Native America Calling

There’s a reasonable chance you’re not getting enough sleep. A number of surveys find anywhere from a third to 45% of Americans don’t get the amount of sleep recommended by experts. And the lack of sleep is linked to serious health problems like diabetes, heart disease, depression and obesity according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One 2017 study of sleep health among Native Americans found a link between poor sleep and anxiety, mood disorders and alcohol dependence. Sleep experts will share their knowledge about the importance of sleep health and ways to get a more substantial night’s sleep.

Native architects draw from their tribal traditions and collective knowledge for the modern discipline of creating permanent structures. Among the influences for Native architects is using natural building materials and designs that emphasize interaction with the land and each other. From the multi-level pueblo dwellings in the Southwest to the log frame longhouses in the Northwest, tribes have a long history of architecturally significant contributions. And more Native architects are entering the field, adding an important voice that extends Native design, communication and functionality along with individual creativity.

Pleas from tribes, elected leaders and the Association on American Indian Affairs were not enough to stop an auction house in France from going ahead with a sale of cultural items earlier this summer. It’s one in a string of auctions by the Paris auction house that chooses to ignore admonitions against the harm they’re causing. The Yaqui Nation has been working for almost two decades to repatriate a sacred Maaso Kova that the tribe says was never meant to be out of the tribe’s possession or on public display. We’ll get an update on some repatriation efforts and what’s being done to influence international traders in cultural items.

You have a unique invention or business idea. Now what? Good ideas and inventions have the potential to change people’s lives and become a thriving venture for their creators. But turning a concept into an ongoing enterprise requires a number of behind-the-scenes steps. One of those is ensuring the original invention is legally protected. We’ll help navigate the legal side of inventions and map out what it takes to see an idea through to fruition.

Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe author Dawn Quigley’s debut novel, “Apple in the Middle” follows the identity exploration of a mixed race youth, Apple Starkington, who finds out what it means to be between two cultures. A major life turn causes Apple to return to the world of her Native relatives to confront stereotypes. It also propels her to figure out just where she fits into her Native roots. Find out more on our August Book of the Month with Native author Dawn Quigley.

The boundaries of reservations, treaty land and traditional Native territory are all represented by two-dimensional lines on paper. Few, if any, of those lines were ever drawn by Native mapmakers. But Indigenous people have always charted their surroundings in textile designs, drawings, carvings and even in songs. And Indigenous cartographers are finding new ways to map their environment that include interactive digital displays and geospatial technologies. These maps tap into conversations of history, culture, relationships and colonization. We’ll hear from some Indigenous people about both the traditional and new ways of getting a sense of place.

When Marjorie Tahbone (Inupiaq) got permission from her grandmother to get a traditional chin tattoo, she had nowhere to go besides a non-Native tattoo shop in town. The experience ignited her passion to learn traditional Inupiaq tattooing and the culture and traditions behind it. At the first Ancestral Ink symposium, Indigenous tattoo masters and apprentices from tribes in Alaska, California, Canada, New Zealand and Hawaii spoke about reconnecting with the traditional significance of permanently embellishing a person’s skin.

It takes constant vigilance and relevant information to battle the barrage of toxic and biased stereotypes. Mainstream media, elected leaders and even school curricula are all prone to perpetuating damaging portrayals of Native people. Fortunately, Crystal Echo Hawk (Pawnee) is a tireless and thoughtful warrior. Her non-profit IllumiNative is focused on changing the narrative about Native Americans through research, media training and education. She is behind the most comprehensive public opinion research project about Native Americans. We’ll talk with Echo Hawk about her path from college in England to her work with Zapatistas and her passion for reclaiming Native truth.

As college students get settled into their dorms they’re no doubt pondering all they need to do to have a successful and fulfilling experience at school. Getting to class, taking notes, making time for homework and keeping on top of assignments always presents a challenge. We’ll have some tips on what to expect in the coming weeks and what some of the longer-term deadlines new college students should put in their calendars now.

Native issues are front and center at the Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum in Sioux City, Iowa. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders, former HUD secretary Julián Castro and Mark Charles (Diné) are among the candidates scheduled to face a panel of Native questioners and give their views on Native-specific issues. In other debates, candidates rarely express their perspective on topics like the Trust Responsibility, treaty obligations, and tribal consultation. It’s an unprecedented opportunity to hear what the candidates offer the substantial Native American voting population. We’ll have some of the highlights from the forum and hear perspective about the event.