Native America Calling

The world's attention is gripped by an assassination attempt against Donald J. Trump, as he is preparing to accept his party's nomination in Milwaukee, Wisc. Already a tumultuous race, the violence portends a political event like no other. We’ll be in Milwaukee to hear about what is on the political minds of some of the state’s 11 federally recognized tribes as the November election begins to come into focus.

Tourism is big money for many tribes and individual entrepreneurs. But it also has the potential to diminish people’s quality of life. Residents in Juneau, Alaska are considering a limit on the dozens of cruise ships that unload thousands of visitors there every summer. Among other things, critics say the steady stream of outsiders detracts from what they enjoy about living there. Some tribes have closed off tourist attractions altogether. We’ll find out about “overtourism” and ways to avoid it.

In recent weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court has hampered the federal government’s ability to enforce environmental protections and set workplace safety rules, and allows cities to prosecute people without homes for sleeping outside. The rulings are a boon for some tribes and individual Native Americans and a problem for many others. We’ll find out some of the places the court’s apparent new direction helps or hurts the issues that Native Americans deem important.

More than half of Native American elders from rural areas have some sort of cognitive impairment, a condition that ranges from mild memory loss all the way to dementia. That’s the conclusion of a new, first-of-its-kind research by The Strong Heart Study over seven years. It focused on members of 11 tribes and included cognitive testing, neurological examinations, and brain imaging. The study points to high rates of vascular disease, diabetes, and traumatic brain injury in Native populations as contributors. We’ll hear about the study, advice for preventing and diagnosing cognitive impairments, and programs aimed at helping elders experiencing symptoms.

For the first time, a bill to create a Truth and Healing Commission on Indian boarding schools has reached the floor of the U.S. Senate. A companion bill is working through the U.S. House. The concept of an official panel to look into the abuses of boarding schools has surfaced previously but failed to take hold. The action comes as the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition is launching a database of documents, photographs, and other records to help survivors and others connect understand the full weight of the boarding school era. And an important event to promote healing from Canada’s residential school era is taking place in Ontario. Some voices in Canada are calling for residential school "denialism" be criminalized.

George Lepine’s (Plains Cree-Assiniboine) sixth degree black belts in Taekwondo and Hapkido inform his own form of martial arts rooted in traditional Plains Cree fighting styles. Established in 1997, the martial arts system known as Okichitaw includes hand combat training and weaponry like knives, tomahawks, and gunstocks. After decades of teaching, another Native martial arts expert, Chebon Marks (Muscogee), is stepping back from a long martial arts career. Marks, 76, is in the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame; holds two PhDs in Martial Art Science and Philosophy; and is a master in Chinese, Filipino, and multiple Korean fighting styles. He recently held an all-women martial arts seminar. We'll talk with both Lepine and Marks about dedication, decades of teaching, and infusing Indigenous philosophy and methods into martial arts.

A Minneapolis Lakota man is developing an archive of music by Native American artists one record and cassette tape at a time. Justis Brokenrope (Sicangu Lakota), founder of Wathéča Records, music curator, DJ, and educator, has already amassed a sizable collection of mostly folk, rock, blues, and country music by Native musicians. Now he’s converting a lot of that music to digital formats to give the music and the artists who created it new recognition. Along the way he’s expanding the conversation about the importance of Native languages. In this encore show, we’ll hear from Justis Brokenrope about the passion driving his project.

Phoenix, Ariz. is the latest city to face federal allegation of police discrimination against Native Americans and other people of color. A U.S. Department of Justice investigation cites serious statistical disparities when it comes to police interacting with and charging Native people compared to other residents. The report also accuses the department of using unnecessary and excessive force. In this encore show, we’ll hear from Native community members about how the report compares with what they know about law enforcement disparities in and around Phoenix, Minneapolis, Minn., and other cities where the Department of Justice has investigated discrimination complaints.

In Métis author Conor Kerr’s new novel, Prairie Edge, a herd of stolen bison get tangled up in a scheme orchestrated by a fiery Indigenous activist and her aimless young companion. The stunt turns dangerous in a hurry. Kerr’s story dives into two very different Indigenous communities in Edmonton, Alberta through protagonists, Grey and Ezzy, who share a drive for positive change and reconnecting with the land. With both satire and sorrow, Prairie Edge builds readers’ understanding of Indigenous resilience and indignation. Kerr joins us for this installment of Native Bookshelf, our feature on current Indigenous books and authors.

While candidates for the Republican and Democratic parties reign supreme in headlines, there are those Native American voters who aren’t bound by the two-party system. A number of viable candidates for president including Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Dr. Cornel West, and Dr. Jill Stein, who are also working to win Native votes. And there are even some third-party and independent Native candidates in local and national races. We’ll hear from some of the top presidential candidates outside the main two parties about what they offer.