Native America Calling

Diné composer Raven Chacon originally bristled at the invitation to create a work for the annual Thanksgiving concert at a Milwaukee Catholic Church. But he was drawn to the opportunity to write music features the magnificent organ at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. That work, Voiceless Mass, led to Chacon being the first Native composer to win a Pulitzer Prize in Music. Chacon returns to the Native America Calling studio for a discussion about his art and his inspiring journey.

An all-Native send-up of the Tony Award-winning musical-turned-hit-movie “Grease” is connecting with audiences in Canada and playing in selected theaters in the U.S. “Bear Grease” is the brainchild of Crystle Lightning (Cree) and MC RedCloud (Huichol), a husband and wife hip-hop duo who go by the name Lightning Cloud. It’s a follow-up to their “hip-hopera” “Dr. Sioux’s The Neech Who Stole Christmas.” With songs like “Boarding School Dropout”, this is not the nearly all-white musical depicting the fun-loving 50s era. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce talks with MC RedCloud as well as Nipîy Iskwew (Cree and Beaver First Nation), fashion designer, entrepreneur, and performer, and Teneil Whiskeyjack (Cree), artist, playwright, and entrepreneur who plays Marty in the show, about Indigenizing the classic plot, lyrics, and fashion of “Grease”.

The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation estimates as many as 25 million Americans are experiencing long COVID. So little is known about the condition that the number could be much higher or significantly lower. But medical experts suggest a large percentage of the population could suffer serious symptoms from the virus for a long time. Those symptoms might be as mild as a loss of smell, or as severe as difficulty breathing. And the significant rate of infections is far from over. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce speaks with Dr. Jill Jim (Navajo), executive director of the Navajo Nation Department of Health; Dr. Anthony Fleg, physician with the University of New Mexico and co-founder of the Native Health Initiative; and Chasity Salvador (Acoma Pueblo), long COVID survivor, community partner with the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women, poet, community doula, seedkeeper, and farmer.

Tax breaks and other incentives are driving wealthy, outside investors to buy up property in Puerto Rico. That’s pushing housing prices up, exacerbating the island’s debt crisis, and threatening the country’s long-held tradition of public access to beaches. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce speaks with Roberto Borrero (Taino), president of United Confederation of Taino People; Gualterio Alomar (Taino), president of the Organization for Culture of Hispanic Origins; and Tai Pelli (Taino), international relations and human rights officer for the United Confederation of Taino People.

The Indigenous Futures Survey is entering its third year. In that time it has been the most comprehensive data set for Native priorities, opinions and perspectives ever collected. The most recent survey counted more than 6,500 Native respondents. The results inform federal policy decisions and paint a more accurate picture of the issues important to [...]