Wednesday, April 30, 2025 — The Menu: Treaty rights fishers endure harassment and Native food programs face uncertainty

Native America Calling

Greg Biskakone Johnson (Lac du Flambeau), an experienced spearfisher and his tribe’s culture and language instructor, was helping an elder stock up on walleye when four gunshots rang out through the dark night last week. That and other incidents prompted Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI) to issue a statement about the state’s responsibility to uphold treaty fishing rights. The incidents come 30 years after the violent confrontations in the state known as ‘The Walleye Wars.”

Among the $1 billion in grants for schools and food programs rescinded by the Trump administration is a $750,000 USDA grant for Day Eagle Hope Project. The non-profit runs a food pantry and food delivery service on the Ft. Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana. We’ll hear from its director about the program’s future.

GUESTS

Greg Biskakone Johnson (Lac du Flambeau), tribal spearfisherman and cultural and language instructor

Jason Schlender (Lac Courte Oreilles), executive administrator for the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission

Tescha Hawley (Aaniiih), founder and CEO of the Day Eagle Hope Project

Richard Elm-Hill (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin), associate director of Native Agriculture and Food Systems Investments at the First Nations Development Institute

Break 1 Music: Stomp (song) The GrayHawk Band (artist) Worth The Wait (album)

Break 2 Music: Rodeo Song [Skip Dance Song] (song) Sweethearts of Navajoland (artist) From the Heart of Diné Nation Traditional Songs of the Navajo (album)