Native America Calling

A book on Canadian residential schools was too traumatic for a third grader according to one mother who complained to the CBC. The book, I am Not a Number, tells a story of a Jenny Kay Dupuis’ grandmother, a residential school survivor. The school apologized for sending the book home, but the incident brings up a good question: when is it appropriate to introduce difficult topics like boarding schools, genocide and forced removal of Native people? We’ll talk with educational experts about how and when these topics can make their way into the classroom.

Traditional foods like caribou and seal meat were not on the menu at an elder care center in Kotzebue, Alaska. That’s because the center couldn’t allow anything the U.S. Food and Drug Administration didn’t approve of. Some residents went from their traditional diets to eating cafeteria spaghetti and packaged pudding. That all changed when the Maniilaq Association helped build a traditional foods processing center. Tribes are finding the importance of restoring traditional diets for their people in institutional settings, even though it can take years to satisfy state and federal rules.

Traditional foods like caribou and seal meat were not on the menu at an elder care center in Kotzebue, Alaska. That’s because the center couldn’t allow anything the U.S. Food and Drug Administration didn’t approve of. Some residents went from their traditional diets to eating cafeteria spaghetti and packaged pudding. That all changed when the Maniilaq Association helped build a traditional foods processing center. Tribes are finding the importance of restoring traditional diets for their people in institutional settings, even though it can take years to satisfy state and federal rules.

The good news is the list of Native artists voting in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences grew by three in the past year. The bad news is no film featuring Native actors, characters or story lines was nominated for an Oscar. Still, there were some notable films to talk about, including the Hollywood dramas “Wind River,” and “Hostiles,” and a documentary about Wilma Mankiller. As we gear up for the film industry’s biggest night, we will look back at some of the highlights for Native artists in the last year and get some insights from the voting members. What was your favorite film?

The good news is the list of Native artists voting in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences grew by three in the past year. The bad news is no film featuring Native actors, characters or story lines was nominated for an Oscar. Still, there were some notable films to talk about, including the Hollywood dramas “Wind River,” and “Hostiles,” and a documentary about Wilma Mankiller. As we gear up for the film industry’s biggest night, we will look back at some of the highlights for Native artists in the last year and get some insights from the voting members. What was your favorite film?

The opioid epidemic continues to rise and affect families. Pregnant mothers can expose their unborn children to these addictive substances while in the womb. The newborns face what’s known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), and it can lead to serious health problems. We’ll talk about treatments for addicted Native mothers, caring for babies with NAS, the short and long term medical problems, and the resources available.

The opioid epidemic continues to rise and affect families. Pregnant mothers can expose their unborn children to these addictive substances while in the womb. The newborns face what’s known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), and it can lead to serious health problems. We’ll talk about treatments for addicted Native mothers, caring for babies with NAS, the short and long term medical problems, and the resources available.

If done right, the discipline of archaeology is a powerful tool to help tell the stories of the past. But archaeologists haven’t always adequately respected Native culture, leading to mistrust between tribes and outside scientists. New methods are taking hold and more Native people are bringing their perspectives to the field. More and more, tribes are finding ways to collaborate with those who study the past. We’ll talk with a Native archaeologist who encourages others to consider archaeology as a profession.

If done right, the discipline of archaeology is a powerful tool to help tell the stories of the past. But archaeologists haven’t always adequately respected Native culture, leading to mistrust between tribes and outside scientists. New methods are taking hold and more Native people are bringing their perspectives to the field. More and more, tribes are finding ways to collaborate with those who study the past. We’ll talk with a Native archaeologist who encourages others to consider archaeology as a profession.

If history’s any guide, President Trump’s most recent budget proposal has zero chance of passing Congress intact. But the spending decisions tell a story of the administration’s priorities. On one side, the budget includes an increase to the Indian Health Service, including funding for opioid addiction programs. But it also calls for cuts to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Indian Child Welfare Act, and Native housing help. The administration also proposes eliminating a handful of programs—like low income home heating assistance and youth job education—that benefit Native Americans. We’ll speak with experts about the consequences of these proposed funding changes.