Indigenous women skaters shove and elbow their way around the oval roller derby track — and along the way they are finding sisterhood and a sense of pride. Clad in helmets and knee pads, they take full-contact laps around the track that also serves as an arena for visibility and representation. The international team, Indigenous Rising, is a ground-breaking pack made up of skaters from dozens of tribes who otherwise compete on local teams. The documentary, “Rising Through the Fray”, follows the team’s journey and the personal passions and sacrifice individual players put into this unique and fast-paced sport.

GUESTS

Kristina “Krispy” Glass (Cherokee), coach and manager for Indigenous Rising Roller Derby

Sherry “Sour Cherry” Bontkes (Saulteaux Ojibwe from the Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba), roller derby player

Angelene “Niketah” Ketah (Tlingit), roller derby player

Kapulani “Hawaiian Blaze” Patterson (Kanaka Maoli)

Courtney Montour (Kanien’kehá:ka), filmmaker, writer, and director of “Rising Through the Fray”

Break 1 Music: Head High (song) Wavelengths (artist)

Break 2 Music: Further From the Country (song) William Prince (artist) Further From the Country (album)

Thursday, April 9, 2026 — Roller derby skaters don’t let anyone push them around