
MEDIA INDIGENA : Indigenous current affairs
A weekly roundtable about Indigenous issues and events in Canada and beyond. Hosted by Rick Harp.
Latest episodes

Jun 16, 2018 • 1h 3min
Ep. 119: Why DNA "Indigenous ancestry" tests ain't worth a doggone dime
THIS WEEK // Survey says: We opine on a poll asking Canadians what they think should be done regarding Indigenous peoples. Statistically insignificant: The auditor general does a number on the federal government's glaring gaps in data for First Nations reserves. Doggone DNA: Think you can trust those genetic tests that tell you how 'Indian' you are? Guess you missed that recent story of a lab that verified the tribal ancestry of a chihuahua! Joining Rick Harp at the roundtable once again are Candis Callison, associate professor at UBC's Graduate School of Journalism, and Kim TallBear, associate professor of Native Studies at the University of Alberta. // Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

Jun 9, 2018 • 57min
Ep. 118: Canada's First-ever First Nations Think Tank
This week—Yellowhead, Red Flags: We discuss the emergence of the Yellowhead Institute, a brand new First Nations think tank; we also look at why it's sounding the alarm over the Liberal government's 'Indigenous Rights, Recognition and Implementation Framework.' Sin of Omission: Why did the publisher of a famous Métis autobiography remove references to an alleged rape by an RCMP officer? This week, host Rick Harp is joined by Brock Pitawanakwat, assistant professor of Indigenous studies at the University of Sudbury, and Ken Williams, assistant professor with the University of Alberta’s department of drama. // Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

Jun 4, 2018 • 1h 15min
Ep. 117: What will Canada buying Trans Mountain mean for Indigenous peoples?
Bitumen Buyer Beware? The Canadian government has just announced it will buy the beleaguered Trans Mountain pipeline project. Will their gamble pay off? And who loses if it doesn’t? * Trump-aganda! When it comes to a recent boast that Americans "tamed a continent," is POTUS 45 honestly all that brutal compared to other presidents—or just the most brutally honest? Two minutes for stereotyping: a non-native booster of the pro hockey team in Winnipeg finds himself on thin ice after referring to the deplorable conditions of some native people as "a terrible stain" on the city. Joining host Rick Harp once again are Candis Callison, associate professor at UBC's Graduate School of Journalism, and Kim TallBear, associate professor of Native Studies at the University of Alberta. // Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

May 29, 2018 • 54min
Ep. 116: Dislodging the discourse of death and doom about Indigenous people
Sick and solo: why does Quebec still force northern kids who fly down south for care to do so all alone on air ambulances? Pity porn: we discuss a recent column critiquing the continued categorization of Indigenous people as dead, dying or doomed. Bitter brew: a VICE investigation exposes a Canadian coffee dealer’s efforts to support the white supremacist movement. Joining host Rick Harp at the roundtable this week are Brock Pitawanakwat, assistant professor of Indigenous studies at the University of Sudbury, and Ken Williams, an assistant professor with the University of Alberta’s Department of Drama. // Our theme is 'nesting,' by birocratic.

May 18, 2018 • 57min
Ep. 115: Why not everyone in Hawai'i is vexed over volcanoes
1. Love for lava: Why some Indigenous people in Hawai’i reject any effort to divert the flow of what others see as the utterly destructive output of the Kilauea volcano. 2. Home away from home: First Nations youth whose only chance for an education is far away in Thunder Bay advocate for a student residence in the city. 3. Living laboratories: a class action lawsuit seeks compensation for decades of medical experiments conducted on Indigenous people without their knowledge. Joining Rick Harp at the roundtable this week are Candis Callison, associate professor at UBC's Graduate School of Journalism, and Kim TallBear, associate professor of Native Studies at the University of Alberta. // Our theme is nesting by birocratic,

May 15, 2018 • 1h 9min
Ep. 114: The Paranoia and Perils of White Fright
This week // From bad to worse: amid accusations that racism drove an Indigenous dean of law away from Lakehead University, some question why it’s replaced her with a judge who jailed anti-mining Native leaders. Uneducated guess: how a white parent's paranoia almost turned two Native teens' dreams of college into a potential nightmare. Decision day: Quebec’s Superior Court quashes parts of Kahnawake’s controversial membership law. Back at the roundtable with host Rick Harp are Ken Williams, assistant professor with the University of Alberta’s department of drama, and U of A associate professor of Native studies Kim Tallbear. // Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

May 5, 2018 • 1h 10min
Ep. 113: A Second Slide into Settler Sexuality
Saddle up for our Settler sexuality sequel! Building on last week’s exploration of how Settler norms impact Indigenous notions of intimacy and interpersonal connections, we more explicitly discuss the erotically infused insights of Mohawk/Tuscarora writer, poet and broadcaster Janet Rogers. Insights she shared with our own Kim TallBear (associate professor of Native Studies at the University of Alberta) at ConvergeCon, the annual conference working to build sex positive communities. Joining host Rick Harp to reflect on Kim and Janet's dialogue is Candis Callison, associate professor at UBC's Graduate School of Journalism. // Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

Apr 27, 2018 • 58min
Ep. 112: Settler Sexuality's Slippery Slope
On this week's roundtable: Settler Sexuality. A subject at the heart of two recent talks by our own Kim Tallbear (one at the sex-positive communities event ConvergeCon, the other at SoloPolyCon), we thought we'd use it as an opportunity to take a longer look at an often troubling and taboo topic. In particular, we discuss the insights of her keynote — "Yes, Your Pleasure! Yes, Self-love! And Don’t Forget, Settler Sex Is A Structure" — at the 2nd Annual Solo Polyamory Conference in Seattle, Washington. An associate professor of Native Studies at the University of Alberta, Kim discussed her work at the MEDIA INDIGENA roundtable with host Rick Harp and Candis Callison, associate professor at UBC's Graduate School of Journalism. // Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

Apr 23, 2018 • 1h 9min
Ep. 111: Are Kinder Morgan's pipeline benefit agreements a form of Indigenous consent or coercion?
1. Who will next lead the AFN? Two candidates say they’re set to run; a potential third is thinking about it. We’ll review the field of would-be leaders of the Assembly of First Nations. 2. Mutual benefit agreements: we look at what might drive First Nations to sign deals with the company behind the Kinder Morgan 'Trans Mountain' pipeline expansion. 3. Tiny houses: how big of a dent could they make in alleviating chronic over-crowding on reserve? Joining host Rick Harp at the roundtable again are Brock Pitawanakwat, assistant professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of Sudbury, and Kenneth Williams, assistant professor with the University of Alberta's Department of Drama. // Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

Apr 12, 2018 • 1h 7min
Ep. 110: How 'Canada Reads' still shunts Indigenous authors to the bottom of the book pile
THIS WEEK // Big Steps: How some ancient footprints confirm (yet again) what Indigenous people keep telling scientists—how we’ve been here for a very, very long time. / A Whale of a Culture: We peek through a window into how Iñupiaq people continue to co-exist with, and connect to, the creatures whose world they share. / 'Take it to the Altar': A viral video vividly illustrates how 'Canada Reads' still shunts Indigenous authors to the bottom of the book pile. Back at the roundtable are Candis Callison, Associate Professor at UBC's Graduate School of Journalism, and Kim TallBear, Associate Professor of Native Studies at the University of Alberta.