Monday, April 16, 2018 – Lacrosse league plays defense against racism charge
A South Dakota lacrosse league expelled two predominantly Native American teams in March. Among the reasons league officials listed include uncertified coaches, unregistered players and unwarranted hostility toward players and administrators. The coaches of the expelled teams, however, say the action comes only after they insisted the league address racist incidents by other teams on the field. The coaches note the irony of expelling Native American players from a game invented by Native Americans in a league with a Native name. We’ll hear from the coaches and see if there’s a way to get at the root of the problem.
Tuesday, April 17, 2018 – Rumble on
A year after winning a Special Jury Award for Masterful Storytelling at the Sundance Film Festival, the documentary “Rumble: Indians Who Rocked The World” continues to win awards and accolades. The film’s producer recently took home the Canadian Screen Award for Best Documentary Feature. The documentary includes interviews with a list of prominent musicians about the influence that different Native musicians have had on rock ‘n roll, jazz, folk and blues music. We’ll talk with some of the musicians featured in the documentary.
Wednesday, April 18, 2018 – The future of Navajo sheep culture
Sheep used to roam the desert valleys and mesas of traditional Navajo lands in herds numbering in the thousands. Today, herds are much smaller. A nonprofit organization, Navajo Lifeway or Diné be’iiná, is dedicated to preserving and strengthening traditional herding, butchering and weaving. We’ll take a trip to a Navajo sheep camp and talk about what’s being done to preserve sheep culture.
Thursday, April 19, 2018 – Protecting wild rice in Minnesota
Wild rice waters in Minnesota face threats on two fronts. Some Minnesota tribes worry a pipeline replacement project carries the potential for a devastating crude oil leak that would contaminate rice beds for generations. At the same time, state lawmakers are moving to eliminate 45-year old water quality standards—the nation’s only law designed to help wild rice habitat. We’ll get updates on tribes’ efforts to keep wild rice thriving.
Friday, April 20, 2018 – Book of the Month: “Of Cartography” by Esther G. Belin
Native identity is a weaving of many experiences, beliefs and even the ground that a person considers home. We will witness how Diné poet Esther G. Belin is turning to the written word to celebrate her life and its relationship to Diné culture. “Of Cartography,” plays on poetic structure, often pushing readers to rethink how they are taking in the thoughts and words. We hear how Belin is shaking up the world of poetry.
