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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2005)
Smoke Signals 11 Wisdom of the Elders Radio: Series Three "Native Nations Along the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Trail." DECEMBER 1, 2005 Edited by Ron Karten After four years of going "On the Road Again!" to record Native Elders, storytellers, and other oral cultural artists for its American Indian radio program, the producers of Wisdom of the Elders (VVOTE) Radio are releas ing the second half of its series of six teen one-hour programs. This public radio series is part of National Park Service's commemoration of the origi nal Corps of Discovery of 1804-1806. Executive Producer Rose High Bear (Deg I lit'an Dine) estimates that its ra dio team has traveled over 20,000 miles since the fall of 2001 to record and share our "living museums," the voices of the original peoples from more than 40 Tribes with the ears and hearts of America's public radio listeners. Four field producers, including High Bear, have traveled to record the El ders and historians of the Monican nation of Virginia, where Thomas Jefferson originally signed the Expedi tion into existence. These voices were a part of WOTE's first series of radio programs which were released in 2004. WOTE's radio team then traveled through the Great Plains along the Missouri River into Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Ohio and Indiana. This second series of eight programs was released in April 2005, and in cluded thirteen nations along the east ern portion of the trail system: the Shawnee, Otoe, Omaha, Yankton, Sioux, Arikara, Mandan, Hidatsa, Crow, Northern Cheyenne, Gros Ven tre, Assiniboine and Blackfeet Tribes. Most recently, they traveled the Northwest through the Bitterroot Mountains and along the Columbia River to complete the last eight pro grams in this four-year project. This most recent series features Native El ders, historians, artists, environmental ists, storytellers, and song carriers from at least 14 nations including: Lemhi Shoshone; Nez Perce (or Nimi'ipuu); Salish, Kootenai, Flathead; Umatilla and Walla Walla; bands of the Yakama nation; Wasco and Warm Springs; Brent Merril of the Grand Ronde Tribe; and the Chinook Tribe. Knowing the power of radio as an educational and social change tool, Wisdom of the Elders Radio was a dream of early project planners, Nico Wind (Assiniboine), Tim Connor (Choctaw) and High Bear since 1994. Funded by the Corpora tion for Public Broadcasting and the National Park Service, the first se ries of Wisdom of the Elders Radio aired nationwide in 2004. Seven features are included in each one-hour educational and cultural magazine: ' Historical Intro, four minuted in length, discusses expedition and tribal history. It is scripted by WOTE's Story Editor, Larry Johnson and hosted by Arlie Neskahi. Elder Wisdom, eight minutes in length, features oral accounts from Tribal Elders who share reminiscences about the lives and character of exem plary parents, grandparents and an cestors, and is produced by Brian Bull (Nez Perce). Artists Circle, five minutes in length, introduces and spotlights a Tribal artist or art form, and is pro duced by Bruce Crespin (California Mission Indian). Sacred Landscape, five minutes in length, highlights Native Elders' sto ries about the Tribe's "sacred geogra phy" and is produced by Judy Bluehorse Skelton (Nez PerceCherokee). Tribal Rhythms, eight minutes in length, presents traditional and con temporary music selections from the Tribe, relating the history behind the music, some times painting a picture of the dance that accompa nies it, and is scripted by Don Addison (Choctaw) and narrated by Nico Wind (Assiniboine). Health and Healing, five minutes in length, fea tures inspiring stories of Native Elders who share information on diabetic health issues and inspiring accomplishments, and is scripted by Larry Johnson and hosted by Rose High Bear. Turtle Island Storytell ers, eight minutes in length, spotlights Tribal storytellers who share legends, creation stories andor contemporary sto ries, and is edited by Carl Shanks. Our program host is Arlie Neskahi (Dine). Committed to supporting attitudes free of racial and ethnic prejudice, our pro gram warmly encompasses today's culturally-diverse, historically-sensitized pub lic radio listener interested in having a more accurate knowledge and understand ing of indigenous history and cultural arts. This new series of eight hour-long programs will be broadcast on American In dian Radio on satellite sta tions, as well as public, community and college ra dio stations throughout the Northwest and America starting in January 2006. This third series of eight programs will be launched at a celebration on Sun day, 11 December. The public is welcome to join us at Portland State University's Native American Student and Community Center. Viewers can also listen to the program at WOTE's radio website, www.wisdomoftheelders.org. Three series will be available along with tran scripts enhanced with historical and contemporary photos and maps. Rel evant links will be provided to Tribes, Native musicians, artists and others. CDs of each program are available to the public at WOTE's Indian Market place at its website. These CDs and the website will also form the core of educa tional curriculum materials being devel oped during 2006-7 with the assistance of educational researchers, scholars, tribal scholars and Native educators. Outreach materials are also being planned for use in Tribal education, re covery and rehabilitation settings. A historical introduction relates the Tribe's encounter with the Lewis and Clark Expedition and tells of history since the expedition. Scripted by Larry Johnson and hosted by Arlie Neskahi, this segment includes: Elder Wisdom: oral accounts of Tribal Elders who tell about their an cestors and the history of their people. These individuals serve as exemplary role models to younger generations and will be featured on our website and in Join us for trie aunch Celebration oP WSdm of the Iders fadio: Monorint "Native N''Jton9 Alf the Lewis and Clark )icentcnnial frail" m ' I t It I rrrT r!T undatj, December 1 1 , 20Oj from 1 :00 - J-.OO p.m. I :OQ p.m. jfimm a 11 for radio I auncr (.eremonij 2:00 p.m. jn-depth discussions with producers 5:JO p.m. ive and silent auctions and raffle Portland jtatc Jniversity in downtown Portland, Oregon Native American Student and Communitij Center, (Corner of ,3VV &roadwatj venue and Jackson Street) Contributions of items to our auction and raffle are appreciated. The live and silent auction funds final expenses for the radio series and its website. All donations are tax deductible. This series of eight one-hour radio programs chronologically follow the western portion of" the expedition trail, with programs featuring indigenous elders, historians, storytellers, artists and song carriers front Ijsmhi Shoshone, Nez Perec, Salish, Kootenai, Vakania, Umatilla, Warm Springs, Grand Ronde, and Chinook tribes. WOTE's radio series are available at www.wisdomoftheelders.org. Sponsors of this launch celebration include the United Indian Students in Higher Education and Native American Student and Community Center at PSU, the KCUW-LP Radio on Umatilla Reservation, and Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. Wisdom of the Elders Radio is funded in part by the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, National Park Service, National Endowment for the Arts, Oregon Arts Commission, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and Sound Partners for Community Health at Benton Foundation. www.wisdomoftheelders.org www.turtleislandstorytellers.net rosewisdomoftheelders.org (503)775-4014 educational curricula and outreach materials. Elder Wisdom segments are produced by Brian Bull (Nez Perce), award-winning Assistant News Direc tor at Wisconsin Public Radio, Madi son, WI. Speaking Native: a brief summary of the language of the Tribe being ac knowledged. The Producer of Speaking Native is Don Addison, Ph.D. Linguist. Sacred Landscape: Nez Perce and Cherokee herbalist and educator, Judy Bluehorse Skelton, highlights Native Elders' stories about the sacred geog raphy of the featured tribe. This in cludes rich descriptions of the environment traveled to harvest tra ditional foods, shelter, herbs and other medicines for their families, special re lationships with neighboring Tribes who were trading partners, and issues of environmental importance in today's world. Tribal Rhythms: presents inter views with musicians from the fea tured Tribe who share the history and background of traditional music and dance, relating the legend or story be hind the music, sometimes painting a colorful picture of the dance, and in cluding excerpts of tra- ditional music. This will be scripted by Don Addison, Ph.D. musi cologist and narrated by Nico Wind (Assiniboine). Artist's Circle: spotlights a diversity of artisans and craft per sons. Features reveal ing the foundation of Tribal art within tradi tional culture may in clude categories such as: canoe, totem pole and other forms of wood carving, basket making and weaving, beadwork and porcupine quillwork, buckskin clothing and dance and horse regalia, musical instruments such as flutes, rattles and drums, as well as map making, painting, pho tography and other cat egories. The host for this feature is Bruce Crespin. Health and Heal ing: features inspir ing health recovery stories from or about diabetics from eight Pacific Northwest In dian reservations, re lating how they successfully manage diabetes and still lead a happy lifestyle. Ex amples of features in clude: 1) using a traditional diet of wild game, roots, whole grains, berries and vegetables, including Tribes' rebuilding buf falo herds and pro scribing a diet of buffalo to diabetics; 2) reducing the threat of heart disease and stroke by maintaining an exercise regime; 3) activities and lifestyle changes that avert amputation; 4) avoid ing diabetic retinopathy and strengthening vision; 5) saving the kidneys by recovering from alcohol ism; 6) quitting smoking and other essential lifestyle changes; 7) strengthening mental health phi losophy by developing the will to "kick diabetes in the butt"; 8) strengthening spiritual beliefs to successfully encounter health chal lenges. This will be narrated by Rose High Bear. Turtle Island Storytellers: spot lights Tribal storytellers who share leg ends, creation stories and other traditional and contemporary stories that illuminate the roots of the storyteller's cultural identity. These keepers of oral tradition have many voices, many stories, many messages which have been passed down from generation to generation. This segment will be introduced by Program Host, Arlie Neskahi (Dine, or Navajo).
