Monday, January 9, 2023 – The benefits (and drawbacks) of college fraternities and sororities
Social connections and career networking are two of the top reasons college students seek out fraternities and sororities. Greek life supporters also say they offer mentorship, academic support, and life-long friendships. Native fraternities and sororities began in the mid 1990s and also offer a chance for Native students to connect with each other and draw support from shared cultural values. Monday on Native America Calling, we spoke with Mardella Richardson (member of the Lumbee Tribe of NC), national president of Alpha Pi Omega; Dr. Corey Still (citizen of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians), member on the national governance board for Iota Gamma; and Destiny Hutson (Cheyenne and Arapaho), vice president and historian of the Theta Chapter (Northeastern State University) of Alpha Pi Omega.
Tuesday, January 10, 2023 – A fair value for Native artists
Federal law already protects artwork legitimately made by Native Americans. But once artwork is sold, the artists typically don’t benefit from any residual appreciation of the work’s value. Some Native-owned galleries and organizations are working to ensure artists get full value for their work. And an effort in Canada aims to pay artists and their heirs resale rights. Tuesday on Native America Calling, we heard from Theresie Tungilik (Inuk), arts and traditional economy advisor for Nunavut government; Mathew Nuqingaq (Inuk), jewelry artist and sculptor; Dawn Iehstoseranón:nha Setford Whiteman Francis (Akwesasne Mohawk), president and founder of Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada; and Colleen Echohawk (Pawnee and Athabascan), CEO of Eight Generation.
Wednesday, January 11, 2023 – When language translations go wrong
The federal government issued translations on official documents to help Alaska Natives following destructive storms there. The trouble is, the text is indecipherable for those it was intended to help. An investigative report found the Iñupiaq and Yup’ik translations from FEMA are essentially unreadable for those familiar with the languages. One appears to be at least partly taken from a World War Two-era publication in the Soviet Union. Wednesday on Native America Calling, we checked in with Tara Sweeney (Inupiaq), Principal and CEO of Tack 71 Strategies and former Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of Interior; Julia Jimmie (Yup’ik), translator and Yup’ik language programming producer; Sam Berlin (Yup’ik), translator and KYUK talk show host; linguist Gary Houlton; and Emily Schwing, freelance reporter based in Alaska.
Thursday, January 12, 2023 – P-22: How tribes want to honor the famous mountain lion
In a city known for celebrities, a mountain lion’s improbable, decade-long occupation of Los Angeles’ Griffith Park earned him a status any movie star would envy. P-22 was euthanized after wildlife officials determined his injuries and illnesses made it impossible for him to continue living in the wild without significant suffering. Now, area tribes say they want a say in what happens to the famous lion’s remains. Thursday on Native America Calling, we looked back on the life of P-22 and got an overview of how some tribes view mountain lions with tribal secretary Kimberly Johnson (Gabrieliño Tongva from the San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians), Alan Salazar (Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians), tribal elder on the elder’s council and traditional storyteller; and Dr. Christina Swindall (Gabrieleño), secretary for the Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians–Kizh Nation.
Friday, January 13, 2023 – Native fictional future perspective
The creators of the new Avatar sequel continue what they see as a science fiction account of colonialism and Indigenous resistance. It’s getting plenty of pushback from Native audiences for some significant missteps. The good news is there are plenty of films, comics, and artwork from Native creators that have a more informed take. Today on Native America Calling, we’ll hear from artist Virgil Ortiz (Cochiti Pueblo); Sadekaronhes Esquivel (Tyendinaga Mohawk), art lead and character designer for “Hill Agency: PURITYdecay”; Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo), artist and founder and technologist at alterNative Media; and Johnnie Jae (Otoe-Missouria and Choctaw), founder of A Tribe Called Geek and co-founding member of the Fan Organizer Coalition.
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