Unreserved

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Unreserved is the radio space for Indigenous community, culture, and conversation. Host Rosanna Deerchild takes you straight into Indigenous Canada, from Halifax to Haida Gwaii, from Shamattawa to Ottawa, introducing listeners to the storytellers, culture makers and community shakers from across the…

CBC Radio


    • May 30, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 47m AVG DURATION
    • 221 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Unreserved podcast is a truly remarkable and powerful show that has the ability to evoke a wide range of emotions in its listeners. From tears to feelings of strength and connection, this podcast delivers a profound and impactful listening experience. The interviews conducted on this podcast are wonderful, creating an atmosphere that feels like sitting at a table with relatives, engaging in meaningful conversations and sharing stories. It truly feels like good medicine for the soul. There is something incredibly special about this podcast that draws you in and leaves you wanting more.

    One of the best aspects of The Unreserved podcast is its ability to provide a platform for Native American voices to be heard. As someone who is of Native American descent myself, I have deep respect for this podcast as it helps me learn more about my own heritage. The host approaches each episode with a great deal of respect and creates an environment where guests feel comfortable sharing their stories and experiences. This podcast shines a light on modern Native American culture, art, language, and honest histories, giving these elements the recognition they deserve.

    Another aspect that sets The Unreserved apart is its focus on showcasing the vibrancy and forward-looking nature of Native American cultures. It goes beyond the clichés and misconceptions often associated with indigenous peoples and presents them as active participants in shaping the future. By treating these stories as essential elements of North America's greater story, this podcast highlights the importance of recognizing and celebrating all nations' unique identities.

    While it is difficult to find any negatives about this podcast, one could argue that there may be room for more variety in terms of topics covered. While each episode offers fascinating insights into different aspects of Native American culture, it would be interesting to hear discussions on other relevant social issues or current events affecting indigenous communities today.

    In conclusion, The Unreserved podcast is an absolute gem that brings forth important narratives often overlooked or misunderstood in mainstream media. It provides a space for Native Americans to share their stories, and listeners are able to connect on a deeper level with these narratives. This podcast is not only informative but also deeply moving, inspiring a sense of pride in one's heritage and a desire to learn more. The Unreserved truly stands out as a beacon of representation and storytelling for Native American communities, and it deserves all the praise it receives.



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    Latest episodes from Unreserved

    Celebrating Difference: Indigenous Perspectives in Health

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 50:13


    Cree teachings tell us that difference is not a deficit – and autistic children are a gift. This week Rosanna sits down with Indigenous healthcare professionals who are celebrating our differences, whether it's putting an Indigenous lens on autism research or broadening the circle to better support and care for our Two-Spirit kin. Through stories of strength, culture, and compassion, this episode highlights how celebrating identity improves health outcomes and builds thriving communities.

    Sacred Seven: The Wolf Carries Humility

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 46:18


    The Tuscarora are in a race against time to save the red wolves which once numbered in the thousands.Only a handful remain due to highway fatalities. A solution was in the works until the Trump administration froze all federal funding, driving the red wolf closer to extinction. Rosanna speaks with conservationists fighting to save and support wolves on Tuscarora territory and across Turtle Island.

    Walk the Red Carpet at the East Coast Music Awards

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 34:48


    Canada's first Inuk professional classical singer quit her beloved job as a teacher to pursue music fulltime. Now she's raking in the awards — including Indigenous Artist of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards. Rosanna hits the red carpet with Deantha Edmunds and the other Indigenous nominees to celebrate their success and hear what drives their passion for music and story.

    The evolution of hoop dancing

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 53:59


    When Theland Kicknosway was seven years old he had a dream of hoop dancing in the rainbow. A few years later that dream became a reality when he discovered LED hoops. This week Rosanna hears from hoop dancers who are keeping the tradition alive and helping it evolve for future generations.

    The power of a 70-year-old friendship centre movement

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 54:09


    Every week a group of elders gather at a Friendship Centre in St. John's. They first came here several decades ago looking for connection – and they continue to find it, while also offering cultural supports to all who visit. This week Rosanna hears from people with a long relationship with friendship centres who describe the evolution of a cultural movement and how its foundation is inspiring new generations and iterations of these community hubs across Turtle Island.

    David A. Robertson on living with mental health's little monsters

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2025 54:09


    For David A. Robertson, anxiety and depression are some of the little monsters he's learning to live with. He sits down with Rosanna to share how his latest book All the Little Monsters: How I Learned to Live with Anxiety has been helping him to heal, build community and break the silence around mental health struggles.

    Canada Votes: How Indigenous people are finding power in the process

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 51:33


    Andrea Landry says she's Anishinaabe, not Canadian, and that's why she won't be voting in the Canadian election. Today Rosanna sits down with three activists and political advocates who are using their voices to push for change. For some it means voting and holding candidates to account. For others, there is more power in focusing their energy on family and community.

    Sacred Seven: The Bear and its lessons on Courage

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 50:21


    The Great Bear Rainforest is the only place you'll find the Spirit Bear – a courageous protector of that land. Rosanna hears from a “Spirit Bear Whisperer” on how the rare species is using its tough love to change the hearts and minds of those who visit the territory. Join us for stories and lessons from our bear relatives in the latest edition of our occasional series, Sacred Seven.

    Springtime traditions and teachings, from the land

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 54:09


    Spring is here and the warmer weather welcomes us out to the land to learn and pass along traditions from tanning hides in Whitehorse to harvesting maple sap in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in Ontario. Guest host Falen Johnson hears from communities all across Turtle Island, who are getting their first glimpse at a changing season and preparing for the lessons that come with it.

    Three Juno nominees on the role of family in their music

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2025 51:05


    A recording of her mother's ECG heartbeat leads Kym Gouchie's song “Heartbeat” off her Juno nominated children's album. It's a nod to her Secwépemc ancestors. This week Rosanna speaks with three Juno nominees who credit their success to a history of music and storytelling passed down through their families.

    Changing the conversation around menstruation

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 50:19


    From berry fasts to the Flower Dance, Indigenous communities are returning to ceremony and teachings that honour a menstruator's Moon Time. Rosanna hears from three women who are changing the conversation around menstruation from what is often talked about as “dirty” or “shameful” to something sacred. It is a time of rejuvenation, selfcare and celebration.

    Shrinking sea ice and the Inuit response to a climate crisis

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 54:08


    Along the northern coast of Labrador there are holes in the ice where Inuit could once travel freely and access the things they need to survive. A warming planet means sea ice is disappearing and Inuit are grappling with dramatic impacts on their way of life. Rosanna speaks with elders and researchers on the significance of ice in the North and how Inuit are adapting and building resiliency in the face of a climate crisis.

    Creating safe spaces in unexpected places

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 49:19


    Whether it's inside a mall in downtown Winnipeg or on a farm beneath Toronto's hydro lines, Indigenous helpers are creating safe community spaces that offer care, knowledge and connection. Rosanna speaks to three of these helpers who are transforming these unexpected places.

    Balancing our lives with Indigenous wellness practices

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 51:01


    Indigenous wellness experts are changing the way we think about health and beauty, challenging us to look beyond ourselves and ditch the shame. Try adding a cup of nettle tea to your day, dedicating a workout to a family member or playing a game with an elder. Rosanna speaks with three women approaching wellness in new ways, guided by Indigenous knowledge.

    Forging culture, history and land into Indigenous jewellery

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 49:09


    Have you ever heard of ammolite? It's a rare gemstone made of fossilized ammonite shells that can be found in Canada's Rockies. The stone is processed by lapidary artists like Bert Tallman, who cut, shape, sand and shine it up to be set in silver or gold jewellery. Rosanna speaks with jewellery makers who are creating wearable art inspired by culture, history and their traditional territories.

    Harnessing the power of children's programming

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 50:30


    Mahsi' choo means “thank you” in the Gwich'in language. It's one of hundreds of Gwich'in words that are being brought into homes around the world through Molly of Denali. Rosanna speaks with creators who know the power of educational programming and are using it to share important teachings from an Indigenous perspective to the next generation.

    Horses as healers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 37:03


    A horse's movements can stimulate 300 of our own muscles at once, just by us sitting in a saddle. It's one of the reasons these animals make incredible physical therapists for those with mobility challenges – but their power encompasses the emotional and spiritual parts of our health as well. Rosanna hears from two women who have built their ranches around the understanding that horses are medicine, and they're using that healing power to help youth in their nations.

    Julian Taylor's music explores all parts of his Black and Mohawk identity

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 44:48


    “Not Black enough to be Black, not red enough to be red,” Julian Taylor's music hasn't always leaned into all parts of the singer's Black and Mohawk identity. Rosanna sits down with Julian and his lifelong friend (and drummer) to talk about race, identity and the power of friendship as they make music out of it all.

    Next Generation of Climate Warriors

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 54:09


    A big pipe shoots constant fire and thick smoke into the sky above Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Ontario. As a child, Beze Grey thought clouds were made in their backyard because of those flares and smokestacks. A decade later and they're part of a group of youth taking the government to court over its failure to protect the environment around them. This week Rosanna speaks with climate warriors, including Beze Grey, who are leading the next generation of action, informed by tradition and Indigenous ways of knowing.

    Bringing Community to the Screen

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2025 51:50


    Canada's Arctic was the only place the new comedy series North of North could be shot – because there's no other way to capture the humour, culture and modernity of the people there. Rosanna speaks to four creators behind two new productions that put community at the centre of their storytelling. The documentary New Blood takes us into Blackfoot Territory and North of North gives us a glimpse of Inuit Nunangat through the fictional town of Ice Cove.

    Mino-Bimaadiziwin: living the good life in 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2024 49:52


    How will you be bringing Mino-Bimaadiziwin into 2025? Four friends of the show gather to share gifts of poetry, song and wisdom – all to get us thinking about what it means to be “living the good life.” Whether you celebrate the solstice or a new calendar year, join Rosanna for a time of reflection, resolution and rejuvenation.

    Northern lights are our night sky guides

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2024 49:32


    In Cree they are called wawataywin. In Inuktitut, atsaniq and in the Dene language, the northern lights are called ya'ke ngas. But don't whistle at them, or you might attract unwanted attention out in the wilderness! Rosanna speaks with Indigenous people who are encouraging others to look at the Northern lights with a new perspective taking in lessons that have been passed down through generations.

    Hockey – as healing, history and hope

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 50:02


    In many Indigenous communities hockey is a BIG deal! It teaches teamwork, leadership, and brings together family and fans. This week Rosanna speaks with Indigenous hockey fanatics and learns that the game has also been a beacon of healing and hope.

    Letters to my Sarah

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 54:09


    The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair started writing letters to his granddaughter shortly after she was born. They are filled with lessons and love, and now they're being shared with a nation. This week Rosanna explores the legacy of a great Indigenous leader, guided by his granddaughter, Sarah Fontaine-Sinclair.

    Unmapped: Alberta

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2024 54:09


    Áísínai'pi (where the pictures are) holds more than 200 petroglyphs and pictographs that tell the story of the Blackfoot in southern Alberta. They help tell a different story of a province known for its hikes, ski slopes and dinosaur bones. This week Rosanna heads to Alberta to explore popular tourist destinations through an Indigenous lens. From the Rockies to the Badlands, take the road less traveled with our Indigenous guides.

    Sacred Seven: Turtle's teachings of truth

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 50:00


    We live on the back of a great turtle, according to the stories of many nations. The turtle represents the teaching of truth, and is a healer of the land and waters. This week Rosanna speaks with turtle protectors and land defenders who are safeguarding our shell-dwelling friends, and passing on their stories and songs.

    Igniting the Indigenous Vote in America

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024 54:09


    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.

    Finding new and meaningful ways to honour our veterans

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2024 54:08


    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.

    Remembering Murray Sinclair and his mission to "change one mind"

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 50:12


    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 St Germain: the man, the music and the proud Metis

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 54:44


    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!

    Indigenous writers bring new narratives to the horror genre

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 50:53


    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.

    Sacred Seven: Respecting and restoring our buffalo relatives

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 54:09


    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.

    Healing 150 years of healthcare harm

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 52:29


    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.

    Turning the page on the fantasy genre

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 49:42


    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.

    NDTR: Sharing a way forward

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 54:09


    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.

    Indigenous influence on the punk music scene

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024 56:48


    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.

    Star Wars Anangong Miigaading: A new hope for language revitalization

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2024 54:09


    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.

    Sacred Seven: Eagle guides us with Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024 54:09


    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.

    How Inuit women brought birthwork home (via The Current)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 28:50


    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

    The future we want has already existed (via IDEAS)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2024 54:41


    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

    Treaty 6 and the double-dipping translator (via Secret Life of Canada)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 57:30


    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

    Meet the ‘Turonno boy' behind Bear of ‘Rez Dogs' fame (via Actors & Ancestors)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2024 57:01


    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.

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