This time last year, Keestin O’Dell of Frog Lake First Nations joined the pod to have a thoughtful conversation about resistance, warrior masculinity, and the importance of questioning dominant narratives about indigenous communities. It’s time to have this conversation again, so we’re bringing it back to keep real history out there. Here’s how it went down:

• We switch it up this week! Remoy has some stories to fill Samantha in on. They talk language traditions, how colonial/settler/imperialist institutions use language to marginalize indigenous communities, and how that translates to altering narratives about a painful past.
  • Remoy talks us through about how the co-woman led Indian of All Tribes organization took over Alcatraz for a year-and-a-half and gets real about the astronomical impact of the genocide of indigenous peoples.
  • He shares more female native activist voices like Shinanova who use social media voices to pass on their message of resistance.
• Keestin shares key history about Frog Lake First Nations and its legacy in Alberta, Canada—specifically the Frog Lake Massacre. If you listen hard enough, you can hear how history is finding a way to repeat itself now.
• He lets us in on how his and other indigenous communities have had to fight postcolonial legacy to reclaim their history and identity, including redefining the notion of “warrior” and what it means to provide.
• Keestin inspires us to break through our illusions of language and masculinity. He shares the evolution of his own experience with masculinity, how a community of men was pivotal, and how that impacts the work he does today.

COMPANION PIECES:

• The history behind The National Day of Mourning and how indigenous Americans continue to fight the lie of Thanksgiving. 
• Keestin’s TED talk on perceptions of indigenous manhood
• The indigenous occupation of Alcatraz

Referenced on this episode:

• 54th Annual National Day of Mourning Demonstration in Plymouth
• Dr. LaNada War Jack
• Richard Oakes
• Indian of All Tribes (IAT)
• ShinaNova