Monday,
March 1 - Current Events: (Listen
in RealAudio
)
Tribal leaders are attacking the Bush Administration’s proposed
budget for Indian Country in ’05, which they say actually
decreases tribal funding in critical areas. Nez Perce tribal members
are fighting to protect the grave of Old Chief Joseph against
a proposed housing development. There are no Happy Meals, in the
form of higher education scholarships, for Indian students at
the home of the Golden Arches, and now there’s a call for
a boycott against Ronald McDonald. Will an Oscar go to a Maori
Native teen for her performance in the movie Whale Rider? And
there’s something for everyone when a tribal tourism conference
includes the Grand Entry at the Denver March Powwow.
Tuesday, March 2
- Read Across America:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Today is Read Across
America Day. It’s an effort to promote reading and literacy
on the 100th birthday of the late great Dr. Seuss. Teachers, parents
and students are encouraged to highlight the importance of reading.
Unfortunately, in Indian Country many students read below their
grade level and the number of dropouts is troubling. These fundamental
problems can be linked to the inability to read well. The Bush
Administration’s Indian Education budget and the Leave No
Child Behind Act are presented as solutions to the problems. But
are they? And what will it take to increase literacy in Indian
Country? Guests include Cindy La Marr of the National
Indian Education Association.
Wednesday,
March
3 - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): (Listen
in RealAudio
)
FASD is a term that is used to describe a group of birth defects
that can occur when a woman drinks alcohol or abuses other substances
while pregnant, which causes brain damage to a child that lasts
a lifetime. Still, people with FASD can be successful in life.
The FASD Center for Excellence
facilitates the development of comprehensive systems of care that
includes prevention, identification and treatment. What is FASD
and why does it often go unrecognized, undiagnosed or misdiagnosed
as mental illness? We know what causes FASD, but how does a person
live with its effects? Guests include FASD specialists Candace
Shelton and Dan Dubovsky.
Thursday,
March 4 -
The
Indigenous Oscars:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
The winners of this year’s Academy Awards have been announced.
The surprise nomination of Maori Native Keisha Castle-Hughes in
the Best Actress category has brought acclaim to the movie Whale
Rider. But there were other Native filmmakers who produced outstanding
movies, and actors who performed great roles but weren’t
up for an Oscar, until now. The inaugural presentation of the
Native American Awards
for Film and TV Movies will be announced this Friday in L.A.
All the nominees are Indigenous, and you can cast
your vote. What are your favorite Native films and who are
your favorite Native actors for 2003? Guests include journalist/producer
Roscoe Pond.
Friday,
March 5 - Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
The Iditarod has been called
the “Last Great Race on Earth,” a race that covers
1,150 miles of the roughest, most beautiful terrain on Mother
Earth – pitting man and animal against nature. From Anchorage
to Nome, mushers and dog teams race across mountain ranges, frozen
rivers, dense forest, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coasts
for more than $700,000 in cash prizes. But the race is more than
that. It’s a tribute to Alaska’s past, to an ancient
tradition mastered by Alaska Natives, and to a life saving highway
that brought serum to the epidemic-stricken village of Nome in
1925. Are Native mushers competing and what are their chances
of winning? Guests include Mike Williams, a Yupik musher from
Akiak.
Monday, March 8 - Native AmeriCorps:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
America has called upon its citizens in times of adversity. Individuals
and groups have unselfishly given their time and talents to respond
in the country’s hour of need. During the Great Depression,
the Civilian Conservation Corps offered millions of the unemployed
a job and a paycheck. And one can’t forget the famous call
to action by President Kennedy to do for your country. Indian
communities are all too familiar with hardships and socioeconomic
problems. A government program similar to the 30’s CCC is
helping tribes address those problems, and at the same time, providing
training and an income for tribal members. What is the Tribal
Civilian Community Corps? Guests include Hank Oltman of the Corporation
for National & Community Service and Stevevost Jim of
Navajo
Nation AmeriCorps.
Tuesday, March 9
- Saving the San Francisco Peaks:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
The Save the Peaks Coalition
based out of Flagstaff is mounting a campaign against an expansion
plan by ski resort owners on San Francisco Peaks in northern Arizona.
The coalition maintains that the mountain is sacred and new development
is considered desecration and a violation of religious freedom.
But owners of the Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort say new development
is well within the law, and is supported by the Coconino National
Forest Service, which recently released a draft environmental
impact statement. The plan will reportedly make snow from wastewater
to attract skiers. A 60-day comment period is coming to a close.
What will the Forest Service decide? Guests include Robert Tohe
of the Save the Peaks Coalition.
Wednesday,
March
10 - Schizophrenia:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
A report from the U.S. Surgeon General several years ago revealed
that the diagnosis and treatment of mental health illnesses were
inadequate. One particular diagnosis, schizophrenia among Native
Americans and Alaska Natives, was found to be associated with
post-colonial stress and alcoholism, leading to inappropriate
diagnosis and treatment. Schizophrenia is a debilitating mental
health disorder that causes one to withdraw from society and retreat
into a world of delusions. It doesn't discriminate and can be
the cause behind anti-social behavior that is seen in Native communities.
What is schizophrenia? How is it treated? Is there hope for those
with the diagnosis? Guests include Dr. Mary Rousel of the Santa
Fe Indian Hospital Behavior Health Services.
Thursday,
March 11
- Reorganizing
the BIA:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Efforts
to reorganize and streamline the Bureau of Indian Affairs to improve
trust relations are being met with resistance by tribal leaders,
who are calling for a moratorium on reorganization plans. The
Senate Indian Affairs
Committee is getting involved and has held a hearing to gather
testimony. BIA officials say the "to-be" project will
make things better by eliminating redundancies, reducing backlogs
and providing new trust officers at the local level. While tribal
leaders say the plan is creating a top-heavy bureaucracy that
does not meet the real need for trust management in Indian Country.
Invited guests include Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, vice-chair
of Senate Indian Affairs.
Friday,
March 12 - Indian in the Spotlight: Lisa Tiger:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Growing up in Oklahoma, Lisa Tiger had the world at her feet.
She was a Class I gymnast, a ballet dancer, a tap dancer, head
cheerleader, a diver on the swim team and she coached a boxing
club. In the summer of 1992, at the age of 27, she was shocked
to learn that she had tested HIV positive. But instead of being
ashamed and retreating to a life of isolation, almost immediately
she began sharing her story and warning others, especially Native
youth, about the dangers of the HIV/AIDS virus. In 1999, her HIV
turned to AIDS. But later this month, she is expecting to have
her first child. Hear the incredible story of this Muscogee/Seminole/Cherokee
woman.
Monday,
March 15 - Women & the White House:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
It appears as if John Kerry might be ‘the man’ for
the Democrat’s challenge to George W. Bush for the White
House. The U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan, the sluggish
economy, national security, and the mounting deficit are just
the tip of the gigantic political iceberg. There are however a
number of issues that are of particular interest to women across
all socioeconomic and ethnic lines. Equal pay, domestic violence,
reproductive rights and family issues lead the list of some of
them. What issues have a higher priority for Native women, compared
to the rest of American society? Guests include Charon
Asetoyer/Native
American Women’s Health Education Resource Center.
Tuesday, March 16
- Skyrocketing
Tribal Attorney Fees:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
In today’s fast-paced world of political maneuvering and
legislative spin doctoring, it’s imperative for tribes to
have a savvy team of legal experts at their disposal. Nearly every
tribe in the country is spending huge amounts of money to retain
attorneys, and Indian law is a multi-million dollar industry.
So where do Indian lawyers fit into this lucrative picture? As
tribes and their legal issues become more sophisticated, are tribes
hiring more Native firms, or at least making an effort? What about
inexperienced briefcase warriors? How do they find a seat at the
law table? Guests include Pablo Padilla, a University of New Mexico
law student from Zuni Pueblo.
Wednesday,
March
17 - Effective
Strategies for Community Change: (Listen
in RealAudio
)
Over the generations, colonialism and devastating federal policies
have negatively impacted Native communities. For the most part,
Native culture has endured, but we’ve paid a high price.
Today, the influences of drugs, crime, abuse and physical and
spiritual illness are real threats. An organization is seeking
to re-awaken wellness for Native men and women by incorporating
innovative technology and present-day communication as tools for
effective community change. What is lacking in the wellness of
Native men and women? And how can a Native community acquire tools
to heal community? Guests include Pamela Iron of Health Promotion
for Women and Billy Rogers of the Native
Wellness Institute.
Thursday,
March 18
- Please Do Not Touch the Indians:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
What do Sister Coyote, Brother Raven and Mister Wolf have in common,
besides sounding like characters of a child’s fairytale?
They are characters in a play called ‘Please
Do No Touch the Indians.’ It’s a tender and heart-wrenching
tale that portrays the struggles and dreams of Native Americans
through history, using animal characters and social biases that
depict the life struggles and life experiences of Native American
love, laughter and survival. Is this play a realistic image of
who Native people really are? Do Indians advance certain stereotypes
of themselves? Guests include singer/songwriter Arigon
Starr of the Kickapoo Nation and director Randy Reinholz of
the Choctaw Nation.
Friday, March 19 - The Art of Beadwork:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Native beadwork is a unique art form recognized
throughout the world. Native people have developed this talent
for beadwork over the past five centuries, since being introduced
to glass beads by Europeans. Today numerous items from clothing,
to bags, to ceremonial items are adorned with beads. Tribes, clans,
and families have adopted their own specialized designs and colors,
although many are reproduced without knowledge of their origins.
Different regions of Turtle Island have developed distinct methods
and techniques. What’s the difference between a peyote stitch
and a lazy stitch? Who does your beadwork? Guests include Amy
Tall Chief of the Osage Nation.
Monday,
March 22 - Music Maker: Lucie Idlout
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Native singers and songwriters are using contemporary
rhythms and styles in declaring the spirit and legacy of First
Nations people. One of the latest voices originates from the newest
of Canada’s territories – Nunavut. Inuk singer and
songwriter Lucie Idlout’s
powerful voice has been compared to the crooning of Etta James
and the throaty energy of Janis Joplin. Lucie’s musical
style is in your face and unassailable, and definitely not for
the fainthearted. Her debut CD ‘E5770 - My Mother’s
Name’ is our highlighted musical choice for March. What
drives this brave woman’s music? And what influence does
her traditional Inuk culture have on her contemporary style?
Tuesday, March 23
- It’s Taking
a Village:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Child care has always been problematic in Indian Country. But
lobbying efforts are finally seeing positive results. In 1998
the Tribal Child
Care Technical Assistance Center (TriTAC) was established
by the Child Care Bureau. TriTAC assists tribal governments and
organizations in their efforts to enhance the quality, affordability
and availability of child care. TriTAC also supports tribal communities
in their efforts to coordinate early childhood delivery systems
by promoting linkages between state, tribal and local early childhood
education programs. What difference is the center making for Native
children and families? Guests include Doris Running Crane of the
Blackfeet Nation and JoAnn Elliot.
Wednesday,
March
24 - Hiring
the Handicapped:
ENCORE PRESENTATION (Listen
in RealAudio
)
Figures for the country’s unemployment rate show there are
9 million people out of work. And with the slowdown in the economy,
the job-hunting outlook appears bleak. And for people with disabilities,
getting a job seems especially impossible. Aside from their own
physical drawbacks, handicapped people still face social stigmas
that hinder their efforts to be productive citizens. A Native
woman, who relies on a wheelchair to get around, is the newest
spokesperson to educate the public that those who are physically
challenged can be employable. Would you hire a handicap? Guests
include Cinda Hughes, Miss
Wheelchair America 2004 and a member of the Kiowa Nation.
Thursday,
March 25
- Paying
for Political Pull
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
The recent disclosure of a six-figure donation to a ‘think
tank’ from a Louisiana casino tribe has raised some eyebrows
in D.C. It’s not so much the amount of money that’s
the issue, but rather, the advise to give the money by the tribe’s
paid lobbyists. Similar instances in the past has resulted in
Senator John McCain of Arizona to comment that such donations
are ‘disgraceful,’ and warrant hearings to investigate
the use of casino revenue to pay lobbyists. What’s all the
fuss about? Don’t organizations and corporate entities fork
over mega-bucks for political influence? Or is it because tribes
are playing the same game with the ‘big boys?’ Is
handing over tribal casino revenue to D.C. insiders a waste, when
poverty and dire social needs prevail on reservations? Invited
guests include Governor Stuwart Paisano/Sandia Pueblo and Chairman
Ernest Stevens, Jr./National
Indian Gaming Association.
Friday, March 26 - Native Heroines:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
March is National Women’s
History month. Throughout the country people are remembering
and honoring great women in history. Who are the great women in
Native American history? Most know of or have heard of prominent
Native American women like Winona LaDuke, Wilma Mankiller, Ada
Deer, Dr. Annie Wauneka, Anna Mae Pictou Aquash, Sacajawea, Elizabeth
Peratrovich and PFC. Lori Piestewa, but many unspoken Native women
heroes are affecting positive change, and making valuable and
tremendous differences in our Native communities. Who are they?
Join us to honor Native American women heroes, past and present.
Monday,
March 29 - Seward’s Day:
From the Native Perspective: (Listen
in RealAudio
)
In
October, Columbus Day is celebrated by elementary school students
learning about the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, the ships that
carried a lost navigator to the shores of America. Indians reject
honoring a man that signaled the beginning of the colonization
of Turtle Island. Most students don’t learn about the true
history behind the man, Columbus. In Alaska, a day in March commemorates
the day the U.S. ‘bought’ the Alaska territory from
Russia. What is the true history of this event, and its impact
on Alaska’s Native people? Do Native people see it only
as a day away from the office? Are Alaska’s school children
getting the whole truth of Seward’s Folly? Guests Don Bremner
Tlingit, from Yakutat, Alaska.
Tuesday, March 30
- Prometheus Project:
Colonizing the Moon and Beyond: (Listen
in RealAudio
)
According to Greek mythology, Prometheus was the wisest of the
Titans, who gave the gift of fire to humanity. The name also means
'forethought.' The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
has chosen the name for a project to conduct comprehensive exploration
of the outermost planets as well as Mars. Nuclear power is seen
as the only way to accomplish this. However, there are those who
are apprehensive of the use of nuclear material. Project
Prometheus is a small part of expanded space proposals that
President Bush outlined in the State of the Union Address. What
is the Prometheus Project? What are the risks and benefits for
humanity? Guests include Alan Newhouse/National
Aeronautics and Space Administration and Bruce Gagnon/Global
Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space.
Wednesday,
March 31
- Book
of the Month: Indigenous American Women: (Listen
in RealAudio
)
In the negative connotation, the word feminist is a label given
to a woman who’s emerged beyond the paradigm of a woman
as seen in a male dominated society. Conversely, men are seen
as ‘ambitious or as one who takes the bull by the horns
kind of guy’ when striving for success. Historically, Indigenous
women have had traditional roles and many tribes functioned as
matriarchal societies. Oklahoma Choctaw Devon Abbot Mihesuah’s
newest book, is a frank, powerful adventure that ‘examines
the overlooked role of Native women’ and ‘the ongoing
struggles against a centuries-0ld legacy of colonial disempowerment.'
Indigenous
American Women: Decolonization, Empowerment, Activism is our
Book of The Month. Guest is Devon Abbot Mihesuah/scholar,professor
Northern Arizona University.

Thursday,
April 1 - Rez Dogs Gone Wild:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
According
to the latest census report, rez dogs are the fastest growing
group of canines in the country. But this dramatic rise in population
has its drawbacks. Many rez dogs are finding themselves homeless
and without occupation. Quality health care is lacking and the
biggest problem is that there is no funding for rez dog obedience
school. What about the No Dogs Left Behind Act? And they say you
can take the dog from the rez, but you can’t take the rez
from the dog. So what happens when a rez dog is adopted, is he
or she still a rez dog? What influence are non-rez dogs having
on this group? What does the future hold for Indian man’s
best friend?
Friday,
April 2 - Black Hills Still Not For Sale:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
The ‘Black Hills Are Not For Sale’ is a rallying cry
for the Great Sioux Nation of the Dakotas. The Oglala people and
their Sioux allies still believe that the U.S. government took
this sacred land illegally and unconstitutionally in 1877. The
U.S. Indian Claims Commission offered the tribe more than $100
million for payment in 1980, but it was refused. A civil lawsuit
was filed that same year to quiet title to the land but has never
been resolved. The settlement money has been building interest
since 1980 and now stands at between $700-800 million. Should
the money be disbursed or should the holdout remain? Guests include
Tim Giago of the Lakota Nation, publisher of the Lakota Journal.
Monday,
April 5 - Current Events:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
The National Indian Taco Championships is scheduled in Oklahoma
during Pawhuska Heritage Day. Do you have a secret recipe that
could take top prize? Are you interested in producing film and
television from a Native perspective? The Institute
of American Indian Arts is pleased to announce its first Summer
Film and Television Workshop co-sponsored by ABC-TV. The American
Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) is looking
for a visionary leader. Do you know the right person for the job?
And the National
Indian Youth Academy is looking for Native students for police
training this summer at the Washington State Criminal Justice
Training Academy.
Tuesday,
April 6 - Who’s
Responsible For Public Health?
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
The Indian Health Services is a federal agency, directed to provide
health care services in Indian Country. Besides Native communities
having adequate health care services, they need safe water to
drink, clean air to breath and appropriate waste removal for good
public health. Still, there remains a number of public health
problems that go unchecked on reservations. What factors interfere
with ensuring that Native people are healthy? What’s the
individual’s responsibility in limiting certain risk factors
that create public health problems? What is the responsibility
of state and federal government? And are there examples that show
what tribes can do to address community and public health issues?
Invited guest include Jacqueline Left Hand Bull/Northern
Plains Health Start.
Wednesday,
April 7
- National Indian Gaming Commission:(Listen
in RealAudio
)
There
are critics of tribal casinos who argue that gaming operations
are not properly monitored or regulated. But the NIGC is an independent
federal regulatory agency set up to provide oversight of gambling
on Indian lands. The NIGC's mission is to shield tribal casinos
from organized crime, ensure that tribes are the primary beneficiaries
of their gaming operations, and assure that gaming is conducted
fairly and honestly by both the operator and the player. But does
the commission have teeth when it comes to enforcing the policies
and goals of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act? Guests include
NIGC Commissioner Cloyce “Chuck” Choney of the Comanche
Nation.
Thursday,
April 8 - The Leech and the Earthworm:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Taking its name from a folktale about a deadly lie, the documentary
film ‘The
Leech and the Earthworm’ begins, “This is what
the white man told us…life will be better if you come with
us.” Indigenous people look at western science and the age
of biotechnology with a trepidation and unease born of history’s
lessons. Focusing on issues around exploitation of blood taken
from First Nation islanders, the film uses impressionistic image
collages, effective scoring, archive footage and creative graphics
to trace a centuries-old lineage of abuse. What is bio-piracy
and bio-colonialism? Guests include Debra Harry, director of Indigenous
Peoples Council on Bio-colonialism.
Friday,
April 9 - Honoring Oñate?:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
More than four centuries after he arrived from Mexico, Juan de
Oñate is still motivating conflict in the valleys of the
Rio Grande. In 1598, Oñate began his armed military expedition
into New Mexico to colonize tribal villages in the name of the
Spanish Crown. Historical accounts show that this conquistador
accomplished his goal through violence, brutality and slavery.
In 1998 the cities of Albuquerque and El Paso decided to commemorate
the 400-year anniversary of Oñate’s entrance. But
their plans were met with heavy resistance and Albuquerque’s
Cuarto Centenario project has yet to be completed six years later.
Should Oñate be celebrated? Guests include Santa Clara
Pueblo artist Nora Naranjo-Morse.
Monday,
April 12 - ENCORE:
Change by Consent or Conflict?:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Native
people take pride in our longevity and the survival of our traditional
cultures. Some Eastern tribes point out their traditional governance
being used as a model in the development of the U.S. Constitution.
Pueblo tribes in the Southwest call attention to the fact that
one of their governing structures has survived Columbus. However,
in Indian Country, there are instances where tribal governments
are under attack from within. Tribal members are recalling tribal
leadership and seizing tribal buildings under force. Then the
federal government and the legal system are called in to calm
tempers. Is resorting to antagonism the answer to changing leadership?
Tuesday,
April 13 -
Give Peace A Chance:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
With the nation and the world focusing on war, does peace really
have a chance? There was talk early in the Democratic race for
President of creating a U.S. Department of Peace. Will that eventually
come about? What about the cries for peace among indigenous peoples,
are they being heard? The Peace
and Dignity Run across the Americas is set to begin soon.
And there is an international education program called PeaceJam
built around Nobel Peace Laureates who work personally with
youth to pass on the spirit, skills and wisdom they embody. Guests
include Richard Martin, co-coordinator of the Peace and Dignity
Run Alaska.
Wednesday,
April 14
- Sand
Creek Massacre Memorial:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
In
1864, in what became known as the Sand
Creek Massacre, 163 members of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes
were killed by the Colorado cavalry. Investigations showed what
eyewitnesses had reported, that more than 100 of the victims were
women, children and infants. It is a day that will never be forgotten
by Native people. Recently, an empathetic businessman bought the
land containing the massacre site and donated it to the tribes.
They turned it over to the National
Park Service who announced they will create the country’s
first national historic site dedicated solely to a massacre. Why
is this event so important in the annals of American history?
Thursday,
April 15 - Indian In The Spotlight: Floyd Red Crow Westerman:(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Hollywood’s history of portraying Indians
in films hasn’t garnered a rating of one star. Not only
were Indian characters played by non-Natives and stereotyped as
uncivilized savages, their roles were little more that a glimpse
on the screen, or ended up on the cutting floor. Slowly, films
with Native actors and characters are becoming more true to life.
Things have been changing in front of, as well as behind, the
camera for Native people. A Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota actor has
been in Hollywood for over 20 years. With more that 20 films and
television roles to his credit, Floyd Red Crow Westerman has had
a part in reversing the trend. He returns to the big screen in
his newest role in the recently released adventure drama, Hidalgo.
But he’s not only a renowned American Indian actor; he’s
a singer, songwriter and activist, who has the interests of Indian
people close to his heart.
Friday,
April 16 - Do You Believe in UFO’s and Bigfoot:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
There are a variety of interpretations by scientists over ancient
pictographs and drawings by Native Americans that appear to depict
celestial objects and strange two-legged beings. Some tribes have
stories and legends that explain such depictions and are kept
alive as a part of the culture. Yet there are those who are skeptical
or require physical proof that such things do exist. And widely
known as Bigfoot or Sasquatch, there have been a number of reported
sightings of an ape-like creature as well in Indian Country. What
legends does your tribe have pertaining to UFO’s and Bigfoot?
Guests include Mel Skaham of the Yakama Nation and Dick Akers,
director of the Willard J.
Vogel Study.
Monday, April 19 -
Alcohol
Poisoning of Native Students:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
The abuse of alcohol is a constant problem that negatively impacts
many North American Indigenous individuals and families. The reasons
and excuses given for its existence are as numerous as the number
of people it affects. It has become a deadly addiction. The recent
reports of several young Native people who’ve perished because
of alcohol poisoning make it a priority for tribes to address.
Where do children get alcohol? Is it a fatal mistake or is it
a mark of disparity? What of the individual’s decision--
what compels one to drink to excess? Guests include David Anderson/Assistant
Secretary Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Tuesday, April 20
- Music Maker Edition:
In Studio with Jana: (Listen
in RealAudio
)
As beautiful as she is talented, this award-winning Lumbee pop
singer is the first Native to make the Billboard Dance Music charts
and has been referred to as the Native J-Lo. Despite growing acclaim,
media attention, and a cross-cultural/cross-genre entertainment
style, this 'urban Indian' has embraced her Native heritage. Aside
from music, she nurtures her message of education to all young
people. The high-energy, rave dance beat will radiate from Studio
49 as Jana joins us live
for our April 2004 Music Maker Edition.
Wednesday,
April 21
- Gathering
of Stations:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
The spirit and heartbeat of Indian Country will originate from
Albuquerque during Native American Week. Dancers, crafts, events,
and who’s who in Indian Country will make the Duke City
their home for a few days. The National Federation of Community
Broadcasters, a national organization that includes many tribal
radio stations, will conduct its annual conference this week.
Many tribal radio station staff will attend. One event, the Gathering
of Stations, is a multi-talented benefit concert for the Native
Radio Program Fund. In studio guests include KIDE station manager
Joe Orozco, Jim Boyd, Chester Knight and the Black Eagle drum
group.
Thursday,
April 22 - Building Up Indian Country:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
The quantity and quality of homes and building construction in
Native communities is often criticized. Dilapidated buildings
on tribal lands are an eyesore and a public health problem, endangering
tribal members. People complain that federal and tribal governments
are doing too little and construction companies are sloppy and
substandard. How do tribes establish quality construction standards?
What are the mechanisms of enforcing such standards? Could a proposed
American Indian Construction Management Endowment be the key to
open the door of opportunity for construction in Indian Country?
Guests include Peterson Zah/Advisor-Arizona State University Office
of Indian Affairs.
Friday,
April 23 - Why Is My Child Different?
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Parents
have the greatest of expectations for their children. It isn’t
any different for Native families. For a majority of families,
these hopes and dreams happen without interference or difficulty.
However, there are children that behave differently than what
is considered ‘normal.' They seem to be in a world of their
own, oblivious to society around them. They fixate on repetitive
phrases or motions. And the typical education process doesn’t
seem to work for them. These and other symptoms can be a result
of abnormal brain structure and function, symptoms evident in
those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. But what is ASD?
Is it genetic? And what options are available to Native children
with ASD? Guests include Emma Foster/Eastern Navajo Agency and
Dr. John Russo/Indian Health Service.
Monday,
April 26 - The
Psychology Of The Warrior Spirit:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Indigenous peoples take pride and solace in the survival of their
heritage, in spite of the generations of physical and mental assaults
directed at them. Today’s contemporary battles with alcoholism,
diabetes, depression, suicide, domestic violence and other maladies
shorten or reduce the quality of life for Native people. Western
medicine has a place in the care of those who suffer these afflictions.
However, a group of Native mental health practitioners feel a
spiritual disconnect exists and is lacking in present day therapies.
They point to the legacy of a warrior, who protected and defended
the people from harm. The warrior spirit is needed to combat these
mental health disorders. How can modern medicine incorporate the
warrior spirit to combat modern mental health assaults? Guests
include Rose Clark, PhD and /Native
Wholistic Specialists, Inc.
Tuesday, April 27
- Sovereignty and The World View:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
There were congressional hearings of the topic of sovereignty
this week in Washington, D.C. Though it would seem that tribes
would be given an opportunity to represent that concept to the
congressional panel, they were nowhere in site. This was because
the Administration was defending its decision to detain and prosecute
suspected terrorists. The Administration proclaims it is a sovereign
nation and can take any actions to protect itself from aggression.
Ironically, the United States is an occupying country. How different
is this from the history of U.S. aggression on Indian nations?
Are their different kinds of sovereignty? Guests to be announced.
Wednesday,
April 28
- Book Of The Month: Mike and a Lynx Called Kitty:(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Growing
up on Kodiak Island in Alaska, Mike Kerr lived adventures solely
exclusive of his Alutiiq culture. In his latter years, he’s
put to print those boyhood adventures in a story of a young boy
who breaks his ankle in a fishing boat accident as well as other
escapades. One part of the story includes his fascination with
a unlikely pet. Mike Kerr lived these experiences and in the book,
Mike
and a Lynx Called Kitty, he tells the story in a heartwarming,
appealing way for children and adults. The book’s been compared
to other classics, of the friendship between a boy and a pet.
Guest Mike Kerr/author.
Thursday,
April 29 - Putting On The Green In Indian Country:(Listen
in RealAudio
)
A number of devastating wild fires ravaged several
reservations at the height of the fire season last year. From
the northwest, to the Gulf of Florida, the fires scorched tribal
lands or lands close to them. The immediate effects go without
mentioning. However, the residual affects of soil erosion and
terrain destruction remain to be seen. The
Arbor Day Foundation works to promote the planting of trees.
The trees and other vegetation aid in the protection of the soil.
The last Friday of April has been designated as Arbor Day, to
get people to plant a tree or two. What can you do to give your
community living green? What can tribes do to address the fires
of last year. Guests include Linda Burson/community activist for
conservation.
Friday,
April 30 - Family Spirit: (Listen
in RealAudio
)
With the rising numbers of teenage pregnancies what help is there
for these young parents? What can they do to become better parents
and raise healthy, well-balanced children at such a young age?
Since the mid-90ties, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health has operated a program aimed directly at teen parents.
"Family Spirit" started out as a breast-feeding program
but has expanded to include teen fathers and helps both parents
learn good parenting skills. They have several field offices across
the country and work with specific tribes. Guests include Kristen
Speakman, Field Liason for the Family
Spirit Program in Albuquerque, NM.

Monday,
May 3 -
Current Events April 2004:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
There’s a call out to tribes to apply for grant monies to
be used to restore historical sacred sites and to improve water
systems. With Mother’s Day around the corner, there’re
two events that will honor Mother Earth. A diabetes and heart
disease conference is promoting the use of traditional foods to
fight the diseases. Runners and bikers are trekking across Indian
Country, to state publicly the sacredness of life and honor lost
Native warriors. These and other events will take place across
Native America. What happening in your corner of Indian Country?
Tuesday, May 4 - Programmatic
Or Problematic: Missouri River: (Listen
in RealAudio
)
Historically, tribes with traditional lands along the Missouri
River have had little success trying to get the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers to grant them more authority over the management
of these lands, especially the riverbanks. But over the past two
years 24 tribes from South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Nebraska
have been consulting and negotiating with Corps’ officials.
The result is a historic agreement that theoretically will give
tribes more control of cultural sites, including burial grounds.
Does this mean tribes will help decide water levels within the
Corps’ Missouri River dams and reservoirs system? Guests
include Larry Janis/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Wednesday,
May 5
- Summer
Camps for Native Youth:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Summer is right around the corner and there are several wonderful
opportunities for Native youth to get involved with. From academics,
to the physical fitness camps, and from Alaska to the East Coast,
plenty of opportunity abounds. Tune in and listen to some of the
terrific events or call in with your own ideas. Guests include
Kristen Speakman, of the Native Vision camp.
Thursday,
May 6 -My Aching Back:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
Studies done by health care
researchers and insurance companies have shown complaints of back
pain are among the top ten reasons for absenteeism from work.
But when one's back hurts, what can one do? There are a myriad
of treatments, from diet and manipulation, to out right surgery
to try and alleviate the pain. For Native Americans and Alaska
Natives served by the Indian Health Service, extensive evaluation
is usually contracted to outside providers. But how do Natives
with back pain get adequate quality of care when it comes debilitating
back pain? And where does traditional methods come in for the
care of those with back pain? Guests to be announced.
Friday,
May 7 - Incarcerated Moms:
(Listen in RealAudio
)
While many families prepare to celebrate Mother's Day with a Sunday
brunch or special outing with kids and moms, what about our mothers
who are in jail or prison? What does this holiday mean to them
and their kids? How are they celebrating or contemplating their
roles as mothers? How has jail time changed their perspective
on parenting? How do their children cope with having a mother
in jail?
Monday,
May 10 -
Are Native People Racist?:
(Listen
in RealAudio
)
An uproar spread across Indian Country immediately following the
performance by OutKast at the Grammy Awards. More recently, a
heckler not only disrupted the performance of a Native rap group,
but also reverted to racist remarks and suggested the band, ‘Go
back to where you came from.’ It isn’t very hard to
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