The Lumbee Nation counts 55,000 members, and although they are not federally recognized and have no tribal trust land, they have a strong cultural identity. The possibility of federal recognition is a factor in who members support in the presidential race. Across the state, the smaller, but federally recognized, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has political and economic muscle and opposes Lumbee recognition. We’ll explore the dynamics of navigating the Native vote in a critical swing state. GUESTS John Cummings (Lumbee Tribe), chairman of the Robeson County Board of Commissioners Christopher Reed (enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), vice chair of the North Carolina District 11 Democratic Party Jesalyn Kaziah (Lumbee), executive director of the Triangle Native American Society

Before their relocation along the Trail of Tears, southeast tribes found a need to curb cattle rustling and other violations of tribal laws. The Five Tribes organized tribal law enforcement units that came to be known as Lighthorse. They would respond to crimes such as stagecoach robberies, bootlegging, murder, and land disputes. For several years, the Lighthorse acted as judge, jury, even executioner. The Cherokee Lighthorsemen have their origins in Georgia, but were official formed in November 1844. The tribes continue to use the term “Lighthorse” to refer to their community policing units. We’ll hear about the history of “Lighthorse” and how they paved the way for tribal law enforcement. GUESTS Scott Ketchum (Choctaw Nation), Chickasaw Nation Endowed Chair in Native American Studies for East Central University Julie Reed (Cherokee Nation), associate professor in history at Penn State University Michelle Cooke (Chickasaw Nation), senior staff writer for the Chickasaw Press and author of Protecting Our People: Chickasaw Law Enforcement in Indian Territory

Halloween is the right time to dive into new spooky books by Native authors. Ramona Emerson’s new sequel, Exposure, checks back in with her character Rita Todacheene, a Navajo forensic photographer introduced in Emerson’s debut novel, Shutter, who continues to be haunted by crime victims. Dark and menacing supernatural entities follow Choctaws along the infamous Trail of Tears to Oklahoma in Devon Mihesuah’s The Bone Picker, a collection of fictional stories set in real-life histories. Nathan Adler co-edited a collection of scary stories along with Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm (Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and Saugeen First Nation) called Zegaajimo: Indigenous Horror Fiction. Hunkpapa Lakota humorist and author Tiffany Midge’s newest collection of poetry, Horns, weaves horror through her creative use of language and satire. These authors join us for a conversation about horror in Native literature.

Four Native Americans just received the nation’s highest honor recognizing work and dedication to enriching the community. President Joe Biden awarded the 2022-2023 National Humanities Medals to Muscogee poet Joy Harjo, long-time Cherokee educator Dr. Robert Martin, Potawatomi author and scientist Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Tlingit cultural advocate Dr. Rosita Worl. The awards, in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Humanities, honors individuals and organizations that deepen “the nation's understanding of the humanities and broadened our citizens' engagement with history, literature, languages, philosophy, and other humanities subjects.” Native America Calling was the first Native organization to receive a National Humanities Medal in 2021.

Global business connections are a way to build economic development. But it’s also a way to promote cross-cultural relationships and understanding across borders. The World Indigenous Business Forum aims to strengthen those bonds. The annual forum returns to the U.S. for the first time in nine years with at least 1,000 Indigenous business leaders meeting in Albuquerque to talk about success stories and barriers when it comes to trade across global boundaries. We’ll hear about what they hope to accomplish.

Indian boarding schools notoriously worked to stamp out Native languages, religions, and cultures. And part of that was an effort to cut ties between Native children and their traditional means of sustenance. In light of President Joe Biden’s apology, we’ll review another legacy of the shameful federal policy. And Alana Yazzie, who goes by The Fancy Navajo, just launched a new cookbook, which blends old and new Native food traditions. It's all today in our latest edition of our regular feature The Menu with host Andi Murphy.

President Joe Biden is taking the historic step to formally apologize for the federal government’s role in the failed Indian Board School era. The first-of-its-kind acknowledgement comes after Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland released the final report from a three-year investigation that included formal listening sessions from boarding school survivors and their relatives. The report documented at least 18,000 Native children who were sent to distant live-in schools where they were forced to abandon their languages and cultures. They were subjected to extensive physical and sexual abuse. Nearly 1,000 children died while attending the institutions far from their families. We’ll hear from Sec. Haaland and others who have been working on building the infrastructure of healing from the Boarding School Era.

Every year, thousands of Native Americans are going without the health care they’re entitled to or are risking costly medical bills for treatment that should be covered. A new report by KFF Health News focuses on the Purchased/Referred Care program in which patients seek outside treatment that IHS doesn’t offer. The report says the PRC program denied more than $550 million in payment requests from outside medical facilities in 2022, putting patients on the hook financially. Some tribes with resources are able to establish tribally-run care. Others are working on tribal health insurance programs. We’ll get a look at the problem facing those relying on IHS, and what can be done to solve it.

Nevada is the first state to extend electronic ballots to tribal members. It allows them to register and vote from their own homes, giving rural Native voters an alternative to traveling miles to their nearest polling or ballot drop-off site. It’s an idea that other states remain wary of. In Alaska, efforts to improve voting among Native voters remain elusive. Opposition from Republican state lawmakers killed a bill eliminating witness signatures on absentee ballots. On a conservative talk show, the Alaska House Speaker admitted she opposed it because it would have favored U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat and the only Alaska Native in Congress. Rep. Peltola calls it "a concerted effort to silence" Native votes. We'll discuss progress and continuing hurdles for Native voters.

Some colleges and universities say Native American admissions for the class of 2028 have suffered after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down race-conscious recruitment. Harvard University reports a drop in enrollment for Native students and other students of color. Other colleges say it’s still too early to say. We’ll get an update on the trends for Native enrollment in post-secondary education and how Native students can adjust to the new admissions reality.

Claudia Sheinbaum has already made history as Mexico’s first female president. She also comes into office with a promise to bolster the rights and recognition for the country’s many Indigenous peoples. Her inauguration included a traditional Indigenous blessing ceremony, something that at least one church leader criticized as "witchcraft". We’ll explore what the Sheinbaum presidency means for Mexico’s Indigenous peoples and what obstacles stand in the way.

Connecting with Native voters works best when the message comes from a Native source. In the final days before the election, the campaigns are working at a feverish pace in places like Arizona, Wisconsin, Nevada, and North Carolina, deploying specialists to connect with Native voters. We’ll hear from some of those specialists about what you might expect to hear in the final stretch of the campaigns, and what messages are resonating most.

The U.S. Navy is scheduled to formally apologize to Alaska Native residents of Angoon, Alaska, 142 years after they bombarded the village. The Navy also just apologized to the residents of Kake for a similar assault some years earlier. Both deadly assaults on the villages came after the deaths of Tlingit residents prompting a series of escalating actions. The shellings occurred during a time of tense interactions between Alaska Natives, the U.S. military, and outside corporate interests. Navy and village leaders alike say the apologies will help healing these many years later.

There is a decidedly imperialistic thrust to the Civilization video games. That’s why Shawnee tribal leaders were wary at first when game developers approached them about including famed Shawnee chief Tecumseh in the next version of Civilization. But after four years, the collaboration has introduced Shawnee language and culture and a new direction for the Civilization franchise. We’ll hear about this intersection of Native representation and video games and explore some new uses for video games.

Native land is the medium Cherokee journalist and writer Rebecca Nagle (member of the Cherokee Nation) uses to convey the long fight for justice and accountability. By the Fire We Carry traces a detailed history from before the Trail of Tears to the current arguments in the halls of the U.S. Supreme Court, as Native Americans fight to retain what was always inherently theirs and win back what was taken by force and fraud by the U.S. Government. Nagel is the creator of the acclaimed This Land podcast that found a broad audience for the complex topics of Native sovereignty and jurisdiction, and the forces constantly working to dismantle them.

Duke Redbird’s (Saugeen Ojibway First Nation) activism initially rose from hardship. He turned to writing to express his frustration after encountering racism and discrimination in school. His writing led him to a series of celebrated published poetry collections. He developed a number of artistic disciplines and professional skills. He’s a filmmaker, visual artist, actor, and educator. He remains active as a voice in the Sultans of String band. We’ll hear about his work and extraordinary life.

Both presidential campaigns are pouring resources into Arizona, a swing state where Native American votes could make a substantial difference in the outcome of the election. But it’s also a state emblematic of laws — proof of citizenship, limits on ballot collecting — that voting advocates say hinders or discourages Native voter participation. As it is, a glitch in the state’s citizenship verification methods puts the votes of some 218,000 registered voters of all races and political persuasions in jeopardy. Also on the campaign trail, an incumbent Idaho state lawmaker angrily told a Nez Perce challenger — the only person of color in the race — go back where you came from” Candidate Trish Carter-Goodheart said she was shaken and worried about her safety. We’ll hear from Carter-Goodheart about the event.

The Indian Health Service finds Native Americans and Alaska Natives are two and a half times more likely to report serious psychological distress than other populations. Psychiatry experts say intergenerational trauma may be one factor. There are steps both employers and employees can do to avoid the effects of stress and burnout in the office. There are additional steps that may be beneficial specifically for Native employees. On World Mental Health Day, we’ll find out ways to build a healthy workplace.

Weary residents in the southeast United States are preparing for the inevitable destruction of Hurricane Milton just two weeks after Hurricane Helene claimed at least 230 lives and billions of dollars in property damage. Area tribes not directly affected by the storm double-punch are offering aid and assessing their own disaster preparedness in light of the devastation. We’ll hear from other tribal emergency management officials about their own evolving disaster plans.

A portrayal of the Pine Ridge Reservation by a YouTube personality with more than 2,000,000 subscribers is drawing criticism for focusing on stereotypes of poverty and substance abuse. Tommy McGee, who goes by the name “Tommy G”, makes a name for himself producing what he calls “documentaries” that depict extremes of American life. His video of the Oglala Lakota reservation, called "The poorest place in America", has more than 3,000,000 views. He paints a picture primarily of meth and alcohol addiction, unemployment, squalor, and crime. Pine Ridge residents, including one Native youth organization, say the video crosses the line into “poverty porn.” We’ll explore current approaches for responsible media representation of Native people.

A possible rat sighting has the remote Pribilof Island of St. Paul in Alaska on high alert. Scientists are concerned an infestation of the invasive species could threaten nesting seabirds and other wildlife. They have reason to be concerned: rats from a Japanese shipwreck more than 200 years ago inundated a series of Alaska’s Aleutian islands, devastating the native species. And a part of Louisiana offers another cautionary tale about invasive rodents. Nutria were originally introduced to help the fur trade. Now the aquatic rodents destroy the vegetation that protects land and coastal marshes from erosion. We'll look at how tribes are grappling with invasive rodents.

In his newest album, “Waiting for a Sign,” Hitaałiinez Wheeler (Diné), better known as ‘Hitaałii,’ takes listeners through Navajo country with his signature hazy and dreamy aesthetic. Sierra Kihega (Otoe-Missouria and Keetoowah Cherokee), who goes by Sierra Spirit, released new singles from her forthcoming collection of indie pop songs, “coin toss,” about personal growth. We’ll talk with these Indigenous artists about their new tunes to add to your Native Playlist.

An Albuquerque, N.M., organization is cutting the ribbon on a new building they say will help in their mission to developing Native entrepreneurs. New Mexico Community Capital (NMCC) has had to be flexible to meet Native business owners “where they are” to provide mentorship, business consultation, and other services that help them succeed. They’re among a number of business incubation efforts with a personal approach to help start and work with people who have ideas, but are from populations that statistically need more assistance to get going.

Republican U.S. Senate challenger Tim Sheehy is drawing fire from Montana tribal officials for comments deemed derogatory against the state’s Native American residents. A recording of the comments at a previous public appearance surfaced at the end of August. In a candidate debate, incumbent Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) called on Sheehy to apologize. In a state with 70,000 Native Americans and seven federally recognized Native reservations, how the candidates appeal to Native voters could make a difference in the outcome of a close race. Plus, we'll get updates on Hurricane Helene damage from North Carolina.

The increasing demand for power is prompting challenges from a number of tribes who say the means to transmit that power is harming culturally significant tribal land. The Tohono O’odham, Hopi, Zuni, and San Carlos Apache tribes were dealt a legal setback by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year in their opposition to a proposed $10 billion transmission line through a pristine Arizona canyon. And pueblos and other tribes say they are concerned about additional transmission capacity planned to boost power at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. In both cases, tribal officials say the proposals did not adequately take cultural and archaeological significance into consideration.

Tlingit warriors enjoyed an initial victory in defending their home against Russians intent on re-establishing their settlement in Sitka. But after first driving the Russians back and wounding their leader, Alexander Baranov, in the first week of October, 1804, the Tlingits concluded they couldn’t sustain another armed assault. They moved to the far end of the island that now bears Baranov’s name, but remained contentious cohabitants with the Russians, keeping the settlers on guard. Even though the Tlingits lost, the battle was a landmark event that influenced Russian settlement that came after. We’ll hear about the Battle of 1804, and also the 1869 American assault on the Village of Kake, for which the U.S. Navy just formally apologized.

How much do the proposed USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans reflect what industries want to promote as opposed to what Native Americans consider nutritious? When the new version of the guidelines is released, it has implications for the food that makes its way into school lunches, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, and SNAP. Former President Donald Trump won't back away from promoting a false rumor about Haitian immigrants in Ohio eating cats and dogs. The Haitian residents now fear for their safety and say Trump is dehumanizing them for political gain. The same tactic has been used against Native Americans as well, and food is one means to do it.

With help from Lakers’ superstar Lebron James, a Native director and cast tell the story of trauma and healing playing out within a reservation small town high school basketball team. Sydney Freeland (Navajo) is a gifted storyteller (Echo, Reservation Dogs, Drunktown’s Finest), teaming up with Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Muscogee) to tell the sometimes heartbreaking, always human drama of the fictional Chuska Warriors. It’s sure to resonate with current and past rez ball warriors and adds to the growing list of films that show the world what can be achieved when Native talent delivers Native stories.

Two years after the EPA found high levels of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contamination in the drinking water at the K-12 tribal school on the Leech Lake Reservation, students and staff are still forced to consume only water brought in from outside the building. Leech Lake is one place tribes are having to respond to the presence of PFAS, a class of man-made chemicals used in fire suppressing foam, water repellents on textiles, and older nonstick cookware. High PFAS exposure is connected to some health problems including cancer and thyroid disease. Nearly 100% of Americans have PFAS in their body. Information specific to Native Americans is limited. We’ll talk with some tribes that are trying to address PFAS in their water and explore what can be done.

Playing college athletics takes more than just a love of sports. To be successful at that level takes years of dedication, focus, and a good deal of talent. We’ll hear from athletes turning athletics into a pathway to academics at Division 1 colleges about how to recognize and develop their own skills, lessons they learned along the way, and how to deal with setbacks.

There is a flip side to the narrative about the cultural richness that Spanish colonists brought to California. Likewise, the discovery of gold at Sutters Mill in 1848 did more than just spark the largest settler migration in the country’s history. In both cases, the damage to the lives and cultures of the state’s Indigenous populations was profound. At the time, there were far more Indigenous people than the Spanish or European-descended Americans. In its effort to provide Native-led historical instruction, the National Museum of the American Indian has developed curricula that provides perspective about the people who were there long before anyone else. We’ll learn about NMAI’s educational goal and how it’s being used.

A new study finds the five federally recognized tribes in Idaho contribute some $1.5 billion to the state’s economy every year. Another new study finds the economic impact of Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians alone reaches $1 billion for that state’s annual total bottom line. Both studies echo similar research over the years in other states that show tribes are major players in their states’ economic viability. And the sources aren’t just gaming — categories like construction, tourism, government operations, and education are major economic contributors.

The fire that killed 101 people and destroyed much of the town of Lahaina on Maui Island left financial, environmental, and emotional damage in its wake that will require years and significant resources to overcome. Not least on the list is a mountain of toxic burned debris that residents and officials are having trouble finding a suitable place for. Officials are studying whether the charred landscape will harm the delicate coral reef just offshore. Somewhere in the country, a new wildfire appears at least once a week during the most active season, and many of those leave lasting implications for tribes and residents.

Tribes in California are urging President Joe Biden to designate three new national monuments in order to protect what the tribes say are natural and cultural treasures. The proposed Sáttítla National Monument would cover 200,000 acres in northeastern California important to the Pit River and Modoc Nations. The California State Assembly also signed onto the push to designate 627,000 acres as the Chuckwalla National Monument and almost 400,00 acres as the Kw'tsán National Monument. The effort comes as the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals is expected weigh in on a challenge to President Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act to set aside some 1.5 million acres of land, including the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.

Inadequate infrastructure is only one of the problems contributing to the fact that Native Americans and Alaska Natives lag behind everyone else when it comes to broadband access. Digital rights advocates say tribes need more say in how readily available data pathways that already exist are divvied up. We’ll hear about the role digital spectrum plays in connectivity that determines the course of business development, access to healthcare, and educational opportunities.

The Florida Everglades are on "life support". That’s the assessment of Miccosukee environmental advocate Betty Osceola, who says the famed wetlands are under relentless threat from urban encroachment, pollution, and poor management. Osceola is a dedicated defender of her homelands that are also home to at least 39 endangered or threatened species including the Florida panther and the American crocodile. She is sounding the alarm over historically high water levels that are destroying habitat and drowning culturally important sites. We'll talk with Osceola about her connection to the Everglades and her passion to preserve them. She joins us as this month's Native in the Spotlight.

A Washington state man will be sentenced soon for his part in killing some 3,600 eagles and other protected birds and selling their feathers and other parts on the black market. The crime reaches a shocking new level of destruction in violation of federal law and respect for the sacred animals. But it highlights the pressure to fulfill demand for feathers and what some people are willing to do to work around established protections. We’ll find out about black market channels for eagle and hawk feathers and talk about what else can be done to protect the endangered birds.

Native American-run organizations are jumping into the clean energy economy with both feet. The group Indigenized Energy is administering some $135.6 million in federal grants for both solar installations and manufacturing. The Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund has a continuous string of funding opportunities to get tribes in on solar projects. We’ll get updates on some promising trends that help provide both clean energy and tribal economic development.

The last presidential debate marked the beginning of the end for Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. What of consequence will come out of the debate between his replacement, Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump? Neither of the main party campaigns have so much as mentioned tribes and Native issues in any major public appearances. We’ll ask Native political watchers about how they think the debate propels—or hampers—the things Native voters are most concerned about.

Millions of dollars are flowing into tribal nations right now as a means to encourage small business development. The money is an extension of the federal COVID relief package known as the Small Business Credit Initiative (SBCI), allowing tribes to administer lines of credit that are often hard to come by. We’ll find out about some of the promising plans for SBCI loans and what might come of them.

As the 2024 Paralympic Games wrap up, we will get a glimpse into the world of competition for disabled Native Athletes. Dozens of Indigenous athletes competed in the Games in Paris. And while the big production in France is always something to shoot for, para-athletics isn’t just for elite competitors. They are also an everyday recreational and creative outlet with built-in social and health benefits.

The main character in Chickasaw writer Danica Nava’s debut novel gets into trouble for making some questionable claims about her Choctaw identity to try and get ahead in the working world. Cherokee citizen Christina Berry writes about an Austin woman’s sometimes funny, sometimes heart wrenching desire to start a family. And Karen Kay’s historical novel explores an interracial connection on the mid-1800s Great Plains frontier. What each of these books has in common is the quest for true love. They also have honest, complex, and engaging portrayals of Native characters written by Native authors. We’ll hear from them about their work and Native representation in modern romance literature.

As students head back into the classroom, they’ll find many of their fellow classmates are…not there. Overall, more parents are choosing to teach their kids at home. A perception of safety and the flexibility to teach their children religious or cultural values are among the top reasons parents give for homeschooling. In addition, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced students to learn from home, more parents got used to the idea of taking on the task. We’ll talk with Native homeschooling families and advocates about what is important to them this school year.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisive confirmation of the Indian Child Welfare Act two years ago in Brackeen v. Haaland, the law has seen victories and challenges. In a win for tribal sovereignty, a decision by the California Supreme Court requires state case workers to make more of an effort to ascertain a foster child’s Native identity status. Congress is considering a bill that would strengthen state-by-state compliance with the 45-year-old law. And the investigative new outlet Reveal explores questions about how a Utah public official was able to adopt a Northern Cheyenne child without ever triggering the standard ICWA process.

Yup’iks know them as Ircenrraat. Poncas refer to them as Gadázhe. Cherokees call them Yunwi Tsunsdi. In some cases, they are caretakers or protectors. Other times they are tricksters or menacing goblins. Most tribes have traditions that fit under the umbrella of "little people". They bear resemblance to fairies in other cultures. They are elusive supernatural beings that show up in stories or are invoked to explain good luck or misfortune.

The Lord of the Rings film trilogy won 17 Academy Awards and its legacy endures nearly 25 years after the first film’s release. The trilogy’s success has put its filming location, New Zealand, on the industry map. The motion picture business contributes at least $2.12 billion a year to New Zealand’s economy. That’s also been a boon for Indigenous cinema. Māori film critic and programmer Leo Koziol calls it a “renaissance". The recent Māori-led film The Convert, directed by Lee Tamahori, is garnering critical acclaim. We’ll talk with Koziol and hear from Māori creatives who worked on Lord of the Rings about progress on Māori representation in film since then. This is an encore show and we won't be taking live calls from listeners. 

Hundreds of low-income Native families who depend on the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations are enduring delays and other system management problems. The heads of the agency that oversees the program are having to answer tough questions from lawmakers. In an unrelated dispute, those same lawmakers are squabbling over costs of a tribally run food distribution pilot program. It’s one of the reasons they can’t come to agreement on the current Farm Bill that has major implications for Indian Country. Also, adding an Indigenous ingredient to an ice cream recipe is a good way to experience a sweet and cold side of traditional flavor. That’s what First Nations chef Zach Keeshig did with sweet grass. That’s all on The Menu on Native America Calling, our special feature on Indigenous food hosted by Andi Murphy.

Syphilis is relatively easy to treat. But that fact hasn’t stopped an unremitting increase in the disease that is hitting Native Americans hardest. Public health officials say American Indian and Alaska Native people currently suffer the highest syphilis infection rates of any group in the country – and the highest recorded since the cure was discovered in 1941. The Indian Health Service warns cases of congenital syphilis have resulted in stillbirths or infant deaths shortly after birth. Medical officials have a series of detection and treatment recommendations. We’ll revisit the problem of syphilis infections and discuss the strategies for solving it.