Native America Calling

The words “Sioux”, “Chippewa”, and “Crow” are some of the well-known names in the official lexicon that identify tribes, but they are also among the monikers that arise from mispronunciations, errant assumptions, and even derogatory terms by outsiders that found their way into conventional use. Over the years, some tribes have undertaken the arduous process to change their official names to take back what they have always called themselves. Others simply change how they present their names to the public, without updating the official record. We’ll talk with representatives from tribes who seek to have their names better reflect their own culture and language.

John Ford’s 1956 film, “The Searchers”, is often lauded as a masterpiece. It follows Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) as an unapologetically racist ex-Confederate soldier on an obsessive odyssey to find his niece who was kidnapped by Comanches. The question of what he does when he finds her is a central tension of the plot. It was one of the first films added to the National Film Registry and ranks among the greatest films of all time by the American Film Institute. But its harmful stereotypes and other obvious drawbacks make it difficult watching for modern, informed audiences. As it marks 70 years since its release, we’ll hear from Native filmmakers and others about the place “The Searchers“ holds in film history.

We’ll also hear from Nuxalk filmmaker Banchi Hanuse about her documentary film, “Ceremony“, that premieres this week at South by Southwest. The documentary examines the cultural role of ooligan fish in Hanuse’s community in Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada.

GUESTS

Sunrise Tippeconnie (Commanche, Navajo, and Cherokee), director of programming at deadCenter Film and co-host of the “Reel Indigenous” podcast

Julianna Brannum (Comanche), documentary filmmaker

Zacharias Kunuk (Inuit), filmmaker

Banchi Hanuse (Nuxalk), filmmaker, co-founder of Nuxalk Radio, and director of “Ceremony”

New Mexico is taking on an investigation into the sterilization of Native American women through coercion, deception, or by merely carrying out procedures entirely without consent. The state is mainly looking at time in the 1970s following the establishment of the federal Office of Population Affairs and a policy change that increased reimbursements for outside doctors contracting with Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities for each procedure. Native Americans were included in groups targeted for sterilizations because of the false impression they were less intelligent and that they were not as productive members of society as other groups. In 10 years, Native American birth rates were more than halved. Other states and Canada have broached the topic of forced sterilization that tried to formalize racist policies in the name of public health. New Mexico is the first to take aim at the role IHS clinics played in carrying out the policies.

A 300-page report details the history and ongoing implications of Michigan’s role in the Indian Boarding School era. It includes dozens of interviews, public records, and a list of recommendations for state officials going forward. It details troubling accounts that have become familiar in the discussion about boarding schools — physical and sexual abuse of Native American students, oppressive methods to enforce assimilation, and limited accountability for anyone involved. But the state’s Department of Civil Rights is backing away from the report. After investing almost $1 million, the state is declining to release the final document to the public. It has since been posted online by the news site Bridge Michigan. We’ll talk to those involved about what is in the report and what it means that the state is not backing it.

We’ll also get perspective on the appointment of U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (Cherokee/R-OK) as the Secretary of Homeland Security. We’ll hear from people who know and are familiar with his work as a longtime elected leader in Oklahoma.

Voting rights advocates say a bill to overhaul elections could disenfranchise millions of Americans, especially Native American and other minority voters.  Among other things, the SAVE Act requires all voters to prove their U.S. citizenship, either with a passport or a birth certificate. Numerous studies show Native Americans are less likely to have a valid passport or other documents readily available that prove their place of birth than other groups. It would have major implications for mail-in ballots. The bill passed the House. President Donald Trump added new pressure on members of his own party in the Senate, saying he will not sign any other legislation until the SAVE Act clears Congress. We’ll find out the details of the legislation and look ahead to how this and other measures might complicate the Midterm Elections.

We’ll also hear from Allison Renville (Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota) about her decision to suspend her campaign for governor of South Dakota. Renville was running as an independent voice in the state that also elected Kristi Noem as governor. She cites the enormous cost of running a major campaign as a deterrent to welcoming diverse political voices.