Native America Calling

There are simple but meaningful ways to acknowledge the traditional Indigenous inhabitants of the land. A campaign by the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture aims to increase such acknowledgements by educational and cultural institutions the way they are in other countries such as Canada and Australia. They suggest adopting practices like publicly offering recognition and respect and fostering a broader public awareness of history. We’ll hear about the campaign and the possibilities for healing it holds.

The potlatch ceremony traditionally centers on gift-giving. It remains an important tradition for coastal tribes in the Pacific Northwest, Canada and Alaska. It’s meant as a way to show generosity, promote cooperation, and strengthen social bonds. The practice survived a nearly century-long ban by the government of Canada trying to force assimilation of Indigenous people. We’ll explore how potlatch has evolved over the years and how it fits in with modern culture.

Historically, Indian agents were representatives of the U.S. government who interacted with Native Americans. One member of this month’s Music Maker band, Yéil Ya-Tseen aka Nicholas Galanin (Tlingit/Unangax) says the efforts of these individuals to oppress the Native way of life—like not permitting singing and dancing—is what inspired his group to pick up the name, Indian Agent. They’ve taken on this title to flip it on its head and do just the opposite of some of the early agents. Indian Agent uses layers of ghostly voice rhythms that echo through suave electronic beats on their new album “Meditations in the Key of Red.” We explore their new album and their effort to use music as a tool to reverse past wrongs.

Southern Arizona is seeing higher temperatures for longer periods and more intense storms. Those are among the effects of climate change in a report last summer by the University of Arizona in Tuscon. Another study last summer published in the journal, Science, predicts Mojave County—home to four reservations—would suffer the state’s largest economic loss because of climate change. We’ll talk with tribal representatives and climate experts about how the climate trends are already affecting the deserts and arid high plains in the Southwest.

Zuni fetishes are carvings that represent animals and hold special ceremonial value. They are carved from a variety of materials including marble, pipestone and travertine. Fetishes have become a thriving part of the Native art market. We’ll talk with a few Zuni carvers about the history and practice of creating fetishes.

The mass shooting in Las Vegas has citizens in fear and policymakers once again on the defensive. Critics are calling for laws to prevent shootings. Others say restrictions on guns violate the Constitution and do nothing to stop someone from using them inappropriately. For Native Americans and Alaska Natives as a group, guns are more a factor in higher suicide rates than in homicides or mass shooting events. In either case, conclusive statistics are hard to come by. Can any limits on guns make us safer?

Los Angeles is the latest city to acknowledge Indigenous Peoples Day instead of Columbus Day. Salt Lake City will celebrate both in tandem. They join dozens of other locations in recent years that are putting a day on the calendar for Indigenous people. Following pressure from Native American groups, cities and states are also realizing the drawbacks of officially recognizing Christopher Columbus. There is some pushback, including from Italian Americans, who hold up Columbus’ achievements as something that boosts their culture. What does swapping out Columbus Day for Indigenous Peoples’ Day achieve?

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is opening up a new round of public hearings over a key permit for the Line 3 oil pipeline replacement plan. The multi-billion dollar project is the largest ever for the Canadian oil company, Enbridge. The White Earth Band of Ojibwe is among the tribes fighting the pipeline because they say it cuts through the heart of their treaty land, their traditional wild rice beds and the pristine waters of northern Minnesota. Opposition is mounting as state and federal officials march toward a final decision.

When 16-year-old Chris Apassingok killed a whale and brought it back to his village, he was living out an important part of his culture and providing food for his people. He was in no way prepared for the resulting backlash that erupted on social media and grew into vulgar insults and even death threats. We’ll look at the issue from a Native perspective and discuss what whaling means and how outside views affect this long-standing hunting tradition.

President Donald Trump says NFL owners should fire athletes who do not stand during the national anthem. The comment revived the debate over the proper respect for national symbols. The American flag and the national anthem prompt mixed reactions among Native people. What does patriotism mean to you?