Native America Calling

A merchant who sells works by Native artists is under fire for derogatory and offensive comments to Native dancers outside his Scottsdale, AZ shop. The incident revives long-standing concerns about non-Native opportunists exploiting the richness of Native talent. Today on Native America Calling, we discuss ways to ensure you patronize establishments that treat Native artists and craftspeople respectfully and ethically with Cody Blackbird (Eastern Band Cherokee and Dakota descent), six-time Native American Music Award winning artist; Heather Tracy (Navajo), co-owner of Native Art Market; Kandis Quam (Zuni and Navajo), artist with the ARTZ Cooperative Gallery; and Dr. Suzanne Newman Fricke, director of Gallery Hózhó at Hotel Chaco.

As Leonard Peltier enters his 48th year behind bars, his supporters and legal advocates are renewing the push to have him released through whatever means: clemency, pardon, or compassionate release based on his advanced age and declining health. Seventy-eight-year-old Peltier was first convicted of murdering two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation in April 1977. It was a complicated and controversial trial and he has been turned back from every legal challenge and political plea since. Every change in presidential administrations offers new optimism of a favorable look into his plight. His prominent supporters range from Mother Theresa to Pamela Anderson. His detractors include high-ranking judicial officials and the family of Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash. Today on Native America Calling, we get an update on Peltier’s status in prison and the efforts to maintain justice with Ruth Buffalo (enrolled citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation), former North Dakota State Representative and the first Native American woman elected to the North Dakota legislature; Kevin Sharp, former Federal District Court Judge and the pro-bono council for Leonard Peltier’s clemency petition; and Paul DeMain (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and Ojibwe descendent), journalist and former editor of News from Indian Country.

Eighteenth Century British explorer James Cook is revered for his drive and seamanship from Tonga and the South Pacific to the Bering Strait. He put more than 120 English place names on the map from Mount Edgecombe in Alaska to the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand. That doesn’t count the many places named after him. But his colonial exploits were often at odds with the Indigenous peoples of the places he visited, culminating in his death at the hands of Native Hawaiians on this date in 1779. Today on Native America Calling, we examine his complicated legacy with political scientist Dr. Keanu Sai (Hawaiian subject) and Benjamin Jacuk (Dena’ina, Athabascan, and Sugpiaq), researcher at the Alaska Native Heritage Center.

The Biden Administration touts support for tribal consultation; policies aimed at helping Native businesses; federal money for energy projects, infrastructure, and connectivity; and respect for Native land among the accomplishments that favor Indian Country since he took office. Some other federal land and energy policies have drawn both praise and criticism. With President's Day coming up, we discuss how President Joe Biden’s term so far resonates with tribal interests with Torivio Fodder (Taos Pueblo), manager of the Indigenous Governance Program at the University of Arizona and professor of practice at James E. Rogers College of Law, and Jordan Harmon (Muscogee Creek Nation citizen), policy analyst and legislative advocate for the Indigenous Environmental Network. Plus, we celebrate World Radio Day with Joseph Orozco (Hoopa), website content coordinator at KIDE.

The Super Bowl is the last remaining television event which can attract more than 100 million viewers. That’s a whole lot of people witnessing the offensive name and imagery for the team from Kansas City and its fans' problematic chants. At the same time, the organizers are making an effort to include Native fans in more appropriate ways and some Native fans are expressing their love for football in creative ways. Today on Native America Calling, we survey the good and bad about the Super Bowl with Kolby KickingWoman (Blackfeet), reporter and producer for Indian Country Today; Jared Yazzie (Navajo), artist, designer, and owner of OXDX Clothing; artist/designer Randy L. Barton AKA Randy Boogie (Diné); and Amanda Blackhorse (Diné), founder of Arizona to Rally Against Native American Mascots.

Bikes have always been an affordable and healthy option for getting around, especially for urban Native Americans. You just need to build in a little extra time and effort in order to get where you’re going. There’s more incentive now than ever to reduce consumption of fossil fuels. The Navajo Nation has a reservation-wide program to encourage bike riding. They’re just one tribe capitalizing on the environmental, health, and tourism benefits of bikes. Today on Native America Calling, we catch up with Rezduro co-founder Adrian Herder (Diné); LaJuanda Stands And Looks Back (enrolled Rosebud Sioux Tribe member), tribal transportation planner; and Vanessa Bowen (Diné), product designer and cyclist.

The recent death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis, TN police officers has sparked a nationwide conversation about reforming police culture. Solid statistics about interactions between police and Native Americans are hard to come by, because the numbers are relatively small, but at least one recent study finds Native people are disproportionately killed by police. Today on Native America Calling, we get Native perspectives on what is needed to improve those statistics and whether there are any promising advances in bridging the trust gap between police and our communities with Stephanie Lumsden (Hupa), PhD candidate in gender studies at UCLA; Dave Rogers (Nez Perce/Winnebago/Lakota), CEO of Tribal Public Safety; criminal justice advisor Martin “Marty” Antone (enrolled member of the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin); and Mike Forcia (member of the Bad River Tribe), chairman of the American Indian Movement in Minneapolis.

It’s the time of year to start calculating your taxable income and looking over any receipts you have collected in a shoebox. The IRS deadline isn’t until April, but the earlier you start the better prepared you are. Today on Native America Calling, we’ve got expert tax advice with Luella Brien (Apsáalooke), volunteer tax preparer since 2016 through the Chief Dull Knife Extension Office’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program; Phyllis George (Nez Perce), VITA tax preparer; and Sunny Guillory (Standing Rock Sioux), financial literacy coordinator at Northwest Indian College and VITA site coordinator.

Sturgeon survive from the time dinosaurs roamed the earth, but some species are having a tough time weathering human-made encroachment. While some lake sturgeon live to be 100 years old, the species is on track to be designated endangered next year, threatening traditional Native fishing methods. Today on Native America Calling, as the brief sturgeon spearfishing seasons are getting underway, we look at the ecological status of sturgeons, the traditional harvest methods, and tribal efforts to protect them with elder Marvin DeFoe (Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians), tribal historic preservation officer for the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Indians, and Biskakone Johnson (Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe), language and art teacher for the Lac du Flambeau Tribe.

The fatal polar bear attack in western Alaska in January is an anomaly. There hasn’t been one in the state for more than 30 years. Alaska Natives have always coexisted with the large predator, but polar bears are in a fight for survival as climate change robs them of the sea ice that serves as their primary hunting habitat. Today on Native America Calling, we explore what living in the proximity of polar bears is like and what the trends are for their immediate future with whaling captain Herman Ahsoak (Inupiaq); Kiliii Yuyan (Nanai/Hèzhé and Chinese), National Geographic photographer; Mary Patkotak (Inupiaq); and Allison Warden (Inupiaq).