Part 3 This May, as we celebrate Choctaw veterans, I’m proud to feature Woodrow Wilkins on Native ChocTalk — a proud Choctaw veteran whose life is a blend of service, culture, and resilience. From stories of military service to memories of wagon days, wild onion dinners, Choctaw hymns, flower sack dresses, and watching his first picture show, Woodr…

PART 2 This May, as we celebrate Choctaw veterans, I’m proud to feature Woodrow Wilkins on Native ChocTalk — a proud Choctaw veteran whose life is a blend of service, culture, and resilience. From stories of military service to memories of wagon days, wild onion dinners, Choctaw hymns, flower sack dresses, and watching his first picture show, Woodr…

This May, as we celebrate Choctaw veterans, I’m proud to feature Woodrow Wilkins on Native ChocTalk — a proud Choctaw veteran whose life is a blend of service, culture, and resilience. From stories of military service to memories of wagon days, wild onion dinners, Choctaw hymns, flower sack dresses, and watching his first picture show, Woodrow brin…

Part 2 This month, for Memorial Day and Military Appreciation Month, we honor our Native American veterans. Did you know our Native people serve at the highest rate per capita of any group in the U.S.? Yet, Native veterans also face some of the highest suicide rates, often twice the national average. Factors like historical trauma, limited access t…

This month, for Memorial Day and Military Appreciation Month, we honor our Native American veterans. Did you know our Native people serve at the highest rate per capita of any group in the U.S.? Yet, Native veterans also face some of the highest suicide rates, often twice the national average. Factors like historical trauma, limited access to cultu…

Part 6 In Honor of Memorial Day: This series is dedicated to our Native American veterans—our warriors—who have served with honor, courage, and an unshakable commitment to protect this land and its people. With Father’s Day around the corner: We also honor our fathers and our future warriors - our young men. Long before Choctaws were farmers and bu…

PART 5 In Honor of Memorial Day: This series is dedicated to our Native American veterans—our warriors—who have served with honor, courage, and an unshakable commitment to protect this land and its people. With Father’s Day around the corner: We also honor our fathers and our future warriors - our young men. Long before Choctaws were farmers and bu…

Part 4 In Honor of Memorial Day: This series is dedicated to our Native American veterans—our warriors—who have served with honor, courage, and an unshakable commitment to protect this land and its people. With Father’s Day around the corner: We also honor our fathers and our future warriors - our young men. Long before Choctaws were farmers and bu…

Part 3 In Honor of Memorial Day: This series is dedicated to our Native American veterans—our warriors—who have served with honor, courage, and an unshakable commitment to protect this land and its people. With Father’s Day around the corner: We also honor our fathers and our future warriors - our young men. Long before Choctaws were farmers and bu…

Part 2 In Honor of Memorial Day This series is dedicated to our Native American veterans—our warriors—who have served with honor, courage, and an unshakable commitment to protect this land and its people. With Father’s Day around the corner We also honor our fathers and our future warriors - our young men. Long before Choctaws were farmers and busi…

In Honor of Memorial Day: This series is dedicated to our Native American veterans—our warriors—who have served with honor, courage, and an unshakable commitment to protect this land and its people. With Father’s Day around the corner: We also honor our fathers—thank you for your strength, guidance, and love. To our young men. You are the future. W…

In this final episode of my conversations with the great grandchildren of the heroic Comanche leader, Quanah Parker, we open with a moving moment: Sandra, great-granddaughter of Quanah Parker, reads a heartfelt letter from her father, Baldwin Parker, Jr. — a message of strength, legacy, and deep-rooted pride. Did you know that Quanah Parker was not…

In part 6 of this series, you’ll continue the Journey into the life, legend, and legacy of Quanah Parker — last chief of the Comanche, warrior, spiritual leader, and protector of Native tradition. You’ll learn from his descendants about: The powerful story of Quanah’s fight to preserve the sacred use of peyote through the Native American Church, an…

In Part 5 of Native ChocTalk’s powerful series on the legendary Comanche warrior Quanah Parker, his descendants share intimate stories about his mother, Cynthia Ann Parker—known to the Comanche as Na'ura (1827–March 1871). Taken captive at just 9 years old during the Fort Parker Massacre of 1836, Cynthia Ann was raised by the Comanche people, event…

PART 4 “Don’t let go of one foot in one place and one foot in the other. Don’t ever forget who you are. You are Comanche, you are Indian. You are a Parker.” - Jacquetta Parker, proud great-granddaughter of the legendary Comanche warrior Quanah Parker, sharing his timeless wisdom and guiding his descendants as they navigate the complexities of two v…

PART 3 They were the Comanche, or Numunuh—meaning "The People"— and they were the undisputed "Lords of the Plains," fiercely guarding their vast homeland across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico. Masters of horseback warfare, they resisted westward expansion as the U.S. government pushed settlers into their territory. In an 1836 rai…

According to the American Addiction Centers: "The rate of alcohol use among Native Americans is significantly higher than in other ethnic groups. The rate of Native Americans with an alcohol use disorder is higher than that of the total population. And one in ten young Native Americans (ages 18–25) has an alcohol use disorder.” What if there were a…

According to the American Addiction Centers: "The rate of alcohol use among Native Americans is significantly higher than in other ethnic groups. The rate of Native Americans with an alcohol use disorder is higher than that of the total population. And one in ten young Native Americans (ages 18–25) has an alcohol use disorder.” What if there were a…

PART 3 "Don’t forget what was sacrificed. And keep fighting in the ways you can. You are still occupied. You are still here. You are born of real survivors. So go live.” These are the powerful words from my guest, comic book artist Jim Terry (Ho-Chunk), in his book “Paper Cut”. I really enjoyed this casual conversation with Jim, who lives not far f…

PART 2 "Don’t forget what was sacrificed. And keep fighting in the ways you can. You are still occupied. You are still here. You are born of real survivors. So go live.” These are the powerful words from my guest, comic book artist Jim Terry (Ho-Chunk), in his book “Paper Cut”. I really enjoyed this casual conversation with Jim, who lives not far f…

"Don’t forget what was sacrificed. And keep fighting in the ways you can. You are still occupied. You are still here. You are born of real survivors. So go live.” These are the powerful words from my guest, comic book artist Jim Terry (Ho-Chunk), in his book “Paper Cut”. I really enjoyed this casual conversation with Jim, who lives not far from me …

Part 3 March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor the powerful stories of women throughout history. So today, we’re celebrating both history and healing! Join us as Sharon Day, a member of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe, shares her ancestral stories and her work leading healing water walks. Wondering what a water walk is? Tune in to discover it…

Part 2 March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor the powerful stories of women throughout history. So today, we’re celebrating both history and healing! Join us as Sharon Day, a member of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe, shares her ancestral stories and her work leading healing water walks. Wondering what a water walk is? Tune in to discover it…

March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor the powerful stories of women throughout history. So today, we’re celebrating both history and healing! Join us as Sharon Day, a member of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe, shares her ancestral stories and her work leading healing water walks. Wondering what a water walk is? Tune in to discover its signi…

“To the Choctaw proud, ours is the sovereign nation offering opportunities for growth and prosperity.” This is the stated mission of my tribe, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. For the Choctaw, creating opportunities isn’t just about supporting our own people—it’s about uplifting the surrounding communities as well. Sara Seals, Director of Marketing …

Part 2 In today’s episode, we proudly celebrate Veteran’s Day and honor our men and women who have bravely served our country! My guest, Jackson Weaver, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and a Service-Connected Disabled Veteran, shares about his family’s legacy of dedicated servicemen, such as Jackson’s grandpa known as “Chief” to all who…

In today’s episode, we proudly celebrate Veteran’s Day and honor our men and women who have bravely served our country! My guest, Jackson Weaver, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and a Service-Connected Disabled Veteran, shares about his family’s legacy of dedicated servicemen, such as Jackson’s grandpa known as “Chief” to all who knew h…

In today’s episode, we proudly celebrate Veteran’s Day and honor our men and women who have bravely served our country! My guest, Jackson Weaver, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and a Service-Connected Disabled Veteran, shares about his family’s legacy of dedicated servicemen, such as Jackson’s grandpa known as “Chief” to all who knew h…

Part 1 In today’s episode, we proudly celebrate Veteran’s Day and honor our men and women who have bravely served our country! My guest, Jackson Weaver, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and a Service-Connected Disabled Veteran, shares about his family’s legacy of dedicated servicemen, such as Jackson’s grandpa known as “Chief” to all who…

This summer, I embarked on a road trip to Tuskahoma, Oklahoma, for our annual Choctaw Labor Day Festival. Nestled among the rolling hills of the Kiamichi Mountains, the event was a vibrant celebration featuring stickball tournaments, frybread, gourd dancing, and Choctaw Village activities. While these cherished traditions always make the journey wo…

Part 4 It is said that as our ancestors walked the hundreds of miles on the Trail of Tears from their homelands to Indian Territory during The Removal, that singing could be heard echoing through the trees. Those near enough to hear those melodious sounds may have assumed a nearby church service was taking place. What they probably didn’t know at t…

Part 3 It is said that as our ancestors walked the hundreds of miles on the Trail of Tears from their homelands to Indian Territory during The Removal, that singing could be heard echoing through the trees. Those near enough to hear those melodious sounds may have assumed a nearby church service was taking place. What they probably didn’t know at t…

Part 2 It is said that as our ancestors walked the hundreds of miles on the Trail of Tears from their homelands to Indian Territory during The Removal, that singing could be heard echoing through the trees. Those near enough to hear those melodious sounds may have assumed a nearby church service was taking place. What they probably didn’t know at t…

Part 1 It is said that as our ancestors walked the hundreds of miles on the Trail of Tears from their homelands to Indian Territory during The Removal, that singing could be heard echoing through the trees. Those near enough to hear those melodious sounds may have assumed a nearby church service was taking place. What they probably didn’t know at t…

Part 2 For centuries, American Indians carved out a labyrinth of pathways across this land. Spanning hundreds of miles, these trails not only enabled connections among their communities, but also provided access to prime hunting grounds, water and seasonal dwellings. Over time, these well-trodden paths underwent a transformation at the hands of non…

Part 1 For centuries, American Indians carved out a labyrinth of pathways across this land. Spanning hundreds of miles, these trails not only enabled connections among their communities, but also provided access to prime hunting grounds, water and seasonal dwellings. Over time, these well-trodden paths underwent a transformation at the hands of non…

Part 3 They called her “savage”. She was a tough, independent and widowed single mother, attempting to succeed during a time when women were just starting to have a voice (although many Native women were still very much unheard). Join me and my guest, Nicolette Blount as she delves into the stories of her great grandmother, Wanda Savage, a 1920s Ch…

Part 2 They called her “savage” and she was a tough, independent and widowed single mother, attempting to succeed during a time when women were just starting to have a voice (although many Native women were still very much unheard). Join me and my guest, Nicolette Blount as she delves into the stories of her great grandmother, Wanda Savage, a 1920s…

They called her “savage” and she was a tough, independent and widowed single mother, attempting to succeed during a time when women were just starting to have a voice (although many Native women were still very much unheard). Join me and my guest, Nicolette Blount as she delves into the stories of her great grandmother, Wanda Savage, a 1920s Chicka…

In part 4 of this 4-part series, you’ll step into the rich history, cultural heritage and stories of Alaska's Alutiiq tribe, with my guest, Scott Larionoff (Alutiiq). There’s more to Alaska than just the breathtaking landscapes of the Last Frontier. In this episode, we’ll dive deeper, to learn about distant echoes – the stories – of the Alutiiq peo…

In part 2 of this 4-part series, you’ll step into the rich history, cultural heritage and stories of Alaska's Alutiiq tribe, with my guest, Scott Larionoff (Alutiiq). There’s more to Alaska than just the breathtaking landscapes of the Last Frontier. In this episode, we’ll dive deeper, to learn about distant echoes – the stories – of the Alutiiq peo…

In part 2 of this 4-part series, you’ll step into the rich history, cultural heritage and stories of Alaska's Alutiiq tribe, with my guest, Scott Larionoff (Alutiiq). There’s more to Alaska than just the breathtaking landscapes of the Last Frontier. In this episode, we’ll dive deeper, to learn about distant echoes – the stories – of the Alutiiq peo…

In part 1 of this 4-part series, you’ll step into the rich history, cultural heritage and stories of Alaska's Alutiiq tribe, with my guest, Scott Larionoff (Alutiiq). There’s more to Alaska than just the breathtaking landscapes of the Last Frontier. In this episode, we’ll dive deeper, to learn about distant echoes – the stories – of the Alutiiq peo…

“What do some of the most prominent and successful Indigenous artists, leaders and professors have in common? They aren’t Indigenous. There are hundreds of cases of Indigenous identity fraud that we know about, and likely thousands that we do not. So why do these so-called “pretendians” do it? How do they pull it off? And what happens when they are…

“What do some of the most prominent and successful Indigenous artists, leaders and professors have in common? They aren’t Indigenous. There are hundreds of cases of Indigenous identity fraud that we know about, and likely thousands that we do not. So why do these so-called “pretendians” do it? How do they pull it off? And what happens when they are…

Welcome to Native ChocTalk’s Season 7! In this 2-part series, I’d like to kick off the season by paying tribute to those who are the life blood of our country - farmers. And in this case, a Chickasaw one. Farmers play an indispensable role in this great country, providing the necessary elements of our sustenance and wellbeing. Their work begins lon…

Welcome to Native ChocTalk’s Season 7! In this 2-part series, I’d like to start to kick off the season by paying tribute to those who are the life blood of our country - farmers. And in this case, a Chickasaw one. Farmers play an indispensable role in this great country, providing the necessary elements of our sustenance and wellbeing. Their work b…

Part 2 of 2 In the heart of our journey, where tales of the past and tradition intertwine with preservation, we stand on the cusp of a milestone today—a celebration of 100 stories of those who came before us here on Native ChocTalk, A Podcast by Natives for All. Welcome, dear listeners, to a momentous occasion—a testament to the power of storytelli…

Part 1 of 2 In the heart of our journey, where tales of the past and tradition intertwine with preservation, we stand on the cusp of a milestone today—a celebration of 100 stories of those who came before us here on Native ChocTalk, A Podcast by Natives for All. Welcome, dear listeners, to a momentous occasion—a testament to the power of storytelli…

Silent and somber, the two boys stood before the doorstep, memories flooding their minds like a rushing river. They recalled the gentle cadence of their mother's voice as she paused to listen to the whippoorwills' melodies in the trees. Each note seemed to echo the warmth of her presence, now painfully absent. Their thoughts drifted to the countles…