Monday, December 30, 2019 – Remembering those who walked on in 2019
We’re taking time to celebrate the lives of some of the Native people we lost this year.
The life of hip hop artist Wake Self, whose given name was Andrew Martinez (Apache) was tragically cut short before his latest album was set to release. We’ll talk with his close friend Def-i about his life and legacy. We’ll also remember other notable people who died, and we’ll take your calls.

Tuesday, December 31, 2019 – Book of the Month: 2020 Salina Bookshelf Calendar
It’s time to turn the page on another year. We’ll help you visualize your new year with the 2020 Salina Bookshelf Calendar. It is not only a look at the months ahead, but also a lesson in the Navajo Nation’s culture and language. It lists the months and days of the year and marks the moon cycles. At the same time it highlights the work of renowned Navajo artists including Baje Whitethorne Sr., Emmett Navakuku, Peterson Yazzie and Corey Begay. We’ll start counting the days of 2020 with our December Book of the Month.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020 – Honoring Ponca Chief Standing Bear
It was a relatively simple act: Ponca Chief Standing Bear left his reservation in 1878 to bury his son on the tribe’s ancestral land in Nebraska. But the journey would lead to a major federal court decision establishing Native Americans as people under the law. The U.S. Government argued “an Indian is neither a person nor a citizen.” The state of Nebraska is honoring Standing Bear as a civil rights leader with a statue in the U.S. Capitol. We’ll review Standing Bear’s legacy and his remarkable accomplishment during a troubling time in history. (This is an encore show from Dec. 11, 2019).

Thursday, January 2, 2020 – Starting the new year with inspiration
Every January is a time for new beginnings and resolutions. We’ll get you off on the right foot with some positive vibes from some inspirational people. Whether it’s studying harder, finding more patience or reaching physical fitness goals, our guests can offer some encouraging words to get you off on the right foot.

Friday, January 3, 2020 – Our animal friends
Are you a dog person or a cat person? Maybe you’re more partial to hedgehogs or iguanas. Our pets earn a special place in our hearts and it’s time to give them some attention. Whether you like goldfish or golden retrievers, our guests will offer insights on why pets are so important in our lives and give advice on how to best take care of the animal members of our households.

Monday, December 23, 2019 – Native holiday music
Musicians find inspiration in love, heartbreak and…the holidays. It’s the time of year when songs about winter, snowmen, sleigh bells and festive lights fill your playlist. Native songs celebrating the season include covers of classic holiday songs with Native instruments and languages. You don’t want to miss out on the throat-singing version of Carol of the Bells.. Native musicians also compose their own originals about Christmas in the Pueblos, winter solstice and dogsled rides. We’re giving the gift of the sweet sounds Native holiday music.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019 – The year in Native pop culture
Baby Yoda and the Woman Yelling at the Cat meme dominated our social media feeds in 2019. The year was also filled with films, music and hashtags that Native audiences relate to. We’re reliving some of the highs and lows of 2019 and putting our finger on the pulse of the coming year in popular culture.

Wednesday, December 25, 2019 – Music Maker in Review
We heard the musical talents from members of the Swinomish, Tlingit, Mohawk, Cree, and Navajo nations among many others in 2019. They told us a lot about their music and their tribal roots. In this special show, we’ll get to sample all of our Music Makers from the past year. We’ll take the hour to recap memorable moments from our visits with the song carriers of our time.

Thursday, December 26, 2019 – What we were reading in 2019
A graphic anthology that includes 150 years of Canadian history from an Indigenous perspective; a collection of poems by Native women focusing on gratitude; and a story about a Cherokee middle-schooler’s enlightening road trip. All of these are books on the American Indians in Children’s Literature “Best of 2019” list. We’ll talk with Debbie Reese (Nambe Pueblo) about her favorite books by Native authors for young people that she curled up with this year. We’ll also check in with Indigenous librarian, Catherine Baty (Big Sandy River Mono Nation), about her favorite Native books she read this year. And author Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Nation) gives us a preview of “Heartdrum,” a Native-focused imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Friday, December 27, 2019 – December in the News
The governor of Hawaii is pulling state law enforcement personnel from Mauna Kea. What does this mean for the months-long demonstrations against the Thirty Meter Telescope? Also two Native members of Congress voted to impeach President Donald Trump, two did not. Where does the process go from here? These stories and more in our round-up of important Native news.

Monday, December 16, 2019 – A Sober Christmas Story
The holiday season offers more opportunities to celebrate with family and friends. A poll (by the makers of a hangover recovery product) last year found Americans double their alcohol consumption between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. For people who choose sobriety, this time of year can be a challenge to get through with so many temptations or feelings of alienation from friends who imbibe. In this program, we’ll talk about staying sober through the holidays.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019 – The art of crafts
A powwow or Native community event isn’t complete without the arts and crafts section. Among the jewelers’ and artists’ tables are booths displaying mostly inexpensive art pieces that are hand-sewn, glue-gunned, glittered and painted. These items and the craftspeople who make them don’t always get the spotlight, but their presence is ubiquitous. We’re giving them some well-deserved attention and talking about the art of the craft.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019 – Minnesota’s Native home
An Ojibwe men’s moccasin game, a birch bark box from 1890 and a star quilt made by a Dakota artist are just a few of the items found in Our Home: Native Minnesota, a new permanent exhibit at the Minnesota History Center. In addition to historical artifacts, the exhibit also includes hands-on activities and art from contemporary Ojibwe and Dakota artists. But those who worked on the exhibit will tell you it’s much more than a collection of information about the history and current lives of Native people in Minnesota, it is about resiliency and healing. We’ll talk with the curators about how this exhibit and what inspired it.

Thursday, December 19, 2019 – Gaming standoff in Oklahoma
Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt (Cherokee Nation) believes a compact signed with 31 tribes in the state expires on January 1st and he wants to renegotiate the fees the tribes pay to the state. Tribes say the compact renews automatically, and have walked out of recent negotiations with the state. It’s most likely headed for the courts. At stake are 76,000 jobs and more than $100,000,000 in revenue that benefits Oklahoma public schools. We’ll talk with experts about how common it is for states to battle with tribes over compact fees.

Friday, December 20, 2019 – Native In the Spotlight: Fawn Sharp
The new president of the National Congress of American Indians brings more than a decade of experience as the president of her tribe, the Quinault Indian Nation. Here are some fast facts about Fawn Sharp: she graduated from college at age 19, she was an administrative law judge for the Washington State Department of Revenue, and last year she was instrumental in getting the Washington State Attorney General’s office to obtain free, prior and informed consent before initiating a project that affects tribes. We’ll learn about what drives Fawn Sharp and her hopes for NCAI.

Monday, December 9, 2019 – Trump Administration tackles MMIW
President Donald Trump’s new executive order will develop an “aggressive, government-wide strategy” to address the missing and murdered Indigenous women crisis. Named ‘Operation Lady Justice,’ the plan calls for a task force made up of government agency leaders. At the same time, the Department of Justice announced a separate plan establishing 11 coordinators to work with tribes, and state and local agencies to address reports of missing and murdered Indigenous people. We’ll get a rundown of what these efforts could mean for tribes.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019 – Buy Native this holiday
Before you fill up your Amazon cart with electronics, scented bath salts or chocolates, consider your Native gift options. The holidays are a great time to show your support for Native artists, tribally run businesses and Indigenous products. We’ll get few recommendations for stuffing your stockings with Native pride.

Wednesday, December 11, 2019 – Honoring Ponca Chief Standing Bear
It was a relatively simple act: Ponca Chief Standing Bear left his reservation in 1878 to bury his son on the tribe’s ancestral land in Nebraska. But the action would lead to a major federal court decision establishing Native Americans as people under the law. The U.S. Government argued “an Indian is neither a person nor a citizen.” The state of Nebraska is honoring Standing Bear as a civil rights leader with a statue in the U.S. Capitol. We’ll review Standing Bear’s legacy and his remarkable accomplishment during a troubling time in history.

Thursday, December 12, 2019 – A look at the film, “The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open”
When two Indigenous women meet under frightful circumstances, they build a relationship by facing domestic violence, racism and a long history of colonialism in Vancouver. That’s what “The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open” is about. It’s a new film (released Nov. 29 on Netflix) by Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (Blackfoot and Sámi) and Kathleen Hepburn featuring actor Violet Nelson (Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation). We’ll speak with some of the creatives on this project about highlighting the issues of violence against Native women in an emotional film that’s already getting rave reviews.

Friday, December 13, 2019 – Indigenizing feasts
Egg nog, ham and sugar cookies are some of the delicious, go-to highlights of the holiday season. But they do not come from Indigenous traditions. So many food choices during holidays were introduced to Native America by European settlers. The good news is there are choices that are just as delicious and bring authenticity to Native celebrations. We’ll get ideas from Native chefs about how to make that happen in our own kitchens.