Unreserved: Recent Episodes
CBC Radio
Unreserved is the radio space for Indigenous voices – our cousins, our aunties, our elders, our heroes. Rosanna Deerchild guides us on the path to better understand our shared story. Together, we learn and unlearn, laugh and become gentler in all our relations.
From Arizona to Alaska, the Indigenous vote is the sleeping giant. The U.S. presidential election is over for another term, and activists say the results could have been drastically different if more Native Americans showed up to vote. This week Rosanna sits down with three voter rights activists and organizers to talk about the power of the Indigenous vote and what it will take to harness it.
In one of Canada’s oldest and largest cemeteries, clerks get multiple calls a day from people looking for loved ones. This week Rosanna takes us on a personal journey to Brookside Cemetery, in search of her grandfather Stanley McLeod. Along the way we learn how others are finding new and meaningful ways to honour our veterans and mark Remembrance Day.
Mazina Giizhik (the One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky) — also known as Murray Sinclair — made his journey to his ancestors yesterday. His death has Rosanna reflecting on a very special visit to his family home in September 2021, recorded in the lead up to the first ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Join us for a revealing, poignant and emotional conversation with Sinclair, Manitoba’s first Indigenous judge, a former senator, lead commissioner for the TRC, and just "Mur." In this intimate interview, recorded in his backyard gazebo, they discuss reconciliation: how far we’ve come, how far we have left to go and who is responsible for taking the journey.
For more Unreserved, find and follow wherever you get your podcasts, or here: https://lnk.to/UnreservedCBC
Ray and Glory St. Germain are the co-authors of a 50-year love story. This week Glory joins Rosanna for an intimate conversation about the legacy of Ray St. Germain, all of which was driven by his love of music and love of family. Ray St Germain started out as a country and rockabilly musician in the 50s, sharing the stage with the likes of Johnny Cash and Kenny Rogers. At a time when many Metis people kept their identities quiet, Ray was loud and proud of being Metis -- and he wasn't afraid to sing about it!
Scary stories are meant to freak you out, but they also share important truths about our lives and our planet. Rosanna catches up with three Indigenous horror writers who are bringing new narratives to the genre, from films to poems.
The buffalo teaches us about respect, but those teachings come with a responsibility to support these animals and bring them back to their traditional lands. Rosanna travels to Blackfoot territory to meet people who are raising buffalo and buffalo consciousness – educating others on the ecological, biological and spiritual importance of this sacred creature. It’s also a time of celebration as an agreement between nearly 70 Nations – the Buffalo Treaty – turns 10 years old.
Medical experiments, forced sterilization, incidents of racism that lead to patient deaths – these are just a few of the historic and ongoing harms against Indigenous people in hospitals across Canada. The Canadian Medical Association has acknowledged and apologized for it, but what comes next? Rosanna speaks with three leaders in the medical field about the way forward.
The fantasy genre often features magical worlds ruled by kings and conquerors with no mention of Indigenous people or of the harms of colonization. This week Rosanna speaks with Indigenous creators who are changing the narrative of fantasy from novels to comics and even board games.
The road to reconciliation is filled with bumps and turns along the way. This week, as Canada recognizes the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Rosanna speaks with three women who’s journeys are helping to show us a way forward.
The sweat lodge had a lot in common with sweaty punk rock shows for Gabe Colhoff, the singer of 1876. This week Rosanna speaks with punks about the long history of Indigenous influence on the scene, from fashion to lyrics to pow wow.
It took a little creativity to find the Ojibway words for a sci-fi glossary fit for Star Wars, but concepts like "The Force" and "The Resistance" are familiar concepts to Indigenous people. It made Star Wars: A New Hope a rewarding challenge to dub into Anishinaabemowin. Rosanna speaks with the actors who brought the words to life, and the translators who are passing language to the next generation. Plus, we step into the triology and hear how Padme Amidala looks with a little Choctaw flare.
After 50 years on the endangered species list, the eagle is making a comeback in Canada’s largest city. It’s one of the things we’re celebrating as we explore what the eagle can teach us about our health, our environment and our spirit. This week Rosanna takes us into our first episode of Sacred Seven – a new occasional series that explores the seven sacred teachings and introduces us to Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers and community members who are putting those teachings into action.
Somebody had to refuse to get on the plane. For decades, Inuit women in northern Quebec had to travel south, far from family and community support, to give birth. But then one mother’s act of defiance ultimately shifted maternal care in the north.
In a bonus episode from our friends at The Current, Duncan McCue shares the history that led to the creation of the North’s first midwifery clinic in 1986. His documentary, originally released last fall, is called Hands of a Midwife.
For more stories to expand your worldview, find and follow The Current wherever you get your podcasts, or here: https://link.chtbl.com/7G8i7Ufm
Jesse Wente’s great grandparents weren’t futurists, but they knew their traditional way of life was ending, and they had a long-term survival plan. We’re talking seven generations long.
In this special bonus episode from IDEAS, the author and arts world changemaker explains how the Anishinaabe conception of time might help us all prepare for the end of the world as we know it. "We are, after all, post-apocalyptic. Our world ended, and we survived, and we’re still here.”
If you want more mind-expanding talks, docs and more, find and follow IDEAS wherever you get your podcasts, or here: https://link.chtbl.com/r47czLl4
It’s one of the most thoroughly documented treaties in Canadian history, but the true story of Treaty 6 was deliberately lost in translation. Today, our friends at The Secret Life of Canada tell us a tale of deception, broken promises, and Canada’s largest mass hanging.
In this special bonus episode — co-hosted by Falen Johnson and Leah-Simone Bowen, featuring Kyle Muzyka — we learn how the Dominion of Canada took control of a land mass roughly the size of Poland.
For more hidden histories, find and follow The Secret Life of Canada wherever you get your podcasts, or here: https://link.chtbl.com/i_2o53Cs
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai beat out a lot of people for his leading role in Reservation Dogs — including his own twin brother! — but the newly Emmy-nominated actor says he’s still humbled on the rez. We think you’ll love his raw and funny interview on Actors & Ancestors, which we’re dropping as a bonus in our podcast feed today.
This podcast, hosted by Rocky Cree actor Joel D. Montgrand, brings us behind-the-scenes with the hottest Indigenous stars as well as elders of stage and screen. They laugh out loud while swatting away industry stereotypes.
You can find Actors & Ancestors wherever you get your podcasts, and here: actorsandancestors.com.
Rosanna pops into your summer feed to tell you about the Indigenous Media Awards that were handed out in July. Unreserved is honoured to receive three awards -- and we're dropping one of those award-winning episodes today: Two-Spirit Artivitsts Share Two Ways of Seeing the World. Unreserved will be back with all new shows Sept. 6, 2024.
Unreserved turns 10 (that's like 100 in rez dog years). Join Rosanna for a special live taping for our ten year anniversary celebration recorded at the Park Theatre in Winnipeg.
Podcasts, movies, books, Pride events and some favourite summer ingredients -- your summer lists just got Indigenous! We gathered some friends to put together a list of recommendations that will help us all celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day and keep it going all summer long. It already has Rosanna on to a couple new podcasts. We hope it inspires you too!
Fraud. Abduction. Murder. Every week, Crime Story host and investigative journalist Kathleen Goldhar goes deep into a tale of true crime with the storyteller who knows it best.
In this special episode, Connie Walker joins Kathleen to discuss the new season of her Pulitzer Prize winning podcast Stolen: Trouble in Sweetwater that investigates a crisis of policing on America’s largest reservation. Connie investigates the disappearance of two women on the Navajo Nation, a place where people say you can get away with murder.
More episodes of Crime Story are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/B7YVZzK0
From a time when skidoos helped deliver important radio messages to today’s ever-evolving content in the podcast world, we hear from three experts on what it takes to claim space and share our stories.
Recorded live at Radiodays North America, Rosanna is joined by Shawn Spruce, the host of Native America Calling, David McLeod – CEO of NCI-FM, and Shayla Oulette Stonechild who is founder and host of the Matriarch Movement podcast.
Grab your paddles and hop in our canoe as we learn how canoeing does more than bring us closer to nature. This week Rosanna takes us on a journey across Turtle Island to learn how the canoe connects us to our past and carries knowledge into the future.
The sights and sounds of the river can teach language and culture and heal intergenerational trauma. This week Rosanna speaks with paddlers and paddling enthusiasts about how canoes are more than objects for transportation, they carry stories and our cultures through time.
Drawing from nimîipuu and Nigerian traditions, beadwork is one way for Afro-Indigenous artist Mikailah Thompson to express her identity. She's one of the people speaking with Rosanna this week about living and creating at the intersections, where multiple cultures, practices and traditions meet.
A moss bag is a traditional way of carrying our babies, sometimes called a baby’s second teacher. The first is their mom. Our women hold important knowledge and this week Rosanna speaks with three warriors who are reclaiming traditional parenting ways.
From caring for mothers through trauma using tipi teachings to using story to inspire parents to raise little warriors and passing on Inuvialuit culture. These Indigenous women are holding up those who hold up our worlds - Happy mothers day.
No more pencils, no more books - we’re taking a break from the classroom to learn about the land, each other and our cultures. This week Rosanna speaks with Indigenous educators about decolonizing the classroom. From curriculum bundles that help Indigenous and non-Indigenous teachers incorporate traditional knowledge in their classrooms to communities looking to re-write curriculum completely, Indigenous approaches are changing the way we teach and learn.
Canada’s beloved game has a well-known dark side: a racist, sexist, toxic culture. But Indigenous lovers of the game are using the power of hockey for positive change, making the ice a space for healing, inclusion, and a ton of fun. This episode shares their stories, from elite players to amateur hockey organizers to fans, and explores how and why they use hockey to change lives. And along the way, celebrate that Indigenous people rock at hockey!
Join us in studio where Inuit throat singers share songs and the stories behind their rhythmic patterns and sounds. This week Rosanna speaks with four Inuit throat singers who are reclaiming this almost lost tradition. For nearly a century, Christian missionaries in the north banned the practice as part of government and church efforts to assimilate Inuit. This is a show about survival and reclamation.
This week we’re taking you to Niagara Falls for the second installment of our occasional series Unmapped. Rosanna is unmapping Niagara Falls, aka Onguiaahra – from the Haudenosaunee contributions to the War of 1812 to the Tuscarora women keeping their culture and traditions alive through beading, there is much more to know beyond the iconic waterfall.
Data tells a story, and that’s why survivors of the notorious Mohawk Institute – Canada’s longest running residential school – are reclaiming data and sharing their truths. This week Rosanna speaks with Indigenous people who are reclaiming data to better understand the past and build towards the future. From traditional knowledge passed down through oral storytelling to the records kept by governments and institutions, data is power. Keeping that power in Indigenous hands is data sovereignty.
What can, or should, we do with pieces of the past, such as audio recordings of our ancestors? They can inspire art and action but there are also protocols around how these things are shared. This week Rosanna talks with artists who are combining lessons of the past with their own artistic flare and passing it on to the next generation.
“Humour is the WD40 of healing.” Indigenous playwrights are telling stories their own way – and it includes a lot of laughter! This week Rosanna explores what’s behind a shift in the theatre world that has Indigenous playwrights showing works on about a dozen of the biggest stages in Canada. They’re moving away from the early years of tackling mostly heavy subjects to telling stories that can be playful, unique, dark and funny.
Resistance and rebellion run deep in the history of dance in Indigenous communities. Margaret Grenier’s Gitxsan grandmother hid family items in her walls to protect important dance traditions from destruction. This week Rosanna speaks with dancers and choreographers about how they are reviving, restoring and re-imagining the art of dance.
For many Indigenous people, food memories are intricately tied to family, community and culture. Meet three Indigenous chefs who are using their food knowledge to transport people to the past and inspire Indigenous menus of the future.
Join us as we check out some birds, hit the halfpipe and prepare for the sugar bush. You'll hear how Indigenous nature enthusiasts are empowering others to get outside and claim space in the Great Outdoors.
There are a lot of love stories out there, but not everyone can see themselves in them. This week we hear from Trans, Queer and Two Spirit artists on how they’re pushing against heteronormative narratives in today’s love stories and love songs.So everyone can see - and hear - themselves in love.
It was an invitation to reconnect with the land, but Robin Wall Kimmerer's bestselling book ended up being more of a call to action. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants is now ten years old. Robin tells us how her humble book of essays spread like seeds in the wind around the world, selling more than 1.6 million copies in the US alone. We also hear from readers and friends who were inspired by the book and took action in their own lives to change their relationships with plants, animals, rain drops...and each other!
We're headed to New York, baby! This episode is part of a travel series from Unreserved called Unmapped. The series invites us to look for the Indigenous presence in some of the most iconic travel destinations around the world. Meet the people who are nurturing community and raising the visibility of Indigenous pasts, presents and futures.
Many Indigenous entrepreneurs start their own businesses to fill a void that the mainstream is missing --because they want to create businesses that were better aligned with their values and the values of their communities. From coffee to tech to cosmetics, we hear from entrepreneurs who dared to do things differently. The result is business success - and mainstream industries are starting to take notice.
This we go back, waaaaaay back to our second episode ever as a national show. Unreserved turns 10 this year and we’re celebrating how far we’ve come and getting excited about the journey ahead.This episode features 2014 throwbacks to award-winning Cree journalist Connie Walker, Kagagi superhero creator Jay Odjick, Winnipeg visual artist Casey Adams, science educator Wildfred Buck, and -- since we're talking about stars -- we decided to throw in one of our all-time favourite interviews with astronaut Nicole Mann (2023),
This week, ‘tis the season for traditions and gathering around songs and stories. Indigenous people love a good story! Especially during the long cold nights of winter. For Anishinabeg and Gwich'in Knowledge Keeper Jack Hoggarth, sharing traditional stories like those of the Anishinaabe spirit Waynaboozhoo is a connection to our ancestors. Community, friends and families would come together to tell these tales, passing them down through generations and creating winter-time traditions that continue to this day.Cree Métis musician Don Amero has been growing with his Christmas concert Amero Little Christmas for 15 years. Local holiday shows have become traditions in communities across Turtle Island. In Winnipeg, that means an evening with Don Amero, his band and his glitter ball suit jacket. Inuk classical singer, Deantha Edmunds enchants with a holiday concert of her own that honours a 200-year-old tradition of singing carols in Inuttitut. Songs and Stories of Christmas in Labrador took place on a wintery December night in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Deantha invited her 13 year old daughter Annabelle to sing along with her.
From Solstice ceremonies to Siqinnaaiut, we share stories that lead us to light out of the dark days of winter.The winter solstice will soon be upon us. That means shorter days and longer nights. Many Indigenous Nations take this time to slow down and acknowledge a new season.For Sarah Sunshine Manning - it means decolonizing the calendar - starting with Christmas. Sarah and her family stopped celebrating Christmas a few years ago and started celebrating Solstice. Sarah is a Shoshone-Paiute writer and director of communications for NDN Collective, an Indigenous-led advocacy organization. She’s on a mission to get us to rethink the way we spend our holidays, both in money and time.The winter solstice is a special time of year for many. It’s a time to slow down, pause, reflect and gather. For Nakota/Cree artist and designer Joely BigEagle-Kequahtooway it’s a time to bring community together. Since 2018, she's been creating a safe space for Indigenous women in Regina to come together for solstice ceremonies.Each year – around the middle of November – the sun sets over the small community of Igloolik in Nunavut and it doesn’t return for almost two months. But when the sun returns it’s greeted with the crooked smiles of children and a song. Siqinnaaiut – or “the return of the sun” in Inuktitut – is cause for great celebration where Monica Ittusardjuat grew up. The educator, a cultural advisor and the senior editor at Arvaaq Press recalls childhood memories of men hunting by starlight and silhouette and children playing games by the light of the Qulliq during the dark winter months.
ʔasqanaki is a Ktunaxa word that means to tell two versions of the same story. It’s also the name of a new podcast that shares this traditional world view. Host, Smokii Sumac - Ktunaxa and transmasculine poet - speaks with Indigenous storytellers and creators. They talk on topics ranging from representation to sexuality; from language learning to aunties teaching. After learning to see himself in a new way Smokii Sumac hopes to help others look at the world differently through ʔasqanaki. She’s larger than life in Louboutin heels, a fabulous wardrobe and she came from the stars to save us all with love! Miss Chief Eagle Testickle is the shape-shifting, time-traveling elemental alter-ego of Kent Monkman. The renowned Cree artist is known for his larger than life paintings and films that feature Miss Chief. She has sashayed through his canvases challenging Canada’s narrative for 20 years, but we have never known Miss Chief’s story - until now. The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle: A True and Exact Accounting of the History of Turtle Island (Vol 1 and 2) are the visually stunning and salacious memoirs created by Monkman and long-time collaborator Gisele Gordon.
A month has passed since the investigation into Buffy Sainte-Marie rocked the Indigenous community.The CBC’s Fifth Estate aired the investigative documentary on Friday, October 27th. It cast doubts about the iconic musicians Indigenous identity. In the end the report labeled her a “Pretendian," the term used to describe people whose claims of Indigenous identity have been found false or built on distant family lineage.The report was a bombshell and it hit the Indigenous community hard. Those with connections to Indigenous communities say the story has caused harm and division. Today, we make space for grief: to mourn what Buffy meant in the Indigenous community, to learn why stories like this do so much harm and find out where the Indigenous-led solutions lieto find our way forward.Lori Campbell is using her roles as the Associate Vice-President of Indigenous Engagement at the University of Regina and as a community Aunty to keep dialogue open, and counter the negative comments and conversations that divide. Michelle Cyca is a journalist who has been part of identity investigations in the past. She wrote an exposé for Maclean's magazine about Gina Adams, artist and former professor at Emily Carr University of Art and Design. But now she says she’s growing increasingly uncomfortable with the way the media – and the world – delivers and digests pretendian investigations while ignoring the bigger issues. Shaneen Robinson is the Indigenous Music Development Coordinator at Manitoba Music.In her industry, Indigenous music makers are coming together to talk about the pain and the solutions to the pretendian problem in the music world.
This week, we chef up some Indigenous cuisine! Share in the spirit – and the science – of cooking with pre-contact ingredients.Unreserved associate producer Aicha Smith-Belghaba also happens to be a chef and it didn’t take us long to see her passion for Indigenous foods. Join us in the kitchen for our first cooking video, as Aicha cooks up decolonial dishes. On the menu: Sweetgrass Tea, Lyed Corn Berry Parfait and Sister Salmon Cannelloni. While Aicha and I chef it up, she’ll introduce us to some fellow foodies in her community of Six Nations, a Mohawk reserve teeming with people working to decolonize their diets. Chandra Maracle is a traditional food researcher from Six Nations. She says a Haudenosaunee approach to food is an essential part of healthy living. Her research focuses on the nutritional qualities of pre contact food – especially as it relates to motherhood.Deyowidron’t Morrow is a Haudenosaunee dietitian and the chair of the Aboriginal Nutrition Network of Dietitians of Canada. The Six Nations foodie combines her work as a dietician with the traditional food knowledge of her ancestors. Concerned about how often we’re eating colonized food like white flour, milk and sugar, Deyo set out return people to Nation-specific eating, based on the uniqueness of land, culture and tradition.
When the apocalypse hits – the best place to be might be the rez!This week, a special presentation of Unreserved: A live studio interview with Anishinaabe author and journalist Waubgeshig Rice on his latest novel, Moon of The Turning Leaves, recorded at the Bram and Bluma Appel Salon in the Toronto Public Library on October 18, 2023.Waubgeshig Rice takes us back into a world he first dreamed up after his own "end of days" moment: A world that fell into chaos after the lights went out but where an Anishinaabe family survives by returning to the land.Moon of the Turning Leaves is the sequel to his 2018 best seller Moon of the Crusted Snow. In that book Evan Whitesky and his small northern reserve deal with the fall-out after a mysterious black out. But we don’t know why it went dark or what happened to the rest of the world. Find out the answers and why Waub says, Indigenous people have already survived their own apocalypse.
From museums and monuments to letters and laughs shared around the dinner table, Indigenous veterans are being remembered across Turtle Island.Take a walk with us through the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, where Canada’s military history is told. Indigenous Military Historian Danielle Teillet is our guide. She tells us why so many chose to fight, what they were fighting for and recounts some of the common experiences she's heard from Indigenous veterans.Then we head to Labrador where Heather Campbell passes on the stories of her great great uncle John Shiwak, an Inuk soldier in the first World War. Heather knows his story well because she has been learning about him since she was a little girl. To Heather he is “Uncle John” and her family has been honoring his memory for over one hundred years. And, we land south of the medicine line in Exeter, Rhode Island to visit the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery where a beautiful stone monument honouring Indigenous Veterans now stands. That’s thanks to Lorén Spears, co-chair of the Honouring Indigenous Veterans of Turtle Island Committee and the executive director of the Tomaquag Museum. The monument is the first to honour Indigenous Veterans, even though Native Americans have fought in every war since confederation.
This week, In Search of April Raintree celebrates 40 years and a new essay collection traces 40 years of history of Indigenous resistance in Winnipeg. In 1983 Beatrice Mosionier wrote a book about two sisters - separated by the child welfare system; one embraces her Métis identity, the other tries to leave it behind. Much of their journey mirrored Beatrice’s own life. She reflects on how she drew on those memories and how the book inspired a generation of storytellers. Forty years later - her seminal novel - In Search of April Raintree is still a must read. Winnipeg has a long history of grassroots organizing. Many of those groups have been led by women like Kathy Mallett. Kathy is one of the editors and writers behind Indigenous Resistance and Development in Winnipeg 1960-2000. The book traces the growth of Indigenous-led groups, including the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre which she helped create in 1984. Kathy wanted to change the child welfare system to include rather than exclude Indigenous participation in decision making.
This week, a powerful season opener featuring a daughter leading a resistance with a call to Search The Landfill. Cambria Harris is the daughter of Morgan Harris, one of four Indigenous women who Winnipeg police say was murdered by the same man. Morgan is believed to be buried in the Prairie Green Landfill, along with a second woman Marcedes Myron. Police were led to a serial killer after the remains of Rebecca Contois were discovered in a city garbage bin and at the Brady Landfill. The remains of a fourth woman - named by the community as Buffalo Woman - is still unknown.Listen, as Cambria invites us into her home. She shares personal memories of her mother who “always made time for us,” despite a system that kept them apart and why, at only 23 she is leading the call to bring all of these women home. Come gather around the sacred fire burning at Camp Marcedes in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Hear why demonstrators from across Turtle Island are organizing now around the issue of MMIWG2S+ and calling on authorities to search a Winnipeg landfill.Firekeeper, Goldstar, welcomes us to the sacred fire at Camp Marcedes and explains why he keeps the flame burning. Jordan Myron says she is at the camp for her sister, Marcedes Myron, whose “bright smile could light up a room.”And Helper, Danielle Pelletier who lost a cousin to violence, supports, educates and comforts those who come to fire. Please take care while listening to this episode.
Nicole Mann and NASA made history this past October when Mann became the first Indigenous woman in space. A member of the Wailacki of the Round Valley Indian Tribes, Nicole rocketed into orbit 20 years after Chickasaw astronaut John Herrington became the first Indigenous person in space. She spent 157 days on the International Space Station as the mission commander and conducted research and experiments to prepare for explorations to the moon and Mars.
Wilfred Buck is a star Knowledge Keeper from Opaskwayak Cree Nation and he’s on a mission to restore Indigenous knowledge of the universe. This Canada Day, the author of Tipiskawi Kisik: Night Sky Star stories, shares the Cree knowledge of Keewatin over the Winnipeg skyline. But if you think fireworks are the main event? Think again. Wilfred is using new tech to tell ancient stories - drones.
Jennifer Howse is an Education Specialist at the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory at the University of Calgary, nestled in the Foothills of the Rockies. Jennifer, who is Métis from Alberta, reveals the night skies to young people - as a way to reveal their connection to the stars. Using a giant telescope, she shows them bright stars and distant planets that some have never seen before. Connecting youth to the constellations helps her teach them about the impacts of light pollution.
This week, we speak with two Indigenous artists who mash-up traditional with contemporary as a way to carry on culture
Joshua De Perry, a member of Long Lake 58 First Nation, is a fancy dancer who you might see strutting his traditional style at a pow wow. But he’s just as comfortable on a dance floor break-dancing to the beat of his own music. Also known as Classic Roots, the music producer and DJ blends pow wow and electronic music to create pow wow techno. And that’s not his only mash-up. During his DJ sets - Joshua also wears his colourful regalia - his feather bustle bouncing to the heavy hitting beats.
Carrie Okemaw, from Manto Sipi Cree Nation and Berens River First Nation, has been beading and sewing powwow regalia for over 20 years. She learned the art of beadwork from her grandmother and aunties. Inspired by the bright floral patterns the Cree designer created her own fabric line with a contemporary twist. Now her designs show up in many other creations – from jewelry to ribbon skirts. The possibilities for her bright flower designs are limitless.
Plus three friends of Unreserved drop by to share their suggestions of what music to listen to, TV shows to watch and what books to read this summer!
Our favourite Indigi-Nerd, writer and filmmaker Sonya Ballentyne tunes us into what to watch on the big and small screen.
Some great Indigenous music picks from the producer of the Indigenous Music Countdown, Dave McLeod.
Don’t forget a good book! Tli Cho Dene author and Pop-culture Uncle Richard Van Camp shares his top three books to read this summer.
We're celebrating four Indspire Award recipients who create, educate, and inspire
The Indspire Awards represent the highest honour the Indigenous community bestows upon its own people. Every year, a dozen First Nation, Metis and Inuit people are chosen for their outstanding achievements across Turtle Island and beyond.
Nations Skate Youth is where Joe Buffalo and his team teach kids to skate, as a way to empower, inspire and instill pride. Joe is a legend in the skate community. Not just for his gravity defying feats on a board but also because of his incredible story of survival and resilience. He survived one of Canada’s last residential schools, confronted substance abuse in his life, and after picking up his first skateboard turned pro and became a legend. This year the Samson Cree man was recognized with a Sports Indspire Award.
One of this year’s Youth Recipients is Willow Allen. She is a fashion model, a cultural content creator with over a million followers and a soon to be social worker. After being discovered on Instagram, the Inuvialuit beauty has walked runways from Singapore to New York for big name brands like Clinique, Louboutin Beauty, and Canada Goose. But because home is where her heart is, Willow, who is from Inuvik, Northwest Territories also teaches people online about life in the north – just as her dad taught her on the land.
Building cabins with her grandfather inspired Reanna Merasty to build a career as an architect focused on holistic homes. Now, Reanna is an architectural intern. She also co-founded the Indigenous Design and Planning Students Association at the University of Manitoba. Reanna is a recipient of a Youth Indspire Award for her advocacy and dedication to changing the field of architecture.
Lori Campbell is a 60s Scoop adoptee: one of about 20-thousand Indigenous children who were removed by the government and adopted into mostly non-Indigenous families. She was lost - disconnected from her culture until she enrolled at the University of Regina. There she found a community of “aunties and uncles” that guided her on a journey of self-discovery. Now, as the Associate Vice President of Indigenous Engagement of the same university, she is on a mission to make universities a resource for other Indigenous people who want to find their way home.
Two Indigenous health care professionals; two leaders in their field. They talk about the challenges and the opportunities to fix a broken healthcare system that too often harms Indigenous people.
Dr. Alika Lafontaine says Indigenous people are starting to take their place in institutions like the medical field. He would know, he’s done it as the first Indigenous physician to head the Canadian Medical Association - the largest advocacy group for Canadian doctors. Dr. Lafontaine, who is Oji-Cree and Pacific Islander, is positioned to make change. Dr. Lafontaine tells us how he uses his position as a leader in his field to uplift others, just as he has been lifted up by others before him.
As one of only a few Indigenous pharmacists in Canada, Jaris Swidrovich knows about making space. When they started in the field, Indigenous pharmacists were few and far between. Longing for community, they founded the Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada to support other Indigenous pharmacists and make room for Indigenous ways of teaching and healing. Jaris, who is Saulteaux and Ukrainian, is also an assistant professor in the University of Toronto’s faculty of pharmacy.
Archeology that reconnects the past, present and future of Indigenous historyArchaeology has always studied Indigenous history without us. It was something that was done to, instead of with Indigenous peoples. But a growing number of Indigenous archaeologists are pushing back against the colonial boundaries of the field.Cree/Metis archeologist, Paulette Steeves makes the case that Indigenous peoples have lived on Turtle Island a lot longer than previously thought. The Canada Research Chair in Healing and Reconciliation says archaeology’s deeply held beliefs that we originated somewhere else are rooted in racism. The professor at Algoma University authored The Indigenous Paleolithic of the Western Hemisphere in 2021. It is the first book written from an Indigenous perspective on the Paleolithic archaeology of the Americas. Cree/Scottish Curator of Indigenous Collections and Repatriation at the Royal BC Museum, Kevin Brownlee believes archaeology is about more than digging up the past. It’s uncovering our histories to pass on to our children. As a 60s scoop adoptee, he had questions around where he came from. Archaeology helped bring him a deeper understanding of that history. Now, he wants other Indigenous youth to have access to that same knowledge.A new generation of archaeologists are now recovering their past as a way to reclaim narrative.Anishinabe Odjibikan is an archaeological field school in Ottawa. Anishinaabe Algonquin youth like Jennifer Tenasco, Breighton Baudoin and Kyle Sarazin help clean, sort and catalogue items left by their ancestors thousands of years ago because they believe Indigenous people should be telling their own histories.
Today, the beautiful resistance of Indigenous music makers carrying powerful messagesDigging Roots is Raven Kanatakta and Shoshona Kish. The blues/folk/soul duo just won a JUNO Award for their latest album Zhawenim. Their fourth studio album takes inspiration from skylines and mountain ranges; something the couple call Anishinabek Songlines, an ancient way of creating music. Rising star Aysanabee also got to shine on Canada’s JUNO stage this year. The singer/songwriter from Sandy Lake First Nation gave an emotional performance of his song, We Were Here featuring Northern Cree. We catch up with him to find out where his album Watin, about his grandfather, has taken him since its powerful debut.It’s rage and recovery with Kristi Lane Sinclair on her new record Super Blood Wolf Moon. The Haida/Cree rocker takes us through her personal journey as a survivor of domestic violence and PTSD. But more than that it is a journey of reclamation, healing and ultimately, the power of women who rise above it all.Zoon, also known as Daniel Monkman, represents young two-spirit identity in their latest record Bekka Ma’iingan, available now. Anishinaabemowin for ‘slow down’ and ‘wolf,’ Bekka Ma’iingan is both a grieving and a celebration of lost loved ones. From escaping a religious cult, to receiving JUNO nominations Jayli Wolf has seen a lot. Her 2021 debut EP Wild Whisper helped her work through intergenerational trauma and the shame she experienced as a young queer woman. Ultimately, the Anishinaabe woman reclaimed the Indigenous identity she had been displaced from. On her new record, God is an Endless Mirror, set for release this summer, Jayli shares her spiritual awakening. Plus a taste of the latest music from Indian Giver, Wyatt C. Louis, Sebastian Gaskin, and Andrina Turenne
You never know what you’ll find when you walk into Sunshine House. There could be people singing karaoke or making get well cards for a friend. This resource centre in Winnipeg’s centennial neighbourhood provides harm reduction supplies, a cup of coffee and community. In the center of this community: Drag. Feather Wolfe and Davey Francis Kole are the heart and soul of Sunshine House – and two of the Queens behind the Like That drop-in program, primarily focused on the LGBTQ2S+ community and invites them to come as they are.Chelazon Leroux sashayed into our hearts on the third season of Canada’s Drag Race. The Dene drag queen from Saskatoon is one of the few Indigenous queens to grace Ru Paul’s Canadian stage. But it’s more than just stilettos, big hair and crowns; Chelazon is fierce, funny and proud to represent being Indigenous. In a world of queens, it can be a challenge for kings to find a place for themselves. Drag artists like Vancouver-based King Fisher, aka Jayme Andrews have had to fight to be part of the scene. But, clad in rhinestone, armour and love, they’ve won that battle. A drag performer of the Ktunaxa Nation, King Fisher challenges what drag should look like. Did someone say Landback? Colonization almost completely erased the space where two-spirit people exist within our communities. Anita Landback, who is from Millbrook First Nation, uses their drag as a love letter to their Mi'kmaq culture and to reclaim this space for themselves and future generations of two-spirit people. As much as many might wish they looked like Adam Beach, that’s not the reality for most. Growing up, Tygr Willy loved watching Mr. Beach on the screen but didn’t see themselves reflected. Through drag they’re hoping to bring softer representation of Indigenous bodies and cultural intersectionality to a wider audience.
A college or university where Indigenous students find true belonging.On today’s show we talk about what it takes to decolonize our post-secondary institutions.
For Indigenous people water is more than just hydration. Water is alive and holds a spirit. Water is life. Stephanie Thorassie advocates for the Seal River Watershed, a pristine region in northern Manitoba, about 200 km west of Churchill. It is a vast area central to the Sayisi Dene people, who have served as its guardians for millenia. As the executive director of the Seal River Watershed Alliance Stephanie leads a partnership of four First Nations pushing to have the area designated an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area.In 2003, Anishnaabe Elder Josephine Mandamin took her first ceremonial water walk around Lake Superior. She wanted to share a message: the water is sick and people need to speak, love and fight for it. Following Mandamin's footsteps, Elder Shirley Williams, an Anishinaabe Elder from Wikwemikong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, along with her niece Elizabeth Osawamick have been organizing annual water walks around the Kawartha region of Ontario since 2010.Lawyer and activist Pamela Palmater created a documentary that warns: we must work together to save water – before it's too late. The short documentary is called Samqwan which means water in the Mi'kmaq language. Pam is a lawyer, professor, activist and author who wants to raise awareness around the threats to water - from pipelines to clear-cutting to water pollution.
Indigenous agricultural practices kept our ancestors alive for millenia. They not only fed their own communities but also taught settlers how to grow food across this vast territory. Indigenous people, like Cree-Métis Winnipegger Audrey Logan, keep that tradition alive and growing! Audrey’s whole life revolves around growing food. It has to. We tour Spirit Park, a community garden she helped create, in the West Broadway neighbourhood where she shares her journey from being depressed, overweight and diabetic to a healthy-eating Indigenous garden guru!Over in Tyendinaga, Chloe Maracle is carrying seeds for the next 7 Generations. We dig deep and learn about the 300 seed varieties kept at the Kenhteke Seed Sanctuary and Learning Centre. The Haudenosaunee intern is not just learning how to care for the vast collection but is also growing that list to include at-risk varieties important to her people. Food insecurity has been a concern in many Indigenous communities for years. A 2019 study found that almost half of all First Nations families struggle to put food on the table. But people like Steven Wiig and Julia Pechawis are trying to change that. They turned a farmers field into a food forest in Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, Saskatchewan.
He is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, professor, and author. After 25 years at CBC,the Anishinaabe storyteller is moving on from the public broadcaster and on to a new stage. Duncan began his career at the CBC as a reporter in Vancouver in 1998. These days, he’s the host of Helluvastory on CBC Radio One and the podcast Kuper Island, an 8-part series about the notorious Residential School by the same name. Many know him from the years he hosted Cross Country Checkup.He’s also the author of The Shoe Boy: A Trapline Memoir and created and wrote Decolonizing Journalism: A Guide to Reporting in Indigenous Communities, which is still used in CBC newsrooms. But all that’s about to change. Later this year he takes on a new role as Professor of Indigenous Journalism and Storytelling at Carleton's School of Journalism in Ottawa. He’ll be creating a new Certificate of Indigenous Journalism for students in remote communities. We want to send him off in a good way, reflecting on – not only an incredible career – but the life and the people that led him to it. Guest appearances and shout-outs of love from: Ian Hanomansing, Adrienne Arsenault, Waubgeshig Rice, and many more admirers, including his #1 fan, his Dad!
By day, he’s a police officer; by night, a DNA detective. Dean Lerat is an RCMP Staff Sergeant at Fort Qu’appelle, Saskatchewan. But when he’s not on duty, he helps Sixties Scoop survivors find their families, using DNA testing kits, ancestry websites, public documents and other resources. It all started with a curiosity about his own family tree and history.Up until two years ago, youth in Kinngait, Nunavut didn’t have much to do. The Inuit hamlet of about 1400 people had zero hockey games, art classes or social activities. That is, until Joanne Weedmark came along. She made it her job to keep the kids busy. As director of recreation, Joanne is bringing positive change to her community. Her hard work caught the attention of the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association, which selected her as its “Emerging Leader of the Year” in 2022 at the young age of 24. Dr. Courtney Leary is originally from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba. When she was growing up there, she dreamt of becoming a doctor. After graduating from university she returned home to become Norway House’s first practicing doctor. Respect, reciprocity, reconciliation, and relevance are the basis of an organization started by a group of youth in 2014. Jess Bolduc is Anishinaabe-French from Baawating and credits the Idle No More Movement for inspiring her own determination to bring change to her community and start the 4Rs Youth Movement. The organization centers and supports the work that Indigenous young people are doing in their communities, thereby creating an infrastructure for the next generation of changemakers.
Sage Paul grew up watching the women in her life sew, bead and craft. She turned these skills into a career, and has been dreaming and designing clothes for over a decade. But clothes aren’t the only things she wants to create. As the executive and artistic director of Indigenous Fashion Arts, Sage also creates opportunities for other Indigenous designers to find success in the fashion industry. This past February, the Dene designer and artist led a delegation all the way to Milan Fashion Week.Two people who were part of the team that Sage took to Milan Fashion Week were Anishinabe designer Lesley Hampton and Metis designer Evan Ducharme. Their stories are woven into the fabrics of history and shared across generations through the clothes they create. While the two young designers never saw themselves included within the fashion industry as children, they’re now bringing the change they wanted to see to international runways. Indigenous people are not just behind the runway curtain creating fabulous clothes.They’re also modeling them. From TikTok to the catwalk, Michelle Chubb knows what it takes to make it as an Indigenous woman in the fashion world. This past February, the 25 year-old Swampy Cree model joined 2Spirit fashion designer Scott Wabano at New York Fashion Week.Michelle was part of a group of mostly Indigenous models to showcase their work.
When it comes to loss and moving gracefully through grief, Christa Couture knows a thing or two. The multi-talented writer, singer and now filmmaker has lived through more than her fair share of loss.At 11 years old, she received a cancer diagnosis. She lost her first son when he was just a day old due to complications during childbirth. Her second son died at 14 months old due to complications with his heart. Soon after, her marriage ended. And just as some new beginnings emerged, cancer returned. To work through her loss and grief, Christa turned to music – creating seven albums and a memoir called How to Lose Everything.These were important projects in helping her deal with her own grief. Now she’s looking to help others with their experiences with grief and loss. Christa and producer Michelle St. John have teamed up with 5 pairs of Indigenous writers, artists and animators to create a series of short films. Each one – a personal story of loss. Each voice – sharing wisdom to help others through the darkness. “Grape Soda in the Parking Lot” is the name of Taqralik Partridge’s short film animated by Megan Kyak-Monteith. In it, Taqralik recalls her Scottish grandmother who spoke Gaelic and her Inuit father who spoke Inuktitut and poses an important question about language.Archer Pechawis, an artist and member of Mistawasis First Nation, is the storyteller behind “A Bear Named Jesus.” The short film, stop-motion animated by Terril Calder, explores what happened after his mom became a born-again Christian.
It was a crime that shook the art world. One hundred million dollars in suspected forgeries, over 1000 more fakes seized and 8 arrests in a far-reaching forgery ring of renowned Ojibwa artist Norval Morrisseau’s work. Police call it one of the largest art fraud schemes in history. But it's not just Morrisseau who has faced fakes and forgeries. Indigenous art makers and supporters all across Turtle Island say it is rampant and the cost is not just their livelihood – it is their culture.Indigenous artists say copycat art is more common than you think and copyright laws must evolve to protect them.Richard Hunt comes from a long line of Northwest Coast artists. The 73 year old Kwaguilth artist started carving at the age of 13 alongside his father, Henry Hunt. Richard says for about as long as he’s been a carver, he has seen his work copied. He says it is worse than stealing art: it is stealing cultural property.It was a design meant to support Residential School Survivors but the artist who created the West Coast stylized hands says people are ripping it off for profit. K’ómoks and Kwakwa̱ka̱'wakw visual artist Andy Everson and his wife Erin Brillon, Haida and Cree and owner of Totem Design House, have experienced the damage of copycats firsthand. They see websites selling inauthentic Indigenous art and design pop up on an almost daily basis. The husband and wife team work to educate others about the importance of buying authentic Indigenous art.As the first art historian to be appointed to the Senate of Canada, Senator Patricia Bovey champions Canadian art. But she also advocates for better protections for Indigenous artists’ work. Currently, there are few laws preventing counterfeit and fake Indigenous art in Canada but Senator Bovey hopes to change that by pushing changes to Canada’s copyright laws and setting up a fund that would help artists go after art fakesters.
Justin Delorme is Métis and an award-winning composer who has scored hundreds of television episodes like the true-crime series Taken, films like Finality of Dusk, and documentaries – including Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On. At just 29 years-old his career is only getting started.Raven Chacon is a Diné composer from the Navajo Nation. In 2022, he became the first Native American composer to win the Pulitzer Prize in Music for his piece Voiceless Mass. The piece debuted in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist during American Thanksgiving. It features no words or lyrics, but it harnesses the absence of voice to tell a powerful story about the harm of colonialism.Deantha Edmunds grew up learning the classics like Handel’s Messiah. She never thought she would have the chance to sing it in Inuttitut, the language of her ancestors. As the world’s only professional Inuk opera singer, she is blazing a trail in the field of classical music.
Got land you want to give back? That may be harder than you think. Even when a group or individual is ready and willing to give land back to First Nations, there is no system in place to make this happen easily. Still, those who believe in land back are making it happen.SISCENEM, formerly Halibut Island, is a small island in the Salish Sea. When it went up for sale, Tara Martin, professor in conservation science in the department of Forest and Conservation sciences at UBC, wanted to return the island to the WSANEC Nation. She says that their guardianship is how this ecological gem would flourish. She found a funder, purchased the land, had it held in trust, and now that the WSANEC Nation has created its own land trust, it officially can have the land transferred over.If you got land - and want to return or gift it to a local First Nation or Indigenous group, how do you go about it? Lorraine Land, a lawyer who specializes in Indigenous rights and environmental law, knows the barriers in Canadian law that complicate the land back process. She outlines the existing ways land can be given back. Cathy Armstrong is the executive director of the Land Conservancy of BC. After the purchase of the island they held it in trust. Cathy says land back must be part of reconciliation. Eric Pelky is the community engagement coordinator of the WSANEC leadership council and the hereditary chief of Tsawout. He says the island is rich in traditional plants like camas and the presence of an ancient burial ground prove the WSANEC once lived there.
From the people searching on the frontlines, to those who hold Canadians to account and the women who know the solutions, we find power and place amidst the national crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2Spirit people.Winnipeg’s North Point Douglas Women’s Resource Centre is the home of the Mama Bear Clan. The volunteer patrol walks three times a week in this neighbourhood, the poorest in Winnipeg and where many of the city’s most vulnerable have few places to get warm and even fewer places to get food. Walkers like Gina Smoke, Mitch Bourbonnaire and Morgan Fontaine hand out food, winter gear and plenty of love while searching for the missing.There are roughly 1,200 missing or murdered Indigenous women in Canada, although the true number is thought to exceed 4,000. In 2016, Canada launched a national inquiry into the crisis and heard from three thousand family members, survivors of violence, experts and Knowledge Keepers. Its final report — Reclaiming Power and Place — lists 231 calls for justice. Karine Duhamel knows the report well. As the director of research for the National Inquiry which lasted nearly three years, she co-wrote it.Women like Bernadette Smith and Lorelei Williams have been on the ground in their communities, organizing, marching and educating. But our sisters and relatives keep disappearing. So what is it going to take to finally bring this crisis to an end? Bernadette Smith is the co-founder of the Coalition of Families of Missing and Murdered Women in Manitoba, Drag the Red Initiative and No Stone Unturned, and she is an MLA in the Manitoba legislature. Lorelei Williams is the founder of the Vancouver-based dance group Butterflies in Spirit and member of the Skatin and Sts'ailes First Nations.
Three Indigenous nations along the Pacific coast of Turtle Island are working tirelessly to save the salmon because salmon is an integral part of who they are - spiritually, culturally, socially and economically.Brook Thompson is a member of the Yurok and Kurok tribes in Northern California. She is a restoration engineer working to restore the Klamath River. In November 2022, her people successfully won a legal battle to have four dams removed from the Klamath River to help restore decimated salmon populations. hiwus (Chief) Warren Paull helped to successfully negotiate the complete removal of commercial fish farms from shíshálh First Nation territory off the coast of the Salish Sea in British Columbia.Kerrie Charnley was part of a habitat restoration project for salmon in the Upper Pitt River on mainland BC. The river is the home of her ancestors, the Katzie people, whose creation story involves the marriage of a Katzie man and a sockeye woman. The restoration project was a profound experience that deepened her sense of connection with her ancestors.
Fur has become a fashion faux pas in some circles. Aggressive anti-fur campaigns with graphic images and slogans have made furs, feathers and hides increasingly unpopular in popular culture. Animal rights groups say fur farms are cruel, wild animals are trapped inhumanely, and fur just isn’t necessary. It has brought international attention to a move to ban it all together.But for these Indigenous trappers and artisans who use fur, it’s a way of life:Since 1971, the Manitoba Trappers Association, currently led by President Kenneth Woitowicz, has hosted the Thompson Fur Table. Trappers from all over the north come to this two-day event to sell their furs and even compete for who has the best furs. Trappers like Jeff Laliberty and Terry McLellan. Or youth like Robin Donaldson and Deja Tait, who has been trapping since she was 12 years old. While fewer people come each year, trappers try to stay optimistic about a way of life that has sustained generations, a way of life they still pass on.We head north from Manitoba to the Northwest Territories. Nathan Kogiak is the Fur Marketing and Sales Coordinator for the Government of the Northwest Territories. He helps artisans access affordable materials for their crafts. But Nathan isn’t just a public servant. As an Inuvialuk, he also spends a lot of his life out on the trap lines. He knows how challenging – and rewarding – the hunting and trapping way of life can be.Taalrumiq is an Inuvialuit artist, fashion designer, and content creator from Tuktoyaktuk. She also sees herself as an educator. Whether through her online videos or her travels south to sell her work, Taalrumiq takes the opportunity to challenge anti-fur sentiment and offer a different perspective that comes from a long line of fur fashion.
This episode of Unreserved shines a light on Indigenous people who are culturally-adapting and reclaiming wellness practices.Michael Yellow Bird, is a citizen of the Three Affiliated Tribes in North Dakota and he is the dean of the faculty of social work at the University of Manitoba. He’s been practicing mindfulness for decades and he researches the effects of Indigenous ceremony and mindfulness on the brain. He says mindfulness can decolonize the brain.Smudging - burning herbs like sage - is becoming increasingly popular in some wellness circles. But is it cultural appropriation? Tareyn Johnson is Anishinaabe and a member of Georgina Island First Nation. She's been practicing yoga for many years and has seen sacred medicines like sage being misused or improperly handled in a growing number of yoga studios. Jessica Barudin is Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw and a member of the Namgis First Nation on Vancouver Island and founder of the First Nations Women’s Yoga Initiative. As a yoga teacher, Jessica works with Elders and knowledge keepers to bring culturally adapted yoga to communities and help heal intergenerational trauma.
Indigenous lands back into Indigenous hands: that is the aim of the Landback movement. In Gillam, Manitoba, treaty promises clash with hydro development. As the people of Fox Lake Cree Nation continue to push for land from the government, leaders like Conway Arthurson try to find middle ground with an industry that has historically tried to push them out. In the 1960s, Manitoba Hydro moved into this area - building dams and flooding the land that once held the people of Fox Lake. Arthurson has acted as a negotiator in the community’s decades-long fight for a place to call home - a fight that gets more complicated with every dam Manitoba Hydro builds. And right now they’re building the biggest one of all.In South Dakota, there is no place more sacred than He Sapa, or the Black Hills, to the Lakota. Also known as Mount Rushmore, the site is famous for its massive carvings of U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. On July 3, 2020, Nick Tilsen was arrested there as part of a protest against former President Trump's fireworks rally on what is traditionally and legally Lakota land. Tilsen is a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation and the founder of NDN Collective. The group recently created Landback Magazine, as a means to connect and exchange knowledge with other Indigenous nations. In the Kingdom of Hawaii, Mauna Kea is revered by the people. So much so that their Kapuna - or elders - put their bodies on the line to protect this sacred mountain from a thirty meter telescope or TMT. Since the 1960s, the University of Hawaii has built 13 giant telescopes on the summit, each time promising it would be the last. For decades, Hawaiians have pushed back to protect Mauna Kea from any future developments. Noe Noe Wong-Wilson was born and raised on the island of Oʻahu. She is one of the first board members of the newly established Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority. Pua Case was born and raised on the Island of Hawai’i. She’s the program director of Mauna Kea Education and Awareness.
For thousands of years and up until a few generations ago, Indigenous babies were born on the land. They were born in their communities, surrounded by culture, with the help of expert birth workers – women who knew just what to do when the water broke. Colonization and the western medical system nearly destroyed Indigenous birthing traditions, but people like Ellen Blais are bringing birth home. Ellen is from the Oneida Nation of the Thames. She’s a trained midwife and currently serves as the Director of Indigenous Midwifery for the Association of Ontario Midwives. Ellen’s vision to see birth returned to Indigenous communities will certainly become reality if young doulas and birth workers have anything to say about it. We find out what a doula does and why Tagwanibisan Armitage-Smith, Gina Loodit and Madison White want to help bring our babies into the world surrounded by culture. Opolahsomuwehs - also known by her English name as Imelda Mary Perley - is a Wolastoquey elder, knowledge keeper, and doula from St. Mary’s First Nation in New Brunswick. She says a doula’s job isn’t only to support the person about to give birth; they must also prepare the community for the arrival of its newest member.The Cree Health Board in northern Quebec is another group that’s bringing birth back into Indigenous communities. In 2017, the board re-established birthing services in the village of Chisasibi. In 2021, its midwifery team opened a temporary birthing home there with the goal of eventually opening three permanent birthing homes in the region. The health board also intends to launch a midwifery education program in June 2023 so that future Cree midwives don’t have to travel south for their education. Denise Perusse was the interim birth home coordinator in Chisasibi. One she day hopes to become a midwife.
Davis Inlet is on an island on the north coast of Labrador. But no one has lived there for 20 years. In the early 1990s, video of children sniffing gas in a cold shack made headlines, forcing the government to relocate the Innu to Natuashish. Davis Inlet will soon be decommissioned and the people who once called this place home must decide what story they will tell their children. This past summer, Innu Nation Deputy Grand Chief Mary Ann Nui invited CBC reporter John Gaudi to return to Davis Inlet with her. He takes us along with them in his documentary "I Still Live Here."Jodie Ashini grew up learning from her dad about the land, animals, Innu and how they all fit together. Her father, Daniel Ashini, was president of the Innu Nation and a tireless advocate for Innu land claims and cultural preservation. Today, Jodie is a cultural guardian. Her whole job is to safeguard Innu culture, including repatriating Innu Nation materials and providing input on government policy. Peter Armitage is an anthropologist who worked with the Innu of Labrador since 1981 and a longtime family friend of the Ashini family. Recently, Peter gifted back an extraordinary archive - three decades worth of irreplaceable Innu history.
In November 2012, a remarkable movement began. Indigenous people across Canada pledged that they’d be Idle No More.
It was in response to proposed legislation that many believed would take the relationship between Indigenous people and Canada backwards. Bill C-45 would affect the Indian Act, the Navigable Waters Protection Act and the Environmental Protection Act. Thousands of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people took action. They used teach-ins, flash mob round dances and rallies to try and stop the bill. It was a resistance movement that shook a nation. And this year Idle No More is 10 years old.
This week on Unreserved, we talk to those who were part of the movement to find out how the drum beat of Idle No More continues to reverberate in our hearts, our communities and around the world.
Sylvia McAdam and Sheelah McLean are two of the founders of Idle No More. Along with Nina Wilson and Jessica Wilson, the four Saskatchewan women began to spread the word through social media and used teach-ins to educate people about the 400-page omnibus bill. Soon, the movement spread across the country and eventually around the world.
Idle No More called out to Indigenous people to rise and Widia Larivière answered that call. In the early days, the enthusiasm she saw sweeping the country hadn’t quite reached Quebec. So Widia set out to organize the first rally in that province and it lit a fire in her that continues in her work today with Mikana, an organization that educates the public about Indigenous realities and experiences.
On December 22, 2012, bustling Christmas shoppers at Winnipeg’s Polo Park Mall were met with a 4000-strong Idle No More round dance. People wearing ribbon shirts, skirts and regalia replaced the winter clad crowd. Drum beats overtook the carols being played over the intercom and soon both levels were lined with dancing people. Aiden Todd brought her then 6-year-old daughter Ryleigh to the round dance that day to make sure her daughter felt the strength and resistance of her community.
This week on Unreserved, Indigenous people who are decolonizing the sky!
Pilot and entrepreneur Teara Fraser’s entire career has been about the sky. The Métis woman began as a pilot. Then she started an aerial photography company. But it wasn’t long before she aimed even higher, by being the first Indigenous woman to launch an airline in Canada – Iskwew Air. Now she is a leader in her efforts to rematriate the aviation industry.
We fly all the way to coastal Labrador to meet Zoie Michelin. She is a First Officer on Air Borealis, a crucial link within Nunatsiavut. They fly everything from passengers to cargo to and from isolated communities. But the airline based in Goose Bay is also breaking gender and language barriers with its first all-female Inuit flight crew.
CEO of Indigenous Aerospace Jacob Taylor uses the sky as a highway. Jacob is teaching community members in Moose Cree First Nation how to use drones to transport goods like medicine and food into hard-to-reach communities. But he says the sky's the limit on where First Nations could take drone technology.
November is when we don our red poppies and remember our veterans, those who fought for Canada in war time. While November 11th is Remembrance Day across our country, November 8th is National Indigenous Veterans Day.
Sargent Tommy Prince is one of Canada’s most decorated Indigenous soldiers. We visited Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Manitoba to learn more about the hero and the man. Students Kash Thompson, Micah Sinclair and Kendrick Bear give us an enthusiastic tour around and show us the humble monuments that bear this local hero’s story. Gertrude and Bill Ballantyne regale us with stories about Sargent Prince's generosity and humour and his son Tommy Prince Junior shares his fondest memories of his dad.
Even though Indigenous people across Canada were being denied rights as citizens during the great wars, many still chose to stand with the Crown. John Moses knows the minds and hearts of Indigenous soldiers on a personal and historical level. He served with the Canadian Armed Forces for five years and co-authored a Commemorative History of Aboriginal People in the Canadian Military. He discusses Indigenous soldiers' many motivations for enlisting and the impact their service had on their home communities.
After decades lying in unmarked graves – the names of eight Indigenous veterans are now etched in stone. Earlier this year, The Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte found and marked their resting places. Chief Donald Maracle of Tyendinaga Mohawk Council says they are taking action to make sure the soldiers are never forgotten again.
Francis Pegahmagabow was one of the most highly decorated Indigenous soldiers. “Peggy,” as many called him, was from Wasauksing First Nation near Parry Sound, Ontario. He served as a marksman in the First World War and had over 300 enemy kills and captured 300 more. But back home, the Canadian government and its Indian agents made life difficult for Peggy. Decades after Pegahmagabow made history, a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people decided to tell his story through music. That group included Armand Garnet Ruffo, an Ojibway poet and professor at Queen’s University and Brian McInnes, the war hero’s great-grandson and the author of a book about his great-grandfather’s life. Together they created Sounding Thunder: The Song of Francis Pegahmagabow, which debuted at Parry Sound’s Festival of the Sound in 2018.
It started with daily phone calls with his grandfather during the early days of the pandemic.
Evan Pang was living in Toronto and he wanted to make sure his grandpa up in Thunder Bay was doing ok.
But pretty soon, those conversations got deeper. His grandfather shared stories about his years as a child at McIntosh Residential School, the love-story between him and his wife, and the journey of the family name. Evan began to record their chats and the seeds for personal discovery and a creative project were planted.
Two years later, those conversations have evolved into an album, Watin, named after his beloved grandfather. Evan is now Aysanabee, after reclaiming the family name. He was signed by an all-Indigenous label, Ishkōdé Records, and he quit his day job to pursue his dream of becoming a musician.
Ayasanabee’s debut album Watin was just released November 4th. This week, Unreserved host Rosanna Deerchild speaks to him about his musical journey that began with a phone call.
It’s the spooky season! Time for jack-o-lanterns, tons of candy and stories to terrify. Indigenous people have told scary stories for generations to pass on important lessons.
Tlicho Dene author, Richard Van Camp loves nothing more than hearing ghost stories around a campfire and he grew up watching 80's horror movies. Richard is working on a graphic novel about a deadly monster called Wheetago, one of the many creatures that’s tormented Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island since before anyone can remember. He loves the creepy, the chilling and what these eerie stories teach us.
Anishinaabe storyteller, artist and musician Isaac Murdoch shares a Wendigo story that will scare the wits out of you!
Julie Pellissier-Lush is Prince Edward Island’s current poet laureate. When the Mi'kmaq storyteller is not creating poetry, she explores the paranormal. She is working on a book about the spirits that remain after death, still wandering the shores of PEI, including the witch of Port-La-Joye.
Who you gonna call when you hear a bump in the night? Six Nations Investigating Paranormal Encounters, or SNIPE of course. These ghost hunters live for a good scare! But Haudenosaunee group member Artie Martin’s first night out with SNIPE at the Mohawk Institute Residential School left him with chills.
For Dan SaSuweh Jones, a writer and artist from the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma, places like cemeteries are haunted for a reason and the stories we tell about them can serve some surprising purposes. He visited Indigenous communities across the United States and gathered stories about their ghosts, witches and supernatural beings.
Sacheen Littlefeather, activist, actor and healer passed away on October 2, 2022 from breast cancer. She was 75 years old. Littlefeather is iconic for a moment at the 1973 Academy Awards when she stole the spotlight – rejecting Marlon Brando’s Oscar – and shined it on how Native American people were depicted in film and television, as well as the Wounded Knee Occupation. Fifty years later, the Academy apologized to her for the abuse she suffered during and after the broadcast.
Just a few weeks before her passing, Unreserved host Rosanna Deerchild had the honour of speaking with Littlefeather. They talked about that moment on the international stage and how it all started with a letter. But there was so much more that didn’t make it into the original broadcast.
This week on Unreserved, we bring you Part 2 of their conversation. It's the story of what happened after the Oscars: how Sacheen was ‘pushed out’ of Hollywood and ‘pushed into’ a lifetime of activism, teaching and healing.
These ‘tiny horses with giant spirits’ once lived alongside Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island. But after contact with Europeans, they were culled to near extinction. Now the small but hearty breed is making a comeback, thanks to a growing number of Indigenous people.
Artist and knowledge keeper Rhonda Snow was a small girl when she overheard some elders talking about the Ojibwe Spirit Horse and was captivated. She has dedicated her life to recovering and reclaiming the spirit horse and making sure the little ponies thrive.
Madahoki Farm is an Indigenous tourism and gathering space in Ottawa and home to Stanjii, Kita, Sweetgrass, and Cedar. Trina Mather-Simard is the executive director and helps look after the spirit horses there.
Ken MacDonald raises his Ojibwe Spirit Horses under a wide-open Manitoba sky. When he’s not caring for his ponies, Ken plays French horn for the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Ken teamed up with Rhonda Snow, Cree composer Andrew Balfour and Anishinaabe hand drummer Jodi Contin and they created The Spirit Horse Returns. Jodi Contin shares what inspired her compositions in The Spirit Horse Returns and explains how her community of Wasauksing First Nation lived and worked with the ponies many years ago.
Darcy Whitecrow and his partner Kimberlee Campbell brought the horses back to Seine River First Nation and opened Grey Raven Ranch. There, they run a program for youth that shows Ojibwe Spirit Horses still hold the important role of teacher and helper for the Anishinaabe.
Her powerhouse presence in music, education and cultural reclamation left an indelible mark on an entire generation of Indigenous people. Her music stretches over six decades, she has spoken up for Indigenous people during countless interviews, taught us on Sesame Street and won an Academy Award.
In this intimate conversation, Buffy Sainte-Marie shares what it takes to stay on the map when others erase you, how to teach tough truths with kindness, and what living in the circle really means.
As we gather for the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we find out where we are on the journey and hear from people walking the reconciliation talk.
Each year, the Yellowhead Institute writes a report on how many of the TRC's 94 Calls to Action have been completed. Eva Jewell is the research director at the Yellowhead Institute and co-author of the report. Find out why she says Canada is way behind on the reconciliation journey and why September 30th is more than just another stat holiday.
Kayla Littlepoplar is the first ever official Indigenous Youth Leader at BGC Canada (formerly Boys and Girls Club). The teen from Sweetgrass First Nation has been sharing Indigenous culture and language with kids in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. But this new national platform means the 17-year-old leader-in-the-making will reach even more people.
And Indigenous people from coast to coast tell us what they'll be doing on September 30th, what the NDTR means to them, and how they think non-Indigenous people can contribute to a better shared future.
This week on Unreserved: Indigenous people across Turtle Island conserving, preserving and caring for Mother Earth.
You'll meet Rick Beaver, an ecologist who is working to protect the black oak savannah in his home community of Alderville First Nation. He uses an interesting tool - fire.
We take you to the Manitoba wilderness where you'll meet Kenton Sangster, Blaze Head, Neepin Cook, Shaquiell Beardy and other Indigenous youth building and maintaining part of the Trans Canada Trail in Duck Mountain Provincial Park. They're participating in a six-week program that connects them with Indigenous knowledge keepers, gives them hands-on skills, and opens the door to a career outdoors.
And in southwestern BC, Aq'am community leader Bonnie Harvey shares how Elders are sharing their knowledge about the land with young people and helping them become the next generation of "guardians".
It was 60 seconds that changed Sacheen Littlefeather’s life. On March 27, 1973, the 26-year-old Apache/Yaqui woman walked onto a stage at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles and into the international spotlight. The young woman dressed in a Northern buckskin dress rejected the Academy Award to Marlon Brando for The Godfather. The actress and activist calmly explained to 85 million people that it was due to "the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry." Fifty years later and the Academy has apologized. In this exclusive conversation with Unreserved host Rosanna Deerchild, Littlefeather recalls that famous moment, what led up to it, the fallout and what it all meant for the American Indian Movement and Indigenous people across Turtle Island in the five decades since.
Buffy Sainte-Marie is one of the most prolific singer-songwriters of the past century. For 60 years her music has quietly reverberated throughout pop culture, and provided a touchstone for Indigenous resistance. In this five-part series, Mohawk and Tuscarora writer Falen Johnson explores how Buffy’s life and legacy is essential to understanding Indigenous resilience. More episodes are available at hyperurl.co/buffy
This week we learn from Indigenous people in the tech industry who are using their powers to protect, project and pass on culture for future generations.
Tamara Goddard and David Fierro founded 400 Drums, an Indigenous NFT project that raises money for programming and initiatives for Indigenous people across the country. Amira Carrier is a student at Emily Carr University and a member of the 400 Drums team. Elder Gibby Jacob, a hereditary chief of Squamish First Nation, is also working with 400 Drums.
Amelia Winger-Bearskin, Haudenosaunee Iroquois of the Seneca-Cayuga Nation of Oklahoma, is an associate professor of Artificial Intelligence and Arts at the University of Florida. Her work, based in Indigenous ethics, is focused on sharing knowledge for seven generations into the future through virtual reality and artificial intelligence.
Meagan Byrne is a Métis video game designer and the co-founder of Achimostawinan Games. Her latest video game project is an example of how Indigenous designers are changing the way we look at the future.
There's something about gathering with your community that just hits different! This week on Radio Indigenous we're hitting the pow wow trail to ask our favourite aunties, uncles, cousins and friends how they're marking National Indigenous Peoples Day.
We'll hear from Inuk songstress Susan Aglukark, Trickster novelist Eden Robinson, Tik Tok Auntie Sherry McKay, Anishinabek Nation Chief Water Commissioner Autumn Peltier, singer-songwriter Sara Kae, Mi'kmaq language enthusiasts Tom & Carol Anne Johnson, Cultural Guardian for the Innu Nation Jodie Ashini and National Inuit Youth Council president Brian Pottle about why all Canadians are invited to learn and unlearn about Indigenous peoples. Hop on the party bus with your favourite cousin Rosanna Deerchild.
It's food that nourishes our bodies and minds. This week we head from a collective to the kitchen to the classroom to hear how Indigenous foods are a gateway to sharing culture, history and even politics. On the show -- award-winning, internationally recognized chef and educator, David Wolfman, I-Collective members Chef Quentin Glabus and Karlos Baca who tell us all about a 100 per cent Indigenous digital cookbook called The Gathering Basket, and Glenna Henderson who takes us into the classroom where reconciliation is on the menu.
We meet two Indigenous artists bringing the legacy of tragedy and the gift of comedy to the stage.
The Quebec Bridge Disaster is a well-known example of how not to build a bridge. On August 29, 1907 - 33 Mohawk steelworkers died when the structure collapsed. But what’s lesser known is the impact it had on the Mohawk community of Kahnawake. Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo says everyone was touched by “The Disaster.” They either lost a cousin, a son, a father, or a grandfather. Tragedy rippled further when the children of the steelworkers were then taken away to Industrial School. The Mohawk dancer and choreographer, shares this piece of Kahnawake history through dance, in SkyDancers.
When comedian Janelle Niles felt like the only Indigenous comic on the stage, she made her own stage and Got Land! was born. Janelle is a Black, Mi’kmaq comedian and creator of the stand-up comedy variety show featuring First Nation, Inuit and Metis entertainers.
There is a rich history of artistry and creativity on Cape Breton Island, known by the Mi'kmaq as Unama'ki. While locals have always known this, the rest of the world is starting to catch on. We meet eight young artists that are part of this cultural reawakening.
This week on Unreserved, an encore presentation featuring three documentaries about family, community, and healing. Sally Hart's desire to find her birth family weighed heavily on her for years. The search brought her from Vancouver to the Penelakut Nation — Jean Paetkau brings us her story in her documentary "Searching For Home." In what seems like a bit of a walking contradiction, we meet Leo Friday who – at the time of this documentary – was both the chief of Kashechewan First Nation in Ontario and a priest for the Anglican church. He's the leader of his First Nation, but also a leader for a colonial institution that has brought a lot of pain to his people. Erik White helps tell his story. Children of God is a musical that explores the legacy of residential schools through a fictitious story of one Oji-Cree family. It was written by Corey Payette, who spent hundreds of hours interviewing dozens of residential school survivors to ensure he did the story justice. Jennifer Chrumka shares Payette's story.
From Muppets to movies to musicals, meet Indigenous people who are braiding together mainstream and Indigenous stories
DerRic Starlight always loved the Muppets, so much so that he learned all the voices – and then some. Today, the comedian and puppeteer performs over 500 voices, including those of the Nuppets, an Indigenous cast of characters based on people from the Tsuut’tina First Nation reserve.
Carol Anne and Tom Johnson first made headlines when their Mi'kmaq overdubbing of the Dreamworks film, Chicken Run, took off. Fast forward to today and the couple cannot keep up with the demand for translation and overdubbing services. That’s why they’re creating a studio in Eskasoni, Nova Scotia to encourage others in their community to get involved with this unique form of language revitalization.
Think poodle skirts but also ribbon skirts. Think doo-wop but also hip-hop. A Cree couple in Edmonton, Alberta is giving Grease the Musical an Indigenous Treaty Six twist with the creation of Bear Grease The Musical. Co-creator, Crystle Lightning, reminds us of the importance of Indigenous storytelling that focuses on humour and having fun.
This week on Unreserved, we're bringing Indigenous sexy back! Conversations with Indigenous people who are decolonizing sex and reclaiming their intimate selves.
This is the explicit podcast version filled with sensuous poems written and read by Indigenous poets. If this is not your thing, you can listen to a milder version at CBC Listen.
Kim TallBear is an Indigenous Studies scholar of science, technology and sex at the University of Alberta. She created Tipi Confessions in 2015. It's an all-Indigenous night of sexy storytelling and performance, featuring audience confessions read aloud. She says when we talk about sex and Indigenous people, it shouldn't just be about trauma. Her events are a way to share joy and power.
Tashina Makokis is a Nehiyaw Iskwe artist in Edmonton. She was making poinsettia flowers from moose hide one day when she noticed they bore a strong resemblance to a certain intimate body part. Now she's turned that happy accident into a successful line of moosehide vulva jewelry.
A few years ago, Anishinabe Kwe Kanina Terry was reeling from ending a toxic relationship. As a way to get her 'glow-up', she posed for some racy 'bushoir' photos. That inspired her to create the Indigenous Hide Babes calendar full of sun-kissed skin draped in moose and deer hide. It’s a provocative project that’s reminding Indigenous people of their beauty and helping them connect with and reclaim their bodies.
Twenty years ago when author and publisher Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm went looking for Indigenous Erotica she was surprised to find little to none. So she decided to create space and permission for writers to explore their love and lust on the page. Without Reservation: Indigenous Erotica was the first collection of its kind. Two decades later, Akiwenzie-Damm says writers and artists feel safer and more comfortable accept and expressing their sexuality and sensuality, as part of being human.
Plus erotic poems by Randy Lundy, Janet Rogers, Gregory Scofield, and Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm.
A rare Indigenous perspective of the Battle of the Little Bighorn is discovered in a donation to the Peel Art Gallery and Museum. It helps us consider a significant event in history from an Indigenous perspective, something that organizations like Festival du Voyageur in Manitoba and the Haida Gwaii Institute in British Columbia are also doing in their work to re-educate and re-tell the history of Turtle Island. Broadcast date: April 2, 2022/ April 5, 2022
The 94th Academy Awards has us thinking back to 2019 when Wes Studi received an honourary Oscar for his more than 5 decades of work. In this extended conversation with Rosanna Deerchild, Wes Studi shares memories of his childhood and some of the many twists and turns his life took -- including a tour in Vietnam -- before landing him on the big screen. Broadcast date: Originally aired October 26th, 2019. Re-airing this weekend, March 26, 2022.
This week on Unreserved, how First Nations are taking land back and taking charge of their future through urban reserves.
Naawi-Oodena means “centre of the heart and community” in the Anishinaabe language. It's the name given to what will be Canada's newest urban reserve. The site is in southwest Winnipeg and is about 65 hectares... or 80 Canadian football fields. Chief Dennis Meeches has been part of efforts to reclaim this land for Treaty One from day one.
Ginger Gosnell-Myers says urban reserves are a win-win for First Nations and municipalities. Gosnell-Myers is a fellow at Simon Fraser University who studies urban Indigenous planning, policy, and decolonization. She gives us the 101 about urban reserves, including details about the one planned by the Squamish Nation in Vancouver.
Muskeg Lake Cree Nation is where it all began in 1988. Leaders of the Saskatchewan reserve set out – and succeeded – in creating the first commercial urban reserve in Canada. Barrett Greyeyes and former chief Harry Lafond say it has improved the prospects of their nation and was their home all along.
This week, three writers who use the power of poetry to reclaim, repair, and reflect Indigenous self.
Spoken-word poet. Emcee. Community-connector. Those are just three of the titles Zoey Roy holds. Ever since she was in grade 2, this multi-talented Cree-Dene and Métis performer and educator has been using poetry to express herself, move through struggles, and help others connect with each other and themselves.
When Winnipeg's Poet Laureate Duncan Mercredi first heard about the 215 unmarked graves found at the former Kamloops Indian Residential school he could not find the words. But soon, the words found him. Duncan's newest collection is called 215. The Cree/Metis poet speaks truth to power and honours the voices of residential school survivors.
As Canada's Parliamentary Poet, Louise Bernice Halfe Sky-Dancer is asked to write poetry about things like gardens and climate change. But the Cree poet also sees it as an opportunity to tell Indigenous stories and make room for other Indigenous voices.
A growing number of Indigenous artists and writers are bringing traditional Indigenous stories to life in books and graphic novels — pinning down oral stories that have shapeshifted over time.
William Dumas, a Rocky Cree Elder and former teacher of our host Rosanna Deerchild, collaborates with William Cariou, an English professor at the University of Manitoba. They lead the Six Seasons of the Asiniskaw Īthiniwak project, a team effort to transform traditional Rocky Cree stories into picture books - and even interactive apps - to preserve oral stories for new generations.
And Brandon Mitchell infuses his new picture book Giju's Gift with Mi'kmaw culture and stories of mischievous, hard-to-spot characters his mom told him about as a child.
This week on Unreserved, meet some of the people changing Canada’s notoriously harmful child welfare system.
Darlene Keeper spent 18 years in Manitoba’s foster care system. Her experience mirrors that of tens of thousands of Indigenous kids in care. But now, at age 28, she’s earning a social work degree to one day help other young Indigenous people in the system.
Mary Burton is a Sixties Scoop survivor and the guardian of her grandchildren, who were also in foster care. She’s the executive director of Fearless R2W, an organization that helps parents in Winnipeg’s North End neighbourhood reunite with their children. She’s been advocating for families since she was in her 20s and calls this her “heart work.”
Julie LaPorte’s experience in the child welfare system, which includes losing her mother at 15, gives us insight into the impact of a child's apprehension on their whole family. Now 22, Julie is back in school with plans to open a healing centre one day and continue helping others who have gone through trauma and abuse.
Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan is the first community to make use of federal legislation that gives jurisdiction of child and family services back to First Nations. Eva Coles and Nicole Cook are the CEO and associate CEO of the Chief Red Bear Children’s Lodge, the child and family services agency on Cowesses. They’re building a new system from scratch and tending to a “home fire” of community and connection to do so.
It's a phrase you've probably heard before: First Nations, Inuit and Métis. But how much do you really know about the Métis?
Historically, the Métis didn't fit in society, at times they were also rejected by their First Nation families. Theirs is a history of rebellion, resistance, and forced assimilation.
This week we take a look at the history of the Métis — and how colonization has shaped the challenges they face today.
Métis history, while often overlooked and seldom taught in school, is proof of a distinct culture. Researcher Brenda Macdougall's work centres on defining what being Métis means — something she said is often misunderstood.
Save for a few settlements, Métis people have very little land to call their own. This was a result of Métis scrip, a process that stripped Métis people of most of their land — something Métis lawyer Jason Madden calls "Canada's best-kept secret."
As a result of scrip, many Métis were landless. They had to improvise, and soon Métis people were building small, tight-knit communities along the sides roads and railway lines. Métis scholar Jesse Thistle talks about road allowances, and how they were communities of resilience and resistance.
Due to colonization, many Métis people lost their connection to spirituality and ceremony. Chantal Fiola talks about the connection between Métis spirituality and Catholicism and explains how many are finding their way back to tradition.
Beads, brains and Betty White. This week on Unreserved, meet Indigenous artists who are pushing the boundaries of traditional artforms.
Ruth Cuthand is a Plains Cree mixed medium artist who is particularly fascinated with beads and how their beauty intersects with some ugly things – like smallpox and COVID-19. Cuthand’s work blends the medical and scientific with the creative, and also provides commentary on the relationship between Canada and Indigenous people. The push and pull of her work is inspired by beads as a trading item, one that brought beauty to the community but also disease.
Contemporary art – like Cuthand’s – can be contemplative, but it can also be used to make a person laugh. Anishinaabe artist Blake Angeconeb says he creates art for the sole purpose of making people feel happy – something he accomplishes with his Woodlands style paintings that incorporate pop culture images like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Snoop Dog and yes, Betty White.
Artists like Angeconeb have been criticized at times for adding a contemporary twist to traditional artforms, but Cree cultural consultant Albert McLeod says Indigenous art is a means of communication and it continues to evolve, ever reflecting the changing world. McLeod asserts that while the Indian Residential School system tried to destroy traditional art forms, it did not succeed. Both he and Cuthand say that we are in a moment of reclamation – where Indigenous people are re-engaging with symbolism of the past and adapting it for the modern era.
A residential school nun abducted Debbie Paul when she was 12 years old.
For more than 50 years, the Mi’kmaw woman hasn’t had any records to prove what happened: that she was flown across the border and abandoned in a stranger’s home.
Now, a CBC investigation led by Mi’kmaw journalist Trina Roache has helped Paul retrace her steps and track down documents that show what she’s said all along: she’s a Sixties Scoop survivor who deserves federal compensation.
This week on Unreserved, the harrowing story of survivor Debbie Paul, told through Trina Roache’s documentary Burden of Proof.
Plus, a searingly intimate reunion between Paul and her former neighbour “Mrs. Rome” – the only person who showed Paul love while she was uprooted from her home.
Hospitals aren’t usually known for having memorable cuisine. But at the Alaska Native Medical Center, the standard bland “tray food” has been set aside in favour of a restaurant-style approach complete with a menu that offers at least 60 per cent Indigenous foods, dishes like reindeer stew, seal soup, herring eggs, and fiddlehead pizza.
You'll hear from Amy Foote, the executive chef for the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage. Many of the ingredients she works with are donated by hunters and fishers from communities across Alaska. Foote has learned how to prepare traditional recipes and brings her own gourmet flair to the food.
Vivian Echavarria runs the hospital’s food service program and made traditional food a priority. She tells Unreserved host Rosanna Deerchild about the difference a taste of home can make for patients traveling to Anchorage for treatment. Many of the patients have never been outside their small remote communities before coming to the hospital, and food is an important way to feel connected to their home, their land and their culture.
Jessilyn Dunegan, a nutritionist and dietician with the Alaska Native Medical Centre, tells us about the health benefits that come from eating foods like seal and moose.
COVID conversations. It can sometimes feel like a considerable risk to talk about COVID-19 with family or friends who don't want to get vaccinated. These conversations can feel awkward, tense or painful. Inspired by a similar tough discussion with a loved one, Yvette Nolan's play, The Case of You, imagines the conversation she might have had if she had known in advance that this person was hesitant about COVID-19 vaccination. The Algonquin playwright's work highlights the emotional toll it takes to speak with loved ones who don't see eye-to-eye about vaccinations. It also considers the roots of distrust for government-led initiatives among Indigenous communities.
An extraordinary act of kindness. About two dozen snowmobilers from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation in northwestern Ontario rang in the New Year by pulling toboggans full of supplies to neighbours in need, eight hours away. The riders were heading to Bearskin Lake First Nation, a remote fly-in community that's been overwhelmed by COVID-19 in recent weeks. Of the 400 people in the community, more than half have tested positive for the virus. The riders faced temperatures of -35 Celsius and below in their long journey to Bearskin Lake and back. John Cutfeet, who was part of the snowmobile convoy, described the mission as an act of true nationhood. At a time when many remote communities across Turtle Island are facing COVID-19 outbreaks, the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug snowmobile riders showed extraordinary kindness, even when faced with considerable risk.
This week on Unreserved, we invite you to sit and learn with us in the Elders Circle. Six elders from Mi'kmaq, Wolastoqey and Passamaquoddy communities in New Brunswick share their stories – about their life, the work they do and the change they're bringing for their people.
Cecelia Brooks is from St. Mary's First Nation and is Wolastoqey, Mi'kmaq, Mohawk and Korean. She specializes in native plants and foods and leads medicine walks with her son, Anthony, in Fredericton's Odell Park.
Imelda Perley is a Wolastoqey language speaker and has conducted traditional naming ceremonies for decades, bestowing Wolastoqey names to more than 200 children.
George Paul, from Metepenagiag, created the Mi'kmaw Honour Song. It's become an anthem for his people and is popular at powwows for grand entries.
Donald Soctomah is the tribal historic preservation officer for the Passamaquoddy tribe. He works with both the U.S. and Canadian governments to protect culturally significant sites, artifacts and knowledge.
Noel Milliea has devoted his life to helping people heal from alcoholism, trauma and systemic racism. Part of this work included helping get an addiction treatment centre in Elsipogtog First Nation.
Donna Augustine's life work is to bring the remains of Wabanaki ancestors home to rest. The elder from Elsipogtog First Nation says she has protected the burial sites of thousands of ancestors and reburied hundreds from many different tribes.
Special thanks to CBC New Brunswick for these stories.
As we head into 2022, we celebrate some of the Indigenous leaders and changemakers who shared their stories and wisdom on Unreserved over the past year. As cultural guardians who are breaking down barriers, they deserve a little pomp and circumstance.
We revisit conversations with Cree actor and director Michael Greyeyes, novelist Angeline Boulley, Anishinaabemowin learner and teacher Emmaline Beauchamp, Inuit leaders and climate activists Natan Obed, Lisa Koperqualuk and Brian Pottle, and former senator and chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Murray Sinclair.
Plus we remember and honour Ojibwe musician Curtis "Shingoose" Jonnie and Sto:lo writer Lee Maracle who passed on to their ancestors in 2021.
Unreserved is getting in the festive mood with an episode about gifts — material items you can give to family and friends, as well as the intangible gifts of community and culture.
We take a tour of an Indigenous-led market in Ottawa that doesn't accept money — and instead is going back to old ways of trading and exchanging. The marketplace is run by the Assembly of Seven Generations. Co-founder Gabrielle Fayant and A7G volunteer Madeleine Kelly reflect on what makes this market such a gift for Indigenous people — especially youth — in Ottawa.
Falynn Baptiste says her gift is song. The teacher from the Red Pheasant Cree Nation translates popular holiday music into the Cree language. You'll hear her story and her songs.
Are you looking for something good to watch, a great read to dive into or a good book to give to someone you love? Unreserved's resident pop culture uncle, Dene author Richard Van Camp, joins host Rosanna Deerchild to share his recommendations of what to watch and read over the holidays.
On this episode, we celebrate Indigenous people breaking barriers and healing nations through the power of language and art.
Brothers Hjalmer Wenstob and Timmy Masso are making Nuu-chah-nulth art in the midst of a pandemic to offer strength to their community and mark a significant moment in history. They recently shared an original song in a youtube video as a gift to all nations.
Tantoo Cardinal is one of the most recognizable Indigenous actors in Canada and recently received the Governor General’s lifetime artistic achievement award for her wide ranging work on the small and big screens. As a nod to her journey, we revisit a conversation she had with Rosanna Deerchild in 2018 in which she describes her absolute commitment to sticking with a career in the performing arts, even when she was one of the only Indigenous women in the room.
Rassi Nashalik is a brand new inductee to the CBC News Hall of Fame - the first Inuk and Indigenous person to be recognized. We celebrate her many accomplishments, including her self-taught beginnings as a journalist and her skillful ability as a news host to translate English scripts into Inuktitut — live and in real time — for her audience.
The term "two-spirit" has only been around for about 30 years, but it's an identity with ancient roots. This week on Unreserved, meet Indigenous people who are walking the two-spirit path with pride and reclaiming their place in cultural and community circles.
Anishinaabe elder Myra Laramee was gifted the words "two-spirit" in a dream in 1990. She took these words to an annual gathering of Indigenous LGBTQ people, who adopted the term.
Alex Wilson is from the Opaskwayak Cree Nation and is a professor in the college of education at the University of Saskatchewan. She has devoted her career to understanding two-spirit identity, how it's rooted in the land and how "coming in" (as opposed to coming out) is a uniquely Indigenous experience.
Chantal Fiola and Nicki Ferland are a two-spirit Métis couple living in Winnipeg. They tell the story of their traditional Midewiwin wedding ceremony.
Joshua Whitehead's debut novel Jonny Appleseed won Canada Reads 2021. The two-spirit/Indigiqueer writer from Peguis First Nation is representing two-spirit characters in his writing as real, honest and whole. In doing so, he's paving the way for the next generation of two-spirit people to accept — and love — who they are.
Lee Maracle wasn't cut from a timid, quiet cloth. With every book the Stó:lō writer published, she set out to rip out the seams of the Canadian literary world and thread new paths for other Indigenous writers.
Lee Maracle passed away on Nov. 11 at the age of 71.
This week on Unreserved, we honour the story quilt that Lee Maracle made with an extended conversation (parts never aired before) between Lee and Unreserved host Rosanna Deerchild from 2018 and stories from Indigenous writers who were inspired by the incomparable woman. You'll hear from Métis matriarch Maria Campbell, Métis poet Gregory Scofield, Cree author Tracey Lindberg, and Anishinaabe novelist Waubgeshig Rice.
Indigenous people who relearn traditional crafts, like beadwork or making mitts and moccasins, are sewing pieces of their culture back together, one stitch, one bead and one quill at a time.
After facing a devastating family loss, Alley Yapput moved to Thunder Bay to be closer to his mom, Madeline . But this Ojibway/Cree Two-Spirit artisan found his newly retired mom wasn’t doing much with her time. So he picked up his needles and beads and ‘passed up’ the traditional craft of beadwork and moccasin making, creating a stronger bond in the process.
Mi’kmaq have been making quill art for generations. This intricate and painstaking process involves softening, dying and weaving porcupine quills onto birchbark. Cheryl Simon and Kay Sark are artists from Epekwitk, also known as Prince Edward Island. Not only has this traditional artform helped them find their way to culture, they also share their knowledge on a podcast. CBC producer Isabelle Gallant shares their story in her documentary "Meet the Quill Sisters".
Host Rosanna Deerchild speaks with Tomson Highway, a world-renowned Cree playwright, novelist, and concert pianist, about his new memoir Permanent Astonishment, which just won the 2021 Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction worth $60,000.
These Inuit leaders from across Inuit Nunangat bring different experiences of language, geography and time spent on the ice, but they're coming together with one particular shared understanding — the disproportionate effect of climate change on their communities.
Indigenous knowledge is more than beads, drums and sweetgrass — it's also science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). You'll hear from Anishinaabe landscape architect, David Thomas; Wolastoqey language app-developer Diego Bear and Wolastoqey Elder Imelda Mary Perley who narrated all the words and phrases on the app; and Bryan Bellefeuille, an Ojibwe educator who teaches Indigenous math.
This week on Unreserved, Indigenous women who are telling their own stories on big and small screens and breaking barriers for other Indigenous storytellers.
Jennifer Podemski took the long way to success in her TV, film and theatre career. Now she wants to make the path easier for others by producing Indigenous-led shows. Her latest TV show, Unsettled, was shot on Nipissing First Nation in northern Ontario and debuted this September on APTN.
And Sherry Mckay didn’t let failure get in the way of her media dream. She simply changed the medium to become a social media star. Mckay goes by the nickname Nish Bish on TikTok. Her following on the video-sharing app sits at more than 490,000 and her biggest video has 12 million views. As an Anishinaabe comedian and influencer, Mckay uses the platform to educate and inspire, and to show the world that Indigenous people are so much more than stereotypes.
Grab your helmet and your water bottle, Unreserved host Rosanna Deerchild takes you on a bike tour through Winnipeg to explore how Indigenous people are using public art to restore their stories.
This legislation — originally passed in 1878 — governs everything on Reserves, from the current band structure to the creation of residential schools. Bob Joseph, author of 21 Things You May Not Know about the Indian Act, walks you through its continuing impact and you’ll meet First Nation people who are challenging what it means to be a status Indian.
This week on Unreserved, stories about Indigenous people who are guarding their culture, taking back their history, transforming their cityscapes, and breaking barriers in health care.
Join Rosanna Deerchild for a revealing, poignant and emotional conversation with Murray Sinclair, former Senator and Lead Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
In this intimate, hour-long interview — recorded in his backyard gazebo — they discuss reconciliation: how far we’ve come, how far we have left to go and who is responsible for taking the journey.
Find out what kept him going during the TRC and what reconciliation looks like to him.
Through re-enactments and author interviews, This Place's 10-part series shares stories of Indigenous heroes, battles, triumphs and traditions. In this episode of Unreserved, you'll hear the story of Nimkii, a young girl who was taken from her family and who, years later, joined the resistance against the Children's Aid Society at Wabaseemoong in northwestern Ontario. And you’ll journey 330 years forward into an imagined Indigenous future.
Rosanna Deerchild is back in the host seat for the 8th season of Unreserved.
In this episode, we showcase the CBC podcast This Place, which tells the stories of Indigenous people who shaped the course of history in Canada.
You'll journey back to the shores of the Red River in 1868 and meet Annie Bannatyne, a formidable Métis woman who was the muse for Louis Riel's resistance.
Then you'll travel deep into the boreal forest of northwest Ontario... back to a time when the Oji-Cree people still lived by their own laws and customs... and hear the story of Wahsakapeequay, a woman who was possessed by the greedy dark spirit Windigo.
It's a phrase you've probably heard before: First Nations, Inuit and Métis. But how much do you really know about the Métis? Historically, the Métis didn't fit in society, at times they were also rejected by their First Nation families. Theirs is a history of rebellion, resistance, and forced assimilation. This week we take a look at some of the history of the Métis - and how is has shaped the challenges they face today.
This week on Unreserved, we explore what hockey means to Indigenous people, and how that connection is about more than just sports.
With series, trilogies and translations being written by Indigenous authors, bookstore shelves are starting to look very different. This week, Rosanna talks to three authors about their work.
Natan Obed can count on one hand the number of times he's been angry. This, despite the fact that the president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami has been called out for "not being Inuk enough," for not speaking Inuktitut fluently, and for growing up in the United States.
In this episode of First Words, educator Ian McCallum teaches you how to say "kii haa koolamalsi?" Munsee for "how are you feeling?", "noolamalis" which means "I am fine" and "anushiik" which means "thank you."
Depending where you live, clean water is something many of us take for granted. But that's not the reality for many Indigenous communities. It's a cause that continues to inspire artists, activists and entrepreneurs across the country, who are speaking out, and raising awareness.
In this episode of First Words, CBC host Lawrence Nayally teaches you how to say I love you and take good care of yourself in Dhecho Zhatie.
Tom Wilson is a Canadian music icon with bands Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Junkhouse and now, as Lee Harvey Osmond. But uncovering a web of family secrets set him off on a lifelong journey to reconnect with his identity.
In this episode of First Words, Juno award winner Jeremy Dutcher explains the intimate connection between his language and music.
With the Juno Awards being handed out March 17, it seemed like the perfect time to hear from all the Indigenous musicians nominated this year.
In this episode of First Words, Stoney elder Valentina Fox teaches you how to say "hold on to our Nakoda language."
In popular culture, Indigenous people are often portrayed as being of the past, living traditional lives. Or they're not shown at all. Aside from a few characters, like Star Trek's Chakotay, Indigenous people aren't often portrayed as existing 10, 50 or 100 years from now. This week on Unreserved, how Indigenous people are seeing themselves in the future.
In this episode, Adrian Sutherland of the band Midnight Shine shares the challenge of translating Neil Young lyrics into Cree. He'll also teach you how to say sing me a song in his language.
From finding algorithms in beading patterns to using virtual reality to teach Indigenous history, traditional Indigenous knowledge is rooting itself in technology more and more. This week we explore how one helps spread tradition, and how tradition gives back.
Bryson Syliboy is Mi'kmaw from Sipekne'katik First Nation in Nova Scotia. He started tweeting out a Mi'kmaw word of the day related to something happening in the world. This week, he'll teach you how to say hello, welcome and see you later in Mi'kmaw.
Jordin Tootoo doesn't watch much hockey anymore - but reflecting on his storied career as the first Inuk to play in the NHL, he's reminded of how it saved him.
At 20 years old, Eli Langley is the youngest person in his tribe to speak Koasati fluently, a language native to the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana. In this episode, he'll teach you how to say brother, clan and god.
New federal legislation in Canada aims to bring many Indigenous languages back to life, and protect them from being lost. But Indigenous people have long been working to revitalize their languages. From podcasts and Hollywood blockbusters, to sign language and language nests, how Indigenous people are learning, sharing and speaking their own languages.
In this episode of First Words, elder Larry Grant teaches you how to say buddy in h?n?q??min??m?, and the phrase for I love you.
It's that time of year again - time to talk about the Indigenous love in our lives. This week on Unreserved, a look at everything from romance novels to online love and even the art of the snag.
In this episode of First Words, Trish Rosborough teaches you several words in Kwak'wala - and the layers of meaning behind them. For example, a't?i means forest, but depending where you live, it can also mean something else.
This week on Unreserved, we dive into the explosion of Indigenous authors wading into children's literature - and the increasing number of books being translated into Indigenous languages.
In this episode of First Words, Katia Olsen teaches you a word that encompasses birthright and history, and one for acknowledging and giving thanks.
It has been three years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its 94 Calls to Action. Many of those calls focused on education, and integrating Indigenous content into school curriculums. So, how far have we come, and who is leading the way? Today on Unreserved, we hear from the teachers tasked with making it happen.
In this episode of First Words, Bruce Starlight explains why there are only 29 speakers of Tsuut'ina left and teaches you a short, conversational way to greet someone.
Maps have long been called a tool of colonization. They've carved out pieces of Indigenous land and replaced them with neat lines of provinces and territories. But Indigenous cartographers are drawing back their places and names, using mapmaking to tell us the true story of what we now call Canada.
In this episode of First Words, Cameron Adams explains how living with an acquired brain injury makes learning Swampy Cree even more challenging. He'll also teach you a bunch of words including kisâkihitin, which means I love you, and how to say hello and bugs.
Single iconic images can represent an entire movement. Whether it's a celebration of the end of a war, to remember resistance, or even a photograph of a famous beauty queen over a subway vent, a picture can often be worth more than 1,000 words.
In this episode of First Words, Russell Fayant explains why so few people speak the Michif language. He'll teach you the word for partner, how to say to laugh and a phrase that means reconciliation.
In 2015, everything changed for musician Kinnie Starr. A car accident left her with a severe brain injury, which makes it difficult for her to play music.
In this episode of First Words, writer and storyteller Richard Van Camp explains the meaning behind his son Edzazii's name. He'll also teach you to say bear, rabbit and ask someone 'Would you like some tea?' in Tlicho.
As we bid farewell to 2018, it seemed like the perfect time to look back and listen to those who won awards and accolades, became bestsellers and made breakthroughs. This week on Unreserved, meet the class of 2018.
While we're all joyfully baking, gifting and celebrating, we thought we'd share some holiday-spirit love from across Turtle Island. This week on Unreserved, feeding the heart, mind and body with kindness, art and wisdom.
In this episode of First Words, Anna Marie Sewell teaches you how to say wela'lin or thank you in Mi'kmaq, you'll also learn the word for ocean, and how to say coming together.
From Juno awards to BBC airplay and dates opening for Neil Young, William Prince has had a busy couple of years. Back in his current hometown of Winnipeg, Prince played to a sold out crowd at the West End Cultural Centre in late November and Unreserved was there to catch it all.
This Sunday we're featuring a concert by William Prince recorded at the West End Cultural Centre in Winnipeg. But we had so much music we couldn't fit it all in! So just for you, here's a sneak listen to a few bonus tracks from that show.
In this episode of First Words, actor James Bilagody teaches you how to say a greeting, the word for prayer and defines Sa'ah Naagháí Bik'eh Hózhóón, which means life in beauty in the Navajo language.
This week on Unreserved, how Indigenous people use music to share their stories with the world.
In this episode of First Words, author Waubgeshig Rice teaches you how to say hello and thank you in Anishinaabemowin and explains the meaning behind mino-bimaadiziwin.
This week on Unreserved, from coding to the silver screen, how Indigenous people are learning languages and creating new ways to reconnect with their culture.
In this episode of First Words, musician Logan Staats teaches you how to offer a greeting, say thank you and tell someone you love them in the Mohawk language.
Every year more and more Indigenous writers break out of the CanLit margins and into the mainstream spotlight, but while this is being celebrated, it's also being challenged. This week we're talking about books, censorship and what happens when Indigenous literature goes mainstream.
Earlier this month, Unreserved went to Albuquerque, New Mexico for Indigenous Comic Con. This week we take a deep look at Indigenous geek culture, from comics and cosplay, to wrestling and sci-fi.
This week we're looking at the ways Indigenous soldiers contributed to war efforts across the globe. With stories of those who fought, the secrets they kept and what happened after they came home.
After the end of World War II, a group of 29 Navajo kept a major secret about their time in the United States Marine Corps. And they kept that secret for more than two decades. They were the original Navajo code talkers, who created a code using English and Navajo, which was used for communication during the war. Their code was never broken.