Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'native american'

Remembering Ballerina Rosella Hightower

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:47:00 EST

Ballerina Rosella Hightower died last week at the age of 88. She was of Choctaw Indian ancestry, one of several famous Native American ballerinas from her home state of Oklahoma.

Mystery Novels, With A Southwestern Flair

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EDT

Author Tony Hillerman died Oct. 26 at the age of 83. He was best known for his mystery novels, which evoked the Najavo culture of the American Southwest. In this 1998 interview, Hillerman discusses writing and his attraction to Native American culture.

Toni Morrison Finds 'A Mercy' In Servitude

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:18:00 EDT

Nobel laureate Toni Morrison says she wanted to "remove race from slavery" in her new novel. Set in 17th century America, A Mercy features black, white and Native American characters in different degrees of servitude.

Bill Bolsters Tribal Power To Prosecute Rape Cases

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Native American women are far more likely to be raped than other women — and tribal officials say many incidents on reservations across the country go unreported and uninvestigated. Senate legislation introduced Wednesday would make it easier to prosecute those who commit sexual assaults on tribal land.

Are You Ready For The Summer... Camp, That Is

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:20:00 EDT

A new book titled Camp Camp: Where Fantasy Island Meets Lord of the Flies is an ode to the time of year when kids swarm to camps with appropriated Native American names and sweaty cabins filled with bunk beds and the spoils of independence.

Curtis, Hoover's VP, Touted Mixed-Race Heritage

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:23:00 EDT

Only one mixed-race candidate has won on a presidential ticket: Herbert Hoover's vice president, Charles Curtis. Curtis was half-Native American, a fact he touted during the 1928 campaign. He rose from a Kaw reservation to the national stage.

Fires Pose Risks For Archaeological Sites

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EDT

With drought, high temperatures and bark beetle infestations, conditions are ripe across the West for catastrophic forest fires. And that's making archaeologists very nervous. Fires may destroy thousands of ancient Native American artifacts and may expose other sites to looters.

Folk Music with a Native American Flavor

Wed, 28 May 2008 09:10:00 EDT

Folk singer Radmilla Cody has a repertoire, which consists of songs from the Native American half of her heritage. Radmilla is also African American: Her mother is Navajo, her father is black. While Cody grew up negotiating the cultures of both parents, she tells Farai Chideya that she feels closest to her Navajo side.

Native American Boarding Schools Haunt Many

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:01:00 EDT

The U.S. government operated 100 boarding schools for Native American on and off reservations. One expert says the schools were part of a strategy to conquer Indians. Students who attended them were required to talk and dress as mainstream Americans.

'Plague of Doves,' Multigenerational Murder Mystery

Sun, 04 May 2008 08:36:00 EDT

Louise Erdrich, who has written 12 novels and volumes of poetry, is known for her masterful storytelling. The author talks about her new book, The Plague of Doves, which focuses on a senseless, horrific crime and a Native American reservation in North Dakota.

Hip Hop Finds New Home on the Reservation

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Culture and music blend together in the latest version of hip-hop music. Brutus Baez , better know as Bigg B, talks about his tracks and the hip hop scene emerging on Native American reservations.

Writers Respond to a 'Faux Memoir' of Gang Life

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:24:00 EDT

Writers respond to the revelation that a memoir describing a woman's childhood as a half-white, half-Native-American girl on the streets of South Central Los Angeles was actually written by a white girl from an affluent suburb.

Alaska: Polar Bear Isn't Endangered

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:22:00 EST

The federal government is poised to protect the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act, but Alaska's government opposes the listing, as do many Native American groups.

Museums Suspected in Tax Fraud, Stolen Artifacts

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:29:00 EST

Federal agents have raided the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana and the Mingei International Museum in San Diego, and a warrant was issued for Pasadena's Pacific-Asia Museum. Authorities say the museums received looted Asian and Native American artifacts.

Ferret Article Allegedly Plagiarized in Romance Lit

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:30:00 EST

In 2005, nature writer Paul Tolme wrote an article about the endangered black-footed ferrets disappearing from the North American grasslands. In 2008, he was surprised to find that his descriptions of the small mammals had been reproduced in a steamy story of forbidden love between a pioneer woman and a Native American chief.

Rapes, Abuse High for Indigenous U.S. Women

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 18:07:00 EDT

Native American women and Alaska Native women suffer disproportionately high levels of sexual assault compared to other women in the United States Â� and they're the least likely to receive justice, according to a report from Amnesty International. Aid workers say most of the crimes are not perpetrated by Native American men.

Freedmen Question Divides Cherokees

Sat, 10 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST

Voters in the Cherokee Nation have opted to kick out black members of the tribe. The ancestors of the Freedmen, as they're known, were slaves once owned by Cherokees. Native American filmmaker Jenny Monet offers her insights.

Tribe that Saw Pilgrims Land Gets Recognition

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 16:00:00 EST

After a decades-long struggle, the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe of Cape Cod, Mass., has won official recognition as a sovereign Native American nation. The Indians' ancestors were on shore when the Pilgrims arrived in the 1620s. The recognition brings land rights, access to federal grants -- and perhaps a push for casino gambling in Massachusetts.

Native American Filmmakers Arrive at Sundance

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:00:42 EST

Bird Runningwater heads the Sundance Initiative, which helps produce new works by both Native Americans and Indigenous people worldwide. He talks about Native American fillmmaker and the Sundance film festival, which begins Thursday.

Indian School Case May Affect Casino Labor Policies

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 17:20:00 EST

Teachers at a Native American charter school in northern Michigan file unfair labor charges against school administrators after just two bargaining sessions. School officials are threatening to close the school unless the teachers vote to decertify the union. Tribal officials concede that the fight is tied to fears that unions would be able to organize tens of thousands of workers at Indian casinos.

Native Americans Bristle at Smoking Bans

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 13:33:00 EST

Public smoking bans have been sweeping many states and cities in recent years. But some Native American groups oppose the anti-smoking efforts because of ceremonial tobacco use.

Thanksgiving with the Boston Symphony Orchestra

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 14:22:00 EST

To celebrate Thanksgiving, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and conductor James Levine perform two classical masterpieces: Beethoven's exquisite Violin Concerto, full of searching beauty and elegance, and a symphony inspired by Native American songs and African-American spirituals: Dvorak's Symphony No. 9.

Native American Farmers Allege Loan Bias

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 00:00:00 EST

A federal lawsuit filed by Native American farmers and ranchers accuses the U.S. Department of Agriculture of systemic discrimination in farm-loan programs. The suit, which has languished since 1999, may soon move forward.

Officials Try to Recover Native American Artifacts

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 13:00:00 EST

This week, federal officials announced the largest-ever investigation into the theft of Native American remains and artifacts. Methamphetamine addicts are accused of looting archaeological sites across Central Oregon.

Cassandra Wilson Takes Flight on 'Thunderbird'

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 14:26:00 EDT

Jazz star Cassandra Wilson's latest album soars over a swirling array of musical influences. She tells Debbie Elliott about a work that pays tribute to the Native American spirit and the rich traditions of American music.