Native America Calling

Today on Native America Calling, as we head into the three-day weekend, Shawn Spruce takes you to a place that knows how to celebrate with family-friendly cultural authenticity – for a special live broadcast from Cherokee, NC. This year, the Eastern Band of Cherokee marks the 47th year for their annual powwow. The tribe promises an “explosion” of regalia, dancing competitions, food, crafts, and music – and we’ll learn more about the Qualla Boundary and Cherokee history in the Southeast with fancy dancer Eric Bird; Museum of the Cherokee Indian director Shana Bushyhead Condill; Daniel Tramper, Deer Clan Productions owner and powwow organizer; and Frieda Saylor, clinical director of Behavioral Health Services at Cherokee Indian Hospital.

It’s an exciting time for Native audiences to see Native stories and talent on screen. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce reviews some new series and new seasons of Native shows that are available to stream with Vincent Schilling (Akwesasne Mohawk), editor of NativeViewPoint.com and a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic, and Jody Potts-Joseph (Han Gwich’in), cast member of “Life Below Zero: First Alaskans” (streaming on National Geographic and Disney+), a series about four Alaska Native communities and subsistence hunting. We also discuss “Wildhood” (streaming on Hulu), a road trip with a pair of Mi’kmaq youth to exploring family history and their Indigenous and Two-Spirit identity. Plus, an exclusive conversation about the second season of “Rutherford Falls”, now out on Peacock, between Alyssa Yáx̱ Ádi Yádi London and key creators and cast members Sierra Teller Ornelas (Navajo), Michael Greyeyes (Cree), Jana Schmieding (Lakota), Dustin Milligan, Jesse Leigh, and Ed Helms.

The U.S. Supreme Court has officially overturned Roe v. Wade, a decision that protected the right for women to choose to have an abortion. The decision sparked protests and praise on either side of the political divide. When a conservative Supreme Court can revisit and overturn an important decision like Roe v. Wade, how likely is it they’ll revisit cases like McGirt or those which affect Two-Spirit rights or tribal sovereignty? Wednesday on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce talks with legal experts Matthew Fletcher (Ottawa and Chippewa), law professor at the University of Michigan Law School and author of the “Turtle Talk” blog; Ann Tweedy, professor at the University of South Dakota School of Law; and Melody McCoy (Cherokee), staff attorney for the Native American Rights Fund about how Indian Country is affected by decisions of the Supreme Court—and could be affected by future decisions.