Talking Leaves: An Indigenous Perspectives Podcast

Podcast transcript (pdf) “Yes, I got knocked down. I got knocked for a loop by this horrible drought combined with whatever blight I got hit with. But I am going to dig deep, draw on strength from my roots, and I am going to assert myself and blossom and think about the next generations as well as myself.”

Indigenous knowledge keepers are viewed as guardians of wisdom and ceremony; to what extent can they become gatekeepers who invite non-Indigenous people in? What aspects of Indigenous cultures should remain off-limits to outsiders?

podcast transcript.pdf "Yes, in Taiwan we do have Indigenous peoples, who are not so well known by the international world because the Chinese influence in Taiwan has been many decades...."

Podcast transcript.pdf Crawford Lake, in Ontario, Canada, has found herself in the middle of controversies about whether she should be the "poster child" for the Anthropocene, a new geological era...

Podcast Transcript (pdf) In November 2023, we (Randy Kritkausky and Carolyn Schmidt) invited four people from different Christian religious traditions to our house. We hoped that sharing a meal might provide an opportunity to further explore a range of interests that had previously been shared only over electronic media. Our wildest expectations were exceeded as life changing encounters unfolded before our eyes. Strangers who arrived at a dinner table left feeling that they had found soul mates. Or to use the phrase we heard many times over dinner and in numerous followup emails, we all became a band of travelers on a shared journey of discovery. This podcast is a snapshot in time of where we are now individually and collectively in that journey. It is our hope that capturing this moment in time, a virtual electronic regathering, may help others to find common ground so that we may all make progress toward healing our society and planet together.

Podcast transcript (pdf) It's been over three years since the publication of Randy Kritkausky's book, Without Reservation: Awakening to Native American Spirituality and the Ways of our Ancestors. In this show we explore what Randy has learned from his readers and how the experiences he discusses in his book are of even greater relevance today.

Podcast transcript (pdf) How did the Indigenous nations of the Pacific Northwest Coast survive ecological and political chaos, and transform their societies to cope....

Podcast Transcript (pdf) Kaitlin Curtice discusses healing through connections with the seasons and with her Potawatomi roots, and the importance of children's books to enable everyone to connect with "the child within"...

Podcast transcript On today’s show, we’ll be interviewing some of the members of the creative team that has worked together to produce an "opera for all ages," The Flight of the Hummingbird. This show carries an Indigenous story, and was developed and produced by a mix of Indigenous and Canadian artists.

Podcast transcript (pdf) Here's the question: what fundamental aspect of being Indigenous continues to be threatened today but is not political, like treaty rights or getting land back, and not economic, like finding new ways to generate income for tribal nations? It's the ways that our Indigenous belief systems - deeply spiritual and affirming routine connections with the animate world - are routinely questioned and dismissed by those in the mainstream, even routinely by those who claim to be our allies and advocates. Visit the Talking Leaves Forum for more podcasts and other Indigenous-centric content.

Podcast transcript (pdf) Today’s show builds on the discussions of Cultural Appropriation and Cultural Appreciation in our previous two shows.  The goal is to discuss how both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people today can participate and share in the process of Cultural Transformation as we each in our own way seek a new and more sustainable and equitable way of life.

Podcast transcript (pdf) We discuss challenges, problems and opportunities that can arise when non-Indigenous people seek to borrow, adopt, and work to learn from Indigenous teachings and practices.

Podcast transcript⁠ (pdf) Today's show directly addresses a question that we are often asked because of our decades of work on international environmental problems - such as desertification in China, the Chernobyl nuclear accident, the disappearing Aral Sea, and climate change. It's a question that seems to be on the tip of the tongue for more and more people in all walks of life. The question is, "are we going to make it?"

Podcast transcript (pdf) On March 30th, 2023, the Vatican announced that it was renouncing what has come to be known as the Doctrine of Discovery. In this episode, co-host Carolyn Schmidt interviews co-host Randy Kritkausky, asking him to reflect on this development that has huge implications for Indigenous peoples in the Western Hemisphere and indeed for Indigenous peoples around the world. We're calling this show “Sunset for the Doctrine of Discovery.”

Podcast transcript (pdf) Today we welcome Damian Costello for the third and final show exploring issues raised by the life and legacy of the Lakota Sioux spiritual leader Black Elk. Damian is Director of Postgraduate Studies and a member of the faculty of NAIITS, the North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies. Supplemental article: The Doctrine of Re-Discovery by Damian Costello

Podcast transcript (pdf) We welcome back Damian Costello, an international expert on the life and legacy of the Lakota Sioux spiritual leader Black Elk. Damian specializes in the intersection of Catholic theology, Indigenous spiritual traditions, and colonial history. His PhD is in theological studies from the University of Dayton in Ohio. He is Director of Postgraduate Studies and a member of the faculty of NAIITS, the North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies.

Full Transcript⁠ (pdf) The first of two shows focusing on Black Elk, a religious leader whose life embodied and transcended the challenges of being on the front lines of conflict between the traditional Indigenous cultures and the Christian cultures of the mainstream newcomers.

Podcast transcript (pdf) Randy and Carolyn discuss why, and how, Indigenous peoples are organizing around these ideas, and also how their concerns are playing out in this month’s international negotiations on biodiversity – the COP 15, held in Montréal.

⁠Podcast transcript (pdf) Today’s show is titled “Reciprocity and Gratitude: Beyond the Words.” We’re going to examine how the meaning of these two terms, reciprocity and gratitude, have changed since the European settlers of North America first celebrated a harvest festival in 1621. We will explore the differences between the cultural concepts of reciprocity and gratitude in European and colonial society on the one hand and Native American communities on the other. We’ll examine why people in mainstream society have become increasing interested in Indigenous versions of reciprocity and gratitude. And finally, we will point to practical steps that members of mainstream society can take to incorporate some of the wisdom of Indigenous culture into the ways we give thanks and reciprocate for the bounty we receive and the communities in which we live.

Full Transcript⁠ (pdf) We welcome Peter d’Errico, discussing issues raised by his new book, Federal Anti-Indian Law: The Legal Entrapment of Indigenous Peoples.

Full transcript⁠ (pdf) Our topic today is governance and nature protection in Canadian First Nations. We welcome Savannah Carr-Wilson, speaking with us today from Victoria, British Columbia. Savannah is a Canadian lawyer who has spent the past several years working for Indigenous peoples, supporting them to protect the environment in their traditional territories, and also to address their governance needs. She has a law degree from the University of Victoria in British Columbia. She also has a Master’s degree from the European Erasmus Mundus MESPOM programme, in environmental science and policy.

Podcast transcript⁠ (pdf) It is an understatement to say that we live in stormy times. Media stories and personal conversations routinely touch on themes of searching, dis-orientation, and anxiety about navigating daily challenges, not to mention finding a safe pathway through a foggy and uncertain future. Feeling lost in a stormy sea kind of sums up the emotional experience. Many of us in mainstream culture, as well as those who are indigenous, are exploring fresh insights offered by a wide array of offerings and guidance by those who are, and some cases those who just claim to be bearers of indigenous knowledge and wisdom. This raises intriguing and sometimes perplexing questions about who really is indigenous, who can speak with authority about indigenous wisdom, and if and how those in the mainstream can benefit from and even incorporate some of that wisdom into their own lives. So, let’s begin with an important question: who gets to be recognized as “indigenous”?

Podcast transcript (pdf) Today’s show explores two approaches to participating in indigenous culture. We’ll discuss this issue with our two guests, both from Vermont – one Elnu Abenaki, the other non-indigenous.

Podcast transcript (pdf) We meet and talk with urban indigenous residents of Montréal, who are helping to write yet another chapter of ongoing decolonization, cultural revival and resilience.

Podcast transcript (pdf) Today’s discussion features two couples of mixed marriages – that is, one Indigenous and one non-Indigenous partner. We’ll be exploring what we can learn about dynamic indigenous cultures today, and the personal growth of individuals and couples, through looking at the experiences of off-reservation mixed marriages. Perhaps what we're going to deal with today is a little bit counterintuitive, because there's a prevailing cultural notion that when people marry outside of their ethnic group, or their religious group, that some kind of dilution of culture - some kind of loss of culture - is a great risk. I think what we're going to find today is that that isn't always the case. And sometimes it's the opposite.

Podcast transcript (pdf) We welcome our guest, Navajo pianist and composer Connor Chee, who is speaking to us from Arizona. Connor is known for combining his classical piano training with his Native American heritage. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, his solo piano music is inspired by traditional Navajo chants and songs. Connor has released four studio albums of original pieces, and piano transcriptions of Navajo music; much of his material is available through his website, www.connorchee.com Study Guides Available⁠ on our Educational Materials page on ⁠TalkingLeavesForum.org⁠

Podcast transcript (pdf) We welcome our two guests from the indigenous art world today: Lori Beavis is the Executive Director of Daphne Art Centre in Montréal. Lori has mixed indigenous – settler heritage. On her maternal side she is Michi Saagiig, Anishinaabe and Welsh. Her paternal family is Irish-British. And Michelle Sound, a visual artist, is a member of the Swan River First Nation, a Cree nation whose territories are in the Canadian province of Alberta. Lori joins us today from Montréal and Michelle joins us from the Vancouver area in British Columbia. For listeners who would like to see the artwork we will be talking about, you can find a link at www.randykritkausky.com, Randy's author website.

Podcast transcript (pdf) We welcome back our guests - Steve Schwartzberg is a former Director of Undergraduate Studies for International Studies at Yale University, now writing a book titled “Arguments over Genocide: The War of Words over Cherokee Removal in the Congress and the Supreme Court." Peter d’Errico is a member of the New Mexico Bar Association and a former staff attorney at Navajo Legal Services. During his career, Peter has litigated on behalf of Wampanoag on fishing issues, Western Shoshone on land issues, and a variety of tribal members on their freedom to practice indigenous spiritual traditions while in prison. Peter is Professor Emeritus of Legal Studies at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Podcast transcript (pdf) We have two guests in this podcast, both deeply committed to exploring the puzzling and troubling history of relations between Native American Indian tribal nations and the United States and Canada. Steve Schwartzberg is a former Director of Undergraduate Studies for International Studies at Yale University, and he is writing a book titled “Arguments over Genocide: The War of Words over Cherokee Removal in the Congress and the Supreme Court." And Peter d’Errico is a member of the New Mexico Bar Association and a former staff attorney at Navajo Legal Services. He has litigated on behalf of Wampanoag on land issues, Western Shoshone on fishing issues, and a variety of tribal members, enrolled and non-enrolled alike, on their freedom to practice indigenous spiritual traditions in prison. Peter is a Professor Emeritus of Legal Studies at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Study Guides Available⁠ on our Educational Materials page on ⁠TalkingLeavesForum.org⁠

We want listeners at the end of this show to be more comfortable celebrating Thanksgiving while being aware of Native American concerns. This has been a difficult year for our country. People are up in arms and fraught and confused about taking down statues and what is to be taught in schools about history. And Thanksgiving raises many of those uncomfortable concerns. I hope by the end of the show, we can lay some of those to rest for you and help you to plot a path to celebrating Thanksgiving in a joyous manner in your household.

Today's show, “Accessing an Animate World”, explores the healing and comfort that arises from living in the spirit of an indigenous perspective, not only for indigenous people, but also for those in the mainstream. Many of us live in a world where our views of nature, our experiences with nature, and our understanding of nature are mediated by an objectifying Western scientific perspective, and by media stories about a vanishing natural world. While our planet is most certainly experiencing the disruptive influence of human activity, for many indigenous people the overwhelming reality of nature and experience of the natural world is that of an encounter with our other-than-human kin, who are vibrantly alive and well and reaching out to embrace us. Let us take you on a journey into that universe.

Podcast transcript (pdf) We welcome Thomas Linzey to our program today, on the topic of “The Rights of Nature, Bringing Indigenous Perspectives into the Legal System.” Thomas Linzey serves as senior legal counsel for the Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights – CDER - a nonprofit organization committed to globally advancing environmental rights. He is widely recognized as the founder of the contemporary community rights and rights of nature movements, which have resulted in the adoption of several hundred municipal laws across the United States. In 2008, he assisted the Ecuadorian constitutional assembly to draft its Rights of Nature provisions for the new Ecuadorian constitution. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Mother Jones, Forbes, and The Nation magazine.

Podcast transcript (pdf) Today's program guests are Grant Paulson and Christian Domer. They are each on the line with us from Australia. So they were going to start first by giving some brief backgrounds on themselves, and Grant, can you tell us something about your family background and the variety of experiences that you've had that are both personal to you, and also reflect the experience of a lot of your people?

Today, we are exploring how to come to terms with and heal the wounds caused by the legacy of Indian residential schools, where young indigenous children in the U. S. and Canada experienced forced assimilation for nearly a century.

Today’s topic is Shamanism, and our guest is Sas Carey of Vermont. Sas is a healer and a registered nurse who, since 1994, has been traveling to Mongolia studying traditional Mongolian medicine. She became close to a small ethnic group of reindeer herders, and has returned often over nearly three decades. Shamanism is an important part of traditional Mongolian culture, and Sas has attended and participated in shaman ceremonies.

This episode of Indigenous Perspectives is about how those of us who are disconnected from nature are trying to reconnect with mother earth and why we're trying to do so.

Today's show celebrates Earth Day. For all of us on Mother Earth, every day should be Earth Day. Indeed, for those of us who have indigenous ancestry, every day on earth is Earth Day, as we are more or less in continual intimate contact with the natural world around us. I say “more or less” in continual contact because the reality of life and a world turned upside down by colonial history is that indigenous people have been repeatedly displaced and relocated. Like many of our natural kin: the winged ones, the rooted ones, the four legged, we often struggle to maintain nurturing connections with the earth. That struggle is the theme of today's show.

Podcast transcript (pdf) On this show, we have two guests who are Potawatomi: Paige Willet is talking with us from Oklahoma in the southwestern United States where our reservation is located; Eva Marie Carney is talking with us from the east coast of the United States, far from our tribal reservation. Paige is a journalist who works on our tribal newspaper. Eva is a tribal legislator. I will have each of them tell you more about who they are, and what they do, during this program. Study Guides Available⁠ on our Educational Materials page on ⁠TalkingLeavesForum.org⁠

Podcast transcript (pdf) Many of you are familiar with the fact that indigenous people have deep spiritual connections with the natural world. Documentaries, ethnographic literature, fiction - much of it written by Native Americans - and my own book, all reinforce this notion., At the same time, these portrayals of indigenous people run the risk of sending another message - that those with Indian or First Nations ancestry are the only humans who can have and hold on to deep spiritual connections with Mother Earth. This idea can discourage individuals from the joy of feeling connected with the natural world around them. And it can also discourage us from collectively developing the respectful and reciprocal relationships with nature that we need to cultivate if we are to emerge from the current culture of exploiting the natural world.

Podcast transcript (pdf) Our guest is Tom Dearhouse, a member of the First Nations people known throughout much of the world as Mohawks. That image and name originate in literature and images of skywalkers navigating narrow steel beams far above city streets. The reality behind these popular images is far more complex. Tom Dearhouse is going to help us to explore a rich cultural history and its very vibrant current indigenous community. Study Guides Available⁠ on our Educational Materials page on ⁠TalkingLeavesForum.org⁠

Podcast transcript (pdf) Our guest is Chief Don Stevens of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation of Vermont. We explore the history of the Abenaki, and among other topics look at how Native Americans have responded to their encounters with European culture, and in particular the Christian religion. We will be looking at some of the different ways that Native Americans celebrate Christmas. Study Guides Available⁠ on our Educational Materials page on ⁠TalkingLeavesForum.org⁠

Podcast transcript (pdf) We explore Native American perspectives on Thanksgiving, and more generally on giving thanks. By reflecting on how we give thanks, and by considering how to do this in the spirit of Native American culture, we can share in a message of healing, as individuals and as a society. Study Guides Available on our Educational Materials page on TalkingLeavesForum.org