Culture
National Native American Heritage Month Programming on WOUB-HD
By: Emily Votaw
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November marks National Native American Heritage Month in the United States, a land that was home to diverse and scientifically, morally, and linguistically advanced peoples far before Europeans stepped foot on it. Check out this guide to some of the programming that WOUB-HD has planned to commemorate the month, and keep tabs on this link for information on encore broadcasting of various programming.
Native America – back-to-back episodes on Tuesday, November 13 at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.
PBS’ Native America seeks to examine the world of the First Americans through episodic investigations featuring voices from the living legacy of Native Americans. The first of these particular episodes, City of the Sky, takes a close look at the lost and erased urban centers of ancient North and South America and the unique and complex scientific and spiritual systems that flourished within them.
The second, New World Rising, examines the resistance and survival of indigenous peoples after the violent arrival of white Europeans to the Americas.
Keep Talking– Thursday, November 15 at 9 p.m.
In this documentary, four Alaska Native women work to preserve Kodiak Alutiiq, an ancient and endangered language spoken fluently by fewer than 50 people worldwide. In the context of remote Afognak Island (with a population of less than 200, reported on the 2000 census,) the four women encourage young people to learn the ancestral wisdom passed down to them through the language and elaborate customs of their ancestors.
Mankiller – Thursday, November 15 at 10 p.m.
This documentary takes a look at the life and legacy of Wilma Pearl Mankiller, an accomplished community developer, activist, and social worker who became the first woman to be elected the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in the mid-’80s. The film includes archival footage and numerous interviews with those familiar with Mankiller’s many accomplishments.
Native Art Now! – Sunday, November 18 at 11 p.m.
This documentary takes a look at the complex evolution of contemporary art made by Native people over the course of the past 25 years. The film shows us perspectives on this topic from contemporary artists such as Rick Bartow, Jim Denomie, Meryl McMaster, Holly Wilson, and many others. Various pieces of art, including installations, paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures, glass, and fabric art, are also examined.