Monday, March 3 - Current Events:
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Two Native mushers will compete in this year's grueling Iditarod dog sled race. One of them, Palmer Sagoonick, is running the race under the slogan 'Traditional Living Prevents Diabetes: Long May You Run.' We'll take you to the starting line in Alaska. Tribal Firefighters in Oklahoma have recently returned from Texas where they were searching for shuttle debris. What did they find? A youth language fair, a turquoise show, and a housing conference will also be spotlighted. And, to be or not to be, that is the question for Ross Swimmer, the GOP nominee to head up Indian trust reform. What are the haps in your neck of the woods?

Tuesday, March 4 - Tribal Per Capita Payments:
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If your tribe were offering a monthly per capita payment to every adult tribal member, would you turn it down? Then why are there voices of discontent when it comes to per caps? Some argue that it removes aspirations - that tribal members no longer pursue educational, career and cultural opportunities when they receive a hefty tribal stipend. Is this realistic? Or, do you think per capita payments offer economic freedom and would grant Native people more of an opportunity to express our true selves? We'll open up the phone lines and take calls about tribal per capita payments -- good, bad, or indifferent?

Wednesday, March 5 - Music Maker: Mary Youngblood:
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For the third year a category to honor the best Native recording was part of the Annual Grammy Awards. It's only the second time that a Native woman was among the nominees in this category and the first to win. The one who walked away with the Grammy was none other than flutist, Mary Youngblood, know for her barrier breaking and independent thinking. Youngblood has received critical acclaim in this male dominated genre. What's in store for Mary? What has influenced her diverse musical style? Join us for our Music Maker Edition, with Grammy Award winner, Mary Youngblood.

Thursday, March 6 - Saving Tribal Sovereignty:
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Tribal sovereignty is being bombarded from nearly every side by state and federal lawmakers. They are no longer sneak attacks hidden away in riders and attachments. No, they are sounding the trumpets in the Halls of Congress and they have the Supreme Court on their side. Senator Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, announced at the midyear conference of NCAI that a bill will be introduced before the Senate to put a stop to the undermining of tribal jurisdiction on tribal lands. Can a bill clearly define the sovereign nature of tribes? Will it define who will enforce criminal and civil law on the rez? Invited guests include Tex Hall, President of NCAI.

Friday, March 7 - A Picture Worth A Thousand Generations: Preserving Tribal Petroglyphs:
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Pictographs and petroglyphs around the world remain among the closest visual ties to the ancestors of humankind. For Native Americans, many of these sites are sacred ties. With encroachment and development, many of these areas have been destroyed and many others are under constant threat of vandalism, flooding and removal. Should relocation of these sacred inscriptions be considered to preserve them? Can tribes work to protect these areas with help from the state and federal governments? Guests include Bridgett Whipple, Warm Springs Cultural Resources.

Monday, March 10- Tribal Supreme Court Project:
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In the past two decades tribes have lost 80 percent of their cases before the Supreme Court. Now, the Native American Rights Fund and the National Congress of American Indians are teaming up, along with a group of two hundred other briefcase warriors, to turn the tables. Can this project improve tribes’ chances before the high court? Now that the justices have voted against the Navajo in their Peabody case, and for the Apache in their Fort Apache case, what waves will those decisions cause in Indian Country? And, what are the predictions for the Inyo County vs. Bishop Paiute case? Guests include NARF’s Tracy Labin and NCAI’s John Dossett.

Tuesday, March 11 - Amnesty Youth Summit:
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Amnesty International USA is organizing its second National Youth Summit with a special focus on the human rights of Indigenous peoples in the Americas. An Indigenous Peoples Task Force has been created to launch an Americas-wide campaign to increase public awareness about the Native struggle for basic rights. But can a youth campaign lead to actual change? And, will these types of educational/awareness efforts eventually lead to a kinder, gentler generation of public and government policy makers in the Americas? Guests include Joshua Cooper, co-chair of the IPTF, Amnesty youth activist April Guthrie and Sherri Norris of the International Indian Treaty Council.

Wednesday, March 12 - Intellectual Racism: Is Ignorance Bliss?
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In schools across the country, students are presented a one-sided aspect of the history of the United States. Even on television, a channel committed to history tries to disclose history, but still the Native perspective is noticeably absent. The nation as a whole remains ignorant to the voices of Native America. Attempts to fill that void are few and inadequate. Can one trust the media or even institutes of higher learning to truthfully present our country's history? Have educational institutions failed in revealing the Native side of history? Can America's intellect be reshaped to include Native people? Guests include Lester Tsosie, Navajo grad student at JFK School of Government, Harvard University.

Thursday, March 13 - Antibiotic Resistant Microbes:
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Historically, countless lives have been lost from virulent microbes. With the discovery of penicillin, it was thought that it would put a halt to fatal infections. However, newer and organism-specific antibiotics had to be synthesized to help physicians treat certain infections. Now, coupled with repetitive exposure to antibiotics, noncompliant patients and ill-prescribed treatment of antibiotics, microbes once susceptible to antibiotics have developed resistance to them. So, are antibiotics the answer for any infection? Is there a place for traditional remedies? Guests include Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., director of Tree House Center of Integrative Medicine.

Friday, March 14 - Oil in the Amazon:
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America is the largest consumer of petroleum products in the world. Some assert that many current global tensions are rooted in our country’s addiction to this black gold. Extracting it has placed an enormous strain on pristine environments and indigenous communities around the world. In Colombia, the U.S. government is providing hundreds of millions of dollars and special troops to protect a vital oil pipeline. With the eyes of the world on the Middle East, what impact do petroleum projects have on indigenous communities of the Amazon? Guests include a spokesperson from Amazon Watch.

Monday, March 17 - Restoring the River of Grass:
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The $8 billion plan to restore Florida’s Everglades National Park is being called the most ambitious environmental project in U.S. history. More than 55,000 acres are in the process of being bought out by the state, in an effort to clear the area and restore it to swamplands. Already, 26,000 individual landowners have sold out. But in the middle of this buyout area lies an 800-acre stretch of land that belongs to the Miccosukee Tribe. Tribal leaders have stated they will not sell. Can the state force the tribe to sell under eminent domain laws, or will sovereignty prevail? Guests include Dione Carroll, general counsel for the Miccosukee tribe.

Tuesday, March 18 - Recognizing the Lumbee Nation:
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The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has been seeking federal recognition since 1888. Recently, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole introduced a bill that will formally recognize the tribe and grant them a government-to- government relationship with the United States. Recognition would also allow them to receive federal tribal allocations for economic development, housing, education and health care. And the tribe would be able to put most of Robeson County under reservation trust status. Do the Lumbees deserve federal recognition? Can they be approved without going through the BIA? Guests include Lumbee tribal chairman Milton Hunt and tribal attorney Arlinda Locklear.

Wednesday, March 19 - Indian in the Spotlight: Audrey Bennett:
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Audrey Bennett is tribal council president of the Prairie Island Indian Community, or the Mdewakonton Dakota. She is serving her third consecutive term and during her tenure, she has led the fight against efforts to store nuclear waste adjacent to the reservation that sits on the bank of the upper Mississippi River. She has been a national voice for the Prairie Island people and for all tribal communities fighting against contamination of their homelands. A seemingly tireless advocate, she is also a caring mother and grandmother as well. But beyond spiritually and family, what has inspired her service to the community?

Friday, March 21 - Third World Water Forum:
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Should our planet's water be a profit-generating commodity? Look around you, it already is. For virtually every indigenous culture remaining in the world, water is still observed as a sacred gift that connects all life. But this life sustaining resource is presently being treated as merchandise, to be sold to the highest bidder. The Third World Water Forum is being held in Japan. What is the American Water Vision? Is big business violating the public's and the world's trust? And, who is looking out for tribal interests in the Americas in the big global water picture? Guests include Tom Goldtooth, director of the Indigenous Environmental Network and Marilyn Orakei of Black Mesa.

Monday, March 24 - Nurturing State/Tribal Relations:
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When it comes to dialogue between tribal and state governments dealing with welfare, elderly care, and other health and human service issues, you would think tribes would speak with a unified voice. But state governments are finding that tribes have their own unique issues and concerns, even within similar areas like foster care or behavioral health. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is calling tribes and state agencies together to begin a dialogue to enhance working relationships and to find common ground. Can meetings foster better relations? Guests include Bernie Teba, director of the New Mexico Office of Indian Affairs and Liz Stefanics, New Mexico Deputy Secretary of State.

Tuesday, March 25 - Reconstruction of Iraq:
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The war in Iraq is more than just a concerted effort to rid the country of the presence of dictator Saddam Hussein. There will be much resources spent on reconstruction efforts in the oil-rich nation. How will the U.S. and allied forces be met in Baghdad? Will they be met with optimism and hope for liberating the Iraqi people? Or will they be met with fear and anger for bringing a modern brand of colonization to their homelands? Who will be in charge of Iraq’s government and assets, including their massive oilfields? What will be the role of the United Nations during the reconstruction period? And who will ultimately foot the bill?

Wednesday, March 26 - Book of the Month:
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Turtle Lung Woman’s Granddaughter is the unforgettable story of several generations of Lakota women told with their words. Oglala author and educator Delphine Red Shirt has delicately woven the life stories of her mother, Lone Woman, and great-grandmother, Turtle Lung Woman, into a continuous narrative that succeeds triumphantly as a moving, epic saga of Lakota women from traditional times to the present. Through Lone Woman’s and Turtle Lung Woman’s eyes, Red Shirt’s new book provides many wonderful details of their domestic lives before and during the early reservation years.

Thursday, March 27 - Allied Through Languages:
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Historians generally agree that there are but a handful of indigenous language stocks in North America. From Algonquian to Athabascan to Muskogean to Siouan, nearly all of the approximately 600 tribes in the U.S. and the hundreds in Canada have roots within these major dialects. As tribal communities desperately attempt to save their dying languages, what can history offer to help tribes in their endeavors? How can tribes with similar languages share resources to retain the most vital component of Native cultures? Guests include Gerald Hill of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, president of the Indigenous Language Institute.

Friday, March 28 - Vagina Monologues:
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Sexual abuse and domestic violence are not uncommon in Native communities, causing emotional and physical scars. Law enforcement and social agencies exhaust resources to help victims and curtail the abuses. How can the public be made more sensitive to this crisis? A play being performed in Toronto is bringing light to this problem. The play, based on a number of interviews with women, explores the pain, power, wisdom and excitement in the life of a Native woman. Can theater impact social consciousness? Is it another forum for male bashing? Guests include actors Michelle St. John, Jani Lauzon, and Cheri Maracle-Cardinal.

Monday, March 31- Chiefs of Wind River:
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A warrior isn’t just one who engages a foe in armed combat. A warrior is one who uses skills and energy to overcome obstacles and opponents to achieve a goal. The story of the boys’ basketball team from Wyoming Indian High School and the Wind River Reservation is the focus of an independent film called Chiefs. It premiers nationally on PBS affiliates in April. The film portrays the warrior spirit within the young men over two seasons on their way to a state championship. How did this team respond to challenges both on and off the court? Guests include Wyoming Indian High School coach Al Redman, former Chief player Beaver C’Bearing and the film’s director Daniel Junge.

Tuesday, April 1- War Update:
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As America’s war with Iraq stretches to the end of week two, the reality and brutality of an extended ground war is sinking in. As with all warfare there is death and destruction. And there is a certain unpredictability about expected outcomes. There are tactics being used by the Iraqi military and the civilian population that are considered unconventional and dirty. What are soldiers experiencing in this war in the Middle East? Are they being forced to compromise their morality?
Should we expect them to come home with post (war) Traumatic Stress Syndrome? And what healing practices will await our soldiers when they return to our shores?

Wednesday, April 2 - Reviving Tribal Languages:
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The Native American Studies program at the University of Oklahoma will be hosting its sixth annual American Indian Symposium. The theme is ‘Building and Sharing Native Languages’ and will offer a variety of information and demonstration activities regarding Native language development. The symposium will offer topics such as tribal language research, language funding resources, Native language and the use of new technology, and tribal government language management. Can our languages be saved from the brink of extinction? Guests include keynote
speaker Ofelia Zepeda, a member of the Tohono O’odham from the University of Arizona.

Thursday, April 3 - The Money Pit…Rez Style:
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The Americanization of Indian Country affected both the type and the availability of housing in Native communities. With the creation of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the federal government took on the task of providing decent and safe housing for all Americans. HUD made contracts with tribes to meet that end. Still, 70 years later, significant housing problems exist on reservations and
resolving mortgage agreements is an agonizing and seemingly never- ending maze. Is there light at the end of the HUD mortgage tunnel? Guests include Russell Sossamon, executive director of the National American Indian Housing Council.

Friday, April 4 - The Painful Cycle of Abuse:
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All children deserve a safe place. Regrettably there are many children, from infant to teenager, who are victimized by neglect or sexual abuse, even amongst family members. The abuse leaves physical and emotional scars that linger and linger. To make matters worse, Native children are significantly over-represented among abuse victims. But the
perpetrators often go unreported, because of fear and intimidation. What external signs tip off suspicions that can alert abuse? How can victims reach beyond the fear and report these crimes? Guests include Dr. Dorothy Neddemeyer, author, lecturer and psychotherapist on sexual child abuse.

Monday, April 7 - Current Events:
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Emotions are running high across Indian Country with the report that one man has been arrested and another is being sought in the murder of Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash, an AIM activist whose killers have remained a mystery for more than a quarter century. US and Coalition troops ramble into Baghdad as a young Hopi woman remains among the list of missing soldiers. What is the latest on the war update? An organization plans to send care packages to Native service men and women and is asking for assistance. Powwow season gets a jumpstart with the primetime NBC broadcast of the World of Native American Dance that was originally shot at the Crow Agency Fair in Montana.

Tuesday, April 8 -Community Spirit Awards:
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Hear about the winners of the 2002 Community Spirit Award, an award that is given annually by the First People's Fund to Native artists who have contributed to their communities through their art. 2002 recipients are from across Native America: Delores Churchill (Haida), Ignacia Duran (Tesuque), Pat Courtney Gold (Wasco-Wishram), Milford Nahohai (Zuni) and Darrell Norman (Blackfeet). Tune in and hear how these artists have used their gifts to pass their culture on to future generations as well as to enrich their tribes and nations.

Wednesday, April 9 - Life Before Contact:
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What was life like here on Turtle Island (or modern day North America) before contact with white people? One viewpoint says that indigenous people were living a ‘Garden of Eden’ existence, with an abundance of natural foods, freedom and spirituality. The other says those days were hazardous with fierce winters, warring, and a short life expectancy. But tribal oral tradition says that life has always been challenging, with both obstacles and rewards. Will the present suffer by comparison until we take a realistic look at the past? Guests include Brian Colhoff, a cultural anthropology from the Oglala Nation and Bill Fitzhugh of the National Museum of Natural History, an Arctic archaeology specialist.

Thursday April 10 - Patriotism vs. Nationalism:
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Families across the country are grieving over the loss of loved ones in the war with Iraq. Indian Country is no exception. Other families grieve over whether or not their loved one will make it home safely. And there are those who are grieving here at home who have been labeled un-American because of their opposition to America’s war of liberation. Some have not only suffered professional and social retribution, but have been physically injured as well. Is America the land of the free for only those who support Operation Iraqi Freedom? Can speaking out about bringing home the troops label one a turncoat? Can one’s patriotism be questioned when one questions a nation’s course?

Friday April 11 - Banning Booze at Blackfeet:
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Alcohol related deaths have always been high in Indian Country, but today many groups are fighting back against this long-time killer of Native people. More than fifty members of the Blackfeet Nation recently gathered to initiate an Assault on Alcohol. The recent deaths and near deaths of young people on the reservation has prompted serious actions to be considered, including banning alcohol sales throughout the entire rez. Can prohibition work? Or will it simply bring in new troubles to deal with? And what about local bar owners? What is their take on this new movement? Guests include Long Standing Bear Chief, a member of the Blackfeet Nation.

Monday, April 14 -Diversity at Albuquerque Academy:
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Historically, private academic institutions in America have left minority students, including Native American and Alaska Native students, behind. But over the past few decades some institutions have finally started to open up and diversify their student population. Albuquerque Academy in New Mexico sponsored Diversity Day – a celebration of the growing multicultural atmosphere at the school. The theme of the day was Living Together in Respect. How can diversity in private academies of education bolster better race relations among tribal and non-tribal members? Guests include Andrew Watson, head of school and Levia Nahary, chair of Diversity Day.

Tuesday, April 15 - Iraq Today, Who's Next?:
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As Operation Iraqi Freedom begins to move closer to finality, and Saddam Hussein's regime comes crashing down, questions remain about how the change in government will be implemented. And larger questions loom on the horizon about whether or not the U.S.-led coalition will continue on after Baghdad. There are already fingers being pointed from the White House at both Syria and Iran as possible targets. Who will control the post-Saddam Iraqi government, and will the President order troops into these other countries to punish them for their pro-Iraqi and pro-Palestinian stances?

Wednesday, April 16 - Native Elders Find Comfort At Home:
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The golden years are portrayed as a time when senior citizens can reside in comfort and leisure after a life of productivity. Science and technology has increased life expectancy of America’s older citizens. Still, health care services and facilities on reservations and native villages are too few and far from home for many Native elders. To address the needs of their elders, some tribes have started long and short-term health care facilities to improve the twilight years of Native elders. What resources are tribes offering to members for the care of their elders? And what traditional ceremonies do these facilities offer to their residents? Guests include James Williamson, Administrator/Jourdain-Perpich Extended Care Center and Allen Allery, Director/National Resource Center on Native American Aging.

Thursday, April 17 - Indians in the Energy Game:
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The U.S. industrial revolution and today’s technological revolution has been dependent upon low-cost energy. Throughout the 20th Century Native Americans/Alaska Natives were kept unaware or uninformed of the vast
amounts of natural energy resources being taken from their lands and sold. But today Native people are more than just aware and informed – they are calling the shots. The White House has launched a major outreach initiative to develop energy on tribal lands. How are tribes maximizing their profits? And how does developing energy resources change the landscape, the economy and the culture of a community? Guests include Jessica Alcorn of the White House Task Force on Energy Project Streamlining.

Friday, April 18 - Dial-A-Doc Returns:
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Preventive health maintenance is advertised as a means of reducing serious long-term illnesses and improving one’s quality of life. Yet, it’s no secret there is disparity in health funding and services to marginalized citizens in this country. Increasingly, many Native people are relying on other forms of treatments to address their health needs. Diabetes, hypertension, and a myriad of other diseases are forcing
people to seek medical advice and solutions. We bring back our on-air medical expert(s) to field your questions and give you an opportunity to talk with a health care provider to receive direction on your health concerns and issues.

Monday, April 21 - Revamping the Hopi Constitution:
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The Hopi Nation, one of the more traditional communities in Native America, is taking a huge step into the future by drafting a new tribal constitution. Tribal officials say the current constitution is outdated. The document that governs the tribe was written back in 1936, and was implemented as part of the federal Indian Reorganization Act. They say the new one will give more flexibility to the 12 Hopi villages to set up a form of government more in tune with cultural values. Will a new tribal constitution bring about positive change in Hopi Land? Guests include LeRoy Shingoitewa, chairman of the Hopi Constitution Reform Committee.

Tuesday, April 22 - Spring Planting Season:
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Since early human history, agrarian cultures have cultivated a direct connection with Mother Earth. With the development of American agriculture, however, the US took great pride in its farmers feeding the entire world and the American farm industry is reaching a point of monopolization in several food groups. But scientific advancements seem to be driving a wedge between the connection of man and Mother Earth. How do Native communities strengthen our intimate relationship with nature? Is the key returning to our roots and growing our own food? Join us as we celebrate Earth Day and the Spring planting season.

Wednesday, April 23 - Protecting Sacred Ceremonies:
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Last month, in a historic meeting, spiritual leaders of the Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho nations gathered in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, to talk about protecting Native religious ceremonies from abuse and exploitation. Specifically, talk centered around molestation taking place in ceremony, mixing of new age beliefs, charging money for ceremony and even death in ceremony, unheard of before recently. It was decided, no non-Natives will be allowed in the sacred alters of the Seven Sacred Rites, including the Sundance. Will this proclamation deter abusers? Guests include Arvol Looking Horse, Keeper of the Sacred
White Buffalo Calf Pipe.

Thursday, April 24 - Music Maker:
Drum groups travel across the country, from powwow to powwow. For most, the long powwow trail is a labor of love to fulfill their desire to sing and drum. There are many drum groups that travel simply for the love of singing and competition. The Canadian drum group originally scheduled, High Noon, Canyon Records’ newest artists, is unfortunately unable to participate, so we bring you your favorite Powwow music from the all over Indian Country.

Friday, April 25 - Indian in the Spotlight: Aurene Martin:
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After the surprising resignation of Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Neal McCaleb at the end of last year, the torch was passed on to Aurene Martin of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. She grew up on the Menominee reservation and received a law degree from the University of Wisconsin. Since then she has worked for the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin where she left as senior staff attorney and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs where she served as Republican senior counsel. She joined the Interior Department first as counselor to the assistant secretary and then as deputy assistant. Where does the new BIA chief stand on the issues?

Monday, April 28 - National Museum Update:
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The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is a $200 million project. Construction is well underway on this 99-foot tall building on the National Mall. It is set to open sometime in September 2004. But NMAI has a wealth of projects going on right now that extend from Washington D.C. to various places throughout Indian Country. NMAI is actively promoting art-related community service projects, assisting with the development of tribal museums, and sponsoring traveling Indian art exhibits. How is the national museum impacting Native America? Our guest is Richard West of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, director of NMAI.

Tuesday, April 29 - Post War Iraq:
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Now that the regime of Saddam Hussein has been crushed, what’s next? How long will the U.S.-led military presence stay in Iraq? American officials continue to state that the sooner the Iraqis are able to govern themselves, the better. Meanwhile, an interim government has been set up and a retired U.S. general has been put in charge. There are joint U.S.-Iraqi security teams policing some areas, there is much
maneuvering going on by Iraqis to gain control of the post-Saddam government, and the Pentagon has set up an Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Aid. How can the U.S. convince the world that the invasion was not to control Iraq’s oil?

Wednesday, April 30 - Book of the Month: The Way of the Warrior:
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Crow elders tell their favorite stories of the exploits of memorable leaders from years past in this new book. Rousing adventures and unforgettable warriors inhabit these tales: the impetuous Rabbit Child, who rushes to his fate as he keeps a sacred vow; the rise to power and dreaded revenge of Red Bear, one of the greatest and most spiritually powerful Crow leaders; the dazzling success and even greater shame of Spotted Horse; and the legendary bravery of Top of the Mountain. Two Crow brothers recorded, transcribed and translated into English the accounts, which have now been edited and introduced by Phenocia Bauerle, their granddaughter.

PROGRAMS OF 2003

JANUARY / FEBRUARY / MARCH / APRIL / MAY / JUNE /
JULY/ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER / NOVEMBER / DECEMBER