Native America Calling

A new study finds the death rate for Native Americans — which was already higher than other groups — is much higher than previously thought. The analysis just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) finds the gap in life expectancy between Native Americans and Alaska Natives and the national average is almost three times wider than what official statistics say it is. The researchers point to the fact that more than 40% of death certificates misidentify Native Americans and Alaska Natives. One of the study’s researchers says the discrepancies indicate “statistical erasure” in routine public health data has obscured the severity of a mortality crisis among Native people. We’ll get a handle on the new study and what is behind the numbers. GUESTS Michael Bird (Kewa Pueblo and Ohkay Owingeh), past president of the American Public Health Association and past national consultant for AARP Stephanie Woolhandler, distinguished professor at the City University of New York – Hunter College   Break 1 Music: Stomp Dance (song) George Hunter (artist) Haven (album) Break 2 Music: Maybe (song) Mogley & the Zoniez (artist) Better Late Than Never (album)

If you’re one of the 1.9 million people who still get a paper tax refund check from the federal government, you will need to make a change in the coming months. It’s the same for those who still count on Social Security checks in the mail rather than electronic direct deposit. A presidential executive order requires those and other transactions by the federal government to go completely electronic by September 30. The White House claims paperless transactions will save taxpayers as much as $657 million. At the same time, it poses a significant challenge for the high percentage of Native Americans who choose not to utilize conventional banks. GUESTS Cory Blankenship (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), executive director of the Native American Finance Officers Association Josh Lucio (Zuni), marketing director for World Financial Group Nathan King (member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin), vice president of Bay Bank   Break 1 Music: Intertribal Song (song) Black Lodge Singers (artist) Enter the Circle – Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Coeur D’Alene (album) Break 2 Music: Maybe (song) Mogley & the Zoniez (artist) Better Late Than Never (album)

President Donald Trump is expected to reverse President Joe Biden’s designation of two national monuments in California supported by area tribes. The Department of Justice issued an opinion that it is in the president’s purview to do away with Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla Highlands National Monument. There is additional pressure to at least reduce the side of Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase Escalante as President Trump did during his first term. The changes to national monuments also come as Republicans in Congress propose selling millions of acres of federal land, some of which is important to nearby tribes. We’ll get a rundown of the likely land moves and how it affects people. (Photo courtesy of Western Rivers Conservancy) We’ll also hear about the final piece in a land transfer to the Yurok Tribe that comprises the largest return of land to a tribe in California history. Nearly all of the Yurok’s traditional land — 90% — was taken during the time known as the California Gold Rush. GUESTS Joseph Mirelez (Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians), chairman of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Davina Smith (Diné), co-chair of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition Matthew Campbell (Native Village of Gambell), deputy director of the Native American Rights Fund Tiana Williams-Claussen (Yurok), wildlife director for the Yurok Tribe   Break 1 Music: Honoring The Homeland (song) Radmilla & Herman Cody (artist) Shi Kéyah (album) Break 2 Music: Maybe (song) Mogley & the Zoniez (artist) Better Late Than Never (album)

Two Native nations, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, are suing the federal government over what they say is mismanagement of funds related to Indian Boarding Schools. They claim the U.S. Government is on the hook for $23.3 billion by failing to live up to the Treaty and Trust Responsibility. Meanwhile, boarding school survivor advocates are concerned that years of research and narratives shedding light on the Boarding School Era have vanished from federal government sources. We’ll discuss the importance of these recent updates. GUESTS Vice President Tasha Mousseau (Wichita and Affiliated Tribes) President J.C. Seneca (Seneca Nation) Lori Quigley (Seneca Nation), professor and department chair for the Ph.D. in Leadership and Policy program at Niagara University and educational consultant Samuel Torres (Mexica and Nahua), deputy CEO for the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition Amy Sazue (Sicangu and Oglala Lakota), executive director of Remembering the Children   Break 1 Music: Hindsight 20/20 (song) Cris Derksen (artist) Break 2 Music: Shawnee Stomp Dance (song) Little Axe Singers (artist) Traditional Voices: Historic Recordings of Traditional Native American Music (album)

The city of Anchorage plans to clear a large encampment of homeless people at a park in mid-June following years of complaints and public safety problems. The park has seen two fatal shootings and a large fire in recent months. The city’s move is one of dozens of encampment “abatements” around the country following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that allows such law enforcement actions. Some cities have multi-pronged strategies to help homeless residents further displaced when officials clear encampments. We’ll explore where solutions may lie in the balance between compassion and public safety. GUESTS Jim LaBelle (Iñupiaq), member of the Anchorage Native Community Council James Lovell (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians), chief community development officer for the Chief Seattle Club Rene’ Williams (Colville), director of strategic initiatives for the California Native Vote Project Reva Stewart (Diné), owner of Shush Diné Native Shop, founder of Stolen People, Stolen Benefits, and founder of Turtle Island Women Warriors   Break 1 Music: Push Come to Shove (song) Bruce Cockburn (artist) O Sun O Moon (album) Break 2 Music: Shawnee Stomp Dance (song) Little Axe Singers (artist) Traditional Voices: Historic Recordings of Traditional Native American Music (album)

President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to quell protests in Los Angeles has upped the ante when it comes to the response to direct action. Native Americans turned to civil disobedience during high profile protests at Standing Rock and following George Floyd’s death more recently, and during the formation of the American Indian Movement more than a half century ago. Will the equation for direct action include confrontations with the U.S. military from now on? We’ll discuss what Native activists see for the future of public protests. GUESTS Dr. Robert Warrior (Osage), Hall Distinguished Professor of American Literature and Culture at the University of Kansas Jacob Johns (Hopi and Akimel O’Odham), executive director of A Wisdom Keepers Delegation Joel Garcia (Huichol), artist and cultural organizer and director of Meztli Projects   Break 1 Music:  Get Up Stand Up (song) Bailey Wiley, Che Fu, King Kapisi, Laughton Kora, Maisey Rika & Tiki Taane (artist) Break 2 Music: Shawnee Stomp Dance (song) Little Axe Singers (artist) Traditional Voices: Historic Recordings of Traditional Native American Music (album)

In what is becoming an annual occurrence, numerous fires across at least three Canadian provinces are putting Indigenous nations residents at risk. The 3,000 citizens of the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation are affected by evacuations because of the fires. They are among the estimated 30,000 people forced to flee from some 200 wildfires. Many, like the Sandy Lake First Nation, had to be airlifted to safety. At one point, workers took refuge against the smoke and flames for several hours in a shipping container. Smoke from the fires are also degrading air quality in northern U.S. states. We’ll find out what is on the minds of Indigenous people affected by the fires and what long term solutions might be in store. GUESTS Tyson Wesley (Kashechewan Cree Nation), CEO of Creemergency Dr. Amy Cardinal Christianson (Métis), senior fire advisor for Indigenous Leadership Initiative and board member of the International Association of Wildland Fire Jimmy Côté, president of Creemergency   Break 1 Music: Reverberation Lim (song) Mike Bern (artist) Ancestors (album) Break 2 Music: Shawnee Stomp Dance (song) Little Axe Singers (artist) Traditional Voices: Historic Recordings of Traditional Native American Music (album)

At least two tribal relocation efforts foreshadow what can go wrong when even small communities are forced to contend with the increasing threats posed by climate change. A report by the Washington Post, ProPublica, and Bethel radio station KYUK documents the ongoing difficulties which the residents of Newtok, Alaska confront after moving their village to escape the effects of the rising sea and thawing permafrost. We’ll hear about that report and the worries about future efforts to react to changing landscapes. GUESTS Bernice John (Yup’ik), president of the Newtok Native Corporation Chantel Comardelle (Jean Charles Choctaw Nation), tribal secretary for the Jean Charles Choctaw Nation Emily Schwing, freelance reporter based in Alaska   Break 1 Music: Into the Light (song) Susan Aglukark (artist) The Crossing (album) Break 2 Music: Shawnee Stomp Dance (song) Little Axe Singers (artist) Traditional Voices: Historic Recordings of Traditional Native American Music (album)

An exhibit at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History in Eugene, Oreg. assembles works by Native LGBTQ2 artists that express this moment in time. It is among the hundreds of events, including parades and panel discussions, to mark Pride Month. This year’s push for awareness will have to go on without acknowledgement by the federal government, which is foregoing any mention of Pride. And the annual report by the advocacy group, GLAAD, notes that while violent incidents against gay and lesbian people are down as a whole in the past year, attacks against trans citizens has significantly increased. We’ll check on the status of Native Pride. Plus, we’ll get career highlights of the late actor Jonathan Joss (Comanche and White Mountain Apache) who died this week. GUESTS Felix Furby (Chinook and Grand Ronde), co-curator of the exhibit Transgressors Calvin Crosby (Cherokee), owner of the King’s English Bookshop and executive director of Brain Food Books Vincent Schilling (Akwesasne), editor and founder of NativeViewPoint.com and a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic   Break 1 Music: Out Loud (song) Ailani (artist) Heartbroken Bones (album) Break 2 Music: Butterfly Clouds (song) Clark Tenakhongva (artist) Su’Vu’Yo’Yungw (album)

Today marks the 30th anniversary of Native America Calling’s first national radio broadcast. Started in the studios in Albuquerque public radio station, KUNM, NAC has been the daily voice for Native issues, politics, entertainment, and arts ever since. Tribal leaders, activists, educators, bureaucrats, aunties, presidents, and everyday people have all made their way onto the airwaves on NAC, all with one common thread: to talk about the things that are important to Native Americans from a Native point of view. We’ll mark the occasion by hearing from some of the voices associated with Native America Calling over the years. GUESTS Tara Gatewood (Isleta Pueblo and Diné), director of the Fund for Indigenous Journalists with the International Women’s Media Foundation George Tiger (Muscogee), former principal chief of the Muscogee Nation and the host of KOKL The Brew’s oldies rock-n-roll show Shelley McKosato Haupt (Sac and Fox), sister of former Native America Calling host, Harlan McKosato Jaclyn Sallee (Iñupiaq), president and CEO of Koahnic Broadcast Corporation   Break 1 Music: Creator (song) Chuck Copenace (artist) Oshki Manitou (album) Break 2 Music: Butterfly Clouds (song) Clark Tenakhongva (artist) Su’Vu’Yo’Yungw (album)