First Voices Radio

In early June 2021, remains of 215 Indigenous children were found at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia, Canada. The school was one of the largest Indian residential schools in Canada and operated from the late 19th century to the late 1970s. Indigenous children, some as young as 3 years old, we were forcibly taken from their families and put into residential schools in Canada. This is also what happened in Native boarding schools in the U.S. during the same time period — children’s hair was cut off, they were forbidden to speak their Indigenous languages, and to see their families. Some didn’t return home for many years and some never returned.

Tiokasin Ghosthorse speaks with Christine Diindiisi McCleave (Turtle Mountain Ojibwe), CEO, National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition about the organization’s support of the introduction of a U.S. Bill for a Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies. Christine is a leader and an activist for Indigenous rights advocating for truth, justice and healing for the genocidal policy of U.S. Indian Boarding Schools. She has dedicated her life and work to pursuing truth and healing for the Indigenous survivors of historical trauma at the hands of colonialism and settler-states. Visit https://boardingschoolhealing.org/

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. According to the National Institute of Justice, domestic violence disproportionately impacts Native Americans and Alaska Natives, with more than 1.5 million Native women and 1.4 million Native men experiencing violence during their lifetime, often by non-Native perpetrators. Domestic violence among Native Americans is not natural or traditional. The domination and subjugation of Native Americans began with colonization and continues today. Colonization was responsible for the theft, occupation, pollution and exploitation of Indigenous lands. Today, Natives who are living in tribal communities on or near lands that are exploited by extractive industries face the highest rates of domestic and sexual violence.

Tiokasin talks with Lori Jump (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians), executive director of StrongHearts Native Helpline, a 24/7 culturally appropriate domestic, dating and sexual violence helpline for Native Americans and Alaska Natives. Lori is the former executive director and current board member of Uniting Three Fires Against Violence, Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault tribal coalition in Michigan. She served on the Federal Task Force researching Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Native Women and has more than 26 years of tribal advocacy experience in her community. StrongHearts Native Helpline can be reached by calling or texting 1-844-762-8483 or clicking on the chat icon at strongheartshelpline.org.

Production Credits:

Tiokasin Ghosthorse (Lakota), Host and Executive Producer

Liz Hill (Red Lake Ojibwe), Producer

Malcolm Burn, Studio Engineer, Radio Kingston, WKNY 1490 AM and 107.9 FM, Kingston, NY 

Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Audio Editor

 
Music Selections:

1. Song Title: Tahi Roots Mix (First Voices Radio Theme Song), Artist: Moana and the Moa Hunters, CD: Tahi (1993), Label: Southside Records (Australia and New Zealand)

(00:00:44)

2. Song Title: All Along the Watchtower, Artist: Featuring Warren Haynes, Ivan Neville, Cyril Neville and John Cruz, CD: Listen to the Music (2018), Label: Motema Music

(00:23:28)

 

3. Song Title: The Path (acoustic version), Artist: Vince Fontaine’s Indian City, CD: Code Red (November 2021), Label: Rising Sun Productions, Inc., Winnipeg, Manitoba

(00:50:50)

 

4. Song Title: Above the Bones, Artist: Mishka, CD: Above the Bones (2009), Label: Mishka Music

(00:54:33)