Native America Calling

Cedar is an important part of many tribal cultures. The tall evergreens in the Pacific Northwest are carved into totem poles and canoes. The spiny and fragrant leaves can be used to flavor food. It’s also incorporated into ceremony and has some medicinal use. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce talks about the significance of cedar in Native America with Harold Joe (Cowichan First Nation) and Leslie Bland, the directors, producers, and writers of “A Cedar is Life”; Dave Smoke-McCluskey (Mohawk), chef and owner of the Corn Mafia; and Ruben Littlehead (Northern Cheyenne), announcer for the Gathering of Nations Powwow.

Today on Native America Calling, "In Case You Missed It", Shawn Spruce catches up on some interesting and engaging topics that are important to Native people. Dean Seneca (Seneca), CEO of Seneca Scientific Solutions Plus, has a winter update on COVID-19; Dr. Terri Bissonette (Gnoozhekaaning Anishinaabe), head of school and founder of the American Indian Academy of Denver, talks about the future of the Native-focused charter school; and Robby Goldman (Native Hawaiian), PhD candidate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a National Science Foundation graduate research fellow, tells us why the simultaneous eruptions of Mauna Loa and Kilauea in Hawaii is a rare, sacred occurrence.

Even after spending all that time writing your own book, there’s no guarantee an established publisher will pick it up. A growing number of Native writers are turning to self-publishing - and there’s a number of supportive organizations and independent publishers that can help. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce takes us inside the Native self-publishing industry with Jessie Taken Alive-Rencountre (Hunkpapa Lakota); Brian Lush (Yankton Sioux), author of Roger's War; and comic book artist Kayla Shaggy (Diné/Anishinaabe).

The forensic field uses science to help gather evidence for criminal cases and some archeological investigations. Crimes involving Native people and renewed scrutiny of past boarding school practices highlight the importance for Native forensic professionals. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce hears from Native forensic experts about what the profession entails and how they work to solve difficult cases with Dr. Kona Williams (Cree and Mohawk), forensic pathologist and coroner; Ramona Emerson (Diné), writer, filmmaker, retired forensic photographer, and author of the novel Shutter; and Harvey Pratt (Cheyenne and Arapaho), veteran and forensic artist.

For all its faults, Twitter is an effective means for sharing and discussing Native issues, culture, language, and business. But for many #NativeTwitter users, the social media platform is increasingly losing its luster after its takeover by Elon Musk. There are fears that un-muzzling far right and white supremacist voices is making it a hotbed of hate speech against people of color. Is that a good reason to leave? Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce reveals the results of our Twitter poll and takes your calls about the platform-in-transition with author Traci Sorell (Cherokee); Dr. Twyla Baker (member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation), president of Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College; Aylan Couchie (Anishinaabe from the Nipissing First Nation), interdisciplinary artist and writer; and Dr. Emily Haozous (Enrolled Chiricahua Fort Sill Apache), research scientist for the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation.

Forty years after four brothers first formed the famed powwow and Round Dance band Northern Cree, they are releasing their first fully self-published and owned record, “Ôskimacîtahowin: A New Beginning”. The album is produced by Bear Witness and 2oolman from The Halluci Nation. As many as 16 musicians perform with Northern Cree at any given time. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce speaks with Steve Wood about the new album and what’s next for this band originally from Treaty Six Territory.

Tribally-run museums offer two important benefits: they offer a Native voice for Native history within a system dominated by traditional European perspectives – and they bring the promise of economic development. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce takes us on a field trip to celebrate Tribal Museums Day with Shannon O’Loughlin (Choctaw), attorney and the CEO of the Association on American Indian Affairs; Dehrich Chya (Sun'aq Tribe of Kodiak), language and living culture manager for the Alutiiq Museum; Billie Jean Guerrero (Pyramid Lake Paiute and Walker River Paiute), museum director for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Museum and Visitors Center; and Sunshine Thomas-Bear (member of Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska), tribal historic preservation officer, NAGPRA representative, and cultural preservation director for the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and museum director for the Angel de Cora Museum.

After decades of fighting, tribes in Northern California can celebrate the pending removal of four dams on the Klamath River. Federal regulators cleared the way to remove the dams starting as early as next summer. If the plan comes to fruition, it will be the largest dam removal and salmon restoration project in history, something tribes say is sorely need to bring salmon back to their people. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce checks in with tribal chairman Russell "Buster" Attebery (Karuk) and Charley Reed (Hupa, Yurok, and Karuk), educational director for Save California Salmon and a cultural practitioner for the Karuk Tribe.

From designing theme park rides for Disney and Universal Studios to overseeing construction of important tribal buildings in Montana and elsewhere, the architectural design career of Major Robinson (Northern Cheyenne) has a lot of diverse breadth. Along the way he’s been a cultural advisor for the Federal Reserve and an Indian Affairs Coordinator for the state. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce gets Robinson’s perspective on his life and some ideas on why Native concepts are important for architecture and design.

Are you wondering where you might find blue corn meal grown and processed by Native producers? Or would you like to give someone bison meat grown and prepared on tribal land? Today on The Menu, a regular feature on Native America Calling, Andi Murphy hears from representatives at American Indian Foods, the largest food hub showcasing dozens of Native food providers about some of the options people for gifting authentically prepared food and ingredients.