MEDIA INDIGENA : Weekly Indigenous current affairs program

On this episode: the back half of the all-Indigenous panel MI host/producer Rick Harp moderated at “Reimagining Political Journalism: Perils, Possibilities & What Comes Next”—convened last November by Carleton University's School of Journalism and Communication in Ottawa—in which the audience joins in with their thoughts and questions for our all-star panelists: Candis Callison, Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia Veldon Coburn, faculty chair of McGill University's Indigenous Relations Initiative and assistant professor at the Institute of Canadian and Aboriginal Studies at the University of Ottawa Brett Forester, a reporter and broadcaster with CBC Indigenous in Ottawa Pam Palmater, podcaster, professor and chair of Indigenous Governance at Toronto Metropolitan University Niigaan Sinclair, media commentator, Faculty of Arts Professorship in Indigenous Knowledge and Aesthetics at University of Manitoba's Department of Indigenous Studies CREDITS: Our intro/extro theme is 'nesting' by birocratic; 'relaxed days,' by snoozy beat (CC BY).

On this episode: Reimagining Political Journalism, the title of a three-day November 2024 event at Carleton University's School of Journalism and Communication in Ottawa, it included a formidable panel of Indigenous practitioners, moderated by MI's own Rick Harp! Sub-titled “Perils, Possibilities & What Comes Next,” our all-Indigenous panel delved into all three over our 90-minute conversation—shared here as the first of two parts—a frank and freewheeling exchange on power, politics, and journalism in Canada, featuring: Candis Callison, Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia Veldon Coburn, faculty chair of McGill University's Indigenous Relations Initiative and assistant professor at the Institute of Canadian and Aboriginal Studies at the University of Ottawa Brett Forester, a reporter and broadcaster with CBC Indigenous in Ottawa Pam Palmater, podcaster, professor and chair of Indigenous Governance at Toronto Metropolitan University Niigaan Sinclair is a frequent media commentator (including his regular Winnipeg Free Press column), and holds the Faculty of Arts Professorship in Indigenous Knowledge and Aesthetics at University of Manitoba's Department of Indigenous Studies. His latest book is Wînipêk: Visions of Canada from an Indigenous Centre CREDITS: Our intro/extro theme is 'nesting' by birocratic; 'relaxed days,' by snoozy beat (CC BY).

On this week's collected, connected conversations, our three-part pile of political pontifications concludes its campaign—as does our Summer 2024 Series as a whole—with a comparison of activism versus access: in the pursuit of mainstream political influence, is it better to be in the room or out on the streets? Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Brock Pitawanakwat, associate professor of Indigenous Studies at York University • Ken Williams, playwright and associate professor with the University of Alberta department of drama • Michael Redhead Champagne, a Winnipeg-based community leader, helper, author, and public speaker • Lisa Monchalin, criminology lecturer at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in B.C. • Trina Roache, assistant professor of journalism at the University of King's College • Brett Forester, Ottawa-based reporter with CBC Indigenous // CREDITS: Creative Commons music this episode includes ‘Expanding Cycle' and ‘Up + Up (reprise/arise)' by Correspondence (CC BY); 'rye' by Tea K Pea (CC BY); 'Deep Dive' by James Hammond. 

On this week's collected, connected conversations (the seventh in our eight-part summer series): the push and pull of performative politics, where we address the question of just how far Indigenous individuals can advance Indigenous interests in a settler-centric system. Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Brock Pitawanakwat, associate professor of Indigenous Studies at York University • Ken Williams, playwright and associate professor with the University of Alberta's Department of Drama • Nick Martin, senior editor with National Geographic • Candis Callison, associate professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia • Kim TallBear, professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta, and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience & Environment // CREDITS: Creative Commons music this episode includes ‘Expanding Cycle' and ‘Up + Up (reprise/arise)' by Correspondence (CC BY); 'my bloody beating heart' by kitchenromance (CC BY); 'Up & At Em' by James Hammond; 'Level 2' by HoliznaCC0 (CC0).

On this week's collected, connected conversations (the sixth in our summer series): a political perusal of the prerogatives of power. The first in our three-part look back at the allure and limits of mainstream political participation, we begin with a Trudeau triple-header, a Liberal dose of discussions about the only federal leader this podcast has ever known. Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Brock Pitawanakwat, associate professor of Indigenous Studies at York University • Ken Williams, playwright and associate professor with the University of Alberta's Department of Drama • Candis Callison, associate professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia • Kim TallBear, professor at the University of Alberta Faculty of Native Studies, and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience & Environment // CREDITS: Creative Commons music this episode includes ‘Expanding Cycle' and ‘Up + Up (reprise/arise)' by Correspondence (CC BY); 'Harp Miniature' by Vladan Kuzmanović (CC BY SA); 'Last Dance' by Jahzzar (CC BY SA).

On this week's collected, connected conversations (the fifth in our summer series): the conclusion to our five-part retrospective, Why Canada Needs Natives Needy, wherein we feature a few more settler-centric solutions to settler-made problems, as well as examples of what truly independent Indigenous initiatives look like. Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Naiomi Metallic, associate professor of law at Dalhousie University, and Yellowhead Institute advisory board member • Tim Thompson, First Nations education advocate, and Yellowhead Research Fellow and advisory board member • Kim TallBear, professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience & Environment • Ken Williams, playwright and associate professor with the University of Alberta department of drama • Brock Pitawanakwat, associate professor of Indigenous Studies at York University • Terese Mailhot, author and associate professor of English at Purdue University • Robert Jago, writer, educator, co-founder and director of the Coast Salish History Project • Danika Billie Littlechild, assistant professor of law and legal studies at Carleton University, and Ethical Space research stream leader at the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership • Dr. Jeffrey Ansloos, clinical psychologist, associate professor of Indigenous health and social policy at the University of Toronto, and Canada Research Chair in Critical Studies in Indigenous Health and Social Action on Suicide • Jesse Thistle, author and assistant professor in the department of humanities at York University // CREDITS: Creative Commons music this episode includes ‘Expanding Cycle' and ‘Up + Up (reprise/arise)' by Correspondence (CC BY); Design for Dreaming by Lo-Fi Astronaut (CC BY); '02 - ricochets on the lake' by neil|lien (CC BY ND); 'Its A Trap' and 'A Moody Phonecall' by John Bartmann (CC 0); 'spacewalk' by Tea K Pea (CC BY); 'Seasonal Interlude' and 'F block (Outro)' by Gagmesharkoff (CC BY); 'Vibes Phibes' by DaveJf (CC 0).

On this week's collected, connected conversations (the fourth in our summer series): part four of Why Canada Needs Natives Needy, ranging from the precarity of charity to the dubious duty to consult. Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Michael Redhead Champagne, Winnipeg-based community leader, helper, author, and public speaker • Lisa Monchalin, criminology lecturer at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in B.C. • Candis Callison, associate professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia • Kim TallBear, professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience & Environment • Ken Williams, playwright and associate professor with the University of Alberta department of drama • Brock Pitawanakwat, associate professor of Indigenous Studies at York University // CREDITS: Creative Commons music this episode includes ‘Expanding Cycle' and ‘Up + Up (reprise/arise)' by Correspondence (CC BY); 'Reflections' by Kevin Hartnell (CC BY-SA); 'Pangea's Pulse' by Aldous Ichnite' (CC BY); 'Extremely Tik-tok compatible for slow videos' by Lundstroem (CC BY); 'New minimalist VII (Remix)' by Christian H. Soetemann (CC BY ND).

On this week's collected, connected conversations (the third in our summer series): our third installment of Why Canada Needs Natives Needy, in which we debunk diagnoses of Indigenous impoverishment peddled by settlers, often to their own benefit. And while some come off as almost comical, others appear downright disturbing.  Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Q. Anthony Ali, freelance writer, commentator and podcaster • Ken Williams, playwright and associate professor with the University of Alberta department of drama • Dr. Jeffrey Ansloos, clinical psychologist, associate professor of Indigenous health and social policy at the University of Toronto, and Canada Research Chair in Critical Studies in Indigenous Health and Social Action on Suicide • Candis Callison, associate professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia • Kim TallBear, professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta, and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience & Environment // CREDITS: Creative Commons music this episode includes ‘Expanding Cycle' and ‘Up + Up (reprise/arise)' by Correspondence (CC BY); 'Rising Heart' by Sro (CC BY-SA); 'Just a Taste' by Gagmesharkoff (CC BY); 'Day Off' by Serat (CC BY).

On this week's collected, connected conversations (the second in our summer series): part two of Why Canada Needs Natives Needy, our comprehensive look at the systematic incapacitation of Indigenous peoples, and how Canada's overt efforts at social disintegration have fostered generations of individual displacement and disconnection.  Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Kim TallBear, professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience & Environment • Taté Walker, award-winning Lakota storyteller and community organizer • Candis Callison, associate professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia • Trina Roache, assistant professor of journalism at the University of King's College • Ken Williams, playwright and associate professor with the University of Alberta department of drama // CREDITS: Creative Commons music this episode includes ‘Expanding Cycle' and ‘Up + Up (reprise/arise)' by Correspondence (CC BY); 'Addiction' by Beat Mekanik (CC BY); 'Hope .mp3' by Vikrant Chettri' (CC BY ND); 'Stale Cookies Still Taste Pretty Good' by Purrple Cat (CC BY SA). 

The MEDIA INDIGENA 2024 Summer Series—our classic compendia of collected, connected conversations drawn from our voluminous eight-year archive—begins with the first in a five-part compilation, 'Why Canada Needs Natives Needy,' a wide-ranging rundown of all the ways this country has produced and perpetuates Indigenous dependency. And here in round one, we review its roots, entanglements which stretch back to the country's very creation. Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Naiomi Metallic, associate professor of law at Dalhousie University, and Yellowhead Institute advisory board member • Tim Thompson, First Nations education advocate, and Yellowhead Research Fellow and advisory board member • Adele Perry, distinguished professor with the University of Manitoba department of history and women's and gender studies, and director of the Centre for Human Rights Research at U of M • Ken Williams, playwright and associate professor with the University of Alberta department of drama • Robert Jago, writer, educator, co-founder and director of the Coast Salish History Project • Danika Billie Littlechild, assistant professor of law and legal studies at Carleton University, and Ethical Space research stream leader at the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership • Patrice Mousseau, former broadcast journalist and  Satya Organics owner/creator // CREDITS: Creative Commons music this episode includes ‘Expanding Cycle' and ‘Up + Up (reprise/arise)' by Correspondence (CC BY); 'A Little Serious Scrape' by Liborio Conti; 'Atmo' by Michett (CC BY); 'Coat of Arms (Farther Away)' by Isle of Pine (CC BY ND).

On this week's round table—the last all-new episode before our summer series launches—the second half of our special live on location look at Indigenous-led genomics. Recorded at the Global Indigenous Leadership in Genomics Symposium at UBC back in May, part one brought us the basics of genomics, how it differs from genetics, and how Indigenous genomics compare to those of the mainstream. This time around, we hear from SING Australia's Amanda Richards-Satour (Adnyamathanha and Barngarla Community Engagement Coordinator with the Australian Alliance for Indigenous Genomics) and SING Aotearoa's Phillip Wilcox (associate professor of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Otago.  Also on hand, MI regulars Kim TallBear (University of Alberta Native Studies professor, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience and Society, and SING Canada co-founder) and Candis Callison, associate professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at UBC. ♥ Renewed gratitude to UBC's School for Public Policy and Global Affairs, the Global Journalism Innovation Lab, and SING Canada, for making this event possible.

What is genomics? In what ways might Indigenous genomics differ from its mainstream counterpart? And why is it important they be Indigenous-led? Answers to those questions and more on this special edition of MEDIA INDIGENA, recorded live on location at the Global Indigenous Leadership in Genomics Symposium, hosted this past May at the University of British Columbia. Joining Rick Harp for the first half of this two-part conversation were MI regular (and SING Canada co-founder) Kim TallBear, as well as Warren Cardinal-McTeague, UBC Assistant Professor of Forest and Conservation Sciences and SING faculty member. Much gratitude to UBC's School for Public Policy and Global Affairs, the Global Journalism Innovation Lab, and SING Canada, for making this event possible. // CREDITS: 'Yacht Commander' by Midnight Commando (CC BY 4.0); our intro/extro theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

This week: our return to the realm of IZ, the personification of critical Indigenous studies as imagined by MEDIA INDIGENA regular Kim TallBear (University of Alberta professor of Native Studies), a character she embodied in her keynote at “Of the Land and Water: Indigenous Sexualities, Genders and Ways of Being,” hosted earlier this year in Whitehorse by the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning. And in this back half of the adventures of IZ (missed the first half? catch it here), we hear her thoughts about a pair of close encounters: the first, “IZ Speaks Back,” a virtual date with a tiny troop of technophiles hoping to hear some extraterrestrial intel ; the other, “IZ Confesses,” a slick if surreal soirée celebrating racial diversity in science. Making space once again for Kim's other worldly explorations, host/producer Rick Harp along with audio producer and MI editor, Cassidy Villebrun-Buracas. CREDITS: ♬ ‘Futuristic Sci-fi Arpeggio,' ‘Nebula Soundscape' and ‘Space Journey Through Nebulae and Galaxy' by UNIVERSFIELD (CC BY-SA 4.0); ‘Shit September' by Gagmesharkoff (CC BY 4.0); ‘Your Choice' by Audio Hero via ZapSplat.com; ‘at the whale game' by Jean Toba (CC BY-SA 4.0); our program intro/xtro theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

In this back half of our longer-than-expected mini INDIGENA, host/producer Rick Harp picks up where he left off (drinking deeply of coffee, commodity fetishism and character actor Wallace Shawn) with Kim TallBear (University of Alberta professor in the Faculty of Native Studies and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience and Society) and Candis Callison (UBC Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the School for Public Policy and Global Affairs), as they discuss: Two men swapped at birth—one Indigenous, one not—receive apology from province a Dutch designer's appropriation of a Navajo word as her company's name sparks fashion flap a B.C. politico decries advisory on provincial website noting that many Indigenous peoples "may not identify with" the term 'British Columbians' CREDITS: ♬ 'All Your Faustian Bargains' and 'Love Is Chemical' by Steve Combs (CC BY 4.0). Edited by Cassidy Villebrun-Buracas and Rick Harp.

For our latest mini INDIGENA (the sweet + sour version of MEDIA INDIGENA), we yank on the global supply chain linking locals in Campbell River, B.C. to the opening of what's only the second “Indigenous-operated, licensed Starbucks store” in Canada. And just like last time—when our MINI went long on what we meant to be just our opening topic—our content cup once again runneth over, as we eat up an entire episode exploring the ethics of commodity-based commerce as carried out by Indigenous participants at each end of the colossal coffee trade. Joining fairly-caffeinated host/producer Rick Harp the afternoon of Wednesday, April 3rd were coffee companions Kim TallBear (University of Alberta professor in the Faculty of Native Studies and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience and Society) and Candis Callison (UBC Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the School for Public Policy and Global Affairs). CREDITS:

This week: building upon last episode's commanding talk by MI's own Kim TallBear, in which she highlighted the insatiable settler drive to consume all things Indigenous—including so-called ‘identity' claims staked by individuals—host/producer Rick Harp discusses her insights with fellow roundtable regulars Ken Williams (associate professor with the University of Alberta's department of drama) and Brock Pitawanakwat (associate professor of Indigenous Studies at York University), a conversation peppered with a rundown of just the latest litany of colonial cosplayers making headlines. CREDITS: 'An Autumn' by BIIANSU (via Zapsplat.com); our intro/extro theme is 'nesting' by birocratic. Edited by Cassidy Villebrun-Buracas and Rick Harp.

On this week's program: a plethora of pretendianism! So much, in fact, it's going to take two whole episodes to fit it all in. And here in part one, we take our deepest dive yet into the ultimate underpinnings of pretendianism—the political imperatives of whiteness.  Driving the insatiable settler urge to possess every last thing, fueling the desire to assume and consume imagined Indigenous 'identities.' Indeed, such self-serving self-Indigenization is very much a byproduct of the colonial imagination, a contorted construct which privileges the individual over the collective, the racial over the relational, and possession over peoplehood.  So says podcast regular Kim TallBear, who, by the end of this episode, so thoroughly unpacks the problematic formulation and foundation of so-called Indigenous "identity"—a hyper-individualized right to resources invoked in isolation from those it performatively pantomimes—you may never want to use the term again. A talk she delivered last month in Ottawa, it took place at a two-day symposium convened by the Wabano Centre—an Indigenous Centre for Excellence in Health Service based in the national capital region. One of four core presenters at the event, Kim shared the stage with Drew Hayden Taylor, Brenda Macdougall and Pam Palmater, with MI's Rick Harp as emcee/moderator for the event. CREDITS: 'One more day in orbit' by Aldous Ichnite (CC BY); 'Horror background atmosphere for horror and mystical' by Universfield (CC BY); 'Goshen's Lonely' by Gagmesharkoff (CC BY). Our intro/xtro theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

This week: 'Close Encounters of the Colonial Kind,' the title of a talk given by our very own Kim TallBear (University of Alberta professor of Native Studies) at “Of the Land and Water: Indigenous Sexualities, Genders and Ways of Being,” hosted earlier this year in Whitehorse, YK by the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning. Although rooted in her by-now familiar terrains of sexuality and science, Kim's monologue was a bit of a departure from what we're used to here on the podcast: delivered in the fictionalized voice of ‘IZ,' she's the personification of an Indigenous-driven movement of ‘unapologetic intellectual promiscuity,' or what IZ herself calls “critical polydisciplinamorous engagement.”  An adaptation of her 2023 Substack post / 2021 essay by the same name, Kim's keynote so aroused our curiosity we had to have her flesh out the body of thought behind it. In the first of this two-part discussion, she walks MI host/producer Rick Harp and MI audio editor Cassidy Villebrun-Buracas through ‘IZ Speaks Back' and ‘IZ Confesses,' which together make up the first half of her talk. CREDITS: ♬ 'A Moment' by Mr Smith (CC BY 4.0); 'Cryin' in my Beer' by Jason Shaw (CC BY 4.0); 'As Time Passes' (via ZapSplat.com); a sample of 'Staying's Worse Than Leaving' by Sunny Sweeney; our program intro/xtro theme is 'nesting' by birocratic. SFX: 'Deep Space Vibrations Ambience Loop' by rhodesmas; 'Ambient space 4' by DylanTheFish.

On this week's Indigenous round table: legal limbo? Did the Supreme Court's recent rejection of Quebec's constitutional challenge to Bill C-92 really cement the self-determination of Indigenous peoples on child welfare? Or did it seal in the status quo, one where the feds still hold all the cards and all the funds? A ruling described as “very beautiful” by one leader, hailed as paving “the road… for the transfer of authority” by another, such celebrations risk missing the core point of C-92's critics: that it was always a half measure, keeping full authority and jurisdiction in the grips of the Canadian government. Making the supreme hype about the Supreme Court's ruling all the more puzzling. Now that the pixie dust has settled, MEDIA INDIGENA regulars Brock Pitawanakwat (associate professor of Indigenous Studies at York University) and Ken Williams (associate professor with the University of Alberta's department of drama) joined host/producer Rick Harp to try and decipher where things now stand after the ruling, drawing on the perspective of well-known child welfare advocate Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society. // CREDITS: Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic. Other music (i.e., bridges to and from Cindy Blackstock interview) sourced from Zapsplat.com.

This episode, another ‘mini' INDIGENA (the easy-peasy version of MEDIA INDIGENA)—one where the first item went way longer than anyone expected!  Joining host/producer Rick Harp on Tuesday, February 6th were Kim TallBear (University of Alberta professor in the Faculty of Native Studies) and Candis Callison (UBC Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the School for Public Policy and Global Affairs), as they discuss the multiple Indigenous actors within Mni Sóta Makoce who helped drive the process of reimagining Minnesota's contested state flag, the pushback, and the possible perils of engaging and enabling settler symbolism. CREDITS:

For our first mini INDIGENA of 2024, Candis Callison (associate professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and Graduate School of Journalism at UBC) and Kenneth T. Williams (associate professor with the University of Alberta's department of drama), joined host/producer Rick Harp this Friday, January 19th to discuss: Norway to pay Sámi reindeer herders millions for violating their human rights How Canada led efforts to weaken original UN Indigenous rights declaration Why the Yellowhead Institute no longer tracks Canada's fulfilment of the TRC Calls to Action The Canadian Space Agency seeks Indigenous interns CREDITS: 'All Your Faustian Bargains' and 'Love Is Chemical' by Steve Combs (CC BY 4.0); 'Brass Burrough' by Cagey House (CC BY); 'Free Tutti Church Organ (F 008)' by Lobo Loco (CC BY).

For our final episode of 2023, a live audience recording from the spring, when we took part in the ICA 2023 Pre-conference, “20 Years of Podcasting: Mapping the Contours of Podcast Studies,” hosted May 24th and 25th at Toronto Metropolitan University. Entitled, “Independent Indigenous podcasting as knowledge production,” this four-person roundtable was a rare opportunity to bring folks together in one place—Rick Harp, Brock Pitawanakwat, Kim TallBear—along with Candis Callison, who joined us remotely. Here's the essence of our event: "Curious about podcasts as academic avenues, our discussion will explore both pragmatic and conceptual outcomes of independent Indigenous podcasting as a form of knowledge production, for both media and the academy… There is much overlap on [MI's] roundtable between media-makers and academics, many of whom are regularly asked for media commentary on current Indigenous topics. Several of us work(ed) within Indigenous and mainstream print and broadcast media. We will explore how producing for a primarily Indigenous audience compares to addressing a mass audience." // CREDITS: Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

This week, our penultimate program of 2023 reunites Kim and Ken for another mini INDIGENA (the rough and ready version of MEDIA INDIGENA) to discuss an array of items, including: a response to pushback against our discussion (ep 334) about state vs. federal recognition of tribes in the U.S. the mass resignation of CN Rail's Indigenous Advisory Council, citing “the company's ineffective use of the Council's strategic input” plans announced for Anishinaabemowin version of the first ‘Star Wars' movie Canadian bureaucrats crow about their new eagle-shaped correctional building “to support Indigenous inmates on their rehabilitation journey,” to which Twitter naturally reacted CREDITS: 'All Your Faustian Bargains' and 'Love Is Chemical' by Steve Combs (CC BY 4.0); Lifecycle by Fabian Measures (CC BY). Edited by Cassidy Villebrun-Buracas and Rick Harp.

On this week's round table: colonial carbon culpability. Calling it a “first-of-its-kind analysis,” a recent study by Carbon Brief has crunched the numbers on some 170 years of emissions, seen through the lens of climate justice. Entitled, “How colonial rule radically shifts historical responsibility for climate change,” the report adds a critical dimension to addressing the question of what—and who—has brought us to the brink of depleting our cumulative carbon budget, the maximum CO2 our planet can handle before global temperatures rise to dangerous levels. Among those carbon culprits with a gigatonne to answer for: the former British Empire, so vast it's said every week a country somewhere celebrates their independence. So brutal that to factor in its era of extractive violence nearly doubles the UK's contribution to (and thus responsibility for) climate change. On this episode, host/producer Rick Harp and MI regular Candis Callison sit with study co-author Simon Evans to discuss this tally of twin legacies many still struggle to navigate and repair. // CREDITS: Our intro/xtro theme is 'nesting' by birocratic. Episode edited by Cassidy Villebrun-Buracas and Rick Harp.

This week: where there's smokes, there's fire. Does a recent ruling by Quebec's Superior Court have the potential to dramatically alter Canada's constitutional landscape? Known as R. v. Montour and White, the case takes its name from a pair of Mohawk tobacco traders who refused to pay millions in excise taxes on goods brought across the Canadian border. Import duties the defendants said violated the Covenant Chain, a series of treaties with the Haudenosaunee dating back to the mid-1600s. A defense the court not only accepted, but built upon to breathe new life into these centuries-old treaties, adopting the more recent lens of UNDRIP, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. A Declaration the Court held to be both binding and the floor of section 35 protections for Indigenous rights in Canada. And the Court didn't limit the scope of its findings to just tobacco, or even the Mohawks. As some observers note, it affirmed the right of any and all First Nations to freely pursue economic development by their own chosen means, a view that goes well beyond the familiar, racist shackles of mere subsistence or moderate livelihood. Joining host/producer Rick Harp to smoke out the potential ramifications of this mammoth, 440-page judgement—a ruling (spoiler) Canada appealed days after our recording—Brock Pitawanakwat (Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies at York University) and Candis Callison (Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the Graduate School of Journalism at UBC.) * 100% Indigenous-owned, we're 100% listener-funded: learn how you can help keep our content free for all at mediaindigena.com/support * CREDITS: 'Forest Heartbeat' by malictusmusic (CC BY); our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic. Edited by Cassidy Villebrun-Buracas and Rick Harp.

This week: controversy at the Congress. The National Congress of American Indians, that is. And according to its website, NCAI is “the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities.” A little too representative, claim critics, who allege entities are permitted if not encouraged to join the Congress as tribes with insufficient claims to being tribes.  The core concern: recognition. Not just how, but by whom. A concern which came to a head last month at NCAI's 80th annual convention, when a pair of resolutions pushed to restrict full membership rights to federally-recognized tribes, thereby limiting state-recognized tribes to non-voting associate membership. But is federal recognition the be-all and end-all of what makes a tribe truly tribal? Isn't outsourcing who you are to outsiders itself oppressive? And why would the approval of a colonial country hellbent on your destruction be of help to anyone?  Leading host/producer Rick Harp and Ken Williams (University of Alberta department of drama associate professor) through the nitty-gritty of this divisive debate is fellow MI regular  (U of A Faculty of Native Studies professor). 100% Indigenous owned + operated, MEDIA INDIGENA is 100% audience funded. Learn how you can support our work to keep our content free for all to access.  // CREDITS: Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic. Edited by Rick Harp and Cassidy Villebrun-Buracas.

This week, yet another ‘mini' INDIGENA (the fast + furious version of MEDIA INDIGENA), with some world-wide words for our 333rd episode (!!!), recorded the evening of Sunday, November 12th. No doubt sub-consciously inspired by the recent 5-year(ish) anniversary of our deep discussion of the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report—which gave us 12 years to act decisively and radically on carbon emissions to keep life viable for humanity by capping the increase in average world temperatures at a max of 1.5 degrees Celsius—host/producer Rick Harp invited MI regulars Kim TallBear (professor in the University of Alberta Faculty of Native Studies) and Candis Callison (Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and Graduate School of Journalism at UBC) to climb atop a cluster of climate stories, to discuss how petro-states like Canada are delivering on that 1.5°C mission. CREDITS: 'All Your Faustian Bargains' and 'Love Is Chemical' by Steve Combs (CC BY 4.0). Edited by Cassidy Villebrun-Buracas and Rick Harp.

We wrap up October a titch late with another ‘mini' INDIGENA (the quick + dirty version of MEDIA INDIGENA), featuring a quartet of tidbits, ranging from a federal security agency's overt admonishment of Nunavut over ‘covert' foreign investment in otherwise neglected infrastructure to new highway signs in Saskatchewan overtly delineating its many treaty boundaries to passing motorists.  Joining host/producer Rick Harp the early afternoon of Friday, October 27 were Ken Williams (associate professor with the University of Alberta's department of drama) and Trina Roache (assistant professor of journalism at the University of King's College). CREDITS: 'All Your Faustian Bargains' and 'Love Is Chemical' by Steve Combs (CC BY 4.0); 'Lazy Sumday' by Sahy Uhns (CC BY); 'Au coin de la rue' by Marco Raaphorst (CC BY-SA 3.0); 'Weissenborn, Six Trios for Three Bassoons' by Grossman, Ewell, Grainger (CC BY-SA 3.0).  

This week: another MINI INDIGENA featuring Kim TallBear (professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta) and Candis Callison (Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the Graduate School of Journalism at UBC), who joined host/producer Rick Harp Wednesday, October 18 to discuss: where things go from here after a majority of Australians voted to reject the constitutional institution of an Indigenous advisory board known as The Voice the B.C. Supreme Court rejects a resident association's legal challenge against a massive Vancouver housing development project led by the Squamish Nation a new StatsCan report finds those accused of killing Indigenous women and girls are less likely to be charged with first-degree murder than cases involving non-Indigenous victims Twitter's in the shi**er, and its name change is the least of its problems: has it taken #NativeTwitter down with it? CREDITS: 'All Your Faustian Bargains' and 'Love Is Chemical' by Steve Combs (CC BY 4.0); 'Racecar Drums' by Daedelus (CC BY); 'Dobro Mashup' by Jason Shaw (CC BY); 'Fater Lee' by Black Ant (CC BY).

MEDIA INDIGENA is back from its summer break with all-new shows, and we kick off with a far-ranging foursome of items, ranging from a historic provincial election in Manitoba to the RCMP opting not to lay charges against a Yellowknife doctor for the unilateral sterilization of an Inuk woman.  Joining host/producer Rick Harp for this first 'mini INDIGENA' of the season (recorded Friday, October 6) are two familiar voices, Brock Pitawanakwat (Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies at York University) and Ken Williams (assistant professor with the University of Alberta's department of drama). CREDITS: 'All Your Faustian Bargains' and 'Love Is Chemical' by Steve Combs (CC BY 4.0); '2.12.05 elevator' by BOPD (CC BY 4.0); 'Montmartre' by Jahzzar (CC BY-SA 4.0); 'Music Box Rag' by Heftone Banjo Orchestra (CC BY-SA 4.0)

For the eighth and final installment of our 2023 Summer Series, "Indigenous Journalisms"—our audio book club based on Reckoning: Journalism's Limits and Possibilities—co-author and MEDIA INDIGENA regular Candis Callison and host/producer Rick Harp finish out the series with Anishinaabe journalist, author and speaker Tanya Talaga as they discuss the chapter's conclusion. ✪ Indigenous owned + operated, MEDIA INDIGENA is 100%-audience-funded. Learn how you can support our work to help keep this podcast free for all to enjoy. ✪ // CREDITS: 'Saturn' and 'Find Your Peace' by HoliznaCC0; 'Heart of Acceptance' by John Bartmann. All tracks are CC0 1.0.

For the seventh installment of our 2023 Summer Series, "Indigenous Journalisms"—an 8-part audio book club based on Reckoning: Journalism's Limits and Possibilities—co-author and MEDIA INDIGENA regular Candis Callison and host/producer Rick Harp welcome back Anishinaabe journalist, author and speaker Tanya Talaga to discuss the excerpt 'Sioux Lookout: Training New Journalists.' ✪ Indigenous owned + operated, MEDIA INDIGENA is 100%-audience-funded. Learn how you can support our work to help keep this podcast free for all to enjoy. ✪ // CREDITS: 'Saturn' and 'Find Your Peace' by HoliznaCC0; 'Heart of Acceptance' by John Bartmann. All tracks are CC0 1.0.

For the sixth installment of our 2023 Summer Series, "Indigenous Journalisms"—an 8-part audio book club based on Reckoning: Journalism's Limits and Possibilities—co-author and MEDIA INDIGENA regular Candis Callison and host/producer Rick Harp sit with veteran Shoshone-Bannock journalist Mark Trahant one last time to discuss the excerpt "Geographies and Destabilizing 'the Local.'" ✪ Indigenous owned + operated, MEDIA INDIGENA is 100%-audience-funded. Learn how you can support our work to help keep this podcast free for all to enjoy. ✪ // CREDITS: 'Saturn' and 'Find Your Peace' by HoliznaCC0; 'Heart of Acceptance' by John Bartmann. All tracks are CC0 1.0.

For the fifth installment of our 2023 Summer Series, "Indigenous Journalisms"—an 8-part audio book club based on Reckoning: Journalism's Limits and Possibilities—co-author and MEDIA INDIGENA regular Candis Callison and host/producer Rick Harp welcome back veteran Shoshone-Bannock journalist Mark Trahant to discuss the excerpt 'Perspectives, Expertise, and Knowledges.' ✪ Indigenous owned + operated, MEDIA INDIGENA is 100%-audience-funded. Learn how you can support our work to help keep this podcast free for all to enjoy. ✪ // CREDITS: 'Saturn' and 'Find Your Peace' by HoliznaCC0; 'Heart of Acceptance' by John Bartmann. All tracks are CC0 1.0.

For the fourth installment of our 2023 Summer Series, "Indigenous Journalisms"—an 8-part audio book club based on Reckoning: Journalism's Limits and Possibilities—co-author and MEDIA INDIGENA regular Candis Callison and host/producer Rick Harp welcome back Anishinaabe journalist, author and speaker Tanya Talaga to discuss the excerpt 'Countering Erasure.' ✪ Indigenous owned + operated, MEDIA INDIGENA is 100%-audience-funded. Learn how you can support our work to help keep this podcast free for all to enjoy. ✪ // CREDITS: 'Saturn' and 'Find Your Peace' by HoliznaCC0; 'Heart of Acceptance' by John Bartmann. All tracks are CC0 1.0.

For the third installment of our 2023 Summer Series, "Indigenous Journalisms"—an 8-part audio book club based on Reckoning: Journalism's Limits and Possibilities—co-author and MEDIA INDIGENA regular Candis Callison joins host/producer Rick Harp and special guest Anishinaabe journalist, author and speaker Tanya Talaga to discuss the excerpt 'Settler-Colonialism and Journalism.' ✪ Indigenous owned + operated, MEDIA INDIGENA is 100%-listener-funded. Learn how you can support our work to help keep this podcast free for all to enjoy. ✪ // CREDITS: 'Saturn' and 'Find Your Peace' by HoliznaCC0; 'Heart of Acceptance' by John Bartmann. All tracks are CC0 1.0.

For the second installment of our 2023 Summer Series, "Indigenous Journalisms"—an 8-part audio book club based on Reckoning: Journalism's Limits and Possibilities—co-author and MI regular Candis Callison joins host/producer Rick Harp and return guest Indian Country Today editor-at-large Mark Trahant to discuss the excerpt 'Indigenous Journalists in Newsrooms.' ✪ Indigenous owned + operated, our podcast is 100%-audience-funded. Learn how you can support our work to help keep our content free for all to hear. ✪ // CREDITS: 'Saturn' and 'Find Your Peace' by HoliznaCC0; 'Heart of Acceptance' by John Bartmann. All tracks are CC0 1.0.  

The opening installment of MEDIA INDIGENA's 2023 Summer Series debuts a new format for this time of year: a kind of 'audio book club' built around eight excerpts from "Indigenous Journalisms," the penultimate chapter of the book, Reckoning: Journalism's Limits and Possibilities, co-authored by Mary-Lynn Young (professor, UBC School of Journalism, Writing, and Media) and MI regular Candis Callison (Associate Professor, UBC Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and Graduate School of Journalism, and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Journalism, Media and Public Discourse).  And in part one of our series—centered on the first excerpt, simply entitled, "Introduction"—it's Candis herself who joins host/producer Rick Harp plus special guest Mark Trahant (Pulitzer Prize nominated Shoshone-Bannock journalist and Indian Country Today editor-at-large) to discuss how Indigenous journalists engage "new technologies for self-representation and the long history of mis- or non-representation by mainstream media."  ✪ Indigenous owned + operated, our podcast is 100%-audience-funded. Learn how you can support our work to help keep our content free for all to hear. ✪ // CREDITS: 'Saturn' and 'Find Your Peace' by HoliznaCC0; 'Heart of Acceptance' by John Bartmann. All tracks are CC0 1.0.

For our final show of the 2022/23 season, we debut a somewhat new format—working title: 'the RADAR'

This week: The function of injunctions. When First Nations challenge the authority of a province or corporation to enact decisions that ignore Indigenous consent, there's a handy legal tool those non-Indigenous parties can turn to: the injunction. Basically a court order which forces someone (or someones) to immediately put an end to a particular action, an injunction is, in principle, available to anyone who can make their case. But according to research by the Yellowhead Institute, decades of injunctions reveal how, in practice, they all too often expedite the use of force against First Nations who push back against reckless resource extraction. Now a new paper extends that research to more closely exam and explain how Canada's legal system tends to favour corporate over Indigenous interests when it comes to injunctions—a tendency they argue is baked into its very core. On this episode, host/producer Rick Harp and MI regular Trina Roache (Rogers Chair in Journalism at the University of King's College) are joined by Shiri Pasternak, Associate Professor of Criminology at Toronto Metropolitan University, and Irina Cerić, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Windsor, co-authors of “‘The Legal Billy Club': First Nations, Injunctions, and the Public Interest”   Indigenous owned + operated, our podcast is 100%-audience-funded. Learn how you can support our work so we can keep our content free for all to access. // CREDITS: Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

This week: when culture and commerce collide. Three underground art rings producing hundreds if not thousands of fake artworks worth as much as $100 million: some mind-boggling numbers shared by police during recently-announced arrests of eight people on 40 charges for allegedly forging the work of the late Norval Morrisseau. Known for his bright, bold colours and dramatic composition, Morrisseau's work vividly conveyed the cosmology of his people. But where some saw something profound, others saw only profit, on both sides of the sale.  Drawing on the in-depth documentary which helped propel the police invesitigation—There Are No Fakes—our roundtable explores the cultural disconnect that got us here, who's hurt most by it all, and whether all of those charged—a relative of Morrisseau's among them—deserve an equal share of the blame. Joining host/producer Rick Harp this episode are Ken Williams, assistant professor with the University of Alberta's department of drama, and Brock Pitawanakwat, Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies at York University. Indigenous owned + operated, our podcast is 100%-audience-funded. Learn how you can support our work so we can keep our content free for all to access.  // CREDITS: "Fern Music (Extended)" by Danny Bale (CC BY 4.0); Our theme is "nesting" by birocratic.

Can a reserve's chronically unsafe drinking water be associated with a greater risk of suicide for its residents? That's the lethal link hypothesized in newly-released research entitled “Is Suicide a Water Justice Issue? Investigating Long-Term Drinking Water Advisories and Suicide in First Nations in Canada.” Co-authored by scholars Jeffrey Ansloos and Annelies Cooper, their investigative framework connects the colonial dots between relentless indignities inflicted upon Indigenous communities with the criminally disproportionate rates of premature Indigenous death.  An Associate Professor and the Canada Research Chair in Critical Studies in Indigenous Health and Social Action on Suicide at the University of Toronto, Dr. Ansloos joins host/producer Rick Harp and MI regular Candis Callison (Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the Graduate School of Journalism at UBC) to discuss the wider implications of this study.  NOTE: The Hope for Wellness Helpline is available 24/7 at 1-855-242-3310, its online chat option at hopeforwellness.ca A wholly Indigenous owned and operated podcast, MEDIA INDIGENA is 100% audience funded. Learn how you can support our work so we may keep our content free for all to access.  // CREDITS: Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

This week: our second, long-overdue MINI INDIGENA of the season features regulars Trina Roache (Rogers Chair in Journalism at the University of King's College) and Kim TallBear (professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta) as they join host/producer Rick Harp to discuss: •  Why we don't necessarily love the idea of a First Nations person as Canada's next top cop •  How a few Winnipeggers ain't lovin' some newly-proposed Indigenous names for city streets •  Why Kim hates the idea of “Native heritage” as used by settlers •  Monthly Patreon podcast supporter Raven asks: “What's your thoughts on the term ‘descendian' (someone with distant Indigenous ancestry or connection) vs. ‘pretendian'?  >> CREDITS: “Apoplēssein” by Wax Lyricist; “Love is Chemical,” by Steve Combs (CC BY); “arborescence_ex-vitro” by Koi-discovery

This week: Press Proximity to Power. For our latest TalkBack edition of MEDIA INDIGENA, where monthly supporters of the podcast debrief with us on our latest deep-dive discussion, MI regular Candis Callison and host/producer Rick Harp are joined by listeners as they follow up on their earlier sit-down with Regan Boychuk, an independent political economist and researcher whose paper, "Proximity to Power: The oilpatch & Alberta's major dailies," was the subject of episode 313.  // CREDITS: 'Guitarista' by Mr Smith (CC BY 4.0).

On our latest TalkBack edition, where monthly supporters of the podcast share their questions and comments, a follow-up with journalist Dawn Marie Paley about her piece, “Canadian developers are gentrifying Mexico's beaches,” published at The Breach. Also back are host/producer Rick Harp and Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies at York University Brock Pitawanakwat, as we pick up where we left off last episode, “How Canadian tourists help endanger Indigenous lands in Mexico.”  // CREDITS: 'Guitarista' by Mr Smith (CC BY 4.0).

This week: Storming the beaches. Some Canadian property developers hoping to lure so-called ‘snowbirds' to sunny beachfront in Oaxaca, Mexico have hit a bit of a hitch: like, the fact that Indigenous people already own the beach. And according to a recent article in The Breach, such land theft by outsiders is all too common in the region, sparking concerns about environmental degradation and unchecked water use, which Indigenous locals fear risk the future of their territory. Put another way: same shit, different shores. On this episode, host/producer Rick Harp and roundtable regular Brock Pitawanakwat (Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies at York University) are joined by Dawn Marie Paley, a Vancouver investigative journalist now based in Mexico, and the author of Drug War Capitalism. // CREDITS: Our intro/extro is 'nesting' by birocratic.

Media bias: something many suspect is at play in mainstream outlets. But proving it—that's a different story. Amidst the daily, dizzy churn that is the news cycle, finding a way to parse out and pin down reasonably comparable data isn't always obvious. But new research out of western Canada seems to have found a clever way around that: by looking at how different dailies treated the same original newswire stories within their respective papers. Spoiler alert: what you got to read depends on where you live. And the closer you lived to the oil sands, the less you're likely to see. On this episode, host/producer Rick Harp and roundtable regular Candis Callison (Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the Graduate School of Journalism at UBC) sit down with Regan Boychuk, the political economist, roofer and researcher behind "Proximity to Power: The oilpatch & Alberta's major dailies." // CREDITS: Our theme is nesting by birocratic. Sound effects include teletype fast speed by stratcat322 (CC BY-3.0). 

This episode, a live debrief with our patrons on 'Oil and Gaslighting,' our December 21, 2022 discussion about the jarring juxtaposition between federal underfunding of First Nations' preparedness for floods, fires and other disasters worsened by climate change on the one hand, and how Canada overfunds the extraction and emissions changing that climate on that other. Back to dialogue directly with patrons are Kim TallBear, professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta, and Candis Callison, Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the Graduate School of Journalism at UBC. A conversation recorded live on Thursday, January 12, 2023. // CREDITS: 'Guitarista' by Mr Smith (CC BY 4.0); 'Free Guitar Walking Blues (F 015)' by Lobo Loco (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Something of a different turn for us this episode, as we roll into the realm of games. A way to play off another side of our personalities and help host/producer Rick Harp hit his happy place, he somehow cajoled some of our roundtable regulars (and a few special guests) to join him at the table top this past New Year's Eve to play out the old year and bring in the new with a rousing game of Hit or Miss! Among the fun folks who helped us get game the final day of December: University of Alberta Native Studies professor Kim TallBear, UBC journalism professor Candis Callison, Toronto Metropolitan University sociologist Chris Powell, poet/author/media producer January Rogers, and last but not least, Rick okâwiya—Rick's mom—Jane Glennon, ably assisted by hubby Dave. // CREDITS, MUSIC: 'Mike and Ron Jam' and 'Instrumental Prelude' by the Sluts with Nuts (CC BY); 'Did you know? (Curiouser and curiouser)' by Fabian (CC BY); 'Small Song' and 'Synth - Homage to John Carpenter' by Squire Tuck (CC BY); 'Independent Film' by Steve Combs (CC BY-SA); 'Mudroom Jazz' by David Dellacroce (CC BY); 'Free Funny Talk Retro Organ (F 007)' by Lobo Loco (CC BY-SA) // CREDITS, SFX: 'Error' by Austistic Lucario (CC BY 3.0); 'Game Sound Correct' by Bertrof (CC BY 3.0); 'Champagne: Cork Pop and Pour' by ultradust (CC BY 4.0); 'Dat's Right!' by Beetlemuse (CC BY 4.0); 'Complete Chime' and 'Up Chime 4' by FoolBoyMedia (CC BY 4.0); 'bt three tone' by (CC BY 3.0)

This week: Oil and gaslighting. They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Guess which one the Canadian government funds way more than the other for First Nations emergencies like floods and fires? Karen Hogan knows the answer: in fact, the Auditor-General dedicated a whole chapter to it in her latest report, much like her predecessor did nine years prior. Since then, it's been the usual flood of excuses and the burning through of budgets as Canada perpetually reacts after-the-fact to disasters it arguably helped enable through its seemingly unmitigated support for oil and gas extraction. Joining host/producer Rick Harp to run through the report, the response to it from Ottawa, and how Canada's rhetoric on curbing carbon compares to its actions in exactly the opposite direction are MI regulars Kim TallBear, professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience and Society, plus Candis Callison, Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the Graduate School of Journalism at UBC. // CREDITS: Our theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.

THIS WEEK: Our second-ever 'TalkBack' edition of MEDIA INDIGENA, where monthly supporters of the podcast on Patreon get a chance to share their feedback live via Discord about our latest deep dive conversation. This time around, it's a debrief on our discussion of Alberta's new Sovereignty Act. Back to dialogue directly with patrons are Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies at York University Brock Pitawanakwat, as well as Ken Williams, assistant professor with the University of Alberta's department of drama. // CREDITS: Our intro/extro theme is 'nesting' by birocratic.