Podcast
Native Circles
Hosted by Dr. Farina King, Dr. Davina Two Bears, Sarah Newcomb, Eva Bighorse, & Brian D. King · EN
This podcast features Native American and Indigenous voices, stories, and experiences for everyone to learn, not only in North America but also throughout the world. The founders of Native Circles are Dr. Farina King (Diné) and Sarah Newcomb (Tsimshian), who were inspired to start this podcast to educate wider publics about the interconnections and significance of Native American, Alaska Native, and Indigenous experiences and matters. The primary co-hosts of the podcast are Dr. King, Dr. Davina Two Bears, and Eva Bighorse. Dr. King is the Horizon Chair of Native American Ecology and Culture and a professor of Native American Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Two Bears (Diné) is an assistant professor in the School for Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University. Bighorse (Cayuga and Diné) is an Indigenous human development advocate with expertise in tribal healthcare relations. Brian D. King is an editor for the podcast with experiences in journalism and writing. Learn more about the podcast and episodes on the official website of "Native Circles" at https://nativecirclespodcast.com/.
60episodes
Episodes
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Pawnee Histories, Oral Traditions, and Archaeology with Dr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover
3w ago00:40:16Tap to summarizeIn this episode, co-hosts Dr. Davina Two Bears and Dr. Farina King speak with Dr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover about how Indigenous scholars are reshaping archaeology from within. Carlton reflects on his journey into a field long seen in Native communities as a “colonial science,” and how he now practices what he calls American Indian archaeology, which is centered on tribal sovereignty, government-to-government relationships, and the specific histories and priorities of Native Nations such as the Pawnee Nation.A citizen of the Pawnee Nation, Carlton is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Assistant Curator of Archaeology at the University of Kansas, with affiliate appointments in Museum Studies and Indigenous Studies. He earned his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Colorado-Boulder, where his dissertation, "The Seeds of Ethnogenesis," examined the formation of Central Great Plains Villages through Indigenous perspectives and advanced chronological modeling. His research focuses on Great Plains archaeology, Indigenous/American Indian archaeology, and the integration of oral traditions with archaeological science.The conversation highlights how treating oral traditions as rigorous historical records, combined with tools like radiocarbon dating, can overturn long-standing academic narratives about migration, corn agriculture, and the deep homelands of Native Nations. Carlton, Davina, and Farina also discuss the emotional and spiritual realities of working in museum collections, the importance of NAGPRA and tribal cultural centers, and why public-facing work like the Great Plains Archaeology Podcast is vital for sharing knowledge with Native communities and inspiring the next generation of Indigenous archaeologists.Resources:Carlton Shield Chief Gover official University of Kansas Department of Anthropology faculty webpageGreat Plains Archaeology PodcastA podcast hosted by Dr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover on the Archaeology Podcast Network, focusing on the archaeology, histories, and communities of the Great Plains region.NAGPRA and Tribal Sovereignty in PracticeFor listeners interested in the legal and ethical context Carlton discusses (sovereignty, compliance, and NAGPRA), see the U.S. National Park Service’s official NAGPRA page.Indigenizing Archaeology: Putting Theory into Practice (University Press of Florida)
Transcribe →Indigenous Biblical Interpretation with T. Christopher Hoklotubbe and H. Daniel Zacharias
Apr 1601:14:56Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Native Circles, co-hosts Dr. Farina King and Eva Bighorse speak with Dr. T. Christopher (Chris) Hoklotubbe and Dr. H. Daniel (Danny) Zacharias, co-authors of Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: An Invitation to North American Indigenous Interpretation (2025). Chris Hoklotubbe, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation, holds a ThD from Harvard and serves as Director of the Indigenous Theology Circle and Coordinator of the Graduate Studies Group for NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community, the first accredited theological institute designed, developed, delivered, and governed by Indigenous peoples.Danny Zacharias is a Cree-Anishinaabe/Métis and Austrian scholar from Winnipeg, Manitoba (Treaty One Territory) with ancestral ties to Treaties Two, Three, and Five. He lives in Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia) and is Associate Dean and Professor of New Testament Studies at Acadia Divinity College, as well as adjunct faculty and journal editor for NAIITS.Together, they explore what happens when the Bible is read from Turtle Island through Indigenous histories, geographies, and intellectual traditions. The conversation examines scripture’s entanglement with colonization, missionization, and boarding schools, and highlights Indigenous survivance, responsibility, and resurgence. Rather than treating the Bible as a text detached from land and power, Chris and Danny open space for Indigenous-centered approaches that honor both sacred text and sacred place.Resources:Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: An Invitation to North American Indigenous Interpretation by T. Christopher Hoklotubbe and H. Daniel ZachariasCivilized Piety: The Rhetoric of Pietas in the Pastoral Epistles and the Roman Empire by T. Christopher HoklotubbeStringing Rosaries: The History, the Unforgivable, the Healing of Northern Plains Boarding School Survivors by Denise K. LajimodiereNAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community
Transcribe →Indigenous Archaeology and Sovereign Stories with Dr. Joe Watkins
Mar 1600:54:08Tap to summarizeCo-hosts Dr. Davina Two Bears and Dr. Farina King talk with Choctaw archaeologist Dr. Joe Watkins about the changing dynamics of Indigenous archaeology from AIM-era protests and NAGPRA to tribal historic preservation offices and global collaborations with the Ainu in Japan. Watkins reflects on walking between academic and tribal worlds, why archaeology is a set of techniques rather than “the truth,” and how Indigenous communities are redefining what it means to study and protect their own pasts.A member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Dr. Joe Watkins has been involved in archaeology and heritage preservation initiatives for more than 50 years. He has published more than 100 book chapters and articles, and his books include Indigenous Archaeology: American Indian Values and Scientific Practice (2000); with Carol J. Ellick, The Anthropology Graduate’s Guide: From Student to a Career (2nd Edition, 2023); with George Nicholas, Working as Indigenous Archaeologists: Reckoning New Paths Between Past and Present Lives (2024); and Indigenizing Japan: Ainu Past, Present, and Future (2025). He has taught at multiple universities and worked for the National Park Service on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) program in Washington, D.C. He served as President of the Board of Directors of the Society for American Archaeology, 2018–2021, and in 2025 received the Society for American Archaeology’s Lifetime Achievement Award.Often described as an “archaeological elder,” Dr. Watkins has mentored generations of Indigenous students and practitioners, helping to open pathways for Native Nations and communities to define and direct research about their own lands, histories, and futures. Resources:"Meet Dr. Joe Watkins, PhD," Ancient Art Archive"What does it mean to be human?"- Joe Watkins (Emeritus)Indigenizing Japan: Ainu Past, Present, and Future (University of Arizona Press) by Joe WatkinsWorking as Indigenous Archaeologists: Reckoning New Paths Between Past and Present Lives (Routledge) edited by George Nicolas and Joe WatkinsIndigenous Archaeology: American Indian Values and Scientific Practice by Joe Watkins
Transcribe →"Children Like Us": Brittany Penner on the Sixties Scoop and Walking Home
Feb 1500:40:31Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Native Circles, Drs. Farina King and Davina Two Bears meet Dr. Brittany Penner to discuss her memoir, Children Like Us: A Métis Woman’s Memoir of Family, Identity, and Walking Herself Home (Regalo Press, 2025), recently named one of Indigo’s Best Books of 2025. Penner, a family physician of Anishinaabe, Cree, and European settler lineage, was adopted at birth into a white Mennonite family during what is known as the Sixties Scoop in Canada, an era of state-sanctioned Indigenous child removal that remains central to Indigenous Studies conversations about kinship disruption, settler colonialism, and cultural continuity across North America.Together, they explore what it means to “walk home” in an Indigenous sense, not simply a return to place, but a return to story, lineage, language, community, and relational accountability. The conversation engages questions of adoption, survivance, and belonging while also considering the ethical and intellectual work of reclaiming Indigenous identity. This episode invites listeners into a powerful dialogue about home, healing, and Indigenous futurity.Resources:Brittany Penner's websiteLearn more about Brittany Penner's new book Children Like Us: A Métis Woman's Memoir of Family, Identity, and Walking Herself Home (2025)"The Sixties Scoop" educational resources shared by the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at the University of British Columbia"Exploring Identity: Who are the Métis and what are their rights?" (2019 CBC article)
Transcribe →Voices of Indigenous Feminisms in "Beyond the Glittering World"
Jan 1500:57:02Tap to summarizeThis episode features a rich and timely conversation between Native Circles co-hosts Dr. Farina King and Eva Bighorse and the co-editors of the anthology Beyond the Glittering World: An Anthology of Indigenous Feminisms and Futurisms, Stacie Shannon Denetsosie, Kinsale Drake, and Darcie Little Badger. Bringing together the work of 22 authors, including "women, two-spirit people, and people of marginalized genders," the book is a genre-spanning collection that centers Indigenous feminisms, futurisms, and the enduring power of story as a form of resistance, care, and world-making. In this episode, the co-editors reflect on the vision behind the anthology, its collaborative spirit, and the ways Indigenous writers engage poetry, prose, and speculative modes to challenge colonial narratives while imagining more just and livable futures. Listeners are introduced to the editors’ creative and intellectual journeys and to the significance of Beyond the Glittering World as both a literary and societal intervention.The conversation also directly addresses the contemporary context shaping Indigenous storytelling, including book bans and anti-DEI initiatives that seek to restrict what can be taught, read, and spoken. The episode discusses Darcie Little Badger’s decision to decline a speaking invitation at Weber State University in the fall of 2025 due to imposed limits on her freedom of expression, underscoring the real and immediate stakes for Indigenous writers and scholars. Throughout the episode, the editors and hosts emphasize Indigenous feminisms as practices rooted in sovereignty, relationality, and accountability, and they return repeatedly to the power of stories to survive erasure, to speak truth, and to insist on Indigenous presence and futures even in the face of silencing.Resources:Order and learn about the anthology Beyond the Glittering World: An Anthology of Indigenous Feminisms and Futurisms through the publisher Torrey House Press: https://www.torreyhouse.org/beyond-the-glittering-worldContributing authors include:Conley Lyons | Moniquill Blackgoose | Trisha Moquino | Amelia Vigil | A.J. Eversole | Dominique Daye Hunter | Heid E. Erdrich | Pte San Win Little Whitema | Cheyenne Dakota Williams | Ha’åni Lucia Falo San Nicolas | Amber McCrary | Arielle Twist | Maritza N. Estrada | Danielle Shandiin Emerson | Chelsea T. Hicks | Shaina A. Nez | Ayling Dominguez | Samah Serour Fadil | Andrea Rogers | Kinsale Drake | Stacie Shannon Denetsosie | jaye simpsonStacie Shannon Denetsosie's websiteKinsale Drake's websiteDarcie Little Badger's websiteJessica Miller, “An Indigenous author felt compelled to cancel her Utah appearance after this university gave her a list of banned DEI words,” Salt Lake Tribune, December 4, 2025.NDN Girls' Book Club website
Transcribe →"The Water Remembers": Amy Bowers Cordalis on Healing the Klamath River
Dec 500:49:29Tap to summarizeIn this episode, co-hosts Dr. Farina King and Dr. Davina Two Bears welcome Amy Bowers Cordalis, a member of the Yurok Tribe and author of The Water Remembers: My Indigenous Family’s Fight to Save a River and a Way of Life (October 2025). Amy discusses her family’s generations-long fight to protect the Klamath River, a vital ecosystem and life line of the Yurok people. She shares insights from her book, which chronicles this history and the landmark legal battle that led to the removal of four dams, one of the world’s largest river restoration efforts. The dam removal reopened the river’s flow and revived long-endangered salmon populations.Amy Bowers Cordalis is a fisherwoman, attorney, and mother from the village of Rek-Woi at the mouth of the Klamath River. As Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Ridges to Riffles Indigenous Conservation Group, she leads work that uplifts tribal sovereignty and advances environmental restoration across Indigenous homelands. A former general counsel for the Yurok Tribe and attorney with the Native American Rights Fund, Amy is widely recognized for her leadership and vision, honored as both a UN Champion of the Earth and a Time 100 climate leader.Together, we talk about restoration, responsibility, Indigenous knowledge, and how the river “remembers” the care of all its relatives- human and more than human.Resources:Order The Water Remembers at Barnes & Noble and other major booksellershttps://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/amy-bowers-cordalis/the-water-remembers/9780316568951/https://amybowerscordalis.com/https://www.ridgestoriffles.org/about-us
Transcribe →Learning Choctaw Language and Legacy with Freddie Lewis
Nov 900:49:45Tap to summarizeThis special episode of the Native Language Protectors and Carriers series features Freddie Lewis, a dedicated Choctaw language instructor at the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Farina King talks with Freddie about the challenges and joys of sustaining Indigenous languages such as Choctaw. Freddie shares personal stories about his family’s experiences with boarding schools, the power of community-led language revitalization, and how teaching connects generations. The conversation highlights the rich legacy of the Choctaw Code Talkers, the significance of cultural memory, and exciting new projects bringing the Choctaw language to young learners and mass media.Freddie Lewis is recognized by the Choctaw Nation as a certified language teacher and has over 12 years of experience teaching multiple levels of Choctaw at the University of Oklahoma (OU). In addition to his university work, he leads community classes, collaborates with museums, and involves his students in projects that support language learning and cultural preservation.Listeners are especially encouraged to check out the powerful new short documentary (about 14 minutes long) Voices of Valor, which honors the Choctaw Code Talkers and shines a light on their enduring impact. The film will be screening at the Native Nations Center event room on the OU Norman campus on November 11, 2025, starting at 9 am Central Time.Resources:"Voices of Valor Film Debut," The Middle GroundChoctaw Code Talkers: Telephone Warriors"Native American Languages at OU"Choctaw Language Classes, Choctaw Nation of OklahomaChoctaw Cultural CenterFirst Americans MuseumClassroom VR Trunks: Choctaw Code Talkers 1918Marvel ECHO x Choctaw Nation"‘Sinners’ Puts ‘Truth on Screen’ for the Mississippi Band Of Choctaw Indians," AP June 6, 2025.Learn more about the efforts to protect and support the study of Native American languages (and all languages) at the University of Oklahoma through the following petitions:Oppose the Removal of Foreign Language Gen Ed requirements at the University of OklahomaKeep Indigenous Languages Alive at OUFor more information about the Oklahoma Native American Youth Language Fair, see the hyperlink.
Transcribe →Come Together: Learning and Teaching Ojibwe Language Through Partnership with Anton Treuer and Chelsea Mead
Oct 1600:44:20Tap to summarizeIn this episode, host Dr. Farina King is joined by Dr. Anton Treuer and Dr. Chelsea Mead to explore the transformative partnership between Bemidji State University and Minnesota State University, Mankato, dedicated to revitalizing the Ojibwe language. The conversation delves into the power of intergenerational learning, the use of technology to bridge distances, and the importance of community in language preservation. Anton and Chelsea share personal stories, discuss the challenges and triumphs of building university-based Native language programs, and reflect on the healing and strength that come from reconnecting with ancestral languages. Listeners will gain insight into the collaborative efforts that are making a difference for students, families, and communities across Ojibwe country and beyond.Dr. Anton Treuer is a Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University, renowned author, and leading advocate for Indigenous language revitalization. He was raised near the Leech Lake Reservation of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in north-central Minnesota, although his mother is enrolled in the White Earth Nation (also known as the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe). Anton has dedicated his career to building Ojibwe language programs, developing teacher training initiatives, and fostering equity in education. His work has had a profound impact both regionally and nationally, and he is recognized for his engaging teaching style, community leadership, and commitment to cultural preservation.Dr. Chelsea Mead is a settler-colonist/non-Indigenous scholar who grew up in Anishinaabeg homelands of Michigan and now works in Dakota homelands of Minnesota. She is a Professor of History and American Indigenous Studies at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and has been learning Anishinaabemowin since she was a college student herself. Her research examines how educational institutions can be accountable to their pasts while supporting Indigenous students and communities in the present. Chelsea is also a contributing author to the edited volume COVID-19 in Indian Country, sharing insights on language, community, and resilience.Resources:Chelsea M. Mead, "Maawanji’idiwag: They Come Together," in COVID-19 in Indian Country: Native American Memories and Experiences of the Pandemic, eds. Farina King and Wade Davies (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024).Anton Treuer, Everything you Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2023 revised & expanded edition)Anton Treuer's website- https://antontreuer.com/"Multi-Campus Collaboration Funding: Ojibwe Language" (2023)Ojibwe Language Programs, Bemidji State UniversityFor more information about the Oklahoma Native American Youth Language Fair, see the hyperlink.
Transcribe →A Collaboration of Indigenous Truthtelling of Boarding Schools
Sep 1600:25:50Tap to summarizeThis episode features voices from a panel on the collaboration, “Indigenous Truthtelling of Boarding Schools,” held at the University of Oklahoma in August 2025 and funded by a NHPRC-Mellon Planning Grant for Collaborative Digital Editions in African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and Native American History and Ethnic Studies. The panelists share their experiences studying Native American boarding schools and discuss plans for a digital edition with scholars at the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Northeastern State University, Utah State University, and Indigenous communities. The project connects universities and archives with Native Nations and communities to develop educational resources about boarding schools and to expand public access to records, oral histories, and community knowledge.This episode includes:Farina King (Navajo Nation citizen), professor of Native American Studies at OU and co-host of Native Circles. She researches Indigenous histories, especially boarding school experiences, and collaborates on projects linking oral histories, archives, and community engagement.Sarah Milligan, head of the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program at OSU. She partners with the Chilocco National Alumni Association to digitize memorabilia, record oral histories, and create educational tools that support truthtelling and remembrance.Teagan Dreyer (Choctaw descendant), PhD candidate in history at OSU. She researches the impacts of boarding schools on Native identity and community resilience.Erin Dyke, associate professor of curriculum studies at OSU. She focuses on truthtelling, Indigenous-led education initiatives, and transforming curriculum to confront legacies of colonial schooling.Asa (Ace) Samuels (Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes citizen), first-generation OU student. He mentors Native youth in cultural practices and serves as a facilitator for Mending Broken Hearts, a healing program addressing intergenerational trauma linked to boarding schools.Kelly Berry (Apache Tribe of Oklahoma citizen), a postdoctoral fellow and lecturer in Native American Studies at OU. Berry is a descendant of boarding school survivors and researches histories of Indian boarding schools, including Carlisle, Chilocco, and early mission schools.Blaine McLain, head archivist of Special Collections at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He manages archival collections related to the Cherokee National seminaries and regional histories.Britton Morgan, undergraduate student research assistant at NSU from Muskogee, Oklahoma. He works with NSU archives, focusing on materials related to Indian boarding schools.Michelle Martin, independent scholar in Arizona and former NSU faculty. She studies the Tullahassee Mission School and the legacies of interracial marriage tied to boarding schools. Cheyenne Widdecke, master’s student in anthropology at OU, specializing in archaeology. As a Graduate Research Assistant, she surveys archival collections, examines boarding school site records, and conducts oral history research with the Sac and Fox Nation.Mary Harjo (citizen of the Muscogee/Creek Nation), boarding school alumna. She attended federal Indian boarding schools from 1st through 12th grade and later earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work at OU. A survivor of discrimination and abuse, she became a social worker and mentor, sharing her lived experiences to inform truthtelling and healing efforts.
Transcribe →Heather Tanana's Work for Universal Water Access in Tribal Communities
Aug 1500:48:17Tap to summarizeHeather Tanana (Diné), a law professor at the University of Denver and associate faculty member with the Center for Indigenous Health at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, joins host Farina King to discuss her chapter in COVID-19 in Indian Country: Native American Memories and Experiences of the Pandemic. Her chapter, “The Intersection of the Law and Health: Water (In)security in Indian Country,” asserts that access to clean water is essential for health, culture, and community well-being, yet nearly half of Native American homes lack safe drinking water or basic sanitation compared to less than 1% nationwide. This episode examines the ongoing crisis of tribal water insecurity and the work still needed to close the gap.Resources:tribalcleanwater.org is a website that contains a lot of resources, including some reports such as "Universal Access to Clean Water for Tribal Communities"In the episode, Heather makes a reference to this grassroots and community organization: https://tonizhoniani.org/"Water Is Life: Law, Systemic Racism, and Water Security in Indian Country," an article by Heather Tanana, Julie Combs, and Alia Hoss: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/hs.2021.0034 "Abandoned Mines, Abandoned Treaties: The Federal Government's Failure to Remediate Abandoned Uranium Mines on the Navajo Nation," an article by Nadine Padilla: https://lawreview.colorado.edu/print/volume-96/abandoned-mines-abandoned-treaties-the-federal-governments-failure-to-remediate-abandoned-uranium-mines-on-the-navajo-nation-nadine-padilla/Heather Tanana, "The Intersection of the Law and Health: Water (In)security in Indian Country," in COVID-19 in Indian Country: Native American Memories and Experiences of the Pandemic, eds. Farina King and Wade Davies (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024).
Transcribe →