National Native News Special Features

Today's feature on National Native news working to preserve the shoe mass culture of southern California. I'm Natalie Moore. At least 30000 people thrived in Southern California before the Spanish invaded the region in the 15 hundreds. The native population to about 200 at the turn of the century and now numbers between two and three thousand. Today in the busy city of Los Angeles a group of shoe mash are working to preserve their culture while educating non-natives at the same time. Mike West of public radio station. Oh you have the story. The shoe mash are holding their monthly gathering of the people. A time when the public and natives get together for dancing food a raptor show and to view exhibits and artifacts in the SHU mash interpretive center in park. It seems out of place nestled on a four hundred twenty seven acres of unspoiled land in the middle of a sprawling suburban Los Angeles. Paul Burrell and his wife Karen manage the center and live here with the park. Paul says it took over a decade for the shoe mash to complete the nearly two million dollar facility

in the late 70s when. This park was set aside because of all the archaeology there are ceremonial areas here in the park. And it was set aside as a park or an 27 acre park by the county of Interior. And when they did the Archaeological Survey someone even one member of our family was part of it. They put it they made it they made some notes about this a great place to do interpretive center and they said oh the culture here and it's set in a kind of files. The idea was shelved for years until finally the county and park department approached the tribe who helped find money for construction and other costs. They said hey we have this plan too. To us you misinterpret a center part would you guys like to do it. We said yes here we have it and so it took quite a bit of time to get the piece together developer fees and the money to build this center Morello says the park is popular with local school children according to rela. This kind of education is needed because old stereotypes are still alive among Southern

California youngsters. Kids see on TV that even TV and you make noise and you paint your face and you see people you know. So now they're pretty excited to be here to begin with and they learn a different how realistic output and some even some kids are scared when they come here because they see the 90s and TV shooting people and killing people. So I don't want to see it on Yelp and you know all the kids it's not a problem and they learn the different way they learn that we're just like the people next door you know but we have a different past and we have different ways of life. However there is part of history that the casual visitor will not see forever says he has a tapes to tell of the early Spanish missionaries and how their numbers were decimated through slavery and disease. They made him go into the mission a lot of people have different opinions of it and they were allowed to go and they were asked to go in but they were not allowed to leave. So because slavery they changed our lifestyle they were hunter gatherers. He had a mega culture on pottery

and soapmaking so they know they've changed the whole culture and purpose or not they know that these people were destroyed. The shoe mash worked hard for the center and are now putting their energy into another struggle for Bella says they are now fighting for federal recognition. We want to know why are we not recognized by the government. We had a reservation and it was taken away. And so we're kind of left out. We signed treaties with the United States and 1851. They do the treaties away and they've got with us in the past as a tribe. So we want to be trying to have like what we have are our every right to be. It could take years or decades for the shoe mash to become a sovereign nation or it may not happen at all. Says In either case the shoe mash will continue to grow in strength while making their presence and culture known. Right now or we're trying to get over. Attorneys are trying to put together a plan yet to petition the government. There's other ways to do it by going through Congress talking to our

state senator our United States senators. There's other ways to become recognized as a tribe so we're going to explore different ways to exploit it. Process the government sort of money now on the VII losing problem. And so it may never happen that we don't make it. We're still a group of people and we're still going to meet here and what they're going to try to have political influence in the area. And to make changes. And let people know that there are two there is still an active group of people in the area for National Native news in Los Angeles. I'm Mike West national leader of news features are made possible by a conic Broadcast Corporation the country's first urban Native American radio station serving listeners in Alaska and throughout the nation. Public. Radio. International. Today's feature on National Native news this seminal tribe of Oklahoma faces opposition

to its proposal to build a multi-million dollar resort in Florida. I'm Nelly more wanting to make a good investment the seminal tribe of Oklahoma is proposing to build a 200 million dollar resort on the Florida Panhandle between Tallahassee and Pensacola where tourism forces in addition to gaming the resort would include a Native American cultural center tribal officials say for a number of reasons. It's a better place to invest than their current reservation area. And it's also where the tribe originally came from. But some Florida natives and nearby townspeople oppose the sweet water Family Resort project. As Ellen lookee reports from Florida the area around the Seminoles Oklahoma reservation doesn't look like a good place to invest. The land seems bleak and many tribes are crowded together. That makes new enterprises difficult says Principal Chief Gerry Haney. We would have to get there concurrent. No tribe wants to let another tribe within their jurisdiction for any opportunities economic development of

this kind. So is this rather difficult to do it in Oklahoma. So we look at our best chances of doing economic development of this kind is in Florida. So the tribe is proposing a sweet water Family Resort midway between Tallahassee and Pensacola. Millions of tourists travel to the Florida Panhandle every year and developers believe the hotel complex with theme parks a bingo hall and Native American cultural center would make good money. The Seminoles lived in the Florida panhandle until U.S. troops force marched most of them west 150 years ago. But several bands escaped the trail of tears and took refuge in the South Florida Everglades. They've become a distinct tribe and chief Haney says their chairman told him the resort would make a good homecoming. But the Florida Seminoles chief legal counsel Jim shore says they have no position on the project. We have not been notified. The full plan of

films from when I was in tensions in North Florida and until that happens didn't we still don't have any official position regarding the actions of Mexico S.. Florida's Myka Suki tribe strenuously opposes any attempt to establish another tribal government in the state. They say the Oklahoma Seminoles forfeited any right to return when they accepted money to settle their land claims here recently. Mississippi officials didn't return phone calls but Bobby Henry one of a couple hundred traditional Seminoles who refused to enroll in any U.S. recognized tribe agrees with their position. We hole up in here in Florida all this time. Like we call them that is run away. You know we're not. We say and that. They'll do that. They'll do that. You do it in a way but not now. We got a good full life here you know. OK I like the gum but you know some area residents object to Jackson County

is dry and a thousand people have signed petitions against the resort's bingo hall in bars. Mark Maurice the First Baptist Church in Mariana on purpose for being here at the church is to stop the name of Jesus to lift him up and to be a witness for our community. Just from just from the heart and destroy it. But local groups and even some churches play bingo for money and Haney asserts his people should have the same right. Gaming opponents want Florida Governor Lawton Chiles to block federal approval of trust status for the resort site. Chief Haney says Bingo is a small part of the project and they may have trouble grazing the 200 million dollars they need without gaming profits. And Haney adds the sweet water project is a chance to get a new family ties. We're all of one tribe originally and we were separated and then Removal Act and we're just getting

started back to renewing our relationship but I think this is. One of those things will really enhance our efforts to come back closer together. Tribal representatives face difficult negotiations with local officials about payment in lieu of taxes for roads utilities and other improvements although they hope to break ground for the big resort in a year. The road back to the Oklahoma Seminoles Aboriginal homeland looks rough for National Native news. This is Allen lippy in Mariana Florida. National Native news features are made possible by a co wanted Broadcast Corporation the country's first urban Native American radio station serving listeners in Alaska and throughout the nation. Public. Radio. International. Today's feature on National Native news. The work of me walking author Greg Ferris is

turned into a three hour Home Box Office mini series. I'm in L.A. more. Next summer HBO will televise a miniseries based on the book Grand Avenue by Greg Siris a coastal mi walk and UCLA literature professor Sara has adapted his book for the screen and is co-producing the drama with Robert Redford KUNR reporter William Albright went on location in California and filed this report for us. Great serious confers with your director Danny sack I'm on the set of Grand Avenue in a rundown house not far from the real Grand Avenue where Sirius grew up in a Native American ghetto. From the harshness and despair of Grand Avenue Sirus has crafted what he calls a gritty story about contemporary urban life as it is for many Native Americans the Weyr Indian community. Hanging out our laundry not to show us in a bad light because ultimately this is a positive movie a very positive thing it shows how we're strong. But until we look at the darkness of the way

we live and fight in ways. Two to heal a lot of our wounds that come from you know 500 years of oppression and domination. We're not going to get anywhere. This film is ultimately about healing. Sarah says this film will be the first to depict people who happen to be Native Americans rather than Native Americans who happen to be people. He says it will also challenge new stereotypes fostered by films such as Dances with Wolves and Pocahontas. The danger in this current revisionist history is that once again a rate we're recouping the noble savage stereotype that we're all good. And what we're missing is a picture of us as real complicated multi-dimensional people not just all good or not just as all bad but complicated like anybody else. The screen version of Sirius's book focuses on three pomo families living on Grand Avenue in today's turbulent times of crime gang violence and drug and alcohol abuse.

All the leading roles are played by Native American actors and actresses. Sarah says there was some initial skepticism in Hollywood about whether there were enough Native American actors capable of carrying the film's dramatic content. But that proved not to be the case. Sheila to say I guess I'm a nominee actress was several feature films to her credit. She plays one of the leading characters Molly the alcoholic mother of three children by three different fathers. 2:6 says despite the downbeat content of the film it is long overdue. This is just a slice of life and I think people are intelligent enough to realize that. And also I just think it's a more interesting. I personally find it much more interesting than seeing another western made about Indian people. Molly's children are played by Kodi Lightning an 8 year old boy who is already done for motion pictures. Diane to besiege an Ojibwe and Julie Dakota who is part Cherokee Dakota says until now she hadn't given much thought to her native American background.

To tell you the truth and I'm learning a lot here about it. Because I'm from Los Angeles and a lot of the actors here you know I live on the reservation Canada and I'm actually learning a lot from all the actors. A lot of Indian actors that have done a lot of Indian movies or other actors in the film include a Martinez who has that male lead role and Irene Bedard in Alaska native who is the voice of Pocahontas in the animated Walt Disney film. Although none of the lead roles went to pomos 100 were hired as extras service points out with pride that seven of his people got speaking roles. As three term chairman of the coastal mi walks. Service has been leading the fight to get his tribe federally recognized in the 1940s the U.S. government determined there were no me walk survivors and an officially terminated them as a people. Although Sears has stepped down as chairman he says the release of Grand Avenue will be a vindication and validation of his people. They always said oh we didn't know there were any more California Indians we didn't know you existed. Twenty five

million will see this on TV. And I tell you that after June and July. Most people who read her watch television will know there are probably Indians. Sarah says she is sensitive to criticism that he has sold out his people through his frank portrayal of their struggles but he says as a writer he is trying to take his experiences and turn them into medicine for National Native news. I William Albright in Santa Rosa California national lead of news features are made possible by Cohen of Broadcast Corporation the country's first urban Native American radio station serving listeners in Alaska and throughout the nation. Public. Radio. International. Today's feature on National Native news Native American youth in Minnesota add their perspective to Video Productions. I'm Nelly Moore. Television is an enormously powerful medium and with the growing number of programs available on

cable and satellite TV its influence is growing even stronger. As Thomas Martin reports from Minneapolis Native youth in Minnesota are joining the growing number of groups learning how to use their voices on film and TV through hands on experience. You've probably heard it many times before. The information highway 500 channels more information in entertainment than anyone could ever want. But there are very few Indian perspectives in the mainstream media. Chris Sorenson a Minnesota Film producer works with minority youth in raising money for projects and assists them with producing films and videos. She says TV and movies in the United States are by nature exclusionary. We tend to get a very Western colonised view of what being Native American is about. Because of that it is extremely important that young native people see themselves as producers and that they deserve access to those tools. It means

that the stories the history the ideas and perspectives that these young people hold will have value and will serve as tools to teach all of us at the Two Rivers native Film and Video Festival in Minneapolis. Five young women from the bug going to school on the Leech Lake Reservation presented their film racism the way we see it. The film shows natives confronting racist attitudes in everyday life during a high school basketball game or while shopping at the mall. Roseanne Bell guard explains why she chose to make the video. I think that is in video that. They pay more attention. It's like when people go you know down the you signs let people know and this is just like that's what we're doing to express how we feel. Just in a way said I can isolate in the newly created youth category. There were 25 submissions from around the country festival coordinator and director of the native

arts circle in Minneapolis. Juanita Espinosa says because the messages coming from native hues it will carry beyond such festivals to a wider audience. When you look at the kids pieces I mean you look at MV which is a piece done by one of the youth that was submitted from the upper Midwest. It was about water. That was about the the pollution of water that was about her fear of what that meant. That was about her trying to state the importance of understanding our connection to that. So it was important for me to show that people see that piece because it now means that whatever happens in history I can always go back to the fact that I know the kids were saying something about it. It wasn't just my grandmothers It wasn't just me and it wasn't just some environmental organization. It was a young native woman that's living on the land in sees the water being coming in danger. Racism the way we see it won an award in 1905 and it's been also says she is particularly struck by the honesty with which the young women approached their topic. Kristen Jones another co-producer made the film to address the permanence of

racism rather than hide from it and to send a message to the next generation to B-1 racism. For the younger generation. So they don't have to babysit as hard as we do. So it doesn't bring them down as hard as you want your little brother or sister. It took a lot of courage for the young women to present their film and talk about racism says Chris Sorenson. She says it makes all the work worthwhile. For me the combination of events was to see five young women that I've known for several years and watch them articulate their sentiments. Racism on being young producers and living in their community. These young women were so articulate and so aware of what they created and for me you know any any frustration at any point it's gone.

Despite cutbacks in our budgets across the country there's still plenty of opportunity for young natives to learn about film production. For example the bug going to school on the Leech Lake Reservation just received a grant for seven to nine year olds to teach their peers at area schools about video claymation for National Native news. I'm Thomas Martz all in Minneapolis national lead of news features are made possible by a co wanted Broadcast Corporation the country's first urban Native American radio station serving listeners in Alaska and throughout the nation. Public. Radio. International. Today's feature on National Native News America or on the Navajo Nation. I'm Nelly more American or a nationwide empowerment organization as helping a Navajo community help itself by teaching its young and renewing pride in Navajo tradition and culture. Denise basenji has the story from station KGO

P in Gallup New Mexico. The school year is halfway through its first semester. For some educators it's tough to gauge student progress. But in the Navajo community of Round Rock it's a different story. Within three weeks 12 Americorp members have made a positive impact in the local elementary school. They've been tutoring students helping them with math reading and spelling. Principal Rebecca Norris says improvement is quite noticeable before Round Rock Americorp. One child had spelled two words out of 12 correctly a week later she was eight for 12. NORRIS believes the program is already successful because everyone knows everyone in this small community located about 75 miles north of wind a rock that gives. Her extra edge when you're working with somebody because they know that you can you know report back to mom or dad or grandma is to you know what's going on and what the behavior is like down the hall and Genevieve big A's first grade classroom the interaction is constant.

Children rotate from one station to another in one section of the room six year old Tyson Ben is among a handful of students reading with America or members as we would. Say in the next classroom. Seated Jim is busy being students at geography. They are talking about maps and their math on just pages a relief map and quite a relief map. Jim and Deadwood and 18 others make up the Round Rock Americorp crew. They work 40 hours and came out to change parent and student attitudes about education at the same time they are earning money for college they will receive over $4000 when they complete the program. Jim has visited parents and says some are interested in learning with their children. I give the parents their children every night. And I give them two weeks to work on 10 words and I'm going to go back

Friday to see how they've done with their words and I have the parents through turn give me their homework after school and mainly. The problem is they watch TV as soon as they get home and I had the parents restrict TV to them for about 30 minutes and had to work on their homework and their flash cards again and flash cards also. How willing have the parents been to work with you. The parents I visit now. I think this is what they wanted from the school and the parent I visit. She's really I've been waiting for some like this to come to school because she said that she come visit the school and she says that. She was. I guess she has a hard time reading herself but she's willing to try and show us what her kids so she's learning herself.

Round Rock Americorp director Monte Russell says they are also taking education beyond the classroom. He says they are documenting stories and recording tribal history through the eyes of Round Rock. When somebody talks about teaching that our history we want them to know local Navajo round rock history. When people talk oh no in the land. The importance of the land in the Navajo we want them to be able to look around Iraq and know the stories and the significance to the community and to the Navajo at large. That same way with leaders we want these kids to know these children these students to know. And there are leaders in this community concerned that their role model can be their neighbors. We don't have to look to another community for that although the future for America or nationally is uncertain Round Rock residents say they've discovered their own potential. They've hit the ground running and expect to cover many miles before the program is over. After Americorp they expect to continue with this journey. It's one their ancestors started many generations ago. They say it's all about helping one another.

Reporting for National Native News I'm Denise percent. National Lead of news features are made possible by a co wanted Broadcast Corporation the country's first urban Native American radio station serving listeners in Alaska and throughout the nation. This is National Native news. Our engineer and production assistant is Kevin Smith with help from song Corey Campbell and Nathan Merkel. Music by Mickey Hart for the Quantock Broadcast Corporation. I'm Nelly Moore. Public. Radio. International.