Native America Calling

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe continues to battle the Dakota Access Pipeline in the courts. A judge will decide this fall whether or not to stop the flow of oil while the legal dispute continues. Meanwhile local courts are slowly churning through the hundreds criminal trespassing and riot cases. We’ll get some perspective on both legal fronts and hear the latest from Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault II.

President Trump’s budget proposes almost $200 billion in cuts to what is commonly referred to as food stamps over the next 10 years. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was created to help low income people buy food. In 2015, an average of 43 million people received SNAP benefits according to the USDA. A 2014 survey from the non-profit Feeding American notes American Indians and Alaska Natives experience food insecurity at higher rates than the national average. What would a cut to food stamps mean for Native America?

Prostate cancer is the second-most common cancer in men. Fortunately, American Indian and Alaska Native men have among the lowest rates of prostate cancer compared to other ethnic groups, according to most recent data available from the National Cancer Institute. And the numbers are going down for everyone. That’s good news. But it doesn’t mean men can ignore the latest recommendations for tests, treatment and prevention. We’ll cover what you need to know.

The first transgender person murdered in the United States this year was a 28-year-old Oglala Lakota woman. Statistics are hard to come by, especially for Native Americans, but the National Congress of American Indians points to a 2010 survey that says 1 in 3 LGBTQ2 Natives in New York State faced violence because of their sexual status. Some tribes have a traditional acceptance and respect for two-spirit people. Today, Native groups are trying to regain traditional tolerance.

It’s been 38 years since 94 million gallons of radioactive waste from a uranium mine spilled into the Puerco River on the Navajo Nation near Church Rock, New Mexico. The health effects, water contamination and cleanup remain a concern to the people who still live in the area. The mining company, Kerr-McGee Corp., paid $1 billion of a $5 billion settlement to the Navajo Nation in 2014. We’ll get an update on the cleanup efforts and how Navajos continue to be affected by radiation exposure.

Summer is a busy time for Indigenous language teachers and learners to take intensive classes. The Lakota Summer Institute just wrapped up their 11th year at the end of June. The Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Summer Institute runs the month of July, with teacher training classes and cultural activities. We’ll talk with Indigenous language experts about the value summer language institutes add to the continuation and revitalization of Indigenous languages.

Performer Lisa Muswagon, Nakoda Cree and member of the Pimicikamak Cree Nation, was given the gift of the hand drum by her father when she was young. Today she is using it as a tool to share stories. Her debut album, “Buffalo and Rabbits” takes us to the tale of Wapos, a rabbit, and Pison, a buffalo, and their journey to the heart of round dance. This musical story earned her a nomination for Best New Artist at the Indigenous Music Awards. Lisa Muswagon is our July Music Maker.

Urban centers for Native Americans started springing up in cities in the 1950s following passage of the Indian Relocation Act. Thousands of Native people relocated from reservations and rural communities and the centers opened to help them connect with their cultures and each other. Today, urban Native centers serve a variety of purposes that include education and referrals for health, safety, and social services. We’ll talk about the legacy and evolution of urban Native community centers.

Some of us punch the clock every day and wait for the weekend. Others seem to have found the secret for work that is rewarding. We talk with some inspiring Native people about their cool jobs and how they got them. We’ll also explore some strategies for making your current job satisfying and fun. Join our conversation and tell us why you think your job is awesome.

Harvey Pratt (Cheyenne, Arapaho) is a self-taught artist whose work helped find murderers across the country. He’s also illustrated Bigfoot likenesses based on witnesses’ sightings. He’s currently a chairperson on the Indian Arts and Crafts Board. He was named a peace chief by the Southern Cheyenne Chief’s Lodge. Much of his artwork includes traditional Native aesthetics, but he’s also known for exploring darker and more mysterious aspects of life and death.