Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce — a.k.a. Minnesota — to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.
Today we talk about different ways Indigenous People’s Day is being recognized and celebrated throughout Mni Sota Mkoce.
Leah catches up with the festivities in Grand Rapids hosted by Anishinaabe Gikinoo’ amaadiwin (aka Indian Education) along with the City of Grand Rapids Human Rights Commission. Cole checks out the music, food, artwork, and fun happening at the Owamni Falling Water Festival in Minneapolis near the stone arch bridge.
Both Leah and Cole share how they were moved and excited to attend a publication party for the Aanjibimaadizing Project, an amazing language and culture preservation initiative, collecting stories from elders and first language speakers, and then sharing them through beautifully illustrated publications. The book release party was held at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum & Trading Post with many friends, relatives, and community members in attendance.
Plus, as a special treat, we hear audio from William Premo Jr, telling a fun story from one of Aanjibimaadizing Project books, which he shares in Ojibwemowin and in English.
Chi Miigwech Papi Premo!
Would you or someone you know be a great guest on Native Lights? Drop us line at: nativelights@ampers.org.
Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.
Subscribe to Native Lights wherever you get your podcasts
More from Native Lights
- BearPaw Shields: Leaving a Legacy for Future Generations
In this episode, we speak with BearPaw Shields from the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes. She is a Saint Cloud State University alumna and is currently the Indigenous Learning Community Program Coordinator at the University’s American Indian Center. In her forties, she decided to go to college and get a degree so that she could make the change she wanted to see in the world. She does that now through her work at St. Cloud State’s American Indian Center, helping Native students to succeed in school and connect with their culture through language, field trips and other experiences. As a board member with the Friends of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, she had been instrumental in teaching park staff and visitors about the land’s Native history. Last year, that included the opening of an amphitheater with art provided by Indigenous artists and the names of park animals provided in Dakota and Ojibwemowin. BearPaw Shields lives in Zimmerman where she likes to go on hikes and find her serenity at the nearby Refuge. - Allison Waukau: Empowering Native Stories Through Community Service and Podcasting
In this episode, we speak with Allison Waukau (Menominee/Navajo), who serves as the Tribal Liaison and Native Relations Coordinator at the Metropolitan Council. She previously worked at the Hennepin County Library and the Roseville School District as American Indian Community Liaison. Last year, she started a new podcast with Odia Wood-Krueger. Through “Books Are Good Medicine,” the co-hosts explore Native literature with the aim of increasing the knowledge of educators and libraries about Native American books and materials. Allison Waukau lives in Minneapolis with her family, including a young son, and had a dream come true recently when she was selected to participate in Cohort 14 of the Native Governance Center’s Rebuilder Program. Allison’s podcast with Odia Wood-Krueger can be found at Books Are Good Medicine. - Dr. Amber Annis: Rebuilding Community with the Native Governance Center
In this episode, we hear from Dr. Amber Annis about the joys and challenges of rebuilding community and finding your voice as a leader. Dr. Amber Annis is a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and the Executive Director of Native Governance Center. Prior to taking on her role at NGC in December 2024, …
Owamni Falling Water Festival and Indigenous People’s Day