Kyle Mesteth is an Oglala Lakota born and raised on the Pine Ridge Rez, He is a local leader/mentor to the youth . He founded a company called Ground Control, Where he aims to make it a Safe space for Lakota Skateboarders and all artists of his community to foster their minds and creativity in whatever form of art they choose . He also organizes local events for the people and is Proud to represent The Pine Ridge Rez!
Recently an Issue came to light in and around the Akwesasne Mohawk Community regarding the treatment and care for students with Special Needs. I have an opportunity to meet with:
Dr. Sarah Konwahahawi Herne, (Akwesasne Mohawk, Deer Clan)
Doctor of Education, Executive leadership and Social Justice
and Chrissy Onientatahse Jacobs (Akwesasne Mohawk, Bear Clan) Mom, auntie, caregiver
Photos of a structure resembling a shipping container with four wooden exterior panels and a padded interior appeared on Facebook on Dec. 15. But what, or rather who, was in the containers continues to spark outrage due to claims that special needs children were placed in them during time-out sessions.
The photos, posted by a former school board member, prompted a state investigation that led to school staff being placed on leave and the superintendent's temporary reassignment.
I have an opportunity to speak with two Mother's from the Akwesasne Community who have been organizing and meeting with the community to discuss next steps on how to move forward.
Drastic changes are on the horizon and maybe this is the catalyst for some positive outcomes ahead.
Dr. Konwahahawi Herne is a proud Kanienkehá:ka woman from the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation. She belongs to the Deer Clan and is from the Herne and Laffin families she’s the mother of Teieweratenies. Konwahahawi walks a path grounded in responsibility to future generations.
Konwahahawi has dedicated her life to dismantling systemic violence and advancing Indigenous self-determination through grassroots organizing, cultural revitalization, curriculum development, and harm reduction. She played an active role in supporting families and survivors during the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2-Spirit People (MMIWG2S), advocating for justice and community-led healing.
Dr. Konwahahawi Herne is also the host of the Women's Dance Podcast.
There is an emergency episode of women's dance in response to a situation in the local school system that is so egregious it's even made national news.
Aunties and mothers are gathering and leading the charge, organizing and responding.
It has come to light the local school district, The Salmon River Central School disctrict was utilizing a positively medieval device: a box, a crate, as a behavioral correction tool for special needs child or children.
Upon learning of the situation the people have risen up demanding Justice accountability and Truth.
This latest situation has also opened up wounds of the past, for the people of Akwesasne have long had a contentious relationship with the local education system.
On this episode of Women's Dance Dr Sarah, Chrissy, Chrystal Lynn and Shara discuss what has been happening, deliver updates, and share their thoughts and feelings on the matter.
Get it here oN YouTube: https://youtu.be/oe1D1hDst6w
Also avail on Spotify, iTunes and wherever you find your podcasts
#akwesasne #womensdance #indigenouswomen #everychildmatters
In the 2nd Episode of Season IV, I speak with AJ Begay (Diné Nation) she works at the Boys and Girls Club of San Juan County in Farmington New Mexico. AJ recently started up a Podcast entitled "Club Chat" she is providing an opportunity for young people to share voice and their thoughts on everyday life in and around the Farmington, New Mexico community, a bordertown to the Navajo Nation. AJ has been a community organizer and is a positive voice doing the work in her community. She is an Indigenous artist and graphic designer from the Diné People, whose ancestral territory is part of what is now known as the state of New Mexico. Raised by my mother Ernestine Hesuse Begay in the community of Nageezi, NM on the reservation, her upbringing was also guided by the elders in her family, shimasani/grandmother Mabel P. Hesuse and her uncle, Henry Hesuse. That guidance from her mother, grandmother and uncle has shaped her into the Dine woman that she is today. In the Diné culture, familial relationships are very important, and she spent time with maternal aunts, who were highly skilled silversmiths and artists. AJ was encouraged to begin creating quite early in life and under the guidance of her aunt Lorraine Hesuse, she learned the skill of beading, her sister Cheryl taught me the basics of silversmithing. These skills were gifted to her, and one day, she will teach her niece, and her children. Design has permeated her life from its beginning and has evolved into using it to bring the spotlight to the Native community through awareness and education. She is a ray of Sunshine checking in from the Four Corners!
Check out Club Chat:
Six Nations Investigating Paranormal Encounters (SNIPE) takes an indigenous approach to beliefs about the paranormal, history of accounts, and anomalous phenomena.
In this Episode I speak with two members of the SNIPE team, Jay Smith (Six Nations Mohawk, Turtle Clan) Artie Aríhwaiens Martin (Six Nations Mohawk, Bear Clan)
SNIPE's Mission is to investigate the paranormal using a good mind with respect and kindness being paramount, share our findings and experiences openly and honestly—and, inspire indigenous people of all ages to be proud of their peoples' unique world views.
The SNIPE team's work has led them to landing a show on the Canadian Broadcast network APTN +
Ghost Hunters of the Grand River follows a group of Six Nations ghost hunters (better known as S.N.I.P.E.) who have dedicated their very existence to gathering evidence from the world of ghost stories, paranormal encounters and the unexplainable. Follow along as they investigate haunted homes, hotels, museums and more!
Ghost Hunters of the Grand River is in it's 5th Season. You can find it on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN+)
For Merchandise and other information about SNIPE
https://snipehq.ca/
Michelle "Kaluhyanu:wes " Schenandoah is an inspirational speaker, writer, thought leader and traditional member of the Onʌyota’:aka (Oneida) Nation Wolf Clan of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. She is the founder of Rematriation, Raised in a family of traditional leadership, she carries the values and responsibilities of being a Haudenosaunee Woman. Inspired by her grandmother, Michelle carries her ancestors’ passion to Rematriate her people’s lands and bring about the truthful telling of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s influence on the world.
Michelle recently launched Rematriated Voices, a first-of-its-kind five-part talk show premiering on New York PBS affiliate WCNY this past Indigenous Peoples’ Day, October 13, 2025.
Hosted by Michelle, the series brings together some of the most influential Indigenous voices of our time to share knowledge, values, and solutions urgently needed in a world grappling with division, ecological crisis, and social upheaval.
Each episode highlights how Haudenosaunee principles,rooted in matrilineal culture, ecological balance, and collectiveresponsibility, offer powerful frameworks for addressing issues such as democracy, land justice, food sovereignty, and the societal obligations to future generations.Partnerships& Accessibility
Produced incollaboration with Access Audio, a storytelling initiative from the Special Collections Research Center at Syracuse University Libraries, the series will also be available through public radio programming and companion podcast onYouTube, Spotify, Apple and all major podcast platforms.
Following the debut episode, weekly episodes will air on WCNY at 8pm every Saturday beginningNovember 8 through November 29, 2025.
A trailer for theseries is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq135wI0qzY
All episodes willbe available for streaming here: https://www.pbs.org/video/mother-law-the-doctrine-of-discovery-kjxnu3/
https://rematriation.com/
Delbert Anderson (Diné Nation)
https://delbertanderson.com/welcome
Delbert Anderson, a Diné jazz trumpet artist, composer, and educator, stands at the forefront of a vibrant Native American jazz scene. His work, deeply rooted in his Diné heritage, seamlessly integrates Navajo "spinning songs" of love, healing, and courtship with jazz and funk, thus marking him as a community-minded Indigenous individualist. Through his Delbert Anderson Quartet, Anderson revives the improvised sounds of the Diné circle, blending them with jazz, funk, and hip-hop. His compositions are inspired by Navajo Nation landscapes, historical events, and the desire to preserve and educate about Diné history.
50th Annual Seneca Fall Festival! "THE LONG HOPE"
This year marked 50 years of the Seneca Fall Festival on the Seneca Nation Cattaraugus Territory, and it was packed with exciting fun for the whole family.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Ross John (Seneca Nation, Beaver Clan) Former Councilor of the Seneca Nation, Businessman and now a Film Producer, the film is called the “Long Hope”.
THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY SCREENING of "THE LONG HOPE" FRIDAY OCTOBER 17th at Hollywood Theatre in Gowanda, NY 6-8pm
The film's Executive Producers are Holly John, Ross John Sr. and John Kane.
“The Long Hope” is not an ordinary documentary. It looks at past, present, and future:
Legal history dating back to the earliest documents asserting a right (!) of domination over Original Peoples and their lands.
Present-day examples in everyday Haudenosaunee life of the claim of a right of domination that is the core of US law and policy.
Haudenosaunee projects implementing a future rooted in their own past.
The vibrancy of the film arises from the fact that it is produced by people whose lives are affected. It is by the People, not simply about them. This was written by Professor Emeritus Peter D'Errico about the film.
IndigeQuit is a research study comparing two smartphone apps for American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) people quitting smoking.
The study was created by scientists at Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the Black Hills Center for American Indian Health in collaboration with an advisory board of AIAN community members. Our lead investigators are:
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is a world leader in research to prevent, detect, and treat cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Our world-renowned researchers have received three Nobel Prizes and many other major awards. We're located in Seattle, Washington.
Any questions?
Want more information?
Email us: IndigeQuit@fredhutch.org
Call us: 206-667-7903 or toll-free at 1-855-263-1279
https://indigequit.org/
Grace Ohwensadeyo Rundberg (Cayuga Nation) @gracerundberg
(Plays Georgie/Concierge/Others)
THE NOTEBOOK, a new musical based on the best-selling novel that inspired the iconic film, will play at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre for Eight performances, October 7 – 12, 2025. As part of the Five Star Bank 2025-2026 Season, audiences in Buffalo are about to fall in love all over again with this beloved story.
FEATURING AN AWARD-WINNING CREATIVE TEAM
Music & Lyrics by INGRID MICHAELSON
Book by BEKAH BRUNSTETTER
Choreography by KATIE SPELMAN
Directed by MICHAEL GREIF and SCHELE WILLIAMS
Grace recently graduated from Pace University's Musical Theatre program and is excited to be making her National Tour debut! Love and gratitude for my family, friends, teachers, and agents at Nicolosi & Co.
THE NOTEBOOK was recognized with three 2024 Tony Award nominations (Best Book of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical), Drama League Award nominations
for Outstanding Production of a Musical, two Distinguished Performance Awards and the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing, Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, and an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical.
A limited number of tickets to THE NOTEBOOK are still available at the Shea’s Box Office at 650 Main Street in Buffalo or online at:
50th Annual Seneca Fall Festival!
This year marks 50 years of the Seneca Fall Festival on the Seneca Nation Cattaraugus Territory, and it was packed with exciting fun for the whole family.
New Episodes Drop!! Going to be a Bunch of Episodes Coming out I was recently set up at the 50th Annual Fall Festival on the Cattaraugus Territory of the Seneca Nation. Get them wherever you get your podcasts. These are all videos you can see. I encourage everyone to watch the videos as well as listen.
Todd Gates (Seneca Nation, Turtle Clan) Seneca Nation Councilor and Former Seneca Nation President. Reflects on his time in a leadership role and his hopes for the future of the Seneca Nation of Indians.
50th Annual Seneca Fall Festival!
This year marks 50 years of the Seneca Fall Festival on the Seneca Nation Cattaraugus Territory, and it was packed with exciting fun for the whole family.
New Episodes Drop!! Going to be a Bunch of Episodes Coming out I was recently set up at the 50th Annual Fall Festival on the Cattaraugus Territory of the Seneca Nation. Get them wherever you get your podcasts. These are all videos you can see. I encourage everyone to watch the videos as well as listen.
Friends of the Turtle
Shaun Wilson (Six Nations Mohawk, Turtle Clan) Conner Ground (Six Nations Mohawk, Bear Clan)
The Turtle is a three-story building in Niagara Falls, NY. It opened in May 1981 as the headquarters for the Native American Center for the Living Arts, an organization dedicated to promoting Native American visual and performing arts. Its unique shape, with a geodesic dome roof “shell” and large porthole “eye” windows, invokes the Haudenosaunee creation story of the earth forming on the back of a giant turtle. After closing in 1995 due to financial trouble, the building has remained vacant, with its future preservation and use in question.
Our goal is to be a supportive advocacy group for the preservation of this iconic and culturally important structure. We will work for and support its acquisition by a group/persons who pledge to restore the building and fulfill its cultural vision.
https://niagaraturtle.wordpress.com/
The Turtle (Native American Center for the Living Arts) was originally founded in 1971, with the building created between 1977 and 1981 by Arapaho architect Dennis Sun Rhoades and Tuscarora sculptor Duffy Wilson in Niagara Falls, NY.
In the mid-1970s, the Haudenosaunee had developed a clear concern that their culture needed bolstering after centuries of the United States Government controlling nearly every action of tribal life, despite not overtly trying to dissolve tribal governments. The Turtle’s construction was a result of a growing awareness on the part of the Haudenosaunee for self-determination and preservation of their arts and culture
In terms of architectural importance, as a prime and exceedingly rare example of a cross between Postmodern and Indigenous architecture, the Turtle’s anthropomorphic shape is based on the Haudenosaunee creation story of the world resting on the back of a turtle. The Turtle’s design blends Postmodern approaches to anthropomorphism in conjunction with meaningful Haudenosaunee symbols and practices embodied in the function and form of the building.
For fifteen years The Turtle served as a cultural center for the Native American community nationally; it was the largest center for Indigenous arts in the Eastern United States. Representatives from the Smithsonian Institution visited The Turtle and incorporated some of its features into the design of the Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.
The Turtle hosted Pow Wows, Indigenous dance groups, and other performing arts in an amphitheater (under the domed turtle ‘shell’), art, artifacts, exhibitions, a quarterly magazine, and craft festivals featuring Indigenous artists from across the hemisphere. The permanent collection of the Center included thousands of artifacts, 200 contemporary artworks, a 500-volume library, and an archive of photographs. Eventually folding for lack of funding in 1995, it was sold to a real estate development firm; the three-story, 67,000 square foot building has sat vacant and unmaintained for thirty years of ownership.
50th Annual Seneca Fall Festival!
This year marks 50 years of the Seneca Fall Festival on the Seneca Nation Cattaraugus Territory, and it was packed with exciting fun for the whole family.
New Episodes Drop!! Going to be a Bunch of Episodes Coming out I was recently set up at the 50th Annual Fall Festival on the Cattaraugus Territory of the Seneca Nation. Get them wherever you get your podcasts. These are all videos you can see. I encourage everyone to watch the videos as well as listen.
Lance Hemlock (Seneca Nation, Beaver Clan) Filmmaker from the Newtown Community on the Cattaraugus Territory formally educated at the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
50th Annual Seneca Fall Festival!
This year marks 50 years of the Seneca Fall Festival on the Seneca Nation Cattaraugus Territory, and it was packed with exciting fun for the whole family.
New Episodes Drop!! Going to be a Bunch of Episodes Coming out I was recently set up at the 50th Annual Fall Festival on the Cattaraugus Territory of the Seneca Nation. Get them wherever you get your podcasts. These are all videos you can see. I encourage everyone to watch the videos as well as listen.
Hayden Haynes (Seneca Nation, Deer Clan) Director of the Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center and an Accomplished Antler Carver.
50th Annual Seneca Fall Festival!
This year marks 50 years of the Seneca Fall Festival on the Seneca Nation Cattaraugus Territory, and it was packed with exciting fun for the whole family.
New Episodes Drop!! Going to be a Bunch of Episodes Coming out I was recently set up at the 50th Annual Fall Festival on the Cattaraugus Territory of the Seneca Nation. Get them wherever you get your podcasts. These are all videos you can see. I encourage everyone to watch the videos as well as listen.
Dr. Faye Lone (Tonawanda Seneca, Hawk Clan) Faye is multifaceted and talented as an artist and an educator, she has a PhD in Education, however she is now pursuing a passion project in Fashion, Design and political pieces in Wallhangings and Quilts.
Her company LongHaus of Lone creates authentic Native art and designs. Handmade. Quilts, apparel, home goods, traditional regallia, hotel bed scarves, customized ribbon shirts and vests.
Faye was recently awarded Best in Show in the 50th Annual Fall Festival Arts show, her piece is entitled “Replacement Theory History”
To learn more about Faye’s work please check out her Page on FB and her website.
Facebook: Faye Lone Designs (Longhaus Of Lone)
Website:
50th Annual Seneca Fall Festival!
This year marks 50 years of the Seneca Fall Festival on the Seneca Nation Cattaraugus Territory, and will be packed with exciting fun for the whole family.
New Episodes Drop!! Going to be a Bunch of Episodes Coming out I was recently set up at the 50th Annual Fall Festival on the Cattaraugus Territory of the Seneca Nation. Get them wherever you get your podcasts. These are all videos you can see. I encourage everyone to watch the videos as well as listen.
Cami Jones (Seneca Nation, Wolf Clan) She’s a multi-talented artist and media specialist, with a focus and apprenticeship in Traditional Pottery. She’s a mother of two and hails from the Cattaraugus Territory of the Seneca Nation. She’s been crafting and designing her own curriculum to share and teach the art of Pottery Making from a Traditional Process. She has her studio in the Stanley “Sully” Huff Cultural Center on the Cattaraugus Territory. Her mentor is the renowned Potter Mr. Peter B. Jones, she has collaborated with her sister Jocelyn Jones to create a documentary on the life and work of Peter B. Jones.
See below for screenings.
50th Annual Seneca Fall Festival!
This year marks 50 years of the Seneca Fall Festival on the Seneca Nation Cattaraugus Territory, and will be packed with exciting fun for the whole family.
New Episodes Drop!! Going to be a Bunch of Episodes Coming out I was recently set up at the 50th Annual Fall Festival on the Cattaraugus Territory of the Seneca Nation. Get them wherever you get your podcasts. These are all videos you can see. I encourage everyone to watch the videos as well as listen.
Bernadette Scott (Seneca Nation, Deer Clan) She’s a Mother of 2 adult children, a Grandmother and a PhD Candidate at the State University at Buffalo in the Indigenous Studies Program. Bernadette is an artisan who makes Corn Husk Dolls, she is also a former Radio Personality where she was an on-air DJ for the former WGWE 105.9 Radio station.
Recently I traveled to New Mexico to check out the 2025 SWAIA Indian Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I had the good fortune of Catching up with Kandis Quam (Zuni & Diné Nation) she's an accomplished and talented artist. I first became aware of Kandis when she co-curated the PIVOT Skateboard Deck Art Exhibition in 2022 at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Kandis Quam. is half Navajo and Zuni. Her maternal clan is the Folded Arm People (Bit’ahnii), and she’s a child of the Golden Eagle Clan (Kya’kya’li:kwe). Her maternal grandparents are George Tom and Bahe Tom, while her paternal grandparents are Lamber Homer and Annie Gasper.
Growing up in a family of renowned Native American artists, she accompanied her parents, Jayne and Lynn Quam, to various art markets. This exposure ignited her passion for following in her family’s footsteps and preserving the Quam family legacy of art.
Kandis aspired to be the first in my family to complete college. After graduating from Zuni High School, She enrolled at New Mexico State University-Main Campus. Five years later, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology and a minor in American Indian Studies. Once she graduated she returned home to the Pueblo of Zuni, where she dedicated herself to building Natachu INK full-time with her cousin, Elroy Natachu Jr.
In 2022, she embarked on a new journey as an art leader for a youth non-profit organization: Zuni Youth Enrichment Project. Through art and creativity, she has been empowering Zuni youth to develop confidence and cultural awareness.
Her work in creating and teaching, utilizes visual media and other art forms to bridge the past with the present, fostering positive change through the power of beauty.
Instagram: @rezrainbow
Facebook: @kandisquam
As a motivational speaker he is also founder of Dreams Alive which reaches out to youth and inmates around the country.
Antonio is a member of Isleta Pueblo who began in the entertainment business as a young boy dancing in his family’s Native Tiwa dance troupe touring the Southwest. His acting began in theatre while in elementary school. He studied at the Santa Fe Indian School’s Actors Studio. From there moving into television and motion pictures, he later became co-chair of the Minorities Committee for the Screen Actors Guild NM branch.
He left his entertainment career to study biochemistry at New Mexico State University and then medicine at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Throughout his studies he continued his musical career and was a guest lecturer in music, communications, film and media and native studies programs at various schools and universities around the country. He left his academic studies after receiving news about his ailing grandmother and returned to Isleta.
He is actively involved in supporting the NM movie industry and started his work again volunteering with Native youth programs on and off the reservations stirring up excitement among them about the possibilities of a career in film and television.
Episode Rewind from the LiveStream Ganondagan Indigenous Music & Arts Festival 2025 I got to sit down with TWO LEGENDS in the Game Mr. Derek Miller (Six Nations of the Grand River Mohawk), Musician, Guitar Player and Producer and the ONE AND ONLY Mr. Gary Farmer (Six Nations of the Grand River Cayuga, Wolf Clan) Actor, Harmonica Player and Icon. LEGENDARY Conversation with Two Great Performers!! Episode to be released on Spotify and Wherever Else you get your Podcasts!!
Derek Miller & Gary Farmer
Derek Miller & Gary Farmer have been performing together since 2017, creating a powerful blend of blues and rock and delivering electrifying performances. Their recent collaborations include Miller producing Farmer's album "Lucky 7," which features several songs co-written by Miller, including "Cadillacs Don't Care."
This duo's dynamic stage presence and musical chemistry make them a compelling act that you won't want to miss!
Paige Bethmann is a Haudenosaunee woman (Mohawk/Oneida) and first-time feature filmmaker based in Reno, Nevada. Over the last 10 years, Paige has worked in non-fiction television for various digital and broadcast networks such as ESPN, PBS, Vox Media, Youtube Originals, USA, and NBC. Her directorial debut REMAINING NATIVE premiered at SXSW winning a special Jury Award and Audience Award. In 2024, Paige was named by DOC NYC’s 40 under 40 list of filmmakers to watch. She is a graduate of Ithaca College, with a bachelor’s degree in Film, Television, and Radio from the Park School of Communications.
For Film Information
@RemainingNativeDoc
Film Screening | Remaining Native with Q&A
Wednesday | September 10, 20257 PM
The Little’s One Take Documentary Film Series presents award-winning documentary film Remaining Native on September 10th at 7:00PM.