Native America Calling

At first officials identified Navajo, Apache, and other Arizona tribal members as among those who were victims of a massive Medicaid fraud scam. Now tribes in Montana, North and South Dakota, and other states are taking stock of their members who were also caught up in the fake substance abuse treatment con that reaches into the hundreds of millions of dollars. The Blackfeet Nation declared an emergency to help gain resources to repair the fallout for its citizens. We’ll find out the latest on the efforts to help the people who were harmed and hold those responsible accountable. GUESTS Reva Stewart (Diné), grassroots advocate with the #StolenPeopleStolenBenefits campaign Jeri Long (Diné), Native American advocate and director of business development at Milestone Recovery Melissa Lonebear (Northern Cheyenne), member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council Shelly Hall (Blackfeet), member of the Blackfeet Tribe Business Council

Until this month, one of Colorado’s highest peaks was named for the former state governor who fostered and supported what became known as the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864. It took years of pressure and an awareness campaign to get the name changed. Still, support is not universal. We’ll get the story on changing the Mount Evans name to Mount Blue Sky - and some updates on other important place name changes. GUESTS Fred Mosqueda (Southern Arapaho), Arapaho Language and Culture Program Coordinator for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma Chester Whiteman (Southern Cheyenne), Cheyenne coordinator of the Culture Program of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes Dr. David Lewis (Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde), assistant professor of Anthropology and Indigenous Studies at Oregon State University and blogs at NDN History Research Roman Rain Tree (Dunlap Band of Mono Indians, Choinumni, Wukchumni), chief impact officer for Seeds of Sovereignty and community organizer for the Industrial Areas Foundation Tom Rodgers (Blackfeet), senior advisor for the Rocky Mountain Tribal Council

Neighbors are helping each other rebuild after the historic deadly fire on Maui. The community is in line for hundreds of millions of dollars in federal and state funds, in addition to private donations from all over the world. More than a month after the blaze swept through the city of Lahaina and the surrounding area, officials are still sorting out the cause and the factors that contributed to its severity. And, while not as bad as originally feared, the death toll approaches 100 people. We’ll check back in with the rebuilding effort in Hawaii and what some of the major challenges are as residents look to the future.

The newest survey from the Pew Charitable Trusts concludes suicide is an urgent public health issue. Their data shows that while the suicide rate increased an alarming 30% across the board over a 20-year span, the rate for Native American and Alaska Native females rose a staggering 135% over the same time. The number for Native males is close behind. At least half of those people had contact with the health care system within a month of taking their own lives, indicating an opportunity for trained professionals to intervene. It’s Suicide Awareness Month, and we’ll look at the promising work to turn around a dire trend.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruling denying race-conscious college admissions has Native business owners on alert over the far-reaching implications beyond higher education. A recent federal judge’s decision puts an additional hurdle in front of Native businesses when it comes to a program in place to diversify federal contracts. Some experts and Native small business owners worry it’s only the beginning of a new system that will mean fewer successful Native entrepreneurs.

The Center for Native Futures (CfNF) opens this weekend in the heart of downtown Chicago. The gallery art space is the first of its kind in the Windy City and it’s dedicated to contemporary Native artists interested in visualizing the future and setting the tone for the future of Native art. We’ll visit with the founders and artists at the new center.

The Biden Administration reversed oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), earning praise from environmental advocates and Alaska Native wildlife and subsistence hunting protectors. But the move also received criticism from Alaska Native corporations and the state's entire congressional delegation. We’ll look at the ongoing political back-and-forth that defines the pristine but resource-rich tundra of Alaska. Plus, a preview of what could be an historic marine sanctuary set-aside initiated by the Chumash Tribe in California.

The good news is high school sports injuries are decreasing, according to a study released this year by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The bad news is the severity of those injuries are getting worse. As fall seasons get underway, Native trainers are responding to new awareness of the dangers of life-long injuries from high school sports. Young athletes could encounter serious injuries including concussions, broken bones, ruined joints, and even anxiety and other mental health problems. The one-time advice to "walk it off" is replaced with sophisticated attention to long-term health.

The Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe just took ownership of almost 900 acres of ancestral land in Virginia, thanks, in part, to $3 million in federal funds. And legislation in Minnesota would transfer a state park to the Upper Sioux Community in a historic act recognizing atrocities committed by state and federal officials against the Dakota people that culminated in the mass execution of 38 Dakota men in 1862. Those are two examples of a trend in governments, organizations, and individuals facilitating the return of important land to tribal control.

Many of the roads, hiking trails and even railroads that crisscross the landscape began thousands of years ago as trails by Indigenous hunters and traders. Many tribes have since lost their connections to those trails. But some are trying to re-connect their strong cultural links to the ancient routes, and tell their own stories about what they mean.

A number of Native-led live productions are taking the stage. They include an all-Indigenous production about Canadian residential schools written by a First Nations playwright - and the Rolling World Premiere of "Where the Summit Meets the Stars" by Frank Henry Kaash Katasse (Tlingit) at the Autry Museum of the American West's Wells Fargo Theater in Los Angeles. We get a look at upcoming theater productions. GUESTS Dr. Spy Dénommé-Welch (Algonquin-Anishinaabe), librettist and co-composer for “Canoe” Frank Henry Kaash Katasse (Tlingit), playwriter, educator, and actor Kim Gleason (Diné), artistic director of Two Worlds Native Theater Break 1 Music: Pomok naka Poktoinskwes (song) Jeremy Dutcher (artist) Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa (album) Break 2 Music: Memory Lane (song) Nitanis “Kit” Largo (artist) Serenity (album)

The state of Alaska released its first-ever list of missing Alaska Natives and Native Americans. The list also includes basic details about each case, including whether or not it’s suspicious. The report includes 280 names going back to 1960. It’s part of the state’s efforts to address the disproportionate percentage of Native people among missing persons cases. Meanwhile, two years after Oklahoma passed a law to address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives, the effort remains largely unfunded. We’ll assess how some specific programs are progressing after a high profile push to address law enforcement disparities.

Many low-income families got an unwelcome surprise after supplemental COVID food security programs expired earlier this year. Funds available for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) dropped to a fraction of what they were previously. Suddenly, people didn’t have enough to eat and no remedies in sight. Those cuts hit Native American families hardest, as they have a much higher percentage of SNAP participation than the population as a whole.

The Everson Museum of Art is featuring the work of Onondaga painter Frank Buffalo Hyde in a new exhibition, whose work meshes Native themes with pop culture images, such as sports mascots, corporate logos, celebrities, and fast food. His colorful paintings often infuse a heavy dose of satire. He recently appeared on the reality competition TV show “The Exhibit”. Today on Native America Calling, he is our Native In The Spotlight and taking your calls.

Where else can you get a young adult mystery and a lesson in the Native American Graves Protection Act but from Ojibwe writer Angeline Boulley (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians)? In Warrior Girl Unearthed, a follow-up to her debut novel The Firekeeper’s Daughter, Boulley catches readers up with the Firekeeper family’s subsequent generation on Sugar Island. As the title suggests, the young protagonist digs into connections to her people and culture she never realized were there.

Ada Deer was a pioneer in education as a lecturer and researcher in social work and Native American Studies at the University of Madison-Wisconsin. She was also renowned for her tireless advocacy and policy work. She was instrumental in achieving federal recognition for Alaska Native villages, her own Menominee Tribe and several others. Along the way, she helped dismantle the federal Termination Era. She was the first Native woman to run for Congress in Wisconsin. She lost the election, but went on to hold a number of influential positions including Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs.

Students at the Umoⁿhoⁿ Nation Public School are operating a successful farm and taking over a couple of acres on the school’s campus in Nebraska. It’s all in response to health concerns in the Native community. Former chef Brendan Shay Basham’s debut novel Swim Home to the Vanished takes readers along a journey of grief and suspense with food as a central theme. The main character, a line cook, hits the restart button after the death of his brother, but gets caught in a family’s internal conspiracies. All that and more on this month’s episode of The Menu hosted by Andi Murphy.

As fans mark the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop, we’ll zero in on contributions by Native artists. Diné rapper Def-i is among the big winners at this month's International Indigenous Hip-Hop Awards in Vancouver, B.C. Gary Paul Davis aka Litefoot is one of the OGs of Native hip-hop, winning a handful of Native American Music Awards. We’ll hear from them and other artists about what’s fresh and current among Native talent as hip-hop pushes past middle age.

Millions of low-income people will lose Medicaid coverage over the next year after a pandemic safety net is expiring. Native Americans are among the populations that are especially affected by the coming changes. We’ll find out the important information and what people can do to prepare.

Officials are still sorting out the human and financial toll of the unprecedented fire on Maui. Many Native Hawaiians remain missing, hundreds more sustained serious damage to their homes and businesses. Meanwhile, Canada is dealing with a record-setting wildfire season with evacuations affecting many First Nations reserves. As the hottest summer on record winds down, we’ll get an assessment of what Native emergency management officials view as the path ahead.