Native America Calling

The forensic field uses science to help gather evidence for criminal cases and some archeological investigations. Crimes involving Native people and renewed scrutiny of past boarding school practices highlight the importance for Native forensic professionals. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce hears from Native forensic experts about what the profession entails and how they work to solve difficult cases with Dr. Kona Williams (Cree and Mohawk), forensic pathologist and coroner; Ramona Emerson (Diné), writer, filmmaker, retired forensic photographer, and author of the novel Shutter; and Harvey Pratt (Cheyenne and Arapaho), veteran and forensic artist.

For all its faults, Twitter is an effective means for sharing and discussing Native issues, culture, language, and business. But for many #NativeTwitter users, the social media platform is increasingly losing its luster after its takeover by Elon Musk. There are fears that un-muzzling far right and white supremacist voices is making it a hotbed of hate speech against people of color. Is that a good reason to leave? Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce reveals the results of our Twitter poll and takes your calls about the platform-in-transition with author Traci Sorell (Cherokee); Dr. Twyla Baker (member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation), president of Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College; Aylan Couchie (Anishinaabe from the Nipissing First Nation), interdisciplinary artist and writer; and Dr. Emily Haozous (Enrolled Chiricahua Fort Sill Apache), research scientist for the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation.

Forty years after four brothers first formed the famed powwow and Round Dance band Northern Cree, they are releasing their first fully self-published and owned record, “Ôskimacîtahowin: A New Beginning”. The album is produced by Bear Witness and 2oolman from The Halluci Nation. As many as 16 musicians perform with Northern Cree at any given time. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce speaks with Steve Wood about the new album and what’s next for this band originally from Treaty Six Territory.

Tribally-run museums offer two important benefits: they offer a Native voice for Native history within a system dominated by traditional European perspectives – and they bring the promise of economic development. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce takes us on a field trip to celebrate Tribal Museums Day with Shannon O’Loughlin (Choctaw), attorney and the CEO of the Association on American Indian Affairs; Dehrich Chya (Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak), language and living culture manager for the Alutiiq Museum; Billie Jean Guerrero (Pyramid Lake Paiute and Walker River Paiute), museum director for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Museum and Visitors Center; and Sunshine Thomas-Bear (member of Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska), tribal historic preservation officer, NAGPRA representative, and cultural preservation director for the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and museum director for the Angel de Cora Museum.