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.

With a basis in resistance to institutional authority, anarchy appeals to some politically minded Native Americans. Historically, Indigenous anarchists played a significant role in the Mexican Revolution. Although the term is often used in popular culture to be synonymous with chaos, modern Native anarchists also incorporate the development of collaborations and trade to benefit the collective good. We’ll talk with Indigenous people who adhere to an anarchist philosophy about how it guides their lives and their views on the upcoming elections.

The acrobatic dance style known as "Breaking" started almost a half century ago with the hip-hop culture on the streets of the Bronx. Among its most enduring features is the influence of powwow fancy dance steps. Breaking’s debut at the Paris Olympics propelled awareness of the current skill and athleticism that goes into it. We’ll talk with noted Native b-boys and b-girls about the origins and future of breaking.

This week, Indigenous leaders, climate, activists, and community members from more than 80 different nations around the world are convening in Rapid City, S.D. The 12th World Wilderness Congress will be looking at concerns and solutions to issues facing forest health, biodiversity, and wildlife. We’ll talk with elders actively addressing these issues. Also, we’ll hear updates from the group Apache Stronghold as they make their way across the country raising awareness of a copper mining project on Oak Flat in Arizona before stopping in Washington D.C. The group will turn to the U.S. Supreme Court for protections of the sacred site.

Native America Calling was at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Ill. Host Shawn Spruce along with National Native News anchor Antonia Gonzales and Native Vote 2024 contributor Shaun Griswold from Source NM brought you special live coverage during Thursday night's acceptance speech by Vice President Kamala Harris. Listen to the full broadcast or watch it on YouTube.

Hugo Morales (Mixtec) rose from his Indigenous family farming roots in Oaxaca, Mexico to found Radio Bilingue, the largest Latino radio network in the United States. The network continues to offer a diverse array of programming in English, Spanish, Mixtec, and Triqui languages. Morales earned money while going to school by picking fruit in California. Among his many accomplishments and honors, he ultimately earned a law degree from Harvard University. He continues his strong commitment to educate others. We'll hear from Morales about his journey and where he's going next. Plus, we'll hear closing coverage of the 2024 Democratic National Convention with Native Vote 2024 contributor Shaun Griswold from Source NM.

Vice President Kamala Harris will wrap up the Democratic National Convention, a climax to the four-day political spectacle to launch the vice president into the home stretch toward the November election. A presidential candidate for barely a month, Harris makes her best case to lead the nation for the next four years. If voters choose Harris, what could her administration mean for Native Americans? We'll examine her record on the Indian Child Welfare Act, sovereignty, consultation, and honoring treaties. We'll draw from her work as a U.S. senator, California attorney general, and vice president when it comes to issues important to Native Americans.

Even if Vice President Kamala Harris wins the White House, her agenda is dependent on what happens in Congressional elections. Since entering the race a few short weeks ago, Harris’ favorability has risen in polls—and once wary Democratic candidates are starting to see her as a strength. We’ll discuss what’s at stake for Native issues when it comes to other national elections and whether Harris has momentum enough to make a difference in races other than her own.

Beyond building momentum for the presidential candidates, there is some work to do at the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Native delegates have a voice in developing the platform that Democrats look to as the blueprint to effect policy. How much of what the policy direction relates to issues important to Native Americans? We'll zero in on how sovereignty, ICWA, the trust responsibility, and consultation intersect with the mainstream push by Democrats and how that shows up in official party positions.

For their most important public gathering in the presidential election, Democrats have chosen to meet on the traditional lands of the Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Ojibwe, Odawa, and a handful of other nations. The state has no established federally recognized tribes, but the number of Chicago citizens who identify as Native American has more than doubled in the past ten years. We’ll be in Chicago, talking with Native Chicago residents who are also clued in to the Democratic political process about what the party is doing to reach Native voters and what sets them apart from their political rivals.

Distinctly Native American artwork, fashion, and films converge again for the annual Santa Fe Indian Market, with at least 1,000 booths and somewhere around 100,000 visitors. Native America Calling is live from Santa Fe, hearing from Southwestern Association for Indian Arts representatives, 2023 Best In Show winner Jennifer Tafoya, curators from the Native Cinema Showcase, and others to get a preview of the largest juried Native art market in the world.

Violinist, composer, and producer Geneviève Gros-Louis has a busy schedule of solo and group performances and discussions leading up to the release of her new album that celebrates Wendat culture and talent. She captivated the audience at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival with a piece composed specifically for the premiere of the film, Killers of the Flower Moon. She also composed the score to a season of National Geographic’s series, Life Below Zero: First Alaskans. Gros-Louis returns to the Native America Calling studio with live performances of her work. Plus, we’ll catch up with organizers of the Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival in Santa Fe, New Mexico this weekend. We’ll talk about the Native art, music and film being featured this weekend.

The Yaqui people fought for centuries against Spanish missionaries, miners, slave-traders, and the iron-fisted, anti-Indigenous rule of the Mexican government in the latter part of the 19th Century. Once the dominant culture in what is now Sonora, Yaqui populations were eventually diminished from conflict, disease, and even deportation out of their homelands. They eventually won back a significant portion of their traditional homeland in 1930. We recognize the Yaqui people on the anniversary of a significant battle alongside Mexican revolutionaries against both Mexican and American forces.

As an Ojibwe language teacher and expert on Native American history and issues, Anton Treuer has penned more than a dozen books that are required reading for some Native studies college courses. But Treuer turns to fiction in his newest work, Where Wolves Don’t Die. His first novel is for young readers and focuses on Ezra, a young Ojibwe teen living in Minneapolis. A serious crime prompts his family to move him to live with his grandfather on the Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation. There he encounters new insights into his family and culture as he navigates the consequences of circumstances beyond his control. Treuer joins us as the Native Bookshelf featured author.

The Navajo Nation deployed its police department to hold back trucks hauling uranium ore across tribal land. The action comes after the recent resumption of uranium mining at the Pinyon Plain (formerly Canyon) Mine in northwest Arizona. It is one of 600 uranium mines considered dormant because they aren’t financially viable. They are tied to numerous health conditions by citizens of Navajo and other nearby tribes. But new interest in nuclear energy is improving prices for raw ore. We’ll hear about tribes leveraging sovereignty to halt the mining and transport of uranium.

The Land of 10,000 Lakes, Paul Bunyan, and Tater Tot hotdish is also home to 11 federally recognized tribes. A citizen of one of those tribes, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (White Earth Ojibwe/D-MN) is already the highest ranking female Native elected executive in the country. Now that Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as her running mate, Lt. Gov. Flanagan is one presidential election victory away from becoming the first Native female governor. We’ll hear from current and former political leaders from Minnesota and the Upper Midwest about any contributions or detriments the state's Native elected leaders bring to the national stage.

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.

Losing a loved one is a traumatic experience. The burden of paying funeral costs for a befitting honor for that person’s life can add to the stress. There are a number of alternatives in either direction, but the National Funeral Director’s Association reports the median cost of a funeral in 2024 is $7,848. More families are turning to crowd funding sites like GoFundMe to cover expenses, especially for the sudden deaths of loved ones. The website says it raised some $330 million for funerals last year. We’ll talk about ways to anticipate inevitable end-of-life costs in a culturally and financially feasible way.

Wildfires on tribal lands have already claimed at least two lives and destroyed dozens of homes in New Mexico and Arizona. Multiple fires just forced the evacuation of hundreds of people on the Nez Perce reservation in northern Idaho. Tribal wildfire response and emergency management operations are kicking into high gear as wildfires threaten lives and property, especially in the parched West. We’ll talk with tribal officials and emergency management experts about the new and increasing threats in more than a dozen states.

The American Museum of Natural History in New York just announced it’s repatriating remains of 124 relatives and almost 100 Native cultural items from its collection. The museum continues to hold onto remains of some 12,000 other individuals from North America and beyond. It’s among institutions re-examining practices after new rules enacted this year forces museums to consider tribal views more seriously when it comes to remains and public displays. While some tribes are seeing progress, others are expressing frustration over institutions’ lack of compliance with federal law.

The Cherokee, Chickasaw, Muscogee, Choctaw, and Seminole Nations of Oklahoma have agreed to recognize each other’s licenses for hunting and fishing on their respective reservation lands. Tribal leaders say the agreement both strengthens their sovereignty and creates a more sustainable fish and wildlife management system. If you know where to look, there is an abundance of edible fungi available on trees and the forest floor. It’s mushroom season in the Southwest and Native foragers are collecting beefsteaks, lobsters, and chicken of the woods. And Columbia River tribes celebrate what is among their oldest food sources: lamprey. These are the topics in the latest helping of The Menu, our regular Indigenous food show hosted by Andi Murphy.

For the first time, the United States is owning up to its role in the deplorable treatment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian children at Indian Boarding Schools over more than a century. The report from the U.S. Department of Interior documents the deaths of nearly 1,000 children at boarding schools—many in collaboration with Catholic and other Christian institutions. The report includes distressing testimony collected at public meetings around the country from boarding school survivors and their relatives, detailing the personal costs of the government’s attempts to eradicate Native cultures and languages. It recommends the federal government not only formally apologize, but also establish a path and funding to account for the wrongs and the continuing harm resulting from it.

We’ll catch up on some important news including members of a U.S. House of Representatives committee grilled officials from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) over missed complaints of sexual abuse, a toxic work environment, and mismanagement at Haskell Indian Nations University - and faulted BIA for failing to release public records about the complaints in a timely way; a summer COVID surge is underway; and the residents of Lahaina assess their future a year after a deadly and devastating fire.

The 2024 Paris Olympics are under way with more than 50 Indigenous athletes. That number includes the national team with the highest number of Indigenous athletes in the history of the Games: New Zealand, with 37 competitors of Māori descent. The United States has three Native Hawaiian athletes and Canada has at least 5 representing various Indigenous nations. We'll talk with expert Olympic watchers about where to find Indigenous athletic talent in Paris and Tahiti and what to keep an eye out for during the competition.

As a senator and a member of the Joe Biden Administration, Vice President Kamala Harris has advocated for tribes and equity for Native Americans, explicitly promising to work with tribes to restore improperly taken lands, defending the Indian Child Welfare Act, and addressing Missing and Murdered Indigenous people. But her track record as a California attorney general is more complicated. In his short time in office, J.D. Vance has mocked Indigenous Peoples’ Day and spoke against renaming a national forest in a way that positioned Native Americans as “the enemy”. We’ll get some insights into these two candidates whose positions were just elevated in the presidential election.

Two new albums feature Native languages front and center, incorporating traditional storytelling and themes of resilience. Nuxalk Radio is celebrating ten years on the air with compilation of original songs entirely in the Nuxalk language. Nusximta is the result of a call to community members to write songs rooted in cultural tradition and to inspire language revitalization. Indigenous jazz/funk/rock band Khu.éex' references federal Native relocation programs and other historical issues in their new album, Siyáadlan. We’ll speak with artists about their respective projects.

The threat of a Donald Trump presidency has prompted hundreds of people from a dozen countries to begin walking to the U.S. border in an attempt to gain access before a potential ban on immigrants. It’s the latest in a surge of recent legal and illegal immigration attempts over the U.S.-Mexico border that is a focus of political campaigns portraying immigrants as a safety threat and a drain on public resources. We’ll hear from tribal representatives about how they view immigration from the southern border.

The U.S. House of Representatives just upped the ante on voter ID efforts by passing a bill to require proof of citizenship at polling places. Even though the idea lacks support in the Senate, it’s the latest in a relentless drive for more voting restrictions that Native American voting rights advocates say hinder access. In addition, an effort by the Walker River Paiute Tribe for more equitable voting access is getting pushback over security. We’ll get the latest efforts for equitable voting access.

Even before colonial contact, tribal leaders faced life and death decisions, challenges to their authority, and the judgements of their constituency. They also developed a model of governance that informed America's burgeoning democracy. Two Native scholars take a look at the successes and stumbles of tribal leadership throughout history. Some of those provide a guide for today's Native and non-Native leaders. We'll hear from Dr. David E. Wilkins (Lumbee), professor at the University of Richmond and the author of Indigenous Governance, and Stephen Wall (citizen of the White Earth Nation), faculty emeritus in Indigenous Liberal Studies at the Institute of American Indian Arts and author of American Indian Tribal Governance: A Critical Perspective, about their research that is both a compelling history lesson, and a map for what leaders can become.

We'll get a picture of what's ahead for Native voters as Democrats muster support for a new presidential candidate. Also: The spaces around community buildings, public spaces and campuses reflect the people, culture, and land. At Southern Oregon University, a team of Native landscape architects and planners is including native plants, medicines, and foods for a large section of campus. It's one model for incorporating Native input to connect culture and the larger community.

Among the earth's most genetically pure buffalo herds in Yellowstone National Park, a rare white buffalo calf is born. It is considered sacred to surrounding tribes, such as the Lakota, Dakota, Blackfeet, and Shoshone, and was given a name, Wakan Gli, in a naming ceremony. The white calf brings with it a prophecy that some say correctly explains current human struggles with big issues like climate change. We’ll talk with Native culture bearers about the significance of Wakan Gli. We'll also wrap up our eventful week at the Republican National Convention.

The Republican National Convention aims to end on a high note with a triumphant nomination acceptance speech by Donald Trump. It’s his first public comments since the assassination attempt over the weekend. The convention is propelling the expected momentum for the candidate, but we’ll bring it back down to earth to talk about what a Trump Presidency would mean for Native Americans.

Republicans hope to build momentum through the week at their national convention to galvanize party faithful—and to convince you to vote for their candidate. Not just the name at the top of the ticket but the Republican candidates to represent you in Congress. But what would a decisive Republican majority in Congress mean for Native American constituents. Are you satisfied with how Congress operates? As the party makes its case on the national stage, we explore what promise and threat Republicans in the legislative branch pose.

Donald Trump appeared in public for the first time since a serious attempt on his life. Delegates at the Republican National Convention heaped adulation on Trump as the parade of Republican voices tore into President Joe Biden's record. What does the display of Republican values on the national scale look like to Native American voters? Can the momentum from the political spectacle inspire Native votes - and more candidates? We'll hear arguments over what the current direction of the Republican Party means for the average Native American voter.

The world's attention is gripped by an assassination attempt against Donald J. Trump, as he is preparing to accept his party's nomination in Milwaukee, Wisc. Already a tumultuous race, the violence portends a political event like no other. We’ll be in Milwaukee to hear about what is on the political minds of some of the state’s 11 federally recognized tribes as the November election begins to come into focus.

Tourism is big money for many tribes and individual entrepreneurs. But it also has the potential to diminish people’s quality of life. Residents in Juneau, Alaska are considering a limit on the dozens of cruise ships that unload thousands of visitors there every summer. Among other things, critics say the steady stream of outsiders detracts from what they enjoy about living there. Some tribes have closed off tourist attractions altogether. We’ll find out about “overtourism” and ways to avoid it.

In recent weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court has hampered the federal government’s ability to enforce environmental protections and set workplace safety rules, and allows cities to prosecute people without homes for sleeping outside. The rulings are a boon for some tribes and individual Native Americans and a problem for many others. We’ll find out some of the places the court’s apparent new direction helps or hurts the issues that Native Americans deem important.

More than half of Native American elders from rural areas have some sort of cognitive impairment, a condition that ranges from mild memory loss all the way to dementia. That’s the conclusion of a new, first-of-its-kind research by The Strong Heart Study over seven years. It focused on members of 11 tribes and included cognitive testing, neurological examinations, and brain imaging. The study points to high rates of vascular disease, diabetes, and traumatic brain injury in Native populations as contributors. We’ll hear about the study, advice for preventing and diagnosing cognitive impairments, and programs aimed at helping elders experiencing symptoms.