Monday, January 8, 2018 — Native American ambassador…Kaya Jones?
The appointment of Kaya Jones as the Native American representative on a diversity panel ignited a firestorm of pushback, especially on social media. In her role she will ostensibly offer advice on reaching Native voters for the National Diversity Coalition for Trump, a private organization working on behalf of the president. Jones claims to have Apache heritage, but no Apache tribe claims her and her lineage is otherwise unconfirmed. We’ll sort out the facts and try to figure out how one journalist ended up in a heated Twitter argument with Cher.

Tuesday, January 9, 2018 – Understanding lupus
Lupus is sometimes called “the great pretender” because the symptoms for the autoimmune disease can look like other illnesses. Rash, fatigue, fever and joint pain are just a few of the outward signs of lupus. One study in 2014 found that American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest prevalence and incidence of lupus compared to other groups. We’ll talk with an expert and someone living with lupus about the challenges of this sometimes baffling and painful disease.

Wednesday, January 10, 2018 — Try, try again: learning from business failure
The Bureau of Labor Statistics finds about half of all new businesses fail within the first five years. But failure isn’t always the end of the line. In business, those who learn from failure can come back with new successes. In this program, we’ll talk with Native entrepreneurs about when it’s time to fold and what lessons they learned from business failures.

Thursday, January 11, 2018 – The ongoing tragedy of missing Native American women
The family of Ashley Loring HeavyRunner (Blackfeet) are desperate for information about the 24-year-old. She was last seen in June in Browning Montana. Also, family members of Olivia Lone Bear are offering a reward for information after the 34-year-old mother of five went missing from the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Nation in October. The two recent cases are a reminder of what advocates say is a serious issue. Canada has made strides in confronting the problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women. But there remain gaps in information and solutions about Native American women.

Friday, January 12, 2018 – Native languages go social
Students at Ayaprun Elitnaurvik, a Yup’ik immersion language school, are sharing a Yup’ik word of the week through animated YouTube videos. It’s one of the ways the school hopes to generate interest in their language as they face the loss of more and more first language speakers. Can social media expand the use of Native languages?

Monday, January 1, 2018 — Bowling in Native America
(Encore show) Whether you bowled a few games as a kid, or you’re still striving for that perfect 300 game, you know the fun bowling alleys offer in the New Year. The sound of bowling pins crashing at the end of the lane is music to a bowling enthusiast’s ears. The sport has a significant Native following. There is a lot of talent heading to Native bowling tournaments year-round. We talk to a few Native bowlers about the sport and why Native leagues are so popular.

Tuesday, January 2, 2018 – Books for young readers
Colors in the Cree language, the Indian Child Welfare Act, and stealing Native bone marrow are a few of the topics covered in books on one list of the best Native books of 2017. Debbie Reese (Nambé Pueblo) spends her time reading and scrutinizing children’s literature that features Native themes and characters for the blog American Indians in Children’s Literature. Reese helps sort out the exceptional books from those that sink into stereotypes or misinformation.

Wednesday, January 3, 2018 – Scholarships abound
It’s never too early to think about applying for scholarships to help pay for college. There are a number of scholarships available specifically for Native students. The Cobell Scholarship, the American Indian College Fund, the American Indian Graduate Center and The American Indian Science and Engineering Society are just a few organizations that help Native students with college tuition costs. We’ve got a few experts who can offer advice for navigating the scholarship field.

Thursday, January 4, 2018 – Remembering those who walked on
Chief Irving Powless Jr., Daha’tgatdohs, Beaver Clan Chief of the Onondaga Nation walked on in November. The Navy veteran, was known for fighting for the treaty rights of his tribe as well as playing lacrosse. He’s one of the notable people we’ll talk about in our annual show to honor those who walked on in 2017.

Friday, January 5, 2018 — Boys With Braids
A Facebook video of a First Nations boy responding to school bullies at school who teased him because of his long hair has been viewed almost 1 million times. Still, eight-year-old Mylon McArthur insisted his mother cut his braids because he wanted to stop the teasing. Boys With Braids organizers encourage men and boys to wear their long hair with pride and aim to educate others about the importance and meaning of Native hair.

 

Monday, December 25, 2017 — Music Maker in review
Tiger Lee, Raye Zaragoza, Tha Yoties, and Radmilla Cody. Those are just a few of the dozen Music Makers we’ve featured on Native America Calling over the past year. We’re picking out our favorite moments and some choice tunes to liven up your holiday. Sit back and turn up the volume as we hear some graceful melodies and driving beats from some notable Native musicians. This is a pre-recorded show so we won’t take live calls, but feel free to reach out to us on our web page NativeAmericaCalling.com, on Facebook or Twitter.

Tuesday, December 26, 2017 — Native in the Spotlight: Pomaika’i Lyman
Pomaika’i Lyman (Kanaka Maoli) draws her musical inspiration from her late grandmother, “Aunty” Genoa Keawe, an iconic Hawaiian musician who performed in Hawaii and across the world. Pomaika’i’s voice and traditional Hawaiian ha’i melodies have been compared to her grandmother’s. We’re shining the spotlight on Pomaika’i to find out what’s next for her singing career and why she feels it’s important to keep the family’s musical legacy going.

Wednesday, December 27, 2017 — Jewelry: a woman’s touch
Native jewelry makers create wearable art that connects to their culture. In many tribes, men are the ones who work the metal and set the stones for earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. But there are now many Native women jewelry craftspeople. Some perfect traditional designs and materials. Others introduce new, modern elements. We’ll talk with several female jewelry makers about what inspires their expression.

Thursday, December 28, 2017 – Beating the odds: a conversation with Nicco Montaño
Nicco Montaño (Navajo) is the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first women’s flyweight champion. What’s even more impressive is she won the championship bout with a broken foot. Afterwards her hometown of Lukachukai, Ariz. welcomed her with a parade and a potluck lunch in her honor. The TV show, Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion followed her journey to the championship title. We’ll talk with Montaño about her passion for mixed martial arts and what it takes to win in the sport.

Friday, December 29, 2017 – December News
As we get ready to ring in the New Year, we’ll also catch up on the news from Native America. From national policy to tribal politics, we take time to regularly speak with journalists, newsmakers and others about the important issues of the day. We’ll also share our top 10 Native news stories from 2017. Join us for our regular news round-up.

Monday, December 18, 2017 — The enduring apocalypse theme
The end of the world as we know it is a popular topic for filmmakers, writers and artists. Current real life events are also fueling apocalyptic discussions. In recent years the scientists and others who control the Doomsday Clock moved the perceived threat to its highest level since the mid-80s. Indigenous people have their own prophesies and signs of the end. They also have unique histories of resilience in the face of colonization, disease, war and foreign invasion. We’ll take on the End of Times from a Native perspective.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017 — Shifting gender discussions
“She,” “he,” “zhe” or “they”? Gender fluidity, transgender, cisgender, non-binary, genderqueer? Just keeping up with the preferred words to talk about someone’s gender is increasingly complicated. In Native America those descriptions are sometimes put into one term: “two-spirit.” We’ll talk about how awareness of gender fluidity is changing for Native Americans and everyone else. We are also asking how those with less-defined gender identity are finding ways to fit in.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017 – Pebble Mine: The Alaska Water Wars
Once nearly dead, the proposal to build a massive open-pit copper and gold mine on pristine wetlands in southwest Alaska is gaining new momentum. The Trump Administration is more favorable to the Pebble Mine project and the company pitching it is promising it will be smaller and more environmentally responsible. Some Alaska Natives representing villages closer to the proposed mine site say it offers much-needed jobs. But resistance against the mine remains strong, especially near the commercial fishing hub of Dillingham. Opponents say just building the mine would damage critical salmon spawning habitat and an accident could be disastrous to the billion dollar fishing industry. We’ll talk with representatives from both sides and hear from a reporter who just completed a five-part series weighing the threat to the environment and Indigenous cultures with the promise of economic benefit.

Thursday, December 21, 2017 – Radio’s next act: Native podcasts
Standing Rock, Native media, and even Indigenous food are some of the topics that a rising crop of Native podcasts tackle. The approaches range from serious and analytical to funny and personal. Media experts say audio podcasts can help bring marginalized issues to light by cutting out the gatekeepers between producers and the audience. At its most basic, all it takes to start is a microphone and something to record on. Edison Research finds about 40 percent of the population has listened to a podcast at least once. Are you one of them? What are your favorite podcasts?

Friday, December 22, 2017 — The new Native TV characters
The Netflix show, “Longmire,” has come to an end. The modern Western police drama broached several Native issues including the Violence Against Women Act, tribal jurisdiction and adoption of Native children by non-Native families. We’ll discuss the show’s triumphs and failures and also hear about some other promising projects that Native screenwriters and actors are bringing to the small screen.

Monday, December 11, 2017 – Monumental rollback: protecting Bears Ears
Both sides claim overreach by the federal government. Five tribes and a dozen environmental organizations filed legal challenges almost immediately after President Donald Trump signed a proclamation that dramatically cuts back the area under protection for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. President Obama created Bears Ears National Monument a year ago. A coalition of tribes pushed for the action because of threats to sacred and culturally significant areas by mineral extraction, vandalism and looting. Trump’s action is a setback for tribes, but is it a violation of the century-old Antiquities Act that was created to stop plundering land important to Native Americans?

Tuesday, December 12, 2017 — Native American puppets have a hand in teaching
On his video podcast show, Nana Boozhoo talks about rez life and he plays blues and rock music. He also teaches audiences about Ojibwe language and culture. Nana Boozhoo is not a person, but a puppet. “What makes it so fun is that I keep seeing myself in it,” said Michael Lyons, Nana Boozhoo’s creator. “Some of it is very true to life.”

Wednesday, December 13, 2017 – Remembering Dennis Banks
The American Indian Movement. The Alcatraz Island occupation. The Wounded Knee takeover. The Longest Walk. These are some of the notable events that propelled Native American issues onto the national stage during a critical time. Ojibwe activist Dennis Banks is closely associated with all of them. The towering and sometimes controversial figure walked on in October. He’s known for his early, in-your-face activism that exposed federal corruption and bias against Native Americans. He spent his last years quietly raising awareness against the scourge of addictive drugs, domestic violence and other destructive influences on reservations. We’ll talk with his friends and family members about his life and accomplishments.

Thursday, December 14, 2017 — The fight for Mauna Kea
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is suing the state and the University of Hawaii. OHA wants to terminate a lease that would allow development of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea. The office says the university’s oversight of the land amounts to “longstanding and well-documented mismanagement.” It’s the latest action in the ongoing battle over the controversial proposed $1.4 billion project on the mountain many Native Hawaiians consider sacred. Hawaii state officials gave the green light to the telescope construction in September.

Friday, December 15, 2017 – Book of the Month: “Fall in Line, Holden” by Daniel W. Vandever
In this month’s book feature, “Fall in Line, Holden” by Daniel W. Vandever, a young Navajo boy uses his imagination to help him cope with the challenges of boarding school. The book’s author from the Navajo Nation says the story is meant to not only encourage young readers though discovery, but it’s also his take on facing a dark moment in Native history and the boarding school era.