Native America Calling

Métis Nation of Alberta citizens came out for a historic vote to ratify their constitution. The decision is now in the hands of the Canadian federal government. Nation officials say this is an important first step toward proper representation and self-governance. At the same time, a number of other Métis groups that say their people are being left out of the process. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce looks at the evolving definition of what it means to be Métis with Jean Teillet (Red River Métis), writer and Indigenous Rights lawyer; Garrett Tomlinson (citizen of the Métis Nation), senior director of Self Government Implementation for the Métis Nation of Alberta; Dr. Adam Browning (Métis), president of the Métis Nation of Alberta local for Lethbridge; and Bruce McIvor (Red River Métis), lawyer and partner at First Peoples Law.

It's hard to stock a stuffing with the gift of a digital audio file, but the holidays are still a great time to catch up on and share new music. Native musicians continue to flood our culture with a diverse range of genres. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce jams to First Nations free jazz, rock and roll tinged with punk, country music driven through the Navajo Nation, and an Inuit holiday gem with Native American rock artist Mozart Gabriel (Taos Pueblo and Navajo); county artist Dirt Rhodes (Navajo); Tiffany Ayalik and Inuksuk Mackay (Inuit), the singers and songwriters from the duo P I Q S I Q; and Mali Obomsawin (Wabanaki from the Odanak First Nation), composer of the new album “Sweet Tooth.”

Data helps guide governments, organizations, and people interested in everything from business growth to health outcomes. But accurate data specific to Native Americans is hard to come by. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce looks at how tribes and agencies like the Federal Reserve Bank are working on ways to collect and distribute meaningful information that helps Native communities achieve their goals with Casey Lozar (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes), vice president of the Center for Indian Country Development (CICD) at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis; Alisha Murphy (Diné), Navajo Nation Division of Economic Development economist; and Matthew Roskruge (Te Atiawa, Ngāti Tama), Rutherford Discovery Fellow, Director of Te Au Rangahau, and Associate Dean Māori and Professor in the School of Economics and Finance at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa.

Buffy Sainte-Marie’s singing career began at a time when the country’s knowledge and awareness of Indigenous people was limited. Growing up as an adoptee, she admits limited knowledge of her own heritage. But by educating herself, connecting with like-minded people, and honing her talent, Sainte-Marie became a trailblazer and an artist whose gift remains current and laudable. Monday on Native America Calling in this encore presentation, Shawn Spruce talks with her about the early years of singing, the foundation it provided for her current work, and the PBS documentary that paints a portrait of her many talents.

Chandre Szafran explores the Chilkat weaving of Laine Neech.yanagút Yéil Rinehart in an all-new episode of INDIGEFI's Native Artist Podcast.

2022 was a strong year for features films, documentaries, shorts, and TV shows produced by Native filmmakers, relied on Native talent, or focused on Native issues. ABC's "Alaska Daily" takes on the serious real life inequities that lead to high rates of unsolved sexual assaults, disappearances, and deaths for Alaska Native women. And unsung gems like the documentary “Daughter of a Lost Bird” paints a poignant portrait of adoption and identity. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce looks back at some of the films and TV shows you may have seen and some you might have missed from the past year with Vincent Schilling (Akwesasne Mohawk), editor of NativeViewPoint.com and certified Rotten Tomatoes critic; Johnnie Jae (Oto-Missouria and Choctaw), founder of A Tribe Called Geek and co-founding member of the Fan Organizer Coalition; and Jason Asenap (Comanche and Muscogee), writer, critic, and filmmaker.

The village of Newtok, AK is losing its battle with climate change. The thawing permafrost is giving up as much as 70 feet of land every year that the Newtok residents called home. The effort to move residents is ongoing, but slow. The village is one of nearly a dozen Native communities that will receive federal climate change relocation money. The total allocation is $135 million. Today on Native America Calling, Andi Murphy talks with Bernice John (Yup'ik), president of the Newtok Native Corporation; Sam Fortier, general counsel for the Newtok Native Corporation; Jackie Schaeffer (Inupiaq), director of climate initiatives for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium; Phillip Carl (Yup'ik), Newtok tribal administrator; and Joseph John (Yup'ik), Newtok council member.

The 45th annual Lakota Nation Invitational (LNI) in Rapid City, SD is underway and hundreds of Native athletes are not letting a little winter storm get in their way. What started as a basketball tournament in 1977 is now a not-to-be-missed five-day event that includes multiple sports including wresting, volleyball, and cheerleading and cultural competitions for hand games, language, and archery. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce talks with Chuck Wilson (Lakota from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe), president of the board for LNI; Bryan Brewer (Oglala Lakota from Pine Ridge), founder and director of LNI; Kellee Brewer (Oglala Lakota), coordinator of the Cheerleading championship at LNI; and Corey YellowBoy (Oglala Lakota), coordinator of the Lakota Language Bowl at LNI, about the evolution and importance of this event.

The International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity warns Indigenous priorities may not be heard or heeded at the COP15 UN Biodiversity Conference that just got underway in Montreal. They worry the direction of the new set of international conservation goals could set up “the largest land grab in history”. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce takes us inside this major event with Ta’Kaiya Blaney (Tla’Amin First Nation), environmental activist, actor, singer-songwriter, and speaker; Rochelle Diver (Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe), NDN Collective Changemaker and international Indigenous rights consultant; and Thomas Joseph (Hoopa), carbon pricing organizer for the Indigenous Environmental Network.

The Colorado Springs shooting and the passage of The Respect for Marriage Act present competing narratives about public acceptance of LGBTQ2 people. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce checks in with Alray Nelson (Diné), lead organizer for Diné Equality and executive director for Navajo Nation Pride; writer, musician, activist, and artist Miko Thomas aka Landa Lakes (Chickasaw); Sergio Ruark (Huaylas Quechua Nation), this year’s Mr. Montana Two-Spirit; and Professor Chris Finley (Colville Confederated Tribes), assistant professor of American and Ethnic Studies at the University of Southern California.