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.
