Monday, March 9, 2020 – The plan to transition away from fossil fuels
It’s a matter of when, not if. Many tribes are heavily invested in the fossil fuels industry. So much of the American economy depends on fossil fuels it’s hard to imagine life without them. But some organizations are doing just that. They say the time is now to start planning the move away from the energy and economy systems based on extracting minerals from the Earth. Thinking ahead, they say, will buffer the detrimental effects, particularly on laborers and low-income residents who could be hit the hardest. We’ll learn more about the concept of just transition and why Native Americans should pay attention.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020 – The time limit on accountability
As they have done almost every year for the last ten years, lawmakers in South Dakota rejected a proposal this session to change the state’s statute of limitations on child sexual abuse. Time is running out for the dozens of survivors, including those from the Turtle Mountain Chippewa tribe, to hold organizations like the Catholic Church accountable for alleged crimes that occurred when the victims were children. Turtle Mountain’s Louise Aamot Charbonneau claims she was abused at the Catholic boarding school she attended in the 1970s. She died before she could testify in favor of changing South Dakota’s law during the legislature session this year. We’ll learn about South Dakota and the other states that put limits on holding institutions accountable for sexual abuse.
Wednesday, March 11, 2020 – Off the beaten resort path
Airbnb might be good if you’re traveling to Eugene or New Orleans, but you’ll have to work a little harder to find an alternative room for the night on tribal land. Your hard work will be rewarded. Navajo-owned Shash Diné Eco-Retreat south of Page, Ariz. serves a traditional mutton dinner before a night of “glamping” in spacious tents or a restored sheepherder wagon. The historic Requa Inn on the Yurok reservation offers access to the Pacific Ocean as well as California redwood forests. Guests dine family style on steelhead and local organic greens. We’ll explore a few unique places to stay in Native America that are also adding economic development opportunities.
Thursday, March 12, 2020 – Native in the Spotlight: Jesse Wente
“Reconciliation is dead and it was never really alive.” That’s the bold assertion from broadcaster and artist Jesse Wente (Serpent River First Nation) in a commentary about Canada’s official efforts since 2013 to come to grips with the country’s historical treatment of its Indigenous residents. His comments come as Canadian elected leaders fail to find a viable solution for the resistance against the Coastal GasLink pipeline across traditional Wet’suwet’en territory. We’ll get Wente’s views and hear about his career as a broadcaster, film curator and his role as director of the Indigenous Screen Office.
Friday, March 13, 2020 – Bighorn sheep
After years of effort by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, bighorn sheep have returned to Paiute tribal land in Nevada for the first time in about a century. The animals were a source of sustenance for the tribe. The meat was food, hides were used for clothing and shelter, their horns were used in ceremony. Habitat loss and overhunting caused them to disappear. Other tribes throughout the West also have close ties to bighorn sheep. As part of our regular exploration of the environmental and cultural contributions of animals, we’ll learn about the importance of bighorn sheep.
