll also find out how tribes might shift strategies to accommodate the change in political winds.

It’s the final day to cast your vote, setting the political course for the foreseeable future. All the messages to encourage Native voting, the legal and technical work to assure access, and the onslaught of campaign ads come down to Election Day. We’ll get reports from around the country to talk about progress and remaining hurdles as Native voters choose their elected leaders.

The Lumbee Nation counts 55,000 members, and although they are not federally recognized and have no tribal trust land, they have a strong cultural identity. The possibility of federal recognition is a factor in who members support in the presidential race. Across the state, the smaller, but federally recognized, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has political and economic muscle and opposes Lumbee recognition. We’ll explore the dynamics of navigating the Native vote in a critical swing state.

Before their relocation along the Trail of Tears, southeast tribes found a need to curb cattle rustling and other violations of tribal laws. The Five Tribes organized tribal law enforcement units that came to be known as Lighthorse. They would respond to crimes such as stagecoach robberies, bootlegging, murder, and land disputes. For several years, the Lighthorse acted as judge, jury, even executioner. The Cherokee Lighthorsemen have their origins in Georgia, but were official formed in November 1844. The tribes continue to use the term “Lighthorse” to refer to their community policing units. We’ll hear about the history of “Lighthorse” and how they paved the way for tribal law enforcement.

Halloween is the right time to dive into new spooky books by Native authors. Ramona Emerson’s new sequel, Exposure, checks back in with her character Rita Todacheene, a Navajo forensic photographer introduced in Emerson’s debut novel, Shutter, who continues to be haunted by crime victims. Dark and menacing supernatural entities follow Choctaws along the infamous Trail of Tears to Oklahoma in Devon Mihesuah’s The Bone Picker, a collection of fictional stories set in real-life histories. Nathan Adler co-edited a collection of scary stories along with Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm (Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and Saugeen First Nation) called Zegaajimo: Indigenous Horror Fiction. Hunkpapa Lakota humorist and author Tiffany Midge’s newest collection of poetry, Horns, weaves horror through her creative use of language and satire. These authors join us for a conversation about horror in Native literature.

Four Native Americans just received the nation’s highest honor recognizing work and dedication to enriching the community. President Joe Biden awarded the 2022-2023 National Humanities Medals to Muscogee poet Joy Harjo, long-time Cherokee educator Dr. Robert Martin, Potawatomi author and scientist Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Tlingit cultural advocate Dr. Rosita Worl. The awards, in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Humanities, honors individuals and organizations that deepen “the nation's understanding of the humanities and broadened our citizens' engagement with history, literature, languages, philosophy, and other humanities subjects.” Native America Calling was the first Native organization to receive a National Humanities Medal in 2021.

Global business connections are a way to build economic development. But it’s also a way to promote cross-cultural relationships and understanding across borders. The World Indigenous Business Forum aims to strengthen those bonds. The annual forum returns to the U.S. for the first time in nine years with at least 1,000 Indigenous business leaders meeting in Albuquerque to talk about success stories and barriers when it comes to trade across global boundaries. We’ll hear about what they hope to accomplish.

Indian boarding schools notoriously worked to stamp out Native languages, religions, and cultures. And part of that was an effort to cut ties between Native children and their traditional means of sustenance. In light of President Joe Biden’s apology, we’ll review another legacy of the shameful federal policy. And Alana Yazzie, who goes by The Fancy Navajo, just launched a new cookbook, which blends old and new Native food traditions. It's all today in our latest edition of our regular feature The Menu with host Andi Murphy.

President Joe Biden is taking the historic step to formally apologize for the federal government’s role in the failed Indian Board School era. The first-of-its-kind acknowledgement comes after Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland released the final report from a three-year investigation that included formal listening sessions from boarding school survivors and their relatives. The report documented at least 18,000 Native children who were sent to distant live-in schools where they were forced to abandon their languages and cultures. They were subjected to extensive physical and sexual abuse. Nearly 1,000 children died while attending the institutions far from their families. We’ll hear from Sec. Haaland and others who have been working on building the infrastructure of healing from the Boarding School Era.

Every year, thousands of Native Americans are going without the health care they’re entitled to or are risking costly medical bills for treatment that should be covered. A new report by KFF Health News focuses on the Purchased/Referred Care program in which patients seek outside treatment that IHS doesn’t offer. The report says the PRC program denied more than $550 million in payment requests from outside medical facilities in 2022, putting patients on the hook financially. Some tribes with resources are able to establish tribally-run care. Others are working on tribal health insurance programs. We’ll get a look at the problem facing those relying on IHS, and what can be done to solve it.

Nevada is the first state to extend electronic ballots to tribal members. It allows them to register and vote from their own homes, giving rural Native voters an alternative to traveling miles to their nearest polling or ballot drop-off site. It’s an idea that other states remain wary of. In Alaska, efforts to improve voting among Native voters remain elusive. Opposition from Republican state lawmakers killed a bill eliminating witness signatures on absentee ballots. On a conservative talk show, the Alaska House Speaker admitted she opposed it because it would have favored U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat and the only Alaska Native in Congress. Rep. Peltola calls it "a concerted effort to silence" Native votes. We'll discuss progress and continuing hurdles for Native voters.

Some colleges and universities say Native American admissions for the class of 2028 have suffered after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down race-conscious recruitment. Harvard University reports a drop in enrollment for Native students and other students of color. Other colleges say it’s still too early to say. We’ll get an update on the trends for Native enrollment in post-secondary education and how Native students can adjust to the new admissions reality.

Claudia Sheinbaum has already made history as Mexico’s first female president. She also comes into office with a promise to bolster the rights and recognition for the country’s many Indigenous peoples. Her inauguration included a traditional Indigenous blessing ceremony, something that at least one church leader criticized as "witchcraft". We’ll explore what the Sheinbaum presidency means for Mexico’s Indigenous peoples and what obstacles stand in the way.

Connecting with Native voters works best when the message comes from a Native source. In the final days before the election, the campaigns are working at a feverish pace in places like Arizona, Wisconsin, Nevada, and North Carolina, deploying specialists to connect with Native voters. We’ll hear from some of those specialists about what you might expect to hear in the final stretch of the campaigns, and what messages are resonating most.

The U.S. Navy is scheduled to formally apologize to Alaska Native residents of Angoon, Alaska, 142 years after they bombarded the village. The Navy also just apologized to the residents of Kake for a similar assault some years earlier. Both deadly assaults on the villages came after the deaths of Tlingit residents prompting a series of escalating actions. The shellings occurred during a time of tense interactions between Alaska Natives, the U.S. military, and outside corporate interests. Navy and village leaders alike say the apologies will help healing these many years later.

There is a decidedly imperialistic thrust to the Civilization video games. That’s why Shawnee tribal leaders were wary at first when game developers approached them about including famed Shawnee chief Tecumseh in the next version of Civilization. But after four years, the collaboration has introduced Shawnee language and culture and a new direction for the Civilization franchise. We’ll hear about this intersection of Native representation and video games and explore some new uses for video games.

Native land is the medium Cherokee journalist and writer Rebecca Nagle (member of the Cherokee Nation) uses to convey the long fight for justice and accountability. By the Fire We Carry traces a detailed history from before the Trail of Tears to the current arguments in the halls of the U.S. Supreme Court, as Native Americans fight to retain what was always inherently theirs and win back what was taken by force and fraud by the U.S. Government. Nagel is the creator of the acclaimed This Land podcast that found a broad audience for the complex topics of Native sovereignty and jurisdiction, and the forces constantly working to dismantle them.

Duke Redbird’s (Saugeen Ojibway First Nation) activism initially rose from hardship. He turned to writing to express his frustration after encountering racism and discrimination in school. His writing led him to a series of celebrated published poetry collections. He developed a number of artistic disciplines and professional skills. He’s a filmmaker, visual artist, actor, and educator. He remains active as a voice in the Sultans of String band. We’ll hear about his work and extraordinary life.

Both presidential campaigns are pouring resources into Arizona, a swing state where Native American votes could make a substantial difference in the outcome of the election. But it’s also a state emblematic of laws — proof of citizenship, limits on ballot collecting — that voting advocates say hinders or discourages Native voter participation. As it is, a glitch in the state’s citizenship verification methods puts the votes of some 218,000 registered voters of all races and political persuasions in jeopardy.

Also on the campaign trail, an incumbent Idaho state lawmaker angrily told a Nez Perce challenger — the only person of color in the race — go back where you came from” Candidate Trish Carter-Goodheart said she was shaken and worried about her safety. We’ll hear from Carter-Goodheart about the event.

The Indian Health Service finds Native Americans and Alaska Natives are two and a half times more likely to report serious psychological distress than other populations. Psychiatry experts say intergenerational trauma may be one factor. There are steps both employers and employees can do to avoid the effects of stress and burnout in the office. There are additional steps that may be beneficial specifically for Native employees. On World Mental Health Day, we’ll find out ways to build a healthy workplace.

Weary residents in the southeast United States are preparing for the inevitable destruction of Hurricane Milton just two weeks after Hurricane Helene claimed at least 230 lives and billions of dollars in property damage. Area tribes not directly affected by the storm double-punch are offering aid and assessing their own disaster preparedness in light of the devastation. We’ll hear from other tribal emergency management officials about their own evolving disaster plans.

A portrayal of the Pine Ridge Reservation by a YouTube personality with more than 2,000,000 subscribers is drawing criticism for focusing on stereotypes of poverty and substance abuse. Tommy McGee, who goes by the name “Tommy G”, makes a name for himself producing what he calls “documentaries” that depict extremes of American life. His video of the Oglala Lakota reservation, called "The poorest place in America", has more than 3,000,000 views. He paints a picture primarily of meth and alcohol addiction, unemployment, squalor, and crime. Pine Ridge residents, including one Native youth organization, say the video crosses the line into “poverty porn.” We’ll explore current approaches for responsible media representation of Native people.

A possible rat sighting has the remote Pribilof Island of St. Paul in Alaska on high alert. Scientists are concerned an infestation of the invasive species could threaten nesting seabirds and other wildlife. They have reason to be concerned: rats from a Japanese shipwreck more than 200 years ago inundated a series of Alaska’s Aleutian islands, devastating the native species. And a part of Louisiana offers another cautionary tale about invasive rodents. Nutria were originally introduced to help the fur trade. Now the aquatic rodents destroy the vegetation that protects land and coastal marshes from erosion. We'll look at how tribes are grappling with invasive rodents.

In his newest album, “Waiting for a Sign,” Hitaałiinez Wheeler (Diné), better known as ‘Hitaałii,’ takes listeners through Navajo country with his signature hazy and dreamy aesthetic. Sierra Kihega (Otoe-Missouria and Keetoowah Cherokee), who goes by Sierra Spirit, released new singles from her forthcoming collection of indie pop songs, “coin toss,” about personal growth. We’ll talk with these Indigenous artists about their new tunes to add to your Native Playlist.

An Albuquerque, N.M., organization is cutting the ribbon on a new building they say will help in their mission to developing Native entrepreneurs. New Mexico Community Capital (NMCC) has had to be flexible to meet Native business owners “where they are” to provide mentorship, business consultation, and other services that help them succeed. They’re among a number of business incubation efforts with a personal approach to help start and work with people who have ideas, but are from populations that statistically need more assistance to get going.

Republican U.S. Senate challenger Tim Sheehy is drawing fire from Montana tribal officials for comments deemed derogatory against the state’s Native American residents. A recording of the comments at a previous public appearance surfaced at the end of August. In a candidate debate, incumbent Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) called on Sheehy to apologize. In a state with 70,000 Native Americans and seven federally recognized Native reservations, how the candidates appeal to Native voters could make a difference in the outcome of a close race.

Plus, we'll get updates on Hurricane Helene damage from North Carolina.

The increasing demand for power is prompting challenges from a number of tribes who say the means to transmit that power is harming culturally significant tribal land. The Tohono O’odham, Hopi, Zuni, and San Carlos Apache tribes were dealt a legal setback by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year in their opposition to a proposed $10 billion transmission line through a pristine Arizona canyon. And pueblos and other tribes say they are concerned about additional transmission capacity planned to boost power at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. In both cases, tribal officials say the proposals did not adequately take cultural and archaeological significance into consideration.

Tlingit warriors enjoyed an initial victory in defending their home against Russians intent on re-establishing their settlement in Sitka. But after first driving the Russians back and wounding their leader, Alexander Baranov, in the first week of October, 1804, the Tlingits concluded they couldn’t sustain another armed assault. They moved to the far end of the island that now bears Baranov’s name, but remained contentious cohabitants with the Russians, keeping the settlers on guard. Even though the Tlingits lost, the battle was a landmark event that influenced Russian settlement that came after. We’ll hear about the Battle of 1804, and also the 1869 American assault on the Village of Kake, for which the U.S. Navy just formally apologized.

How much do the proposed USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans reflect what industries want to promote as opposed to what Native Americans consider nutritious? When the new version of the guidelines is released, it has implications for the food that makes its way into school lunches, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, and SNAP.

Former President Donald Trump won't back away from promoting a false rumor about Haitian immigrants in Ohio eating cats and dogs. The Haitian residents now fear for their safety and say Trump is dehumanizing them for political gain. The same tactic has been used against Native Americans as well, and food is one means to do it.

With help from Lakers’ superstar Lebron James, a Native director and cast tell the story of trauma and healing playing out within a reservation small town high school basketball team. Sydney Freeland (Navajo) is a gifted storyteller (Echo, Reservation Dogs, Drunktown’s Finest), teaming up with Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Muscogee) to tell the sometimes heartbreaking, always human drama of the fictional Chuska Warriors. It’s sure to resonate with current and past rez ball warriors and adds to the growing list of films that show the world what can be achieved when Native talent delivers Native stories.

Two years after the EPA found high levels of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contamination in the drinking water at the K-12 tribal school on the Leech Lake Reservation, students and staff are still forced to consume only water brought in from outside the building. Leech Lake is one place tribes are having to respond to the presence of PFAS, a class of man-made chemicals used in fire suppressing foam, water repellents on textiles, and older nonstick cookware. High PFAS exposure is connected to some health problems including cancer and thyroid disease. Nearly 100% of Americans have PFAS in their body. Information specific to Native Americans is limited. We’ll talk with some tribes that are trying to address PFAS in their water and explore what can be done.

Playing college athletics takes more than just a love of sports. To be successful at that level takes years of dedication, focus, and a good deal of talent. We’ll hear from athletes turning athletics into a pathway to academics at Division 1 colleges about how to recognize and develop their own skills, lessons they learned along the way, and how to deal with setbacks.

There is a flip side to the narrative about the cultural richness that Spanish colonists brought to California. Likewise, the discovery of gold at Sutters Mill in 1848 did more than just spark the largest settler migration in the country’s history. In both cases, the damage to the lives and cultures of the state’s Indigenous populations was profound. At the time, there were far more Indigenous people than the Spanish or European-descended Americans. In its effort to provide Native-led historical instruction, the National Museum of the American Indian has developed curricula that provides perspective about the people who were there long before anyone else. We’ll learn about NMAI’s educational goal and how it’s being used.

A new study finds the five federally recognized tribes in Idaho contribute some $1.5 billion to the state’s economy every year. Another new study finds the economic impact of Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians alone reaches $1 billion for that state’s annual total bottom line. Both studies echo similar research over the years in other states that show tribes are major players in their states’ economic viability. And the sources aren’t just gaming — categories like construction, tourism, government operations, and education are major economic contributors.

The fire that killed 101 people and destroyed much of the town of Lahaina on Maui Island left financial, environmental, and emotional damage in its wake that will require years and significant resources to overcome. Not least on the list is a mountain of toxic burned debris that residents and officials are having trouble finding a suitable place for. Officials are studying whether the charred landscape will harm the delicate coral reef just offshore. Somewhere in the country, a new wildfire appears at least once a week during the most active season, and many of those leave lasting implications for tribes and residents.

Tribes in California are urging President Joe Biden to designate three new national monuments in order to protect what the tribes say are natural and cultural treasures. The proposed Sáttítla National Monument would cover 200,000 acres in northeastern California important to the Pit River and Modoc Nations. The California State Assembly also signed onto the push to designate 627,000 acres as the Chuckwalla National Monument and almost 400,00 acres as the Kw'tsán National Monument. The effort comes as the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals is expected weigh in on a challenge to President Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act to set aside some 1.5 million acres of land, including the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.

A Washington state man will be sentenced soon for his part in killing some 3,600 eagles and other protected birds and selling their feathers and other parts on the black market. The crime reaches a shocking new level of destruction in violation of federal law and respect for the sacred animals. But it highlights the pressure to fulfill demand for feathers and what some people are willing to do to work around established protections. We’ll find out about black market channels for eagle and hawk feathers and talk about what else can be done to protect the endangered birds.

Inadequate infrastructure is only one of the problems contributing to the fact that Native Americans and Alaska Natives lag behind everyone else when it comes to broadband access. Digital rights advocates say tribes need more say in how readily available data pathways that already exist are divvied up. We’ll hear about the role digital spectrum plays in connectivity that determines the course of business development, access to healthcare, and educational opportunities.

The Florida Everglades are on "life support". That’s the assessment of Miccosukee environmental advocate Betty Osceola, who says the famed wetlands are under relentless threat from urban encroachment, pollution, and poor management. Osceola is a dedicated defender of her homelands that are also home to at least 39 endangered or threatened species including the Florida panther and the American crocodile. She is sounding the alarm over historically high water levels that are destroying habitat and drowning culturally important sites. We'll talk with Osceola about her connection to the Everglades and her passion to preserve them. She joins us as this month's Native in the Spotlight.

Native American-run organizations are jumping into the clean energy economy with both feet. The group Indigenized Energy is administering some $135.6 million in federal grants for both solar installations and manufacturing. The Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund has a continuous string of funding opportunities to get tribes in on solar projects. We’ll get updates on some promising trends that help provide both clean energy and tribal economic development.

The last presidential debate marked the beginning of the end for Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. What of consequence will come out of the debate between his replacement, Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump? Neither of the main party campaigns have so much as mentioned tribes and Native issues in any major public appearances. We’ll ask Native political watchers about how they think the debate propels—or hampers—the things Native voters are most concerned about.

Millions of dollars are flowing into tribal nations right now as a means to encourage small business development. The money is an extension of the federal COVID relief package known as the Small Business Credit Initiative (SBCI), allowing tribes to administer lines of credit that are often hard to come by. We’ll find out about some of the promising plans for SBCI loans and what might come of them.

As the 2024 Paralympic Games wrap up, we will get a glimpse into the world of competition for disabled Native Athletes. Dozens of Indigenous athletes competed in the Games in Paris. And while the big production in France is always something to shoot for, para-athletics isn’t just for elite competitors. They are also an everyday recreational and creative outlet with built-in social and health benefits.

The main character in Chickasaw writer Danica Nava’s debut novel gets into trouble for making some questionable claims about her Choctaw identity to try and get ahead in the working world. Cherokee citizen Christina Berry writes about an Austin woman’s sometimes funny, sometimes heart wrenching desire to start a family. And Karen Kay’s historical novel explores an interracial connection on the mid-1800s Great Plains frontier. What each of these books has in common is the quest for true love. They also have honest, complex, and engaging portrayals of Native characters written by Native authors. We’ll hear from them about their work and Native representation in modern romance literature.

As students head back into the classroom, they’ll find many of their fellow classmates are…not there. Overall, more parents are choosing to teach their kids at home. A perception of safety and the flexibility to teach their children religious or cultural values are among the top reasons parents give for homeschooling. In addition, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced students to learn from home, more parents got used to the idea of taking on the task. We’ll talk with Native homeschooling families and advocates about what is important to them this school year.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisive confirmation of the Indian Child Welfare Act two years ago in Brackeen v. Haaland, the law has seen victories and challenges. In a win for tribal sovereignty, a decision by the California Supreme Court requires state case workers to make more of an effort to ascertain a foster child’s Native identity status. Congress is considering a bill that would strengthen state-by-state compliance with the 45-year-old law. And the investigative new outlet Reveal explores questions about how a Utah public official was able to adopt a Northern Cheyenne child without ever triggering the standard ICWA process.

Yup’iks know them as Ircenrraat. Poncas refer to them as Gadázhe. Cherokees call them Yunwi Tsunsdi. In some cases, they are caretakers or protectors. Other times they are tricksters or menacing goblins. Most tribes have traditions that fit under the umbrella of "little people". They bear resemblance to fairies in other cultures. They are elusive supernatural beings that show up in stories or are invoked to explain good luck or misfortune.

The Lord of the Rings film trilogy won 17 Academy Awards and its legacy endures nearly 25 years after the first film’s release. The trilogy’s success has put its filming location, New Zealand, on the industry map. The motion picture business contributes at least $2.12 billion a year to New Zealand’s economy. That’s also been a boon for Indigenous cinema. Māori film critic and programmer Leo Koziol calls it a “renaissance". The recent Māori-led film The Convert, directed by Lee Tamahori, is garnering critical acclaim. We’ll talk with Koziol and hear from Māori creatives who worked on Lord of the Rings about progress on Māori representation in film since then. This is an encore show and we won't be taking live calls from listeners.

Hundreds of low-income Native families who depend on the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations are enduring delays and other system management problems. The heads of the agency that oversees the program are having to answer tough questions from lawmakers. In an unrelated dispute, those same lawmakers are squabbling over costs of a tribally run food distribution pilot program. It’s one of the reasons they can’t come to agreement on the current Farm Bill that has major implications for Indian Country. Also, adding an Indigenous ingredient to an ice cream recipe is a good way to experience a sweet and cold side of traditional flavor. That’s what First Nations chef Zach Keeshig did with sweet grass. That’s all on The Menu on Native America Calling, our special feature on Indigenous food hosted by Andi Murphy.

Syphilis is relatively easy to treat. But that fact hasn’t stopped an unremitting increase in the disease that is hitting Native Americans hardest. Public health officials say American Indian and Alaska Native people currently suffer the highest syphilis infection rates of any group in the country – and the highest recorded since the cure was discovered in 1941. The Indian Health Service warns cases of congenital syphilis have resulted in stillbirths or infant deaths shortly after birth. Medical officials have a series of detection and treatment recommendations. We’ll revisit the problem of syphilis infections and discuss the strategies for solving it.

With a basis in resistance to institutional authority, anarchy appeals to some politically minded Native Americans. Historically, Indigenous anarchists played a significant role in the Mexican Revolution. Although the term is often used in popular culture to be synonymous with chaos, modern Native anarchists also incorporate the development of collaborations and trade to benefit the collective good. We’ll talk with Indigenous people who adhere to an anarchist philosophy about how it guides their lives and their views on the upcoming elections.

The acrobatic dance style known as "Breaking" started almost a half century ago with the hip-hop culture on the streets of the Bronx. Among its most enduring features is the influence of powwow fancy dance steps. Breaking’s debut at the Paris Olympics propelled awareness of the current skill and athleticism that goes into it. We’ll talk with noted Native b-boys and b-girls about the origins and future of breaking.

This week, Indigenous leaders, climate, activists, and community members from more than 80 different nations around the world are convening in Rapid City, S.D. The 12th World Wilderness Congress will be looking at concerns and solutions to issues facing forest health, biodiversity, and wildlife. We’ll talk with elders actively addressing these issues. Also, we’ll hear updates from the group Apache Stronghold as they make their way across the country raising awareness of a copper mining project on Oak Flat in Arizona before stopping in Washington D.C. The group will turn to the U.S. Supreme Court for protections of the sacred site.

Native America Calling was at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Ill.

Host Shawn Spruce along with National Native News anchor Antonia Gonzales and Native Vote 2024 contributor Shaun Griswold from Source NM brought you special live coverage during Thursday night's acceptance speech by Vice President Kamala Harris.

Listen to the full broadcast or watch it on YouTube.

Hugo Morales (Mixtec) rose from his Indigenous family farming roots in Oaxaca, Mexico to found Radio Bilingue, the largest Latino radio network in the United States. The network continues to offer a diverse array of programming in English, Spanish, Mixtec, and Triqui languages. Morales earned money while going to school by picking fruit in California. Among his many accomplishments and honors, he ultimately earned a law degree from Harvard University. He continues his strong commitment to educate others. We'll hear from Morales about his journey and where he's going next.

Plus, we'll hear closing coverage of the 2024 Democratic National Convention with Native Vote 2024 contributor Shaun Griswold from Source NM.

Vice President Kamala Harris will wrap up the Democratic National Convention, a climax to the four-day political spectacle to launch the vice president into the home stretch toward the November election. A presidential candidate for barely a month, Harris makes her best case to lead the nation for the next four years. If voters choose Harris, what could her administration mean for Native Americans? We'll examine her record on the Indian Child Welfare Act, sovereignty, consultation, and honoring treaties. We'll draw from her work as a U.S. senator, California attorney general, and vice president when it comes to issues important to Native Americans.

Even if Vice President Kamala Harris wins the White House, her agenda is dependent on what happens in Congressional elections. Since entering the race a few short weeks ago, Harris’ favorability has risen in polls—and once wary Democratic candidates are starting to see her as a strength. We’ll discuss what’s at stake for Native issues when it comes to other national elections and whether Harris has momentum enough to make a difference in races other than her own.

Beyond building momentum for the presidential candidates, there is some work to do at the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Native delegates have a voice in developing the platform that Democrats look to as the blueprint to effect policy. How much of what the policy direction relates to issues important to Native Americans? We'll zero in on how sovereignty, ICWA, the trust responsibility, and consultation intersect with the mainstream push by Democrats and how that shows up in official party positions.

For their most important public gathering in the presidential election, Democrats have chosen to meet on the traditional lands of the Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Ojibwe, Odawa, and a handful of other nations. The state has no established federally recognized tribes, but the number of Chicago citizens who identify as Native American has more than doubled in the past ten years. We’ll be in Chicago, talking with Native Chicago residents who are also clued in to the Democratic political process about what the party is doing to reach Native voters and what sets them apart from their political rivals.

Distinctly Native American artwork, fashion, and films converge again for the annual Santa Fe Indian Market, with at least 1,000 booths and somewhere around 100,000 visitors. Native America Calling is live from Santa Fe, hearing from Southwestern Association for Indian Arts representatives, 2023 Best In Show winner Jennifer Tafoya, curators from the Native Cinema Showcase, and others to get a preview of the largest juried Native art market in the world.

Violinist, composer, and producer Geneviève Gros-Louis has a busy schedule of solo and group performances and discussions leading up to the release of her new album that celebrates Wendat culture and talent. She captivated the audience at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival with a piece composed specifically for the premiere of the film, Killers of the Flower Moon. She also composed the score to a season of National Geographic’s series, Life Below Zero: First Alaskans. Gros-Louis returns to the Native America Calling studio with live performances of her work.

Plus, we’ll catch up with organizers of the Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival in Santa Fe, New Mexico this weekend. We’ll talk about the Native art, music and film being featured this weekend.

The Yaqui people fought for centuries against Spanish missionaries, miners, slave-traders, and the iron-fisted, anti-Indigenous rule of the Mexican government in the latter part of the 19th Century. Once the dominant culture in what is now Sonora, Yaqui populations were eventually diminished from conflict, disease, and even deportation out of their homelands. They eventually won back a significant portion of their traditional homeland in 1930. We recognize the Yaqui people on the anniversary of a significant battle alongside Mexican revolutionaries against both Mexican and American forces.

As an Ojibwe language teacher and expert on Native American history and issues, Anton Treuer has penned more than a dozen books that are required reading for some Native studies college courses. But Treuer turns to fiction in his newest work, Where Wolves Don’t Die. His first novel is for young readers and focuses on Ezra, a young Ojibwe teen living in Minneapolis. A serious crime prompts his family to move him to live with his grandfather on the Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation. There he encounters new insights into his family and culture as he navigates the consequences of circumstances beyond his control. Treuer joins us as the Native Bookshelf featured author.

The Navajo Nation deployed its police department to hold back trucks hauling uranium ore across tribal land. The action comes after the recent resumption of uranium mining at the Pinyon Plain (formerly Canyon) Mine in northwest Arizona. It is one of 600 uranium mines considered dormant because they aren’t financially viable. They are tied to numerous health conditions by citizens of Navajo and other nearby tribes. But new interest in nuclear energy is improving prices for raw ore. We’ll hear about tribes leveraging sovereignty to halt the mining and transport of uranium.

The Land of 10,000 Lakes, Paul Bunyan, and Tater Tot hotdish is also home to 11 federally recognized tribes. A citizen of one of those tribes, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (White Earth Ojibwe/D-MN) is already the highest ranking female Native elected executive in the country. Now that Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as her running mate, Lt. Gov. Flanagan is one presidential election victory away from becoming the first Native female governor. We’ll hear from current and former political leaders from Minnesota and the Upper Midwest about any contributions or detriments the state's Native elected leaders bring to the national stage.

The Lord of the Rings film trilogy won 17 Academy Awards and its legacy endures nearly 25 years after the first film’s release. The trilogy’s success has put its filming location, New Zealand, on the industry map. The motion picture business contributes at least $2.12 billion a year to New Zealand’s economy. That’s also been a boon for Indigenous cinema. Māori film critic and programmer Leo Koziol calls it a “renaissance". The recent Māori-led film The Convert, directed by Lee Tamahori, is garnering critical acclaim. We’ll talk with Koziol and hear from Māori creatives who worked on Lord of the Rings about progress on Māori representation in film since then.

Losing a loved one is a traumatic experience. The burden of paying funeral costs for a befitting honor for that person’s life can add to the stress. There are a number of alternatives in either direction, but the National Funeral Director’s Association reports the median cost of a funeral in 2024 is $7,848. More families are turning to crowd funding sites like GoFundMe to cover expenses, especially for the sudden deaths of loved ones. The website says it raised some $330 million for funerals last year. We’ll talk about ways to anticipate inevitable end-of-life costs in a culturally and financially feasible way.

Wildfires on tribal lands have already claimed at least two lives and destroyed dozens of homes in New Mexico and Arizona. Multiple fires just forced the evacuation of hundreds of people on the Nez Perce reservation in northern Idaho. Tribal wildfire response and emergency management operations are kicking into high gear as wildfires threaten lives and property, especially in the parched West. We’ll talk with tribal officials and emergency management experts about the new and increasing threats in more than a dozen states.

The American Museum of Natural History in New York just announced it’s repatriating remains of 124 relatives and almost 100 Native cultural items from its collection. The museum continues to hold onto remains of some 12,000 other individuals from North America and beyond. It’s among institutions re-examining practices after new rules enacted this year forces museums to consider tribal views more seriously when it comes to remains and public displays. While some tribes are seeing progress, others are expressing frustration over institutions’ lack of compliance with federal law.

The Cherokee, Chickasaw, Muscogee, Choctaw, and Seminole Nations of Oklahoma have agreed to recognize each other’s licenses for hunting and fishing on their respective reservation lands. Tribal leaders say the agreement both strengthens their sovereignty and creates a more sustainable fish and wildlife management system. If you know where to look, there is an abundance of edible fungi available on trees and the forest floor. It’s mushroom season in the Southwest and Native foragers are collecting beefsteaks, lobsters, and chicken of the woods. And Columbia River tribes celebrate what is among their oldest food sources: lamprey. These are the topics in the latest helping of The Menu, our regular Indigenous food show hosted by Andi Murphy.

For the first time, the United States is owning up to its role in the deplorable treatment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian children at Indian Boarding Schools over more than a century. The report from the U.S. Department of Interior documents the deaths of nearly 1,000 children at boarding schools—many in collaboration with Catholic and other Christian institutions. The report includes distressing testimony collected at public meetings around the country from boarding school survivors and their relatives, detailing the personal costs of the government’s attempts to eradicate Native cultures and languages. It recommends the federal government not only formally apologize, but also establish a path and funding to account for the wrongs and the continuing harm resulting from it.

We’ll catch up on some important news including members of a U.S. House of Representatives committee grilled officials from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) over missed complaints of sexual abuse, a toxic work environment, and mismanagement at Haskell Indian Nations University - and faulted BIA for failing to release public records about the complaints in a timely way; a summer COVID surge is underway; and the residents of Lahaina assess their future a year after a deadly and devastating fire.

The 2024 Paris Olympics are under way with more than 50 Indigenous athletes. That number includes the national team with the highest number of Indigenous athletes in the history of the Games: New Zealand, with 37 competitors of Māori descent. The United States has three Native Hawaiian athletes and Canada has at least 5 representing various Indigenous nations. We'll talk with expert Olympic watchers about where to find Indigenous athletic talent in Paris and Tahiti and what to keep an eye out for during the competition.

As a senator and a member of the Joe Biden Administration, Vice President Kamala Harris has advocated for tribes and equity for Native Americans, explicitly promising to work with tribes to restore improperly taken lands, defending the Indian Child Welfare Act, and addressing Missing and Murdered Indigenous people. But her track record as a California attorney general is more complicated. In his short time in office, J.D. Vance has mocked Indigenous Peoples’ Day and spoke against renaming a national forest in a way that positioned Native Americans as “the enemy”. We’ll get some insights into these two candidates whose positions were just elevated in the presidential election.

Two new albums feature Native languages front and center, incorporating traditional storytelling and themes of resilience. Nuxalk Radio is celebrating ten years on the air with compilation of original songs entirely in the Nuxalk language. Nusximta is the result of a call to community members to write songs rooted in cultural tradition and to inspire language revitalization. Indigenous jazz/funk/rock band Khu.éex' references federal Native relocation programs and other historical issues in their new album, Siyáadlan. We’ll speak with artists about their respective projects.

The threat of a Donald Trump presidency has prompted hundreds of people from a dozen countries to begin walking to the U.S. border in an attempt to gain access before a potential ban on immigrants. It’s the latest in a surge of recent legal and illegal immigration attempts over the U.S.-Mexico border that is a focus of political campaigns portraying immigrants as a safety threat and a drain on public resources. We’ll hear from tribal representatives about how they view immigration from the southern border.

The U.S. House of Representatives just upped the ante on voter ID efforts by passing a bill to require proof of citizenship at polling places. Even though the idea lacks support in the Senate, it’s the latest in a relentless drive for more voting restrictions that Native American voting rights advocates say hinder access. In addition, an effort by the Walker River Paiute Tribe for more equitable voting access is getting pushback over security. We’ll get the latest efforts for equitable voting access.

Even before colonial contact, tribal leaders faced life and death decisions, challenges to their authority, and the judgements of their constituency. They also developed a model of governance that informed America's burgeoning democracy. Two Native scholars take a look at the successes and stumbles of tribal leadership throughout history. Some of those provide a guide for today's Native and non-Native leaders. We'll hear from Dr. David E. Wilkins (Lumbee), professor at the University of Richmond and the author of Indigenous Governance, and Stephen Wall (citizen of the White Earth Nation), faculty emeritus in Indigenous Liberal Studies at the Institute of American Indian Arts and author of American Indian Tribal Governance: A Critical Perspective, about their research that is both a compelling history lesson, and a map for what leaders can become.

We'll get a picture of what's ahead for Native voters as Democrats muster support for a new presidential candidate.

Also: The spaces around community buildings, public spaces and campuses reflect the people, culture, and land. At Southern Oregon University, a team of Native landscape architects and planners is including native plants, medicines, and foods for a large section of campus. It's one model for incorporating Native input to connect culture and the larger community.

Among the earth's most genetically pure buffalo herds in Yellowstone National Park, a rare white buffalo calf is born. It is considered sacred to surrounding tribes, such as the Lakota, Dakota, Blackfeet, and Shoshone, and was given a name, Wakan Gli, in a naming ceremony. The white calf brings with it a prophecy that some say correctly explains current human struggles with big issues like climate change. We’ll talk with Native culture bearers about the significance of Wakan Gli. We'll also wrap up our eventful week at the Republican National Convention.

The Republican National Convention aims to end on a high note with a triumphant nomination acceptance speech by Donald Trump. It’s his first public comments since the assassination attempt over the weekend. The convention is propelling the expected momentum for the candidate, but we’ll bring it back down to earth to talk about what a Trump Presidency would mean for Native Americans.

Republicans hope to build momentum through the week at their national convention to galvanize party faithful—and to convince you to vote for their candidate. Not just the name at the top of the ticket but the Republican candidates to represent you in Congress. But what would a decisive Republican majority in Congress mean for Native American constituents. Are you satisfied with how Congress operates? As the party makes its case on the national stage, we explore what promise and threat Republicans in the legislative branch pose.

Donald Trump appeared in public for the first time since a serious attempt on his life. Delegates at the Republican National Convention heaped adulation on Trump as the parade of Republican voices tore into President Joe Biden's record. What does the display of Republican values on the national scale look like to Native American voters? Can the momentum from the political spectacle inspire Native votes - and more candidates? We'll hear arguments over what the current direction of the Republican Party means for the average Native American voter.

The world's attention is gripped by an assassination attempt against Donald J. Trump, as he is preparing to accept his party's nomination in Milwaukee, Wisc. Already a tumultuous race, the violence portends a political event like no other. We’ll be in Milwaukee to hear about what is on the political minds of some of the state’s 11 federally recognized tribes as the November election begins to come into focus.

Tourism is big money for many tribes and individual entrepreneurs. But it also has the potential to diminish people’s quality of life. Residents in Juneau, Alaska are considering a limit on the dozens of cruise ships that unload thousands of visitors there every summer. Among other things, critics say the steady stream of outsiders detracts from what they enjoy about living there. Some tribes have closed off tourist attractions altogether. We’ll find out about “overtourism” and ways to avoid it.

In recent weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court has hampered the federal government’s ability to enforce environmental protections and set workplace safety rules, and allows cities to prosecute people without homes for sleeping outside. The rulings are a boon for some tribes and individual Native Americans and a problem for many others. We’ll find out some of the places the court’s apparent new direction helps or hurts the issues that Native Americans deem important.

More than half of Native American elders from rural areas have some sort of cognitive impairment, a condition that ranges from mild memory loss all the way to dementia. That’s the conclusion of a new, first-of-its-kind research by The Strong Heart Study over seven years. It focused on members of 11 tribes and included cognitive testing, neurological examinations, and brain imaging. The study points to high rates of vascular disease, diabetes, and traumatic brain injury in Native populations as contributors. We’ll hear about the study, advice for preventing and diagnosing cognitive impairments, and programs aimed at helping elders experiencing symptoms.

For the first time, a bill to create a Truth and Healing Commission on Indian boarding schools has reached the floor of the U.S. Senate. A companion bill is working through the U.S. House. The concept of an official panel to look into the abuses of boarding schools has surfaced previously but failed to take hold. The action comes as the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition is launching a database of documents, photographs, and other records to help survivors and others connect understand the full weight of the boarding school era. And an important event to promote healing from Canada’s residential school era is taking place in Ontario. Some voices in Canada are calling for residential school "denialism" be criminalized.

George Lepine’s (Plains Cree-Assiniboine) sixth degree black belts in Taekwondo and Hapkido inform his own form of martial arts rooted in traditional Plains Cree fighting styles. Established in 1997, the martial arts system known as Okichitaw includes hand combat training and weaponry like knives, tomahawks, and gunstocks. After decades of teaching, another Native martial arts expert, Chebon Marks (Muscogee), is stepping back from a long martial arts career. Marks, 76, is in the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame; holds two PhDs in Martial Art Science and Philosophy; and is a master in Chinese, Filipino, and multiple Korean fighting styles. He recently held an all-women martial arts seminar. We'll talk with both Lepine and Marks about dedication, decades of teaching, and infusing Indigenous philosophy and methods into martial arts.

A Minneapolis Lakota man is developing an archive of music by Native American artists one record and cassette tape at a time. Justis Brokenrope (Sicangu Lakota), founder of Wathéča Records, music curator, DJ, and educator, has already amassed a sizable collection of mostly folk, rock, blues, and country music by Native musicians. Now he’s converting a lot of that music to digital formats to give the music and the artists who created it new recognition. Along the way he’s expanding the conversation about the importance of Native languages. In this encore show, we’ll hear from Justis Brokenrope about the passion driving his project.

Phoenix, Ariz. is the latest city to face federal allegation of police discrimination against Native Americans and other people of color. A U.S. Department of Justice investigation cites serious statistical disparities when it comes to police interacting with and charging Native people compared to other residents. The report also accuses the department of using unnecessary and excessive force. In this encore show, we’ll hear from Native community members about how the report compares with what they know about law enforcement disparities in and around Phoenix, Minneapolis, Minn., and other cities where the Department of Justice has investigated discrimination complaints.