Cultivating Indigenous Voices

A CULTURAL STORY Tune in and listen to the cultural story of the Ha:ṣañ Bahidaj (saguaro fruit) harvest, a sacred summer tradition deeply rooted in O’odham history. In this special archive episode, I feature an excerpt of my late mother Amelia Chiago-Martinez (baḍ) to honor her legacy and the generations of ancestral knowledge she passed on to me. Recorded in July 2020,  prior to her passing, this...

In Indian Country, teasing is a love language and humor is survival. In this episode I catch up over the phone with Tesera Choyguha (Tohono O’odham) , a multi-talented Native comedian, cultural educator, utilitarian potter, and retired Toka player. Tee and I go way back to around 2013, when I first joined their Toka team called Gewkdag, in Sells, Arizona. For those unfamiliar, Toka is a traditiona...

In this episode, we welcome Cisco Benally, CEO and General Manager of Native Broadcast Enterprise of the Navajo Nation. He and members of his team traveled from New Mexico as part of their mission to strengthen and expand community-based broadcasting. Cisco and his staff toured several stations—including KXCI—engaging with radio professionals to exchange ideas and best practices. Their visit focus...

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Cherie De Vore, lead researcher at the Níhí Lab , the spotlight expands to include two more of her students who are carving their own paths in engineering and environmental research. This episode is led by Dr. De Vore herself, as she guides a thoughtful discussion about education, identity, mentorship, and the future of their work. As host, I take more of a b...

In this episode, we step inside a one-of-a-kind research lab at the University of Arizona’s Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, where cutting-edge process engineering meets deep respect for Indigenous knowledge systems. The Níhí Lab is lead by Dr. Cherie De Vore, PhD, who is the first Native American professor in the history of the University of Arizona’s School of Engineering. C...

In this episode, I’m joined by three guests Andre Bouchard (Kootenai/Ojibwe/Pend d’Oreille/Flathead Salish) , Harrison Jim Sr. (Diné) , and Montana Miller (Diné) , who are involved in the upcoming live event Stories from the Warrior Society , that explores the evolution of warrior societies in Tribal communities through the lived experiences of Indigenous veterans and active-duty military across t...

In this episode I sat down with Dr. Michael Kotutwa Johnson (Hopi), who is an Assistant Professor/Extension Specialist of Indigenous Resilience at the University of Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment and a core faculty member of the Indigenous Resilience Center. Dr. Johnson is a Hopi tribal member and avid Hopi dryland farmer. He is a 250th-generation Hopi farmer, embodying...

In this inspiring episode, I sat down with Dr. Karletta Chief (Diné), a distinguished hydrologist, environmental scientist, and proud citizen of the Navajo Nation. She is the Director of the Indigenous Resilience Center , as well as a faculty member and researcher at the University of Arizona. Dr. Chief discusses her expansive work addressing environmental challenges that directly impact Indigenou...

In this episode of Cultivating Indigenous Voices , I sat down with Andrew Pedro (Akimel O’odham),  promoter and organizer behind the Indigenous Takeover show — an awesome event bringing together metal and hardcore bands from across Turtle Island. We dive deep into the roots of this movement, exploring how heavy music has become a fierce, unapologetic form of cultural expression and resistance. Hea...

In this episode of A Student’s Journey (ASJ) , we explore what it really takes for Tribal College students to transition from their community college to a major university.  A Student’s Journey (ASJ) is a year-long program that includes a five-week, on-campus summer experience at the University of Arizona. Using an experiential, internship-based approach, ASJ helps students navigate the complex pr...

In this powerful episode, I interview Sehila Mota Casper, Executive Director of Latinos in Heritage Conservation (LHC) to explore the urgent need to preserve Latinx historical sites across the United States. LHC was co-founded in 2014 by an intergenerational group of heritage practitioners, advocates, scholars, and students interested in building a national network to support Latinx preservation e...

In this inspiring episode, I sat down with Josie Rios (Akimel O’odham/Gila River Indian Community) , a talented artisan jeweler and visionary founder of the Indigenous Market based here in Tucson. I first crossed paths with Josie while we were helping put together a Matriarch Mixer event here in Tucson — but I’d already been familiar with her powerful work in the community. In this episode, we div...

Episode 43 features Native Public Media President/CEO Loris Taylor, who has been on the frontlines voicing, and fighting to address the need and importance of radio and public media in Native/Indigenous communities as things unravel at the hands of the current U.S. administration. Currently, Congress has voted to claw back $1.9 billion dollars in federal funding from the Corporation for Public Bro...

In this episode I feature Jasmine Lopez (Tohono O’odham) , who is a young aspiring filmmaker and community advocate. Jasmine was raised on the Southside of Tucson by her Grandmother Roselene, oringinally from the village of Gu-Oidag (Big Fields) on the Tohono O’odham Nation. She is currently a senior at the University of Arizona majoring in Management in Information Systems with a minor in America...

In this episode, I sat down with a Wynnette Bell (Eastern Shoshone/Northern Arapaho) , who is a Crew Lead for the Arizona Conservation Corps and originally from Wyoming which is home to the Eastern Shoshone Tribe. She started doing conservation work at the age of 16 and now in her early twenties, she’s found refuge in the work she does. Tune in as she shares her journey of finding purpose, resilie...

In this episode I feature Alisha Vasquez, who is a 5th generation Tucsonan and is the Co-Director of the Mexican American Heritage and History Museum and the Accessibility and Communications Manager with Southwest Folklife Alliance . She recalls her time spent at Skrappy’s as a teenager stepping into what would become the most transformative space of her teenage years. Skrappy’s was a popular teen...

In this interview Famous Ones talk about their unique blend of sound and style that consists of a trio of brothers Chad, Carl, and AJ Flores and their neighbor friend Jaize Puffer all from the San Lucy community on the Tohono O’odham Nation, which rests on the boundary of the small town of Gila Bend, Arizona. The multi-genre band making it happen not just with playing in a band but also making bol...

In this episode I feature student and musician Emilio Vavages (Tohono/Akimel O’odham). I wanted the share the story and experiences of a young person’s perspective about being a student musician, so I decided why not bring in my nephew Emilio. Emilio is thirteen year’s old and a student at Apollo Middle School in the Sunnyside School District. He started taking orchestra in the 4th grade playing t...

In this episode I feature Native Tucsonan, Veteran Actor, and Comic Creator Jon Proudstar (Yoeme, Mexican, Jewish). Growing up in Tucson, Jon spent his childhood drawn to television and comic books as a source of entertainment. While in high school he got a small taste of what it feels like to be in the entertainment industry. Jon and a buddy of his both loved a lot of the same things, and one thi...

Diné singer/songwriter Hataałii  (pronounced: hah – toth – lee)  visited Tucson in October 2024 as the opener for the Katie Pruit show at Club Congress. Born Hataałiinez Wheeler, he grew up on the Navajo Nation in Window Rock, Arizona and began experimenting with music during his teenage years. Now Hataalii is an artist signed to Dangerbird records and just released his second album titled, “Waiti...

In this episode I sat down with KXCI’s very own Nenny G of the Latin Connection show which broadcasts Wednesday nights 8pm-10pm. Off air Nenny G is known as Gwen Hernandez; as you tune in you will hear stories of her child hood and all the musical influences that surrounded her in various stages of her life. But, what laid the foundation of musical interests and expression was the memories she spe...

Over the past months I had the opportunity to interview and see two live performances by Jaime De Anda here in Tucson, AZ. As a kid growing up in the nineties I remember hearing Jaime’s music and his popularity amongst the O’odham community on the Tohono O’odham Nation. Over the year’s many waila bands have been inspired by his musical talent as an accordionist and have covered some of his most po...

Culturally based recovery programs render a space to reconnect with traditional ways and cultural roots by rebuilding cultural identity and spiritual support systems . In this episode I feature staff from the The Haven’s Native Ways Program . It was developed by, and is staffed with, professionals with backgrounds in the local Indigenous cultures and includes the teachings of White Bison Wellbriet...

In April 2024 I had the opportunity alongside my colleague Elva, to attend the annual Native Broadcast Summit in Phoenix, Arizona. The Summit is Native Public Media’s largest gathering of Tribal and Indigenous broadcasters and media professionals serving Indian Country. The theme “Globalizing Indigenous Storytelling” acknowledges that Native broadcast stations play an essential role in promoting t...

On April 11th and 12th, 2024, I had the opportunity to attend the first national conference called, The U.S. Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Governance Summi t hosted at the Casino Del Sol – Conference Area. I learned that Indigenous Data Sovereignty is, “To recognize Indigenous Peoples’ inherent rights to access, use, and steward data critical for effective governance, and to govern those data ac...