The
California Indian Radio Project
A
Thirteen Program Series On Native American Culture Hits The Airwaves.
Five
years ago, many people didn't know there were any Indians left in
California. Today, after two widely publicized ballot initiatives
concerning gaming, California Indians have become a political force
to be dealt with in the nation's most populous state. In fact, from
Washington, D.C. on the west, Native issues are rising fast on the
public agenda, despite the belief that Indian people were supposed
to have vanished a hundred years ago.
A
colorful promotional flyer for the project. Logo design by David Ipina.
The
California Indian Radio Project is a 13-part public radio series that
helps fill in much little known background to this story of the people
who refused to vanish. Although the series explores the diverse issues
that concern California Indians, the topics are meaningful locally,
and cross-culturally. For listeners who enjoy first-person interviews
and a rich mix of unique voices, music and sounds, the series will
be a real treat.
Topics include government relations, history, economics, trade, the
role of women, arts, language, ceremony, healing, leadership, education,
land use and sovereignty. Each program offers enough general information
for the non-Indian listener to understand the context. Most of the
voices are tribal people themselves, commenting intimately and honestly
about their own experiences. In the time-honored way of the oral tradition,
stories are often used to make a point. For example, one interviewee
cautions listeners about the consequences of greed: "...that's
why, you know, that's why they call that Coyote Peak right there,
that's where they caught him! Tried to take too much! ' Don't be like
Coyote. "
The California Indian Radio Project speaks to the role that family
and personal history play in the formation of our lives. We all struggle
to be happy and at peace with our past and our future, no matter how
difficult either may be. "All we're asking is for people to listen,"
states an interviewee speaking about the necessary healing needed
between Indians and non-Indians. "There's alot of power in people
telling their stories. We can reach a place where we can come together
and move forward."
This award-winning program series was produced by Northern California
Cultural Communications, a non-profit radio production company located
on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation in the far northern part of
the state. The production team included California Indians and reservation
residents, a factor that no doubt helps give the series its uniquely
insider viewpoint. Another special feature is the amount of traditional
and contemporary music included in the programs. Ranging from rarely
recorded Brush dance songs to contemporary Native American rap music,
listeners are sure to hear something entirely new.
We encourage you to lobby your local radio stations to include The
California Indian Radio Project in their programming schedule. For
more information, please contact: Northern California Cultural Communications,
P.O. Box 650, Hoopa CA 95546 or contact Rhoby Cook at (800) 461-3991
or rhoby@pcweb.net.
