Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine

Latest Episodes:

Making Choices to Protect One Another During the Pandemic Apr 09, 2021

Show notes

Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) is back exploring how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis.

On today’s show, Leah reflects on the many choices people are making to help keep each other safe. Leah enjoys a lively and fun conversation with college student Skylar Kuczaboski (Leech Lake) who is a senior at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, although she is completing her spring semester virtually from Minnesota. Skylar reflects on her experience as a first-generation college student at an Ivy League school amid all the disrupted circumstances over the last year of the pandemic, and the choices she is making to keep her relatives safe.

We also hear from Dr. Anton Treuer (White Earth/Leech Lake Ojibwe), a prolific author, international speaker, historian, and professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University, who shares “A Traditional Native American Perspective on Covid Vaccines,” in a recently released video.

Plus, we hear from Red Lake Nation’s Chairman Darrel G. Seki Sr., who expresses gratitude for the community’s vigilance in helping one another stay healthy. He cautions people not to let their guard down and encourages everyone to consider getting vaccinated.

Daniel Jourdain’s Gift for Supporting Diverse Community through Politics and Policy Making Apr 08, 2021

Show notes

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine – Weekly Radio Show

Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.

Native Lights – Daniel Jourdain’s Gift for Supporting Diverse Community through Politics and Policy Making

Today on the show, we talk with Daniel Jourdain (Red Lake Nation), Bemidji’s new city council member for the at-large seat and is only the second Indigenous person to serve on the city council, throughout its history. Daniel Jourdain is also an employment specialist with the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.

As a Bemidji resident for over 6 years and a Beltrami County resident for over 30 years, Daniel Jourdain shares how he did not originally plan to go into politics. But when a seat on the council opened up, many friends and mentors urged him to throw his hat into the ring. Daniel tells us what it was like learning to run a campaign (door-knocking in sub-zero temperatures), raising funds, and introducing himself by sharing his voice and speaking from the heart. Now as an elected official, Daniel Jourdain seeks to serve constituents by building positive partnerships among diverse communities and creating policies that serve the public’s interest.

We loved hearing Daniel’s good advice for everyone: you must believe in yourself, follow your dreams, give it your all, and never give up. Miigwech Daniel Jourdain for sharing your insights and gifts.

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Cultural Medicines and Viewing the Pandemic through a Traditional Lens Apr 02, 2021

Show notes

Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) is back exploring how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis.

On today’s show, Leah reflects on conversations about cultural medicines and viewing the pandemic and vaccinations through a lens of history and experience.

We hear from Megan Schnitker (Lakota) who works with plant medicines. Megan learned about plant medicines from her grandmother. She shares perspectives about the year-long harvest cycle, the rise in interest in first medicines, and traditional reliance on plant medicines to get through hard times, including COVID.

We also hear from Briana Michels (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) who works for the American Indian Resource and Resiliency team out of the University of Minnesota extension. Briana leads workshops on healing from trauma, and connects historical and current traumas, like the pandemic and the killing of George Floyd, with vaccine hesitation, and what it takes to heal.

Plus, Dr. Antony Stately recalls his first-hand experience becoming seriously ill with COVID-19, and how he recovered with the aid of medical care combined with traditional practices, prayer, and wisdom from elders.

And, Governor Walz and Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) both express hope for the future, tempered with caution and safety, as we move into the future with many more people receiving vaccines.

Many thanks to all of our guests, we appreciate your insights and perspectives.

Learn about cultural medicines at Megan Schnitker’s website: https://www.lakotamade.com/

Jessica Engelking’s Gift for Creativity and Indigenizing Institutions Apr 01, 2021

Show notes

Today on the show we meet Jessica Engelking, a descendent of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, who is a researcher with the Great Plains Action Society, and the author of a new book geared toward younger readers, called "Peggy Flanagan: Ogimaa Kwe, Lieutenant Governor." The book is part of the Minnesota Native American Lives series, a partnership between the Minnesota Humanities Center and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council.

Jessica Engleking has both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Philosophy and has worked in academia. And her passion for creativity and resisting colonization of institutions led her to help build the Great Plains Action Society, where she is Director of Research and Fundraising. We enjoyed hearing how Jessica seeks to Indigenize and decolonize, as she creates a curriculum to help Native students develop their logic skills, so they become lawyers and help decolonize the legal system.

Many thanks to Jessica for sharing your creative gifts and for this fun conversation.

And thank you to our young reader, Marvin, age 7 for reading to us and asking your question.

Great Plains Action Society is online at https://www.greatplainsaction.org/

Rhiana Yazzie and Marisa Cummings Envision Post-Pandemic Life in Their Respective Fields Mar 26, 2021

Show notes

Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) is back exploring how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis.

On today’s show, we hear how two visionaries are looking forward to life after the pandemic, in their respective fields. Rhiana Yazzie (Navajo) is a theatre artist, filmmaker, playwright, and she founded New Native Theatre twelve years ago. Marisa Cummings (Omaha) is the President and CEO of the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center (MIWRC), a non-profit organization committed to traditional ways of being and support of Native women and families.

Rhiana Yazzie speaks about how safety is a top concern, as the New Native Theatre imagines bringing new productions to audiences in the future. Rhiana reflects on how COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Native peoples, and how considerations for the well-being of community members will continue to be woven into the mission and experience of New Native Theatre, as it always has been pre-pandemic.

Marisa Cummings shares about the great work the MIWRC does to support Native women and families in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis, and how the organization’s efforts took shape and continued throughout the pandemic. Marisa explains how meeting the challenge of engaging communities by creating programming in the virtual world, has prompted the organization to envision and imagine new ways of serving and strengthening even more women and families long into the future.

Miigwech, Rhiana Yazzie and Marisa Cummings! We are thankful for your vision and leadership in your respective fields.

New Native Theatre, based in the Twin Cities, is a new way of looking at, thinking about, and staging Native American stories. https://newnativetheatre.org/

The Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center (MIWRC) is a non-profit social and mental health services organization committed to traditional ways of being and support of Native women and their families. https://www.miwrc.org/

Jonathan Thunder’s Gift for Honest Expression Through Art and Animation Mar 25, 2021

Show notes

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine – Weekly Radio Show

Native Lights – Jonathan Thunder’s Gift for Honest Expression Through Art and Animation

Today we have the pleasure of talking with Jonathan Thunder (Red Lake Nation) a multi-disciplinary artist whose artistry is recognizable with its vivid yet dreamy images in large-scale murals, animated films, and installations.

Jonathan Thunder shares how he got his start (his first paying gig was a large mural at a school) some of the other artists he admires (Ice Cube for his fearless honesty) and how he constantly challenges himself to draw on Indigenous history and Ojibwe perspectives to express social, emotional, and political truths through vivid and surreal imagery, the evoke everything from grief and pain to humor and hope.

We ask Jonathan Thunder about the meaning and motivations behind his recent paintings: “Quarantine at Grandma’s House” and “On the Grave of the Giant.” Miigwech Jonathan for sharing your artistry and enthusiasm for honest expression!

You can check out Jonathan Thunder’s surreal imagery here: http://thunderfineart.com/

Kade Ferris’ Gift for Inspiring through Children’s Literature Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

Today we talk with Kade Ferris (Metis Nation citizen of the Manitoba Metis Federation) who is an author, Indigenous historian, and researcher. Kade is from the Turtle Mountain community in North Dakota, and he currently lives and works for the Red Lake Nation as an archeologist. Kade Ferris is the author of six books on the history and culture of the Ojibwe, Cree, and Metis people and has reached the Amazon top-100 list several times. Additionally, Kade has worked for decades in Indigenous cultural resource management and natural resource management, conducting research for land and resource issues, and building community capacity in historic preservation.

We enjoy a lively and wide-ranging conversation with Kade Ferris, and he tells us about his most recent book: a biography about Ojibwe Hall of Fame pitcher, Charles Albert Bender, created for young readers. The book was a part of the Minnesota Native American Lives Series (a partnership between the MN Humanities Center and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council.) The book was recently listed as one of the American Indians in Children's Literature Best Books of 2020. Congratulations Kade!

Find Kade Ferris’ Dibaajimowin blog here: https://www.dibaajimowin.com/

Language Education Thrives During the Pandemic and White Earth’s Powwow Returns Mar 17, 2021

Show notes

Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) is back exploring how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis.

On today’s show, we hear how language education is thriving through the pandemic, as students, teachers, and schools all rise to meet many challenges over the past year. We talk with Barry Hand (Lakota) a Dakotiyapi Culture and History teacher at the Bdote Learning Center. Bdote is a dual-language immersion school (Ojibwemowin and Dakotiyapi) and provides students with an academically rigorous education that is place-based and rooted in the Native language and culture of indigenous peoples.

We hear about the White Earth Nation’s indoor powwow, held in early March. Powwow committee member Dana Goodwin (White Earth) explains all the planning and precautions that went into organizing the event, and how they kept dancers, drummers, and community members safe. Dana also shares the relief and joy felt by many participants as they gathered for healing and celebration, after many months apart.

Governor Walz reflects on the last year, the pains and loss felt by many, how things are now looking brighter, and how we’ve learned and grown in many ways from this experience.

Plus, Barry Hand teaches us a few Dakotiyapi words - phrases to help us remember to be compassionate to one another and to encourage us to keep going, even as we face hardship.

Please enjoy hearing from Barry Hand and Dana Goodwin; we thank you both for all you do to keep our communities safe and thriving.

Listen to past COVID-19 Community Conversations here: https://minnesotanativenews.org/category/community-conversations/

How Indian Education Rises and Serves Minnesota Students Throughout Pandemic Challenges Mar 12, 2021

Show notes

On today’s show, we hear from two Indian Education staff who are passionate about serving students in the ISD318 school district located in Itasca County, in the heart of Ojibwe country. Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) is exploring how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis.

We hear from Jessica Bobrowski (Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) is the program coordinator for ISD 318 Indian Education and Ella Cummings is a Student Advocate at the Grand Rapids High School. Jessica and Ella share different ways they and their colleagues have risen to meet all the changes and challenges of the pandemic, so students can thrive even as school life has been changed and disrupted.

The goal of Indian Education is to introduce Ojibwe culture and history and provide hands-on learning experiences for all students, and Jessica and Ella explain how incorporating the Seven Grandfather teachings of Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility, and Truth has helped raise up all students, both Native and Non-Native in their schools and classrooms.

Plus, Governor Tim Walz reflects on the last year: the many losses and challenges, and how far we’ve come to get to this point where now more than one million Minnesotans have received their vaccine.

Diane Wilson’s Gift for Storytelling and Food Sovereignty Mar 11, 2021

Show notes

Today, a nourishing discussion with Diane Wilson (Dakota), the award-winning writer who is also a speaker, editor, and is the executive director for the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance. We’re excited to speak with Diane Wilson about her new novel called The Seed Keeper, which is published by Milkweed Editions and came out in early March of 2021.

Diane tells us how she uses her personal experience to illustrate broader social and historical context. She shares how her life revolves around storytelling and gardening, and how she’s learned that creativity, seeds, and sustainable growth are all intimately intertwined. We also hear about what the pandemic has taught her about food sovereignty. And Diane reveals some of her best writing practices that have led her on the journey from the blank page to creating celebrated books.

Diane Wilson’s memoir, Spirit Car: Journey to a Dakota Past (Borealis Books) won a 2006 Minnesota Book Award and was selected for the 2012 One Minneapolis One Read program. Her 2011 nonfiction book, Beloved Child: A Dakota Way of Life (Borealis Books) was awarded the 2012 Barbara Sudler Award from History Colorado. Her most recent essay, Seeds for Seven Generations, is featured in the 2016 anthology, A Good Time for the Truth (MN Historical Society Press).

You can learn more about Diane Wilson’s new novel, The Seed Keeper, here: https://milkweed.org/book/the-seed-keeper