Native Voice One Podcast

State of Alaska Governor Bill Walker and Lt. Governor Byron Mallott (Photo by James Brooks)

 

Do Alaska Native tribes possess sovereignty?

A simple question that in Alaska is an act of defiance. The state and many of its citizens have assumed, planned, and operated on the premise that tribal powers no longer exist, so the state is free to impose its will on Alaska Natives (often expressed through litigation). But court rulings and a new Interior Department measure to affirm tribal authority has raised many questions about what will happen next. Mark Trahant suggests the best course ahead is for the state to work with tribes through a government-to-government relationship. That means recognizing tribal sovereignty in Alaska.

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Although public lands owned by every American, the Bureau of Land Management has essentially handed over vast acreages to the oil and gas industry for drilling and fracking, leading to a construction boom of pipelines. Photo from WildEarth Guardians.

Thursday, February 19, 2015 – Pipelines

The US House of Representatives recently voted to approve the Keystone XL pipeline extension. President Obama is expected to veto the bill and cite the need for the US State Department to finish a review of the pipeline proposal. Many tribes oppose the construction of the pipeline. While debate over the KXL pipeline continues, Native America Calling takes a closer look at other proposed or existing pipelines in the US. According to the Association of Oil and Pipelines, the US has over 2.5 million miles of pipelines. Are pipelines a safe way to transport oil and gas? What are the alternatives to transporting oil and gas if not through a pipeline? Do you live near a pipeline? Do you support or oppose the development of additional pipelines like Keystone XL?

Guests:

Winona LaDuke (Anishinaabe) executive director of Honor the Earth

Bill McCabe ( Navajo) principal of McCabe and Associates

Faith Spotted Eagle (Yankton) coordinator of the Brave Heart Society and chair of the Ihanktonwan Treaty Council

https://www.nv1.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/021915.mp3

 

Dine' College in Tsaile, AZ, was the first tribal college, opening as Navajo Community College in 1968. (Photo from American Indian College Fund.)

 

Congress has recognized the importance and the value of tribal colleges — and that’s a good thing because 32 accredited tribal colleges and universities reach thousands of students, delivering higher education for a fraction of the cost of other public institutions.

Mark Trahant reports that tribal colleges serve another important role as “anchor institutions” contributing to reservation economies and generating new ideas

Mark Trahant is a longtime journalist, a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and is active on Facebook, Twitter and Flipboard.

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Photo from IHS.gov

Mark Trahant calls the Affordable Care Act a national soap opera with twists and turns that make for a good story. Will the law survive? What sort of challenges does it face legally and politically? And, most important, what does this daytime drama mean to Indian Country?

The answers are important because any change in this law will have significant impact on the Indian health system. And yet Indian Country is really not a part of the larger debate. That must change because this law is how the United States delivers its treaty-promises for health care.

Trahant Reports is a weekly commentary about issues facing Native America. Mark Trahant is a longtime journalist, a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and is active on Facebook, Twitter and Flipboard.

https://www.nv1.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/affordablecare0205.mp3

 

 

Photo by Paxson Woelber, Expedition Arguk

Mark Trahant says the Obama Administration’s decision to protect Arctic lands and oceans may be a turning point for the climate. This leaves oil in the ground instead of developing it and scientists say that’s key if we want to reverse global warming.

Trahant Reports is a weekly commentary about issues facing Native America. Mark Trahant is a longtime journalist, a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and is active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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President Obama greets Brian Cladoosby, President and Chairman of the Swinomish Nation│White House Tribal Nations Conference, Washington DC, Dec 5, 2012│Photo: Larry Downing-Reuters

The State of the Indian Nations, delivered January 22, 2015 by NCAI President Brian Cladoosby (Swinomish), addressed the challenges facing American Indian and Alaska Native youth. Mark Trahant says students need to prepare now for the digital world.

Trahant Reports is a weekly commentary about issues facing Native America. Mark Trahant is a longtime journalist, a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and is active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Photo by Theodore Kincaid/UAA

Commentary by Mark Trahant

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Indian Country is rarely mentioned during a presidential State of the Union. But the policies that are proposed, such as increased support for community colleges, are the smart course for this era.  Read the complete report.

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