Tiffany Midge – Bury My Heart at Chuck E. Cheese’s

Tiffany Midge, of the Standing Rock Sioux nation, is a humorist and writer.  Her latest book, Bury My Heart at Chuck E Cheese’s cuts into and wryly  grins at our world and its microaggressions, through the indigenous lens.

Producer – Yuko Kodama and Jesse Callahan

Photo – Tiffany Midge

Canoe Journey 2019 – Samish Landing

This year’s Tribal Canoe Journey, honoring ancient indigenous traditions is underway.  The Lummi Nation is hosting this year’s festivities by welcoming over one hundred indigenous canoes  to their shores.  Canoe families come from Washington state, British Columbia, Alaska and as far as Hawaii. (more…)

Unmute the Commute: Ancient Highways

We explore our region’s original commutes along the water highways of the Salish Sea and Pacific Coast.

Featuring: Quileute Canoe Leader, Sunny Woodruff + United Nations for All Tribes Foundation Board Chair and Makah tribal member, Jeff Smith.

Today’s story is produced by KBCS’s Yuko Kodama.

Unmute the Commute is supported in part by Just One Trip, a King County Metro campaign to get you out of your car – starting with just one trip.

DAPL Construction Impacts On A Local Sioux Member

Local Standing Rock Sioux tribal member, Kyle Shierbeck shares how his family was directly impacted by the Dakota Access Pipeline construction project. Here’s KBCS Contributing Producer, Esther Little Dove John speaking with Shierbeck in the KBCS Studios.

Photo courtesy of Leslie Peterson

Today’s Native Activism

Our region’s Native community is vibrant, and a force to be reckoned with.  From art and education, to  social services and political advocacy, we feature some of the leaders empowering the Native experience.

Episode 1 – Last October, local Lakota activist, and Co-founder of the blog, Last Real Indians Matt Remle made a breakthrough in Seattle with the replacement of Columbus Day for Indigenous People’s Day. The event made national and international headlines. Remle discusses the importance of recognizing Native Americans on Columbus Day.

Episode 2 – This year, all Washington public schools are  mandated to teach Native American history and governance in the curriculum.   Mike Vendiola is a Swinomish member and Washington State’s Native Education Program Supervisor for the Superintendent of Public Instruction.  He explains the need for the legislation.

Episode 3 – Pahnee Tribal Member and Chief Seattle Club Executive Director, Colleen Echohawk explains one of the core reasons why there’s a disproportionate number of Native Americans on the street and without a home.

Episode 4 & 5 – Louie Gong is a Nooksack member, arts entrepreneur and educator who founded Eighth Generation.  He breaks down cultural appropriation and the impact on the native community.

Image – Courtesy of artist, Louie Gong “Modern Day Warrior”

Music – Rushus “crimson turtles”, “05-29”

Producers – Ruth Bly and Yuko Kodama