Native America Calling

Two films take on real life accounts with strong Native cultural themes. One is a major Hollywood drama. The other is a smoldering independent documentary. The Hulu documentary, “Blood & Myth”, follows Iñupiaq musician and writer James Dommek Jr.’s obsession with a bizarre 2012 string of violence. Dommek digs into the motivations of the fellow Alaska Native man acting on the influence of supernatural beings known as Iñukuns. The Apple TV+ series, “Chief of War”, stars Jason Momoa in the epic account of a real-life Hawaiian leader working to unite warring factions against the threat of Western colonization. GUESTS James Dommek Jr. (Iñupiaq), creator and executive producer of “Blood & Myth” Kahlil Hudson (Tlingit), filmmaker and director of “Blood & Myth” Thomas Pa’a Sibbett (Native Hawaiian), writer, producer, and co-creator of “Chief of War” Rick San Nicolas (Native Hawaiian and Chamorro), master Hawaiian featherwork artist and an advisor on “Chief of War”   Break 1 Music: Chief of War Main Title (song) Hans Zimmer, James Everingham and Kaumakaiwa Kanakaʻole (artist) Chief of War (album) Break 2 Music: Rodeo Song [Skip Dance Song] (song) Sweethearts of Navajoland (artist) From the Heart of Diné Nation Traditional Songs of the Navajo (album)

Just as coronavirus infections are on the rise, federal authorities are throwing confusing recommendations about vaccinations into the mix. Many people are wondering whether they are eligible for a COVID shot, where to get one, and whether it’s covered by insurance. The answer, at least partly, depends on whether your state or tribe is filling in gaps opening up following the federal Food and Drug Administration abruptly changing its view of who should get the shot, drawing criticism and even defiance by established medial groups. GUESTS Janet Johnson (Nambe and Santa Clara Pueblos and Mandan-Hidatsa), tribal liaison for the New Mexico Department of Health Dr. Beth Harp (Cherokee), executive medical director for Cherokee Nation Health Services Dr. Miranda Durham, chief medical officer for the New Mexico Department of Health   Here is a statement from the U.S. Health and Human Services press secretary in response to a request for their participation in today’s show: “Under the leadership of Secretary Kennedy, HHS is returning focus to the doctor-patient relationship. The Department encourages individuals to talk with their healthcare provider about any personal medical decision, including vaccines. To be clear, HHS is not limiting vaccines. The COVID-19 vaccine remains available to anyone who chooses it in consultation with their healthcare provider. The FDA approved four COVID-19 vaccines with 2025-2026 formulas under the traditional approval processes. All four approved vaccines provide important protection against COVID-19. The specific vaccine you may choose to receive may depend on various factors. Consult with your healthcare provider about which vaccine is most appropriate for your individual circumstances. Approved COVID-19 vaccines are available through healthcare providers, pharmacies, and other vaccination sites. Contact your healthcare provider or check local health department websites for vaccination locations and availability. ACIP, the scientific body guiding immunization recommendations in this country, will meet next week to discuss COVID-19 vaccines. Please see: Federal Register :: Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.”   Break 1 Music: Shrine of Shirl (song) Mike Bern (artist) Ancestors (album) Break 2 Music: Rodeo Song [Skip Dance Song] (song) Sweethearts of Navajoland (artist) From the Heart of Diné Nation Traditional Songs of the Navajo (album)

Tribes are seeking to flex whatever legal muscle they have to secure Colorado River water protections, just as forecasts show the resource to continue to disappear in the foreseeable future. The tribes are hoping to gain whatever leverage they can as policymakers negotiate new water plans. More than 30 tribes and seven states utilize water from the Colorado River, which has been experiencing record low water levels from a decades-long drought. Stakeholders are having to rethink their water use and flex their legal claims to the resource as existing water use plans are set to expire. In one case, the Colorado River Indian Tribes are pursuing their own declaration, giving the river the same rights as a person. Tribal advocates say it could better protect the important lifeline that carves through several tribal lands in the arid Southwest. GUESTS Heather Tanana (Diné), initiative lead of the Universal Access to Clean Water for Tribal Communities and a law professor at the University of Denver Daryl Vigil (Jicarilla Apache), co-director of the Water & Tribes Initiative Amelia Flores (Colorado River Indian Tribe), chairwoman of the Colorado River Indian Tribes John Bezdek, water attorney for the Colorado River Indian Tribes and a shareholder of the Water and Power Law Group   Break 1 Music: Raindrops (song) Clark Tenakhongva (artist) Su’Vu’Yo’Yungw (album) Break 2 Music: Rodeo Song [Skip Dance Song] (song) Sweethearts of Navajoland (artist) From the Heart of Diné Nation Traditional Songs of the Navajo (album)

President Donald Trump is going to defend his tariff policy before the U.S. Supreme Court. Lower federal courts recently ruled that President Trump does not have the authority to impose tariffs under the national emergency powers. A new Pew Research Center poll found that 61% of Americans disapprove of his tariff policies. Businesses like Sisseton-Wahpeton fabric designer Denise Hill are faced with having to raise prices to make up for rising costs on goods from other countries. We’ll get a reading on the effect tariffs have had on Native-owned businesses so far. GUESTS State Sen. Susan Webber (Blackfeet/D-MT [Browning]) Larry Chavis (Lumbee), economist and business school professor Jeff St. Louis (Sault Ste. Marie Band of Chippewa Indians), CEO and founder of Native Purchasing Group Denise Hill (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate), owner of Family Affair   Break 1 Music: Mr. Businessman’s Blues (song) DM Lafortune (artist) Beauty and Hard Times (album) Break 2 Music: Rodeo Song [Skip Dance Song] (song) Sweethearts of Navajoland (artist) From the Heart of Diné Nation Traditional Songs of the Navajo (album)

Suicide numbers are lower in places with higher incomes, better access to broadband internet, and good health insurance coverage. Unfortunately, those are all factors that are statistically lacking for many Native Americans and Alaska Natives. Development of the nationwide 988 Suicide and Lifeline has improved the persistently high Native suicide rate, and efforts to introduce culturally sensitive prevention and intervention methods are showing promise. As the federal government dissolves much of its support for mental health services and suicide prevention efforts, we’ll highlight some of the work that is making a difference for Native populations. GUESTS Rachael Bogacz (Ponca and Omaha), director of Integrated Care for the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska LuAnn Even, chief behavioral health officer for the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Stephanie Pasternak, director of State Affairs for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Kim Farris, director of Behavioral Health for the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic   Break 1 Music: Hindsight 20/20 (song) Cris Derksen (artist) Break 2 Music: Rodeo Song [Skip Dance Song] (song) Sweethearts of Navajoland (artist) From the Heart of Diné Nation Traditional Songs of the Navajo (album)

Oneida actor Graham Greene said learning the Lakota language for his celebrated role as Kicking Bird was among his greatest challenges. Over the span of nearly five decades, Greene worked in nearly 200 television shows and films where he earned the admiration of audiences and his fellow actors. His many characters included Maximus in the acclaimed series, “Reservation Dogs,” Old Smoke in “Tulsa King,” tribal police Chief Ben Shoyo in “Wind River,” and Edgar Montrose in the Canadian TV comedy series “The Red Green Show.” He was a busy actor who expanded Indigenous representation for both audiences and filmmakers. We’ll hear from some of Greene’s friends and colleagues about how he is remembered. GUESTS Dallas Goldtooth (Diné and Dakota), actor, screenwriter Gary Farmer (Cayuga, Tuscarora, and Mohawk), actor and musician Wes Studi (Cherokee), actor and film producer Vince Schilling (Akwesasne), editor and founder of NativeViewPoint.com and a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic   Break 1 Music: Making A Noise (song) Robbie Robertson (artist) Contact from the Underworld of Redboy (album) Break 2 Music: Bounty (song) Deerlady (band) Greatest Hits (album)

Once plentiful, salmon that return to Alaska’s Yukon River are struggling to survive. The fishery is in the sixth straight year of restrictions, affecting commercial, sport, and subsistence salmon harvests. The reasons for the major decline in fish populations are complex. There’s little agreement on which path to take from here. Alaska Native residents along the Yukon are working to have their voices heard along with the many entities weighing in trying to develop solutions. GUESTS Jazmyn Vent (Iñupiaq and Koyukon), Indigenous communications director & acting administrative assistant for the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Janessa Newman (Rampart Village Council), Indigenous stewardship director for the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Serena Alstrom (Yup’ik and Yupiit of Andreafski Tribal Member from St. Mary’s, Alaska), executive director of Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association Holly Carroll, Yukon River Federal in-season salmon manager for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service   Break 1 Music: Edge of The Rez, Part 2 (song) The Blue Stone Project (artist) Blue Stone (album) Break 2 Music: Bounty (song) Deerlady (band) Greatest Hits (album)

Indigenous Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ artists often add another layer of expression to their work and stories. On top of celebrating their tribal and personal identities, they’re bringing stories and voices forward that aren’t often heard from elsewhere. They can also provide recognition and support for other LGBTQ2+ people searching for connection. We’ll take a look at three new and upcoming Indigenous Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ art exhibits: “Queering Indigeneity” coming to the Minnesota Museum of American Art, “Two-Spirit and MMIW/R Voices” touring Minnesota, and “Two-Spirit and Gender Diversity through History” at the new Orillia Recreation Centre in Ontario, Canada. GUESTS Penny Kagigebi (White Earth Ojibwe), artist and emerging curator Dr. Kate Beane (Flandreau Santee Dakota and Muscogee), executive director of the Minnesota Museum of American Art Arnold Dahl-Wooley (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe), national public speaker, advocate for the Two-Spirit LGBTQ+ community, and Twin Cities Pride BIPOC Leader of the Year Jessica Martin (Métis), goldsmith, fiddle player, and yoga instructor Monica Loney, (Métis) visual artist   Break 1 Music: Out Loud (song) Ailani (artist) Heartbroken Bones (album) Break 2 Music: Bounty (song) Deerlady (band) Greatest Hits (album)

The Trump administration is working to remove protections for more than 58 million acres of national forests. A brief public comment period is now open on a plan to rescind the federal government’s 25-year-old Roadless Rule which prohibits road construction and timber harvesting in several states. Environmental groups and leaders of Alaska Native tribes with cultural ties to the Tongass National Forest — the country’s largest national forest — are raising alarms about the plan. The vast temperate rainforest covers 17 million acres and is also the nation’s largest stand of old-growth trees, many of which are at least 800 years old. Advocates warn that road construction and increased commercial logging threaten subsistence hunting, plant harvesting, and fishing. We’ll talk with tribal leaders and others about what’s at stake in Tongass and the future of forest management. GUESTS Chuck Sams (Cayuse and Walla Walla), director of Indigenous Programs at Yale Center for Environmental Justice and former National Park Service director Cody Desautel (Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation), president of the Intertribal Timber Council and the executive director of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Mike Jones (Haida), president of the Organized Village of Kasaan Ilsxílee Stáng/Gloria Burns (Haida), president of the Ketchikan Indian Community Joel Jackson (Tlingit and Haida), president of the Organized Village of Kake   Break 1 Music: Thick as Thieves (song) Blue Moon Marquee (artist) Scream, Holler, and Howl (album) Break 2 Music: Bounty (song) Deerlady (band) Greatest Hits (album)

The Shinnecock Nation in New York is in an ongoing legal battle to have their fishing rights recognized. A lawsuit brought forward by a Shinnecock tribal citizen argues the tribe has never ceded their right to fish in any treaty or agreement. The tribe has no treaty with the federal government, but instead with British colonists from the 1600s. This case could possibly affirm the tribe’s unended aboriginal claim to fish in the Hamptons. We’ll talk with Shinnecock citizens about what’s at stake with the case as it moves forward in federal district court. GUESTS Taobi Silva (Shinnecock), fisherman Riley Plumer (Red Lake Nation), attorney Randy King (Shinnecock), former chairman of the Shinnecock Nation Board of Trustees Ashley Dawn Anderson (Cherokee Nation), Tribal Water Institute Fellow at the Native American Rights Fund   Break 1 Music: C.R.E.A.M. [Instrumental] (song) Wu-Tang Clan (artist) Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers [Instrumentals] (album) Break 2 Music: Bounty (song) Deerlady (band) Greatest Hits (album)