Monday, August 5, 2019 – Native Cinema Showcase
The first feature-length fictional film in the Haida language, SGaawaay K’uuna (Edge of the Knife), tells a story of a 19th Century Haida man who retreats to the wilderness. The documentary “Words from a Bear” is a biography of Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist N. Scott Momaday. In “Warrior Women”, the role of women in the American Indian Movement. These are just a few of the 53 films at this year’s Native Cinema Showcase. We’ll talk with some filmmakers to get a behind-the-scenes look at their films and hear about what else to expect from this year’s event.
Tuesday, August 6, 2019 – A new tool to fight sexual violence
Selected tribes are getting the ability to share data designed to prevent sexual violence on reservations. The U.S. Department of Justice is giving eligible tribes expanded access to the FBI’s National Sex Offender Registry. Those tribes can enter their own information and get comprehensive access to the FBI’s database. The program is an expansion of the 2015 Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information (TAP) now available for about 72 tribes. We’ll learn what this means for tribes working to stop sexual violence.
Wednesday, August 7, 2019 – Artwork helps raise awareness of MMIW
Métis artist Jaime Black calls her REDress Project an aesthetic response to a critical national issue. Her installations of donated red dresses symbolize missing women, with numbers reaching into the thousands. Quilter Susan Hudson (Navajo) also depicts women’s clothes and moccasins as a reminder of the women who disappeared or were murdered. The upcoming Santa Fe Indian Market organized by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts is focusing on female strength and resilience and has a number of events dedicated to raising awareness of MMIW. As politicians and women’s advocates work to change local and national policy, so too are artists reminding people of a troubling legacy. We’ll talk with some of them who are exploring the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Thursday, August 8, 2019 – Securing voting rights for 2020
Voter identification laws, redistricting, and restricted access to polls continue to threaten full Native voter participation. Voting rights advocates are currently looking ahead to potential problems in advance of the 2020 election. High profile issues like the voter I.D. law in North Dakota and the violation of the Voting Rights Act in San Juan County, Utah have voting rights advocates on high alert heading into the election season. We’ll talk with the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission about their efforts to count every vote and get updates on where other potential problems might occur.
Friday, August 9, 2019 – Commemorating the Pueblo Revolt
Almost 340 years later, the Pueblo Revolt remains a source of pride for the pueblos of New Mexico. Lead by Popé, the pueblo people summoned their combined strength on August 10, 1680 to drive Spanish soldiers and settlers out of the province. Freedom from Spanish oppression was short-lived but the victory was an important turning point for the preservation of pueblo culture and language. We’ll take time to revisit the history of the revolt and its significance for the pueblos of New Mexico.
