Monday, February 3, 2020 –Native women’s art on a the national stage
“Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists,” an art exhibit celebrating the artistic contributions of Native women, is taking a tour across the country with upcoming stops in Washington, D.C. and Tulsa this year. The exhibit includes over 100 pieces from women of different tribes and from different times. We’ll talk with the curators and some of the artists about how women are a driving force in the art world.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 – Freshmen power
Many Native college freshman have their first semester behind them and are getting back in the groove for the rest of the school year. We’ll check in with some students about how their transition to college life is going and get some help from education experts about what kind of support students need to sustain their momentum.

Wednesday, February 5, 2020 – Beavers: environmental architects
To preserve salmon habitat, the Tulalip Tribe is relocating beavers to create wetlands with their dams. Native youth in a project with Blackfeet Tribe learn how beavers naturally restore waterways through an Indigenous scientific lens. Beavers and their dams can drastically change landscapes. They are important to many tribes who see them as architects, teachers and a valuable resource.

Thursday, February 6, 2020 – The weight loss surgery decision
Getting surgery to lose weight is a drastic step, but may be necessary for some people struggling with severe obesity. Native American adults are 50 percent more likely to be obese than whites according to the Office of Minority Health. There are four types of weight loss surgery, each with their own risks and benefits. In this hour we’ll talk with experts about why someone might choose to go this route and the benefits and risks.

Friday, February 7, 2020 – Tax scam self-defense
It’s time again to start thinking about doing your taxes. And the schemes to separate you from your tax refund are already gearing up. Some are perfectly legal. Commercial tax preparers offer loans in advance of your tax refund, but they might come with high interest rates or steep fees. Most people are eligible for free online tax programs, but ProPublica found the companies often steer customers toward premium services that cost money. Other schemes are illegal. The Federal Trade Commission warns this time of year criminals step up efforts to get personal information they can use to steal peoples’ money. The FTC designated February 3 through 7 Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week. We’ll talk about ways to avoid getting taken for a ride this tax season.

Monday, January 27, 2020 – Count on being counted
The very first person to be counted this month for the 2020 U.S. Census was 90-year-old Lizzie Chimiugak, a Yup’ik woman from Toksook Bay Alaska. The Census Bureau started the process in the country’s largest state where it’s historically difficult to get an accurate count. Language, geography and mistrust of revealing personal information to the federal government are among the reasons Alaska Natives and Native Americans are often undercounted. Census numbers are the main way officials determine election boundaries and the allocations of trillions of federal dollars for public services. We’ll talk with census experts about why they think this year’s census is the most important one yet.

Tuesday, January, 28, 2020 – In the hoop
With a whirl of colorful circles, shapes and movement, hoop dancers tell vivid stories. The exact origins of hoop dancing are unclear. Traditionally, the hoops were made with willow or some other pliable wood. Today, hoops might be made out of metal or plastic. The practice incorporates colorful regalia and has grown to include energetic competitions. We’ll hear from hoop dancers about what drives their passion.

Wednesday, January 29, 2020 – Music Maker: Levi Platero Band
We’re going to find out what the Levi Platero Band is packing in their new self-titled album. The band’s headman, Levi Platero, is from the Navajo Nation and is known for his exhilarating blues rhythms and soulful lyrics. What rests in this album has been building for some time and echoes the energy of the many stages and communities that this band has touched down on over the years. Get ready to let the blues do the talking on this month’s musical spotlight.

Thursday, January 30, 2020 – Super Bowl highlights NFL’s continued offensiveness
Football fans let the team names for Kansas City and San Francisco roll off their tongues with no second thought. But both mascots for the teams playing for the championship cause many Native people to cringe. The Chiefs often face protests by Native people to change their name, mascot and the offensive imagery that arises every game they play. The 49ers refers to more than just a number; it invokes a bloody time in history when thousands of Indigenous people were killed or displaced by settlers hoping to strike it rich in California. We’ll take time to fill in some of the missing details behind this year’s Super Bowl team names.

Friday, January 31, 2020 – January in the News
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (Cherokee Nation) is asking a federal court to shut down tribal gaming in the state because he says their compacts have expired. It’s the latest in an ongoing struggle between the governor and tribes on how the compacts are interpreted. That story and more are on our regular news round up.

Monday, January 20, 2020 – Native film at Sundance
The upcoming Sundance Film Festival is screening five films by Indigenous filmmakers. They include a documentary about raising a Haida totem pole in British Columbia, a fictional account of two strangers crossing paths on Oklahoma tribal land, and a biological exploration of lichen. Before they head to Utah for the festival, some of the filmmakers are taking time to talk about us about their films and what it means to have a Native perspective behind the camera.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020 – Breathing easier indoors
Indoor pollutants like smoke, radon and mold can contribute to heart disease and cancer, which are the leading causes of death for Native Americans. They can also exacerbate respiratory illnesses like asthma. The Environmental Protection Agency links poor indoor air quality to disproportionate health issues among Native people. We’ll get reminders on paying attention to air quality inside homes and businesses and hear how some tribes are breathing life into clean air programs.

Wednesday, January 22, 2020 – Clash over Canadian pipeline reignites
With a the backing of a recent court ruling, the premier of British Columbia says the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline will be built. But the traditional leadership of the Wet’suwet’en Nation vow to protect their territory and will continue their years-long blockade against construction. The stage is set for another clash over resource development and preservation of traditional Indigenous territory.

Thursday, January 23, 2020 – The high stakes hearing for ICWA
Dozens of tribal leaders, 26 states, 77 members of Congress and 486 federally recognized tribes have signed on to defend against the latest challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act. After initially striking down a ruling by a Texas judge, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is rehearing the case claiming ICWA is improperly based on race. We’ll hear from tribal leaders and legal experts about what’s at stake in this case and what the future holds for ICWA.

Friday, January 24, 2020 – Book of the Month: “The Language Warrior’s Manifesto” by Anton Treuer
Making sure our Indigenous languages are available for future generations is a charge many language warriors have taken on. Making this happen comes with ups and downs. We chronicle the peaks and valleys of this terrain with our look at Leech Lake Ojibwe author and educator Anton Treuer’s new book “The Language Warrior’s Manifesto: How to Keep Our Languages Alive No Matter the Odds.” He recounts his own struggles learning Ojibwe as an adult. He also shares inspiring accounts of programs that succeed in building a firm language foundation for future generations. We visit with this Native culture advocate to here more about the relationship between language and culture and ways to keep it strong.

Monday, January 13, 2020 – Australia’s lesson on fire management
The bush fires in Australia have burned an estimated 20-million acres, claiming at least 24 human lives and countless wild animals. The size and severity of the fires have touched off debates about climate change and forest management. The country is suffering a crippling drought and record high temperatures. Some aboriginal leaders in Australia say traditional controlled burns might have prevented such devastation. We’ll look at what’s happening in Australia and learn more about the benefits of blending traditional fire management with modern day practices.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020 – Hooked on ice fishing
Northern tribes have long ice fishing traditions. But today the sport has also evolved into an economic endeavor for tribes. Anglers bore holes in thick lake ice and drop a baited hook in. Some cut a large rectangle and wait with a fishing spear. We’ll hear from expert ice fishers about their passion and the different methods and secrets for the sport.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020 – MMA: Native fighters in the ring
Mixed Martial Arts has a dedicated Native following, both as a competitive sport and as a fitness regimen. Some Native MMA fighters are making names for themselves as pros, including Nicco Montaño (Diné) and David Michaud (Oglala Lakota). We’ll hear about the appeal of the sport and how fitness enthusiasts find inspiration in the intense mental and physical discipline required to go toe-to-toe with an opponent in the ring.

Thursday, January 16, 2020 – Community Spirit culture keepers
Corine Pearce (Redwood Valley Rancheria Little River Band of Pomo Indians) weaves traditional Pomo baskets and cradleboards. But many of the grasses, ferns and trees she uses to practice her tradition burned in the California fires, so she is replanting and teaching others to ensure a future for her craft. She is among the 2020 Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Awards honorees. We’ll talk with her and others about their work and efforts to pass on the tradition of making art.

Friday, January 17, 2020 – Reindeer and caribou
Reindeer, and their very close cousins, caribou, have physical traits that help them thrive in Arctic and sub-Arctic areas. They include blood vessels that minimize heat loss and hoofs that help them walk on snow. That makes them important sources of sustenance for Inuit, Gwich’in, Sami and other peoples in the same regions. While some people rely on hunting among the herds of wild caribou, others have domesticated the animals. Either way, they have remained a key species for millennia. Climate change, overhunting and habitat loss are among the threats to wild species. We’ll hear more about the importance of reindeer and caribou and their strong cultural relationship to the people they’re connected to.

Monday, January 6, 2020 – Temporary agreement at Mauna Kea standoff
The road to Hawaii’s Mauna Kea is open for the first time since July. Backers of the Thirty Meter Telescope say they’re putting off plans for the $1.6 billion project for at least the next two months. Officials withdrew any law enforcement presence that has been in place since opponents of the project blocked the road prevent construction crews from reaching the top of the sacred mountain. Opponents of the project say they have time now to switch focus to providing a more permanent solution. We’ll get an update on the on-going fight over construction of the new telescope on Mauna Kea.

Tuesday, January 7th, 2020 – Helping homeless Native Americans
Homeless advocates in Minneapolis say the city’s plans to help Native homeless people fall short. Activists recently occupied the location that previously held a homeless encampment of mostly Native people. The original encampment prompted city leaders to try and work toward a solution that includes construction of a temporary shelter. In Seattle, homeless Natives can now find temporary housing in modular trailers. The housing village offers more than just a place to stay. It’s part of a program that includes culturally appropriate services to help residents find permanent homes. In this hour we’ll explore what is being done to address homelessness in Native America and the pervasive challenges that remain.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020 – Native In the Spotlight: Tiffany Midge
Tiffany Midge’s (Hunkpapa Lakota) 2019 collection of personal essays, “Bury My Heart at Chuck E. Cheese’s,” is her own take on identity, politics and colonialism. It adds up to a revealing and often humorous memoir for the award-winning writer of poetry, opinion and humor pieces and social media posts. Her work garnered a fellowship at the University of Kansas and a column in “Indian Country Today” and she served as the poet laureate for Moscow, Idaho. Among the achievements she lists in her bio are a “sparkling personality,” a “member of the Raiders of the Lost Arch Support,” and was “voted least likely to be impaled by Narwals.” Midge is our January Native In the Spotlight.

Thursday, January 9, 2020 – It’s shoe game time!
In the Southwest, the Navajo shoe game is a big draw for storytelling and games in winter. It’s essentially a guessing game but it’s laced with songs, origin stories and some valuable life lessons. In the Great Lakes, males play Makazinitaagewin, or moccasin game. It’s a different kind of guessing game with as much culture, music and community bonding. We’ll hear more about shoe games and how they incorporate and preserve Native culture.

Friday, January 10, 2020 – Where do Native voters stand on impeachment?
Donald Trump is only the third U.S. president to be impeached. Chances are extremely thin he’ll actually be removed from office. But the process, like the president himself, prompts strong opinions among elected leaders and the voting public. We’ll review the impeachment process so far and talk with Native political experts about how it’s being viewed by voters.