Native America Calling

After penning iconic songs like “The Weight” and “Up on Cripple Creek” as a member of The Band, Robbie Robertson (Mohawk, Cayuga descent) went on to produce solo albums and major motion picture soundtracks including the upcoming Martin Scorsese film Killers of the Flower Moon. He was the voice narrating the Native America series on PBS. Along the way he crossed paths with a number of Native musicians and admirers.

Tribes in northern California say waterways are increasingly compromised because of the state’s outmoded water management methods. They are joining environmental groups who say the state’s water management authority is appeasing large corporate interests over ecosystems and the people who utilize the water. It’s another fight over water in the west in which tribes say they are left out of the discussion, at the expense of tribal citizens and the environment.

Facebook’s parent company Meta is blocking all news content in Canada after the government demanded the media giant share profits with news companies. That’s a particular problem for people and agencies trying to get news about devastating wildfires in the country. A similar showdown is brewing in California as that state also ponders a revenue-sharing arrangement. The tussle over content affects both Native consumers and Native news operations.

Retirement doesn’t just mean spending your days playing dominoes at the senior center. A lot of Native elders are taking up second careers or at least new part time jobs after retiring. A 2022 survey by U.S. News and World Report found the percentage of workers over age 62 has increased significantly in the past ten years. Inflation is part of the reason. So is the desire for meaningful work. From per caps to the availability of senior housing, Native workers considering retirement have specific concerns when it comes to winding down their working years.

If you’ve been watching “Reservation Dogs”, you know the music of Mato Wayuhi. He’s a young Lakota composer who drives the musical storyline for the show. He’s also a hip-hop artist and rapper who’s getting ready to release another album. We’ll talk with Wayuhi about his work and future projects. Plus, Vincent Schilling joins us to discuss "Reservation Dogs" and other Native shows and films making waves right now.

Listen back to Native America Calling's live broadcast from the Santa Fe Indian Market featuring host Shawn Spruce and guests Dawn Houle (Chippewa Cree from Rocky Boy Montana), Mandolin Rain Song (Taos Pueblo), Jennifer Johns (Diné), and Jason Garcia (Santa Clara Pueblo).

New Mexico is the center of arts celebrations this weekend, starting with the music, art, fashion, dances, and panel discussions at Pojoaque Pueblo. It’s the third year for the event that already attracts hundreds of artists. We get the rundown of the festival from organizers and some of the participants.

The unprecedented fires on Maui are blamed for a rising human toll and destroyed homes, property and cultural touchstones. The island’s original kingdom capital, Lahaina, was hard hit, losing a 200 year-old church and the Hawaiian language immersion school Pūnana Leo, among other cherished structures. We’ll get a picture of the destruction and what’s next for residents. 

One of four dams on the Klamath River is already mostly demolished. Crews predict the other three will be gone by the end of next year. It’s the largest dam removal project in U.S. history and tribes along the river were instrumental in making it happen. The tribes say the dam removal will rehabilitate native salmon runs that are greatly diminished and restore sacred land that has been underwater for more than a century.

A pilot program in a handful of New Mexico schools aims to cut down on the high number of Native American expulsions. It uses conflict resolution and restorative justice methods to both build a sense of community and hold students accountable for bad behavior. Proponents hope the program in the schools can mirror successes in other institutions. It comes after reports by New Mexico In Depth and ProPublica that Native students are expelled at a higher rate than others.