Cocopah Now Podcast: Recent Episodes
Cocopah Podcast
After more than six months planning, preparing, and planting, Cocopah Head Start children reaped the fruits and vegetables of their labor. Cocopah Head Start Director Tabitha Navotny, Elder Paula Koolick, EPO Border Projects Technician Luis Sanchez and EPO Director Jen Alspach talk about this milestone for the tribe.
Cocopah Environmental Protection Office Director Jen Alspach talks about resiliency as it pertains to environmental restoration projects. Arizona Conservation Corps crew members Martin Leon, Derrick Lameman and Helen Eifert talk about their experiences from projects on other regions in the state compared to the desert southwest.
Mass shootings in the US have forced first responders to change their tactics. Among those changes is to outfit paramedics with the same ballistic helmets and vests as the police have in their inventory. Cocopah Emergency Manager Mike Fila, Cocopah Public Safety Director Paul DeAnda, and Somerton Cocopah Fire Department Chief Javier Hernandez talk about how first responders have changed their tactics to protect the public
Representatives from the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society visited Cocopah to get a first hand look at a $5 million restoration project encompassing 400 acres of Cocopah land. Cocopah Environmental Protection Office Director Jen Alspach and Museum Manager Joe Rodriquez talk with NAFWS Executive Director Julie Thorstenson and Grants Coordinator Megan Hawkins about their partnership.
Cocopah Environmental Protection Office Director Jen Alspach, Border Projects Technician Luis Sanchez, Air Quality Specialist Emily Matcham, and Tribal member Krista Phillips discuss air quality and pesticide safety training.
Cocopah EPO Border Projects Technician Luis Sanchez, EPO Director Jen Alspach, Councilmember Jennifer Townsend and Cocopah Mom Jessica Serrano talk about the intersection of education, the environment and culture.
Cocopah Environmental Protection Office Director Jen Alspach talks with Councilmember Jennifer Townsend and Cocopah Mom Jessica Serrano about the learning process for children as they prepare to plant a garden.
Cocopah EPO Border Projects Technician Luis Sanchez and Cocopah Head Start Director Tabitha Novotny talk about teaching children how to make seedlings.
Cocopah Environmental Protection Office Director Jen Alspach, former Miss Cocopah Santana Salazar, and Parks & Rec Administrative Assistant Kat Gibbs reflect on the first Cocopah Earth Day Festival that was held on Saturday, April 20.
More than a dozen college students from around the country toured the Cocopah Museum. For some of them, this was their first time in Arizona, but for most of them, it was their first time visiting a Native American tribe.
Crews started grading the land and installing the framework for a new garden in the playground portion of Cocopah's Head Start facility on the East Reservation. The project will be completed after five phases. The Cocopah Environmental Protection Office and Head Start won a GroMoreGood Garden Grant, totaling $5000. The funding came from The Scotts Miracle-Grow Foundation and the national Head Start Association.
Cocopah Environmental Office Director Jen Alspach, Museum Director Joe Rodriquez and KAWC Reporter Victor Calderon discuss the intersection of history, culture, environmental restoration and journalism.
Cocopah Museum Director Joe Rodriquez talks with Journalist Evan Bourtos about how the Colorado River is central to Cocopah life and culture.
Cocopah Environmental Protection Office Director Jen Alspach and Journalist Evan Bourtis talk about their passion for the environment and educating the public about environmental issues. Jen’s interview will soon be featured on Mongabay.
Cocopah Museum Director Joe Rodriquez and Children's Museum of Yuma County Operations and Education Manager Christine Bryant talk about their shared mission to educate and engage children. The Children's Museum invited Cocopah to set up a display booth on Friday.
Cocopah Environmental Protection Office Director Jen Alspach interviews three Arizona Civilian Conservation Corps crew members who partnered with the tribe on a restoration area on the West Cocopah Reservation. Quinn Bujewski, Emely Inzunza, and Megan Gossen talked about how they were inspired to do this type of work
Cocopah Environmental Protection Office Director Jen Alspach and Cocopah Head Start Teacher's Assistant Alicia Mills talk about engaging students when it comes to learning about nature and the environment. Alspach taught a dozen Cocopah Head Start children how to plant seeds and grow flowers.
Three Cocopah Council members share their thoughts about restoration work on the Colorado River near the international border with Mexico. Vice-Chairwoman Rosa J. Long and Councilmembers Neil White and Wynnie Ortega participated in a two day tour that was led by two representatives from the Audubon Society.
Cocopah Vice-Chairwoman Rosa J. Long returned from a week long session among Federal, State and Tribal officials to discuss the future of water rights and needs. In this podcast, Long talks about the cooperation among tribes and what Cocopah is doing to restore the Colorado River.
Every year Cocopah Vice-Chairwoman Rosa J. Long participates in the Colorado River Water Users Association conference in Las Vegas. In this podcast she shares her thoughts on water rights and conservation.
A restoration project on the Arizona-California border is underway. In this podcast, Cocopah Environmental Protection Office Director talks about construction of a new park that aims to reconnect the Tribe with the Colorado River.
Cocopah Environmental Protection Office Director Jen Alspach and former EPO Technician Willadena Thomas talk about its impact on the area and what they are doing to restore the habitat.
Arizona Conservation Crew Leader Anthony Chesney talks about it's like and what it takes to help save the good earth. Chesney and his roving restoration crew are helping reduce the risk of wild fires on the West Cocopah Reservation and help restore the habitat.
Somerton Cocopah Fire Department has another life-saving tool in their inventory to extract people from vehicles. SCFD Capt. Steve Clark demonstrates how a reciprocating saw coupled with the Jaws Of Life can get someone out of a wreck in less than two minutes. This is a taped version of a live stream that was posted on Oct. 27.
Cocopah Elder Cynthia Villanueva talks about what inspired her to get traditional Cocopah face tattoos.
Cocopah Elder John Villanueva talks about how he recovered two petroglyphs thousands of years old and delivered them to the Cocopah Museum.
Cocopah Tribal Court Presiding Judge Heather Vinci talks about what inspired her to pursue a career in law. Vinci was among 20 up and coming professionals under the age of 40 who were recognized for their accomplishments. In addition to her career in law, she and her husband are co-owners of a popular coffee shop in Yuma's North End.
n this episode, Cocopah tribal member Amanda Twist talks about her memories of the cradle board her family made for her. Cultural Resources Manager Justin Brundin and Museum Curator Ulises Heredia talk about the artistic and material aspects of cradle boards.
In this episode, Cocopah Tribal member Kamie Phillips reflects upon the time 31 years ago when her late mother and other Cocopah elders sold beadwork to visitors who arrived at the West Cocopah Reservation by train. Those moments, and the Older Workers Program, were featured in a February 1989 edition of Arizona Highways Magazine.
In this podcast, Cocopah Elder Marlowe Barley, his daughter Kiki, and Cocopah tribal member Deanna Thomas talk about their experiences learning and playing the ancient game of peón. The game teaches its players about mental and emotional strength, agility, patience, stamina and resolve.
In this podcast, Cocopah Elder Irene Sharkey talks about her life long love of fishing along the Colorado River and area canals. Museum Curator Ulises Heredia displays some wax models of Mullet Fish, a species that once thrived in the Colorado River.
In this episode, Cocopah Museum Curator Ulises Heredia talks about a series of photographs that show the development Cocopah housing in the 1960s and 70s. Cocopah Elder Becky Stevens, who had worked for the Cocopah Indian Housing & Development office, shares her insights and memories of that time and what it means today.
Cocopah Elder Neil White and Museum Curator Ulises Heredia talk about a unique set of three modern gourds that are in the Cocopah Museum's collection. All three were made by a Cocopah elder who also served in the U.S. Military during the Vietnam War.
In thispodcast, Cocopah artist Paul Barley and Museum Curator Ulises Heredia talk about the art of Native American ribbon shirts. Ribbon shirts date back to the 1800s and are popular to this day. For this podcast, Barley talks about a ribbon shirt he made a few years ago and Heredia talks about another ribbon shirt that is in the Museum collection.
In this video podcast, former MIss Cocopah Wendy Ortega (1998-99) talks about the original handmade Miss Cocopah crown that she wore for the entirety of her reign. Museum Curartor Ulises Heredia talks about the intricate bead work and design of the crown which is now in the Museum's collection.
In this video podcast, Cocopah Museum Curator Ulises Heredia talks about a beaded trucker's cap that was made in the mid-1980s through the Older Workers Program.
Census workers are at Cocopah distributing the 2020 Census questionnaire. In this podcast, Cocopah tribal member Taleena Garcia talks about what inspired her to become a Census worker and what precautions these workers are taking because of COVID19.
Cocopah Museum Director Joe Rodriquez and Museum Curator Ulises Heredia talk about a beaded cross that dates back to the 1980s and was made by a Cocopah elder.
In this podcast, Cocopah Councilwoman Rosa J. Long and Cocopah Indian Housing & Development Executive Director Raymond Robles explain important details about June 8, the first day Census workers will be delivering questionnaires at each household.
Wilana Ortega and Elizabeth Garcia with the Cocopah Tribal Health Maintenance Program talk about the importance of self-care during COVID 19.
Cocopah Museum Director Joe Rodriquez and Curator Ulises Heredia talk about the cultural and historical significance of Cocopah dolls.
Cocopah Cultural Resources Manager Justin Brundin and Museum Curator Ulises Heredia talk about the connection between pottery, culture, and history.
Most wildland fires in Arizona are caused by people. In this podcast, Cocopah Cultural Resources Manager Justin Brundin and Chuck Jachens, a fire investigator with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, talk about preventing wildfires and protecting cultural resources.
The Cocopah Indian Tribe and Quechan Indian Tribe donated a combined total of 10 ventilators to the Yuma Regional Medical Center. In this podcast, Cocopah Councilwoman Rosa J. Long and Cocopah Emergency Manager Mike Fila talk about what it took to make this donation possible and what it means for community partnerships in the future.
In this podcast, Interim Cocopah Environmental Protection Office Director Andrea Mitchell and Yuma Audubon Society President Nancy Meister talk about what Earth Day means to them. Here are some online resources: https://www.plt.org/educator-tips/earth-day-activities/ https://parade.com/1014585/marynliles/earth-day-activities-adults-kids/ https://www.epa.gov/earthday
In this podcast, Cocopah Education Coordinator Wynnie Ortega and Project LAUNCH Community Coordinator Wilana Ortega talk about educational activities for kids and families staying home during the COVID19 pandemic.
Cocopah Councilwoman Rosa J. Long and Housing Director Raymond Robles talk about the importance of completing the 2020 Census. With people staying home during the COVID19 pandemic, now is a good time to take the Census online, by mail, or by phone. For a guide on how to complete the Census online click here: https://youtu.be/vCM0XrSynFw
In this podcast, Cocopah Museum Director Joe Rodriquez and Cultural Resources Manager Justin Brundin reflect on their personal experiences fishing along the Colorado River.
Cocopah Museum Manager Joe Rodriquez was a guest on Z93's Today in Yuma Show where he talked about what the Cocopah Tribe is doing to promote traditional Native American music.
Cocopah Tribal Police officers recently participated in high-tech firearms training on a virtual range. In this podcast, Firearms Instructor Lt. Marty Grosvenor talks about how this state-of-the-art system helps police make split-second decisions.
In this podcast, Cocopah Emergency Manager Mike Fila talks about how a nationwide preparedness exercise that the Tribe participated in six months ago foreshadowed what is happening today with the COVID-19 or coronavirus.
Cocopah Cultural Resources Manager Justin Brundin talks about what inspired him to start an initiative to bring back the musical tradition of flute playing to the Cocopah Indian Tribe.
Cocopah Cultural Resources Manager Justin Brundin talks about mining in the desert southwest as it relates to Cocopah history and the challenges of finding more evidence to add to the historical record.
Yuma Jaycees Rodeo Chairman Damian Moore, Queen Kaitlynn Salter and Teen Queen Mya Preston were among several special guests who made an appearance at the 23rd Annual Cocopah Cultural Celebration. Each year the Tribe sponsors the Rodeo which kicks off Feb. 7 at the Yuma County Fairgrounds. In this podcast, Mya and Kaitlynn talk about how their roles have empowered them.
Former heavyweight boxing champions Chris Byrd and Lamon Brewster visited the Cocopah Indian Tribe last summer as part of a men's health month program. Byrd and Brewster talked with Cocopah Now about what inspired them to put on the gloves and how the sport has changed. Chris Byrd kicked off the talk with his take on how 1992 was a pivotal year.