Native America Calling

Missoula, Mont. is the setting for the inaugural festival of literature, music, and other arts known as Indigipalooza. Musician and former U.S. poet laureate Joy Harjo (Mvskoke) headlines the list of talent offering their perspectives on the state of Indigenous storytelling. We’ll also hear from filmmaker Adam Piron about his curated selection of films screened in New York highlighting Native American urban relocation. And we’ll get context for President Donald Trump’s demand that sports teams return to their offensive names and mascots. GUESTS James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe), author and speaker Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz (Lumbee Tribe), assistant professor at the University of Iowa and director of the Native Policy Lab Chris La Tray (citizen of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians and a descendent of the Pembina Band of Chippewa Indians), author, Poet Laureate of Montana, and a coordinator for IndigiPalooza Adam Piron (Kiowa and Mohawk), filmmaker and film curator Larry Wright Jr. (Ponca), executive director of the National Congress of American Indians   Break 1 Music: The Wild One (song) Link Wray (artist) Break 2 Music: Steamboat Akalii Song (song) Jay Begaye (artist) Horses Are Our Journey World (album)

The Crow Tribe is marking the 200th anniversary of their treaty with the United States. It is a document whose limits have been tested over that time, but still defines the tribe’s relationship with the federal government. This year also marks 170 years since the treaty ratifying the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indians’ official relationship with the U.S. We’ll examine these important historical and legal milestones and how they fit in with the extensive and complicated history of treaties. GUESTS Heather Whiteman Runs Him (Apsáalooke), associate clinical professor and the director of the Tribal Justice Clinic at Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona Stephen Selam (Yakama Nation), executive secretary of Yakama Nation tribal council Jeanine Gordon (Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation), special assistant to the president for Native American outreach for Whitman College Jim Real Bird (Apsáalooke), horse hand and co-organizer of the 1825 Crow Tribe Treaty commemoration Lanny Real Bird (Apsáalooke), educator, consultant, and Native language advocate   Break 1 Music: Crow Push Dance Song (song) Authentic Native American Music (artist) Authentic Native American Music (album) Break 2 Music: Steamboat Akalii Song (song) Jay Begaye (artist) Horses Are Our Journey World (album) Here’s more from our pre-recorded interview with Dr. Lanny Real Bird. He gives more background on the signing of the 1825 Crow Tribe Treaty as well as more understanding of Apsáalooke worldview: https://nativeamericacalling-offload-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/072525-Lanny-Real-Bird-extended-web.mp3 Also, here’s more from Jim Real Bird describing the Crow Tribe’s 200th anniversary commemoration event that he co-organized: https://nativeamericacalling-offload-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/072525-Jim-Real-Bird-extended-web.mp3

Education advocates are launching a multi-year program to develop a game and to teach the Denaakk’e language in schools. That and another language teaching apps come at a time when almost all federal funding for language revitalization is eliminated. We’ll also talk with a man about his personal journey learning the Cherokee language, an undertaking that inspired him to learn more about his tribal language’s history and importance in maintaining culture. GUESTS Joel Isaak (Dena’ina Athabascan), director of language and culture for the Kenaitze Indian Tribe Mariah Pitka (Louden Tribe), executive director for the Doyon Foundation Dr. Benjamin Frey (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), assistant professor of Cherokee language and culture at the University of North Carolina–Asheville Jamie Jacobs (Tonawanda Seneca), managing curator for the Rock Foundation collections at the Rochester Museum and Science Center   Break 1 Music: Siyo, Siyo (song) Paula Nelson (artist) C.H.A.N.T. Cherokee Hope And New Traditions (album) Break 2 Music: Steamboat Akalii Song (song) Jay Begaye (artist) Horses Are Our Journey World (album)

After Congress approved President Donald Trump’s clawback of funds distributed through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, tribal stations are frantically searching for money to keep from going dark. Tribes are stepping up in some cases, audiences are responding with increased donations, and the stations are scaling back their operations. In the meantime, higher education officials are worried about a Trump budget plan to cut federal funding to tribal colleges and universities by nearly 90%. Representatives from some of those institutions say they will have to significantly scale back their operations. Others say they will have to close outright. We’ll get more detail on both of these major funding changes. GUESTS Stephen Wall (citizen of the White Earth Nation and a descendent of Cattaraugus Seneca Community), interim president for the Institute of American Indian Arts Sean Chandler (Aaniinen [Gros Ventre Nation]), president of Aaniiih Nakoda College Aziza Smith (Eastern Shoshone), senior at Haskell Indian Nations University Marina Decora (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska), sophomore at Haskell Indian Nations University Lenora Ward (Iñupiaq), general manager of KOTZ and Kotzebue Broadcasting Karl Habeck (Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa), general manager of WOJB   Break 1 Music: Navajo Radio (song) Arigon Starr (artist) Meet the Diva (album) Break 2 Music: Steamboat Akalii Song (song) Jay Begaye (artist) Horses Are Our Journey World (album)

From finding simple recipes to diagnosing complicated illnesses, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an increasingly useful part of everyday life, but the space and resources it takes to power that technology is immense and that is hitting close to home for some tribes. The Tonawanda Seneca Nation in New York just filed a lawsuit against a proposed 900,000-square-foot AI data center a mile away from their reservation. Chief Kenith Dale Jonathan says the center would harm air quality, water, and wildlife. We’ll hear from the tribe and the potential for data center encroachment elsewhere. We’ll also look at how the Trump administration’s push to use AI in medicine would benefit or harm Native Americans. GUESTS Christine Abrams (Tonawanda Seneca), office administrator for the Tonawanda Seneca Nation Council of Chiefs Grandell “Bird” Logan (Tonawanda Seneca), media spokesperson for the Tonawanda Seneca Nation Dr. Krystal Tsosie (Diné), assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University Dr. David Wilson (Diné), associate vice president for health research and professor and chair of Indigenous Health at the University of North Dakota   Break 1 Music: Obsidian (song) Red-209 (artist) Break 2 Music: Steamboat Akalii Song (song) Jay Begaye (artist) Horses Are Our Journey World (album)

Indigenous people of Canada know of the horrors generations of children were forced to endure in residential schools even though records and physical proof are hard to come by. They know from the stories passed down and the traumas they witnessed. “The Knowing” is the newest book from Anishinaabe journalist and best-selling author Tanya Talaga. She takes readers on a journey through scattered residential school records — and their many dead ends — to find Annie, a long lost relative. Her story weaves together her personal quest with Canadian history, providing readers with a better understanding of how racism, greed, misplaced religious intent, and government policy played into Canada’s unforgivable treatment of Indigenous children. But Talaga also celebrates the triumph of healing and the growing momentum to demand justice, acknowledgement, and real reconciliation. “The Knowing” is on our Native Bookshelf.   Break 1 Music: Meegwetch (song) Tamara Podemski (artist) Tamara (album) Break 2 Music: Long Black Cadillac (song) Tribz (artist)

A widely reported exit poll right after the 2024 presidential election greatly exaggerated the support for President Donald Trump by Native Americans. Native voters, by and large, lean Democrat, but it’s clear Native voters supported President Trump more than expected. And since the election, a handful of tribes and Native leaders continue to back the MAGA trend. Louisiana’s Tunica-Biloxi Tribe are among the institutions nominating Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize, citing his foreign policy and domestic economic agenda. We’ll hear from those who think Trump is moving Native interests in the right direction. GUESTS Myron Lizer (Diné). former vice president of the Navajo Nation and professional development consultant for Prestige with Partners LLC Michael Stopp (Cherokee and Muscogee), CEO and president of SevenStar Holdings, LLC Allen Wright (Choctaw), president and founder of the Hustings Group   Break 1 Music: Two-Sidedness (song) Samantha Crain (artist) You (Understood) (album) Break 2 Music: Long Black Cadillac (song) Tribz (artist)

When the state of Idaho bowed out of a grey wolf reintroduction program and even proposed a major reduction in wolf populations, the Nez Perce tribe stepped in to help the endangered animal’s fate. With a deep spiritual and cultural connection to wolves, the tribe sought to improve wolf numbers over the objections of many decision makers and members of the public. Now the state is pushing a plan to cut wolf numbers by more than half. Tribes in Wisconsin are also weighing in on proposals to end certain protections for wolves in that state. In Idaho, the tribes say the animals have cultural significance. We’ll hear about tribal efforts to help wolves, and get a picture of a film about the Cherokee connections to the red wolf. GUESTS Michael Waasegiizhig Price (Anishinaabe), traditional ecological knowledge specialist for the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission Dr. Candessa Tehee (Cherokee), Cherokee Nation tribal councilor, artist and associate professor of Cherokee and Indigenous studies at Northeastern State University Marcie Carter (Nez Perce), previous wolf project biologist with the Nez Perce Tribe Allison Carl, wildlife biologist with the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission   Break 1 Music: Hound Dog on a Chain (song) Blue Moon Marquee (artist) Scream, Holler, and Howl (album) Break 2 Music: Long Black Cadillac (song) Tribz (artist)

The main character in Chickasaw writer Danica Nava’s debut novel gets into trouble for making some questionable claims about her Chickasaw identity to try and get ahead in the working world. Cherokee citizen Christina Berry writes about an Austin woman’s sometimes funny, sometimes heart wrenching desire to start a family. And Karen Kay’s historical novel explores an interracial connection on the mid-1800s Great Plains frontier. What each of these books has in common is the quest for true love. They also have honest, complex, and engaging portrayals of Native characters written by Native authors. We’ll hear from them about their work and Native representation in modern romance literature. (This is an encore show, so we won’t take calls from listeners) GUESTS Danica Nava (Chickasaw), author of The Truth According to Ember Karen Kay (Choctaw), historical romance author Christina Berry (citizen of the Cherokee Nation), contemporary romance author   Break 1 Music: Cry of the Wolf (song) Wade Fernandez (artist) 4 The People (album) Break 2 Music: Long Black Cadillac (song) Tribz (artist)

For nearly a decade, state and local officials disacussed how to avoid fatalities, injuries, and property damage in the Guadalupe River valley in Texas. They failed to secure funds for a public warning siren. The flood killed more than 120 people and at least 160 are missing. Earlier this year, after numerous warnings by inspectors, a levee in Oregon gave way, damaging more than 950 homes, including those of the Burns Paiute Tribe. And on the Navajo Nation, notification was key to helping hundreds of residents evacuate as the Oak Ridge fire consumed more than 11,000 acres. We’ll hear about those and emergency plans by some other tribes aimed at keeping threats from becoming human tragedies. GUESTS Donovan Quintero (Diné), freelance reporter with the Navajo Times Nelson Andrews Jr. (Mashpee Wampanoag), former tribal councilman, owner of Red Turtle Consulting LLC and CEO of American Indian Relief Bodie Shaw (Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs), former deputy regional director for the Northwest Region of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and former national wildland fire director for BIA Suzanne Settle, emergency services and resiliency director for the Burns Paiute   Break 1 Music: Healing Song (song) Judy Trejo (artist) Circle Dance Songs of the Paiute and Shoshone (album) Break 2 Music: Long Black Cadillac (song) Tribz (artist)