Monday, January 3 - Current Events:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
Welcome to 2005! Native America Calling carries on its tradition of holding our Current Events program the first Monday of each month. There are many events going on to kick off 2005 in Indian country. It’s the time of year for college students to start applying for summer internships and fellowships. We have several to tell you about. RES2005 is drawing nearer so if you have your own business you can find out how this conference can help you expand and develop. There is a book signing by a well-known Native author and as always, we’ll give you a rundown of powwows to start off the New Year.

Tuesday, January 4 - Native Resolutions for 2005:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
The start of each year is a time when people take stock of their lives and make resolutions to change. Many people will vow to lose weight or stop smoking or save more money. But how many people stick to their resolution and are actually successful? What is your New Year’s resolution? Guests include Nanette Napolean, Cultural Researcher, Keith Skenandore, Editor/Kalihwisaks Tribal Newspaper and Jonathon Windy Boy/Montana State legislator.

Wednesday, January 5 - Tsunami Victims of Andaman and Nicobar Islands: (Listen in RealAudio…)
The December 26 tsunami that slammed into southern Asia and eastern Africa has now killed more than 150,000 people. News coverage on the devastating disaster has been extensive. Concerned people around the world have been touched and want to contribute to the massive relief efforts underway. Our Native brothers and sisters have not ridden out this storm unscathed on the other side of the world. The remote Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal are home to six Native tribes. How have they been affected and what do they need for relief? What kinds of relief do these tribes need to sustain their lives? Guests include Simron Jit Singh, Doctor of Human Ecology/ University of Klagenfurt, Madhusree Mukerjee, Author/The Land of the Naked People: Encounters with Stone Age Islanders, and Dr. Robert Lame Bull McDonald, Physician/Blackfeet Agency IHS.

Thursday, January 6 - Credit Counseling for Natives in Debt: (Listen in RealAudio…)
Have you tried to get a credit card and were turned down? Maybe you’ve tried to buy a new car or simply move into an apartment but find you’ve been turned down due to your poor credit rating. Mismanaging your money and creating a poor credit history doesn’t have to be permanent. You can clean up your credit history. Credit counseling doesn’t mean having less; it just means doing more with what you do have. Find some solutions to your current financial problems and ways to avoid falling into the same trap. Guests include Stephanie Harmon, National Housing Directorof the Native America Community Development Corp, and Donna Fairbanks, Training/TA Specialist at the National American Indian Housing Council.


Friday, January 7 - Reducing Birth Defects in Indian Country: (Listen in RealAudio…)
January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month. In the development of a human being, everything has to fall exactly into the right place at the right time. When this doesn’t happen a child is born with various birth defects. Across Indian country several of these defects are more common than the rest of the nation. But many of these birth defects can be prevented. What are some of these birth defects and what are some of the risk factors? How can a woman or the father and family help in reducing those risks? What kind of services are there to help the fetus have a healthy start? Guests are Dr. Susan Root, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Dr. Carol Arnold, Assistant Professor of Nursing at Texas Woman's University, and Linda Revere, Family Service Manager for the Ft. Washakie Area Early Head Start Program for the Wind River Reservation.

Related Link: March of Dimes

Monday, January 10 - Native Directors at Sundance Film Festival: (Listen in RealAudio…)
Native American film makers will make their mark at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival to be held next week in Park City, Utah. For the first time some of these films will be screened within the major categories of the festival. In the past the films were screened in the Native Forum category only. 11 Native directors will show off their stories that range from a profile of an Indian activist, the loss of language and identity, and the long wait for treatment at an Indian Health Services hospital, among other themes. What else is on tap for Native filmmakers at Sundance? Guests include N. Bird Runningwater, Native Initiative Programmer/Sundance Institute, Heather Rae, Director/Trudell, BlackHorse Lowe, Director/5th World, Sterlin Harjo, Director/Goodnight Irene.

Tuesday, January 11 - The Right to be Cold:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
The significant changes in the earth’s climate from global warming are impacting the Arctic more than any other point on earth. Scientists reported in a study that the Arctic is now seeing a widespread melting of glaciers, thinning sea ice and rising permafrost temperatures. How will the changing climate impact the lives and survival of Native people living in the Arctic? What changes are already being seen by Arctic Natives who call the Great White North, home? Today, many Native groups have united and are demanding changes so they can have the right to be cold. Guests are Patricia Cochran, Executive Director/Alaska Native Science Commission and Sheila Watt-Cloutier, Chairwoman/Inuit Circumpolar Conference and Larry Merculieff, Deputy Director/ Alsaka Native Science Commission.

Wednesday, January 12- The Gift of Life:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
When tragic events occur, such as the recent tsunami that hit Asia, they raise the awareness of the need for blood donors. But everyday, not just during such crisis, blood donors are needed. Surgery, trauma, diseases and even child birth can pose the need for blood donations. So where do the donors come from? How many Native people donate blood? What tribal beliefs prevent Native people from donating blood? January is National Volunteer Blood Donor month. Do you donate blood? What do you need to know about being a blood donor? Guests are Maryann Timm, Senior Director of Donor Services/ Arizona Region of the American Red Cross Blood Services, and Santiago Navarro, blood doner/ Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona.

Thursday, January 13 - Fort Lewis Conundrum, Lessons Learned: (Listen in RealAudio…)
Recently a professor at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado got into some hot water for an essay he wrote which cited private information his Native American students had shared with him. They accused Andrew Gulliford of racism and said he violated the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. A school investigation agreed. He is no longer teaching and will step down as head of the Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies on April 1, 2005. But the school has retained Gulliford and reassigned him to a non-teaching position. Is this conundrum over? His actions have been reported to federal education authorities and any repercussions are still not yet known. Guests are William Mendoza, Student Alliance for Appropriate Representation/Fort Lewis College, Craig Bennally, Senior/ Fort Lewis College, and David Eppich, Assistant to the President of External Affairs/ Fort Lewis College.

Friday, January 14 - Clean Off Your Desk!:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
Whether you work at home or in an office, and whether you’re a student in high school or college, you have a desk. How do you keep things organized on your desk or does it look like a four-year-olds room? Is it piled high to the ceiling with books, notes, and alien items? January is “Get Orginazed Month,” what help is there for people who habitually keep their personal space in disorder? Guests are Mary Lynne Murray, Productivity Consultant/ It's About Time Organizing Specialists, and Bob Nuss, President/ Drumbeat Indian Arts, Messy Desk Award Winner.

Monday, January 17 - The Battle for Freedom of Religion: (Listen in RealAudio…)
America is founded on several basic rights, one being the right to practice the religion of your choice. But what does this mean to Native people who have fought to use eagle feathers, or the hallucinogenic peyote in ceremonies? Native people are still trying to get the religious freedom that’s mentioned in the U.S. constitution. Now two non-Native men are taking their religious freedom cases to the courts. They claim they are practicing Native spirituality and they want the right to keep the eagle feathers they’ve acquired as part of their ceremonies. What does the freedom of religion mean when it comes to Native religions being practiced by non-Natives? Guests are Raymond Hardman, and Samuel Wilgus, both non-natives accused of illegally possessiing eagle feathers, Wilford Jake, Paiute Shoshone Spiritual Leader and Sundancer, and Edward Wemytema, Zuni Tribal Council Member and eagle handler for the Zuni Eagle Sanctuary.

Tuesday, January 18 - Music Maker: Gerald Primeaux, Sr “A Tradition Continues:” (Listen in RealAudio…)
Gerald Primeaux, Sr. comes from a long line of singers. For five generations his family have composed songs and shared them with family and tribal members. Now this Dakota man is carrying on the family tradition with some music of his own. A lifelong member of the Native American Church, Gerald creates and sings Peyote songs. His CD, “A Tradition Continues… Harmonized Peyote Songs,” is his fourth CD.

Wednesday, January 19 - The Popularity of Jr. ROTC:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
It’s no secret among Native Americans that they have the highest rate of military service to this country than any other ethnic group. The warrior tradition runs deep in Indian country. It can also be seen in high schools on or near reservations because of the many Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps programs. JROTC is one program that provides structure and self-esteem for many youth. It also provides a way to leave the reservation and see the world. But what other reasons motivate so many young Natives to join JROTC? How many of them actually enlist once they graduate from high school? What are the benefits of completing the JROTC program? Our guest is Kenneth Bustamante, First Sergeant USMC (Retired)/ JROTC Senior Marine Instructor, Tuba City High School.

Thursday, January 20 - Natives and the Inauguration:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
It’s Inauguration Day in the U.S. George W. Bush will take the oath of office for the second time and promise to uphold the laws of the land for the next four years. What does this mean for Native people? How will Natives as a whole fare with the Bush Administration coming back for a second term? How will Natives play a part in the next and last Bush term? Guests are Frank LaMere, member of the Executive Committee of the the Democratic National Committee, and John Gonzales, New Mexico Republican Delegate to the Republican National Convention.

Friday, January 21 - The Concerns About Glaucoma:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
Does anyone in your family have glaucoma? What do you really know about the disease? January is National Glaucoma Awareness month. It’s an eye disease that affects more than three million Americans. But what might be frightening is that only half of them know they have the disease! There is no cure but you can be treated for life. What are the warning signs of glaucoma? Our guest is Thomas Brunner, President and CEO/ Glaucoma Research Foundation.

Monday, January 24 - Health Check 101:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
With the start of a new year now might be a good time to take a good look at your health and make that list of checkups with your doctor. Men, women and children have different health care needs. Do you know which types of medical check ups you need to get on an annual basis? Guests include Dr. Kevin Goodluck, Internal Medicine/Presbyterian Medical Group, and Lakota Murray, Health-Disease Prevention Project Coordinator/Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.

Tuesday, January 25 - Natural Energy:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
Have you thought about getting off the electrical grid system? Some companies and families are getting along just fine by using solar and wind power. How expensive are these types of alternative energy sources? What do you need to consider before you change from your standard electrical source? Guests are Doran Dalton, Co-Owner/Native Sun, Sandra Begay Campbell, Principal Member of the Technical Staff/ Sandia National Laboratories, and Dave Melton, Co-Founder and Co-Owner/ Sacred Power.

Related Links: Tribal Energy Program

Wednesday, January 26 - Native in the Spotlight: Daniel Tramper: (Listen in RealAudio…)
From just about the time he learned how to walk Daniel Tramper was also dancing. Growing up in North Carolina on the Eastern Band Cherokee lands, he danced for tourists. Today he is the reigning World Champion Hoop Dancer. He will defend his title next month at the Heard Museum’s 15th Annual Hoop Dance Contest.

Thursday, January 27 - Residential School Abuse:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
Aboriginal students faced the same types of abuse in residential schools in Canada that Native American students faced in U.S. government boarding schools. Now, thanks to a court ruling, Aboriginals can take class-action lawsuit measures against the Canadian government. The Baxter Class Action lawsuit is asking for billions of dollars in damages from the Canadian government for neglect, sexual, mental and physical abuse. They say the schools destroyed their culture and their family relationships. Where does the case stand today? Guests include Darcy Merkur, Attorney/Thomson and Rogers.

Related Links: From the Bush to the Internet: The Apology
Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerence
Native American Boarding School Class Action
Bording School Class Action Information Form

Friday, January 28 - Iraqi Elections:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
On the weekend eve of national elections in Iraq, is everything in place for the voting process? Iraqi citizens will elect 275 members to the National Assembly and regional legislatures. It’s not the first time Iraqis will elect their governing body, but it is the first time going to the polls after the ouster of Saddam Hussein. For Native Americans and Alaskan Natives a similar situation took place with the passage of the Indian Reorganization Act. Traditional forms of government were set aside as many tribes were forced to adopted IRA forms of government. The form of governing was entirely foreign and in many cases opposite to the traditional forms of governing. How will this attempt in Iraq turn out for the Iraqi people? What lessons can be learned from the Native experience? Guests are Alan Parker, Director/ Center for Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies, Evergreen State College, and Erik Gustafson, Executive Director/ Education for Peace in Iraq Center.

Monday, January 31 - Book of the Month: Na’eda:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
How much do you really know about Alaska Natives? If you live in the “lower 48” your knowledge might be limited to a few high school classes or perhaps what you may have seen portrayed in movies or cartoons. But what’s the real story about the Inupiaq, the Tlingit, or the Athabascans? This month’s book not only features 226 traditional or IRA Native governments; it also covers 168 village corporations and Alaska’s only reservation in Metlakatla. The governing structure for Alaska Natives is quite different from what tribes in the lower 48 and Canada have experienced. “Na’eda,” which means hello in the Dena’ina Athabascan language, is our Book of the Month. Guest is Hallie L. Bissett, Co-Author/Na’eda.

Tuesday, February 1 - Helping Your Child Succeed in School: (Listen in RealAudio…)
As your child starts another semester of school how can you as a parent or guardian help them do their best and earn good grades? Research shows that parental involvement is a major key in a child’s educational success. Kids who have strong parental involvement tend to score better on tests and have higher graduation rates among other positive aspects. Whether your child is just starting kindergarten or is in high school, there are very specific tips on what you can do to help them learn and earn good grades. Guests include Anita Olsen, Treasurer/ Oregon Parent Teacher Association, Misty Hirsh, Student/ Salish Kootenai College.

Related Links: State of Indian Nations Address

Wednesday, February 2 - Caring for Baby Teeth:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. You might be surprised to learn how important it is to take good care of those baby teeth. The quality of care these primary teeth get will set the foundation for a lifetime of either positive or negative dental health. Teeth affect a child’s speech development and help save space for their permanent teeth. Most parents don’t know they should schedule their child’s first dental appointment as soon as they spot that first tooth. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends your child should visit a dentist when their first tooth comes in or by their first birthday. What are some other good oral health tips for parents and children? Guests include Gayle Guliford, Registered Dental Hygienist/ Eastern Band of Cherokee Health and Medical Division, Children's Dental Program, and Dr. Craig Bruce, Pediatric Dentist/ Tuba City Indian Health Services Hospital.


Thursday, February 3 - State of Indian Nations Address:
(Listen in RealAudio…)
How did Native American policies and issues fit into President Bush’s State of the Union address he delivered last night? The President addressed the American people and outlined his plan for America in the next four years. But how will he interact with the sovereign Indian nations of America? Tex Hall, President of the National Congress of American Indians will deliver the third State of Indian Nations Address today. The NCAI President will outline the state of American Indians and Alaska Natives, giving President Bush, Congress and American citizens, a general overview on the state of contemporary Native peoples and the challenges and opportunities they face. Guests include Tex Hall, President/National Congress of American Indians, Suzan Harjo, President/ Morning Star Institute, and Greg Smith, Attorney/ Johnston & Associates Law Firm.


Friday, February 4 - Follow Up on the Lewis & Clark Commemoration: (Listen in RealAudio…)
The Corps of Discovery II, the Lewis and Clark Exhibition, makes a stop in New Mexico at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. The exhibit includes storytellers and other programs about Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The exhibit is led and funded by the National Park Service, but also has other supporters, including 50 Indian Nations. What do they hope to gain by bringing the exhibition to America’s southwest? Guests are Roberta Conner, Director/ Tamastslikt Cultural Institution, and Jeffrey Olson, Public Information Officer/ National Park Service.

Related Links:
National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commemoration
Lewis and Clark gNET