Monday, July 29, 2019 – Native in the spotlight: Simon J. Ortiz
Award-winning writer Simon J. Ortiz (Acoma Pueblo) first connected to poetry through music. As an adolescent, he would listen to country and western songs on the radio and write down his own lyrics. Before his decades-long professional writing career, Ortiz served in the military and labored in the uranium mining industry. Both things influenced his writing. We’ll talk with Ortiz about his poetry and prose and how his first language, Keres, shapes his writing and perspective.
Tuesday, July 30, 2019 – How to be a good tourist on Native lands
Tourists sometimes don’t bother to learn about tribal customs or wishes before visiting. Other times tourists take things that they shouldn’t or desecrate important places. Sometimes they’re just rude. Internationally, the Navajo Nation had to specifically ask visitors to stop spreading cremated human remains in the picturesque Monument Valley. The Indigenous Anangu are expressing concern over the damage caused by thousands of tourists eager to climb Uluru, a sacred mountain in Australia, before a climbing ban takes effect in October. We’ll get tips on how to be a good tourist and consider questions to think about before traveling to a tribal area.
Wednesday, July 31, 2019 – Building tribal broadband
Installing and maintaining broadband internet on rural reservations is not cost effective. That’s why access to broadband on tribal land lags behind cities and even other rural areas. But some innovative companies are trying out new technologies and are spurring the federal government to update policies and offer incentives to expand into areas that have not been feasible before. Internet access is necessary for commerce, education and economic development. We’ll be live at the state of New Mexico’s first-ever Rural Networks Conference to hear how tribally-owned telecommunications companies are overcoming barriers to bring high speed internet to Native America.
Thursday, August 1, 2019 – Bacone College reimagines its future as a tribal institution
Rebounding from serious financial trouble, Bacone College in Oklahoma is reestablishing itself with a charter from the Osage Nation. It’s the state’s longest running university, looking forward to commemorating its 140th year. Leaders are aiming to become accredited as a tribal college with a particular focus on Native arts. The college was once known for producing Native artists who influenced a new style of art in the early to mid 1900s. The current president of the university, Ferlin Clark calls “Bacone Indian Art” the foundation of the Indian art movement. We’ll look at the university’s artistic legacy and it’s plans for the future.
Friday, August 2, 2017 – Bird singing on the rise
Bird songs are an ancient tradition mainly from tribes in Southern California and parts of Arizona. They’re characterized by men singing in a line to the beat of gourd rattles. Some traditions say the songs were delivered from Creator by a bird. They are meant to restore balance in the community and encourage respect for all living beings. We’ll talk with bird singers about the history of the music and efforts to bring up a new generation of singers.
