Chief Standing Bear on Osage Nation Survival, Sovereignty & Self-Expression

The RegenNarration Podcast

As introduced last week, we’re about to have a very special meeting with Chief Standing Bear of the Osage Nation. The family and I made our way with friend and filmmaker Nicol Ragland to Osage HQ in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. How the Osage survived being marched to these lands by the US government in the 19th century, and ongoing brutality in the 20th, is a scene set in last week’s episode (if you’re not familiar with that back story, it’s worth ducking back to listen to that brief 13 minute episode first).

We pick up the Osage story in the 21st century, where they’re mapping a masterful resurgence including the rare reclamation of land, the powerful realisation of food sovereignty, the innovative return of language, and so much more.

As mentioned in the introductory episode last week, some of you might recognise the Osage Nation from the recent Martin Scorsese film, Killers of the Flower Moon. The Chief’s early reference to their extraordinary Academy Awards live performance relates to that.

Join me with Chief Standing Bear, for a fascinating, frank, fun and generous insight into the Osage Nation, his role, and their resurgence.

Chapter markers & transcript.

Recorded 4 April 2025. (Intro recorded by the Colorado River at camp in Castle Valley, Utah.)

Title slide: The Chief, from the Nation’s website.

See more photos on the episode web page, and for more behind the scenes, become a supporting listener below.

Music:

Stones & Bones, by Owls of the Swamp.

Regeneration, by Amelia Barden.

The RegenNarration playlist, music chosen by guests.

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Chapters

1. Meeting Chief Standing Bear (00:00:00)

2. Cultural Connections with Aboriginal Australia (00:06:15)

3. It wasn’t a vision, it was panic (00:11:00)

4. Leading the Nation: Collaboration not Control (00:14:00)

5. A Decision for Food Sovereignty and Self-Sufficiency (00:16:40)

6. Harvest Land: Born from pandemic panic (00:18:00)

7. How financing works to bring families together and culture back (00:24:05)

8. Art can rebuild the world (00:31:14)

9. Chief’s family background (00:33:00)

10. New health infrastructure (00:34:00)

11. Self-sufficiency as defense (00:34:13)

12. The paradox of putting reacquired lands into trust with the US government (00:35:00)

13. Where not to engage with claims of sovereignty (00:38:30)

14. Language Revitalization and Cultural Expression (00:40:54)

15. Traditional narratives meeting new ones (00:42:00)

16. The approach to sovereignty with the Trump administration (00:45:30)

17. The challenge with Osage media (00:53:10)

18. The young have created Osage language messenging as alternative media (00:54:40)

19. Plugging thousands of leaking oil wells on re-acquired land (00:56:33)

20. A look at photos of Chief’s ancestors (00:59:40)

21. The language carries the culture (01:00:50)

22. The Chief engages a passing staffer on how they keep positive amidst the tough stuff (01:02:00)

23. The music that changed him (01:04:55)