07/09/23 - John Michelotti, Special Report on Montaukett Tribal Recognition

In the first half-hour, mycologist John Michelotti is the founder of Catskill Fungi.

As former President of the Mid-Hudson Mycological Association, John co-founded the Catskill Regional Mycoflora Project as well as the Gary Lincoff Memorial Scholarship. He serves as Medicinal Mushroom Committee Chair and is a Poison Control Consultant for the North American Mycological Association. He is an instructor for the Wild Mushroom Food Safety Certification courses in NY. He was chosen by the Catskill Center as a "Steward of the Catskills" for his contribution to the environment. He served on the Mushroom Advisory Panel for Certified Naturally Grown to develop ecological standards in mushroom production.

John has presented at the New York Botanical Gardens, Telluride Mushroom Festival, and North American Mycological Association Annual Foray, as well as several colleges and universities. His goal is to educate and inspire people to work with fungi to improve their health, communities, and the environment. More information about Catskill Fungi can be found at https://catskillfungi.com/.

Special Report:
In the second half-hour, “First Voices Radio” looks at a story that has not gotten much attention in the news, despite recent developments coming out of Albany, NY. It’s about Indigenous recognition and sovereignty, particularly on Long Island.

The fight for the Montaukett Indian Nation to be reinstated as a state-recognized tribe might have an end in sight with the passage of a new bill in the New York state senate that passed unanimously on May 31. This comes more than a century after the Montaukett lost their recognition in the infamous 1910 Pharaoh v. Benson case. This legislative action comes with calls both locally in New York and nationwide to rise up for Indigenous sovereignty.

Recently, Native paddlers from tribes all over the country paddled more than 1,500 miles in the northeast to call attention to these issues and defend their water rights. Hofstra University Graduate Journalism Student Cody Hmelar caught up to the canoers when they reached New York and prepared this audio feature for the hyper-local online news site, The Long Island Advocate.

Production Credits:
Tiokasin Ghosthorse (Lakota), Host and Executive Producer
Liz Hill (Red Lake Ojibwe), Producer
Manuel Blas, Studio Engineer
Kevin Richardson, Podcast Editor

Music Selections:
1. Song Title: Tahi Roots Mix (First Voices Radio Theme Song)
Artist: Moana and the Moa Hunters
Album: Tahi (1993)
Label: Southside Records (Australia and New Zealand)
(00:00:22)

2. Song Title: Radioactive
Artist: Imagine Dragons
Album: Night Visions (2012)
Label: KIDinaKORNER
(00:25:20)

3. Song Title: I’m Going Home
Artist: Buffy Sainte-Marie
Album: Coincidence and Likely Stories (1992)
Label: Ensign/Chrysalis/EMI
(00:49:40)

4. Song Title: Ghost Dance Song
Artist: Red Shadow Singers
Album: Ghost Dance Songs (2004)
Label: Arbor Records Ltd.
(00:52:42)

5. Song Title: Riders on the Storm
Artist: The Doors
Album: Classics from The Doors (1971)
Label: Revolver Music
(00:55:30)

AKANTU INTELLIGENCE
Visit Akantu Intelligence, an institute that Tiokasin founded with a mission of contextualizing original wisdom for troubled times. Go to https://akantuintelligence.org to find out more and consider joining his Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/Ghosthorse