Young and Indigenous Podcast
As our organization expands we continue to seek relevant avenues to involve the younger generations in our work. We started by having a youth gathering, where these adolescents expressed the concern that their voices and others in their community were not being heard, both within the Lummi community and to the larger society. Thus was born the Youth Podcast.
Four of our youth ventured to keep the origins of their oral tradition alive by starting a discussion about relevant topics on the rez., introduced in the language. They wrote, recorded, and edited a 30-minute podcast all within two weeks of our planning meeting. From this process, we learned two things, one, that when you let the youth identify their own projects, the role of the organization becomes that of a facilitator. Secondly, we learned that we wanted to build this model into our organization in the long term by creating a youth advisory council that influences our future development. Immediately we recognized that including the youth added reciprocity of strength to our mission of create, share, educate; we were learning as much about the plight of the younger generations as they were learning about the professional world from us.
Thus was born the Youth Podcast Network and as part of that, our Youth Advisory Council. Youth will research, write, interview, record, edit and publish the episodes, learning the requisite skills as they go. Included in this process is learning and practicing the appropriate cultural protocols including respect of elders in interviewing, gift-giving, strengthening their knowledge of the language for introductions, and learning and sharing tribal stories; this process ensures keeping alive ancient oral traditions with modern technologies. Below are the words of Michelle, one of our youth advisors and lead of the Youth Podcast:
“As a community it is our responsibility and duty to come together as one and make important decisions that should only benefit all of us. In order to do that we must first listen to the people of the community for their thoughts and opinions, this includes everyone: the council, the fisherman, the elderly, the youth, and the children.
There is a lack of communication in our community and we need to fix it. It can affect the council, the people, our economy, and our future if we continue to let it grow. Many things contribute to this problem including social media- when people only voice their opinions through a screen. A lot of the younger voters who do not vote can also add to the lack of communication in this community by not influencing the voting system and elected members because it is a chain reaction. And once the people who are elected stop asking the community members for their input, they start deciding things on their own. Therefore creating a division between the council and the people.
The proposal to the solution is asking the community for their opinions and thoughts through an on-the-go podcast group. The group of people would record interviews with members whether it be via telephone or in person. During the interview, many questions will be asked regarding the community as a whole and its future. Once we have heard the ideas of the people we will then go to the council and hear their input as well.
This podcast can help deliver strength and unity within our community and help us know a better and brighter future. One where everyone’s voice is heard and put to thought. The power of communication can bring a community even closer.”
S1 | Ep. 005 | Chesa Chesquin | Stories From Our People
Oral tradition is a sacred practice within All of our culture, communities, And families. Along with the coordinated dance of simply talking and being heard, oral tradition helps people learn life lessons their own way.
Join us in this episode as we listen to Chesa Chesquin (Gary Julius) a Coast Salish Artist and Storyteller of Lummi Nation. Listen closely as there are many lessons to learn in these short stories. We really hope you enjoy this sequel of our storytelling series!
S1 | Ep. 004 | Smak i' ya' | Stories From Our People
Through time immemorial our people and ancestors have used the oral tradition of storytelling to pass down history, values, language, and culture to each generation. This has preserved our knowledge and kept our resiliency to carry on Shelangen- our way of life. We would like to thank Smak i’ ya’ Matt Warbus for continuing to teach the Lummi language and also pass down the importance of storytelling to the next generation, our future. You can hear his original flute music in this episode as well.
S1 | Ep. 003 | Balancing Wellness
In this episode of Young and Indigenous you will be listening to an elder, Steve Point, share wisdom and guidance during his annual Healing Conference in the Sto:lo Nation of Canada and also the responses to his words from the Young and Indigenous team. His insight into wellness and deeply moving life stories are valuable teachings that can have positive impacts on the livelihood of anyone willing to listen. Steve addresses the importance of mental health and well-being in native communities who have long suffered intergenerational trauma.
S1 | Ep. 002 | Being Indigenous
Being Indigenous to a unique place provides a powerful source of identity for the original inhabitants of that land. To find common threads across a diverse group of Native American and First Nations peoples, we conducted numerous interviews on what it means to be indigenous. Beginning with our own reflections, we then turned to our friends and family and finally to the staff and students of the Northwest Indian College to gather further information. We found that although we all have different languages and cultural practices, indigenous people share a common connection to the earth because of our relationship to our true homelands. This sentiment is felt in the stories told by Lummi Tribal member, Timothy Ballew Jr., who generously shares his wisdom, teachings, and understanding of the Natural World. It’s important that we take the time to sit with our elders and learn from them.
S1 | Ep. 001 | Awakening the Ancestors
In this first episode of the YAI podcast we talk about learning the language of our Native American culture: we are the Lummi people from the Pacific Northwest in Bellingham Washington. Growing up I didn’t get to be involved in my culture as much as I wanted to because different families had their own ways of doing things and mine didn’t practice culture as much as other families did. My brother Tyson Scarborough and my boyfriend Keith Jefferson are in the podcast and they are teaching me the language by showing me how to say my introduction in Lummi.