Native America Calling

As New Mexico and Colorado argue about who has the best green chile, let’s not forget the plant’s Indigenous origins. Scientists believe the plant's cultivation goes back as far as long as 9,000 years ago in Mexico. Different varieties of chiles swept the Americas and became part of many Indigenous communities. Christopher Columbus took a chile plant to Europe. He and other European traders had a hand in spreading it to Africa and Asia. Now, Native seed savers are working to preserve early versions of the plant. We’ll talk about this fiery pepper’s place in Native America, past and present.

The Canadian government says it’s moving forward with the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion from Alberta to the west coast of British Columbia. But the proposed $4.5 billion project faces considerable opposition from a number of tribes and Indigenous groups. Construction would mean a new pipeline next to the existing line from Edmonton, Alberta to Burnaby, British Columbia. It would significantly increase the amount of oil flowing to tanker ships going to Pacific nations. Tribes on the U.S. side of the border express concern over the increased potential for a catastrophic oil spill. A coalition of First Nations is suing over a lack of consultation. But another Indigenous group is working on an investment strategy to benefit tribes along the pipeline route.

New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona lead the nation in the total number of hantavirus cases. But infections show up in more than two-thirds of the continental United States. Every year there are a handful of fatalities from complications of the virus that’s spread by mice. Native Americans are particularly susceptible. The mortality rate reported by the Navajo Nation Epidemiology Center is significantly higher than that of the general population. It’s not a new disease, but the first outbreak wasn’t identified until 1993 in the Four Corners area (New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Arizona). We’ll get an update on efforts to tackle the spread of hantavirus.

“Between Two Knees” is the first play from the Native comedy troupe, the 1491s. It’s at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon through Oct. 27. It’s a biting comedy that the Seattle Times calls “a loose pastiche of irreverent historical satire.” We’ll hear from the 1491s about using comedy and live theater to open a dialogue about systematic oppression.

An investigation by the Los Angeles Times found the federal government and 18 states awarded at least $300 million in construction contracts to companies that claim to be owned by Native Americans. The contracts are specifically reserved for minority business owners. But the contractors’ heritage claims are unsubstantiated. The contractors say they are members of Cherokee groups like the Northern Cherokee Nation of the Old Louisiana Territory and the Northern Cherokee Nation which are not federally recognized. The investigation into the business owners awarded the contracts found no Cherokee relatives. We’ll talk about the investigation with one of the reporters and explore who qualifies for minority contracts.

“When It’s Cold” by Northern Cree celebrates the culture-rich sound of round dance. These songs may ring through many communities in the winter months, but this style of sound has made its way into the powwow circle year-round. We’ll visit with this Grammy Award-nominated drum group and sample their latest offering.

Officials behind the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope are pushing ahead with construction on Mauna Kea despite continued opposition. Native Hawaiians oppose the $1.4 billion project because they say it further desecrates the sacred mountain. The plan was buffeted by legal and political challenges for the past 16 years. The state Supreme Court ruled in the telescope organizers’ favor last October. Protesters successfully delayed the start of construction of the major telescope in 2015. Opponents promise sizable and long-term acts of civil disobedience again. State officials say they are prepared for protests.

Gift shops are an important source of revenue for cultural centers, museums and other Native-owned destinations. But expectations from the public put buying pressure on gift shops to offer tacky Native-themed items like plastic tomahawks, foreign-made dream catchers and T-shirts with stereotypical graphics. We take a look at Native stereotypes in tourist hotspots and discuss the best practices for profitable enterprises.

Native entrepreneurs and even some tribes see grocery stores as a double win: they help the local economy and provide healthier food options in places where they aren’t often available. The USDA finds many rural areas of Native America are food deserts—areas without grocery stores or farmers’ markets with fresh produce. We’ll hear from Native grocery store owners about what it takes to make to be profitable on their reservations.

Dancers and emcees on the circuit are putting hundreds of miles on their cars traveling from one summer powwow to the next. There are fancy dancers, traditional dancers, jingle dress dancers, fancy shawl dancers, grass dancers and chicken dancers. Each of the dances has its own meaning, steps and regalia. We’ll spend an hour breaking down the powwow scene and find out how competition mixes with tradition in the dance arena.