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Seedcast

Seedcast is a story-centered, Webby-nominated podcast where we dig up, nurture, and root stories of the Indigenous experience from around the world. Produced by Nia Tero.

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Episodes

The Life-Giving Pottery of Katsitsionni Fox

“When I'm making pots, I'm thinking all the way back to creation.” - Katsitionni Fox Welcome to this final episode of Seedcast’s second season, a story full of heart and warmth about the power of intention. Katsitsionni Fox (Haudenosaunee artist, Bear Clan) takes us inside her studio and shares how making clay pots connects her to her ancestors, the women who made pots for daily use in Akwesasne, a Mohawk Territory in upstate New York. The practice of making these pots was lost for generations a...

Dec 07, 202228 minSeason 2Ep. 14

Hypocrisy and Solidarity at COP27

Indigenous leaders at the forefront of the fight against climate change were at the COP27 climate talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt this month and Nia Tero showed up in solidarity. Break through the noise and the corporate greenwashing, and listen with us to Indigenous policy advocates, activists, storytellers and artists who made the trip to Egypt, often at risk to themselves -- because everything is at stake in this moment, and we need the collective power of all peoples to meet it. Featured voi...

Nov 23, 202237 minSeason 2Ep. 13

Spotlight: On Being with Krista Tippett - Robin Wall Kimmerer - The Intelligence of Plants

It’s time for a new Seedcast Spotlight episode. This time we’re sharing an episode from the podcast On Being with Krista Tippett featuring mother, scientist, and professor Robin Wall Kimmerer, an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. "In Indigenous ways of knowing, we say that we know a thing when we know it not only with our physical senses, with our intellect, but also when we engage our intuitive ways of knowing — of emotional knowledge and spiritual knowledge,” says Robin Wall Ki...

Nov 09, 202251 min

Coming Soon: Seedcast is Headed to U.N. Climate Talks in Egypt

Seedcast is headed to Egypt! Seedcast Producer Felipe Contreras and Executive Producer Tracy Rector share notes from the road (or, rather, the sky) on their way to COP27, the U.N. global climate talks happening in Sharm el-Sheikh. No Blue Zone or Green Zone passes here, but Felipe and Tracy will be showing up in solidarity with Indigenous leaders from around the world and hearing stories from the front lines of climate change. Indigenous land defenders and storytellers don’t make headlines enoug...

Nov 02, 20222 min

Fighting Climate Change with Storytelling: Julian Aguon

"If climate change is the fight of our lives, we cannot win that fight by way of facts.” Julian Aguon is a CHamoru Indigenous human right lawyer from Guam and author of the essay “ To Hell with Drowning ,” which was published in The Atlantic and nominated for a Pulitzer Award in 2021. Alice Walker said this of Julian’s soon-to-be-released memoir-manifesto, No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies : “Its fierce love—of the land, the ocean, the elders, and the ancestors—warms the heart and moves the ...

Oct 26, 202219 minSeason 2Ep. 12

How Stories Give Life to Knowledge and Culture: Two Decades of imagineNATIVE

When was the first time you saw yourself represented on a big or small screen? Hollywood representations of Indigenous peoples have been rare and often harmful, and that’s why Indigenous filmmakers are working to dismantle decades upon decades of negative stereotypes. In this episode, hear how Indigenous narrative sovereignty – telling our own stories – is connected to Indigenous land sovereignty – having a say in how the lands we are connected to are cared for. Also, find out how imagineNATIVE ...

Oct 12, 202227 minSeason 2Ep. 11

He Who Charges with Thunder: A Conversation with Matt Remle

“We just need to be better; or we need to be kinder to each other.” When the world is in turmoil, how do you stay grounded? We talked with Matt Remle (Hunkpapa Lakota from Standing Rock Sioux Reservation) about how his Lakota teachings, guidance from his elders, and even his name guides his actions and how he shows up in the world. Hear Matt and dear friends singing in this episode, as well as a special recording of ancestor Vi Hilbert of the Upper Skagit sharing a story about the importance of ...

Sep 28, 202226 minSeason 2Ep. 10

Meet the Gabbra People of East Africa Pt 2: How Connection to Creator, Moon, Stars, Earth, Sun, and More Guide Gabbra Knowledge

At the start of each year, the Gabbra People of eastern Africa come together to celebrate. They spend much of the year traveling long distances, managing large herds of grazing animals across vast stretches of grasslands and deserts. In this episode, hear their songs of celebration and how they stay in close and constant dialogue with each other, exchanging knowledge they glean from the sun, moon, stars, clouds, slaughtered animals, the long memories of elders, and more, as they work to pass on ...

Sep 14, 202235 minSeason 2Ep. 9

Meet the Gabbra People of East Africa Pt 1: How Traditional Knowledge Saw The Gabbra People Through Colonization and Climate Crisis

One hundred years ago, Gabbra elders in the dry lands of eastern Africa told their nomadic people that a big change was coming. To get through it, they would need to hold their traditions close. In this episode of Seedcast - the first of two parts – hear from a Gabbra senior elder as he shares a story with a member of his community. He speaks about how Gabbra traditional knowledge has allowed their ecosystem to support human, animal, and plant life through generations, while also helping them na...

Aug 31, 202241 minSeason 2Ep. 8

TRAILER: Meet the Gabbra People of East Africa: A Special Two-Part Episode Coming Soon to Seedcast

“If you know where you’re coming from, you know where you’re going, and you cannot get lost.” At a tea house on the side of the road, on the way to Marsabit, Kenya, a Gabbra senior elder sat down with a member of his community to tell a story about how colonization has affected the rhythms of their peoples’ nomadic ways of life in the grasslands and deserts of eastern Africa, and how traditional knowledge has gotten them through. Drawing from interpretations of the moon, the sun, the stars, the ...

Aug 17, 20222 min

Back Home with Chad Charlie

We're coming up on the two-year anniversary of Seedcast, and this week we're celebrating by re-releasing our very first episode featuring filmmaker, comedian, and poet Chad Charlie (Ahousaht First Nation/Black.) Chad, who is currently on the writing staff for Reservation Dogs , talks about his community approach to filmmaking, his journey toward activism, and what it means to him to be both Black and Indigenous. What we also get in this episode is another chance to hear Seedcast host Jessica Ram...

Jul 20, 202224 min

Spotlight: Kokonati Talk - Meli Tuqota - Cultural Reconnection Through Art

This week we’re excited to share a podcast episode from Neisau Tuidraki, who is also a Nia Tero Pasifika Journalism Fellow. Neisau is the host and producer of Kokonati Talk, a podcast that explores Fijian stories from the homeland and diaspora communities. Season 1 explores Indigenous guardianship and what that means to the lives of creative Fijians. In this episode, Neisau talks with Meli Tuqota, a Fijian filmmaker who made the animated film, Soli Bula ,and reconnected with his own heritage and...

Jul 06, 202237 min

Seedcast em português: Nara Baré — Os povos indígenas seguram o planeta

“É como se os povos indígenas estivessem segurando todo o planeta. Vai chegar um momento em que, se vocês não vierem conosco também para essa luta, a gente não vai conseguir sozinho.” — Nara Baré Neste episódio do Seedcast, apresentamos Nara Baré, da Nação Baré. A história da Nara é de empoderamento por meio do conhecimento. Ela nos conta como, a partir de sua trajetória de educação e sua participação em manifestações estudantis, ela se aproximou do movimento mais amplo de apoio à soberania terr...

Jun 22, 202240 minSeason 2Ep. 7

Spotlight: Parks - Acadia

This week we’re shining a light on the land of the Wabanaki through an episode by our friends at the Parks podcast. The state of Maine was established on the lands of tribes including the Maliseet, Mi'kmaq, Penobscot, and Passamaquoddy, collectively known as the Wabanaki, or “People of the Dawnland.” By the time the Rockefeller Family, who’d built their fortune on the oil industry, donated land to be used to form Acadia National Park, the Wabanaki people had already been long displaced from thos...

Jun 08, 202224 min

Valérie Courtois and Sacred Kinship in the Boreal

In the Arctic Circle, Innu peoples’ relationship with caribou “is so sacred that we could become them, and they could become one of us,” says Valérie Courtois. She is a member of the Innu community of Mashteuiatsh, a forester by trade, and the Director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative , an organization dedicated to strengthening Indigenous nationhood and leadership. Valérie has spent her life bridging traditional Indigenous knowledge and Western science. She shares stories about what it’s...

May 25, 202226 minSeason 2Ep. 6

Indigenous Peoples Hold the Planet: A Conversation with Nara Baré

“It's as if the Indigenous peoples were holding the whole planet. And the time will come when if you don't come with us for this fight, we won't be able to do it alone.” – Nara Baré In this episode of Seedcast, meet Nara Baré, member of the Baré Nation. Nara's story is one of empowerment through knowledge. She shares how her educational pursuits, including participation in student protests, prepared her to join the larger movement to support land sovereignty for the Indigenous peoples across the...

May 11, 202237 minSeason 2Ep. 5

Seedcast en Español: El Barco de Sueños - Cómo los Achuar Adoptaron la Energía Solar

El pueblo Achuar vive en los bosques tropicales de la Amazonía Ecuatoriana y es guardián de terreno que contiene parte de la biodiversidad más rica del mundo. Dependen en gran medida del transporte fluvial, y en años más recientes, los Achuar han comenzado una misión para reducir su uso de barcos con motores de gas hacia algo menos dañino para el ambiente. En este episodio de Seedcast, conocemos a Nantu Canelos, Luciano Peas y Oliver Utne, quienes nos hablan sobre una asociación única entre el p...

Apr 27, 202227 minSeason 2Ep. 4

A State of Perpetual Memory: Native Identity Through Connection to Land

There is no singular Indigenous experience. We take a walk with five Indigenous peoples from five different regions of Turtle Island in what is currently known as the United States to hear their stories about their identities, their cultures, and their connections to land. Guests featured are John Scott-Richardson (Haliwa-Saponi Tribe, Tuscarora lineage from Six Nations), Carey Flack (Mvskoke Creek descent, Cherokee and Choctaw Freedmen descent), Jeremy Dennis (Shinnecock Indian Nation), Lofanit...

Apr 13, 202240 minSeason 2Ep. 3

Spotlight: Beyond the Narrative - The Perfect Wave with Hannah Bennett

Hannah Bennett (Rotuman), a professional surfer based in Fiji, shares what makes the perfect wave and how the connection of surfers to the elements makes them such natural stewards of reefs and oceans. She spoke with Fenton Lutunatabua, a Nia Tero Storytelling fellow, on Beyond the Narrative, a podcast that showcases the complex and dynamic truths of everyday Pacific Islanders and those that call the Pacific home. This is part of our series of Spotlights that shine a light on other Indigenous po...

Mar 30, 202230 min

Spotlight: Finding Our Way - Seeds, Grief, and Memory with Rowen White

You know we love to shine a light on other great podcasts doing the good work, and this week we’re excited to share with you an episode of the Finding Our Way podcast, hosted by Prentis Hemphill. Prentis is a therapist, somatics teacher and facilitator, political organizer, writer, and the founder of The Embodiment Institute. In this episode of Finding Our Way, Prentis talks with Mohawk Indigenous seed steward Rowen White about their relationship with the natural world and healing, and how we fi...

Mar 16, 202253 min

Guided by her ancestors, Joan Carling fights back

Joan Carling (Kankana-ey Igorot, Philippines) has been fighting for Indigenous peoples’ rights, social justice and sustainable development for over 30 years. As co-founder and global director of Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI), Joan is keenly aware that violations of Indigenous peoples’ rights are escalating all over the world, despite international protections. She shares how she navigates dealing with those in power, why it’s essential for the survival of the planet to support I...

Mar 02, 202219 minSeason 2Ep. 2

Spotlight: How to Survive the End of the World - Aurora and Ricardo Levins-Morales

This week Seedcast is proud to shine a spotlight on another podcast we adore, How to Survive the End of the World , hosted by sisters adrienne maree brown and Autumn Brown, about learning from apocalypse with grace, rigor, and curiosity. In this episode, part of their sibling series, adrienne and Autumn interview Aurora and Ricardo Levins Morales, two legendary artists and activists in social justice movements who were raised amongst the mountains in Puerto Rico. They hold a rich ancestral histo...

Feb 16, 20221 hr 10 min

The Boat of Dreams: How the Achuar Embraced Solar Power

Los invitamos a escuchar el episodio en español aquí . The Achuar People living in the rainforests of Ecuadorian Amazon are stewards of land that holds some of the richest biodiversity in the world. They rely heavily on river transportation, and in recent years, the Achuar have been on a journey to reduce their use of gas-powered boats to something less harmful to the environment. Jessica Ramirez talks with Nantu Canelos, Luciano Peas, and Oliver Utne about a partnership between the Achuar Peopl...

Feb 02, 202227 minSeason 2Ep. 1

Coming Soon: Seedcast Season 2

Host Jessica Ramirez is back with new stories about the intimate connections of Indigenous peoples caring for their communities and the entire planet. The first episode of Season 2 debuts on February 2, 2022 - that's right - 2/2/22! We can't wait to spend another year with you. Seedcast is a production of Nia Tero , a global nonprofit which supports Indigenous land guardianship around the world through policy, partnership, and storytelling initiatives. Enjoy the Seedcast podcast on the Nia Tero ...

Jan 19, 20222 min

“My people are my family” - Samoan island values in the Pacific Northwest

Growing up in the multiracial, working class neighborhood of White Center on Coast Salish land, Sili Savusa (Samoan) learned from a young age that her role in life was to take care of her people. Now, as Executive Director of White Center Community Development Association in Seattle, Washington, she works to create places where working class communities of color can live their dreams. In conversation with an islander from the Caribbean, Seedcast’s Felipe Contreras, Sili explains how she held ont...

Dec 15, 202130 minSeason 1Ep. 14

Indigenous women on the frontlines of climate change at COP26

At COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, world leaders gathered to discuss the future of the planet, the need to address climate change, and the actions required to do that, but not all of the important activity was occurring in official meetings. Meet several Indigenous women who gathered, marched, and supported one another both inside and outside of the conference rooms in Glasgow. We talk with journalist, filmmaker, and 2021 Ford Global Fellow Andrea Ixchíu Hernández (Maya-K’iche’, Guatemala); Indigeno...

Dec 01, 202123 minSeason 1Ep. 13

The Indigenous woman behind a new Native kitchen

Lisa Fruichantie (citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma) has served as a vibrant connector within her communities since she started her first business at 13. Last year Lisa put those skills to work as the new executive director for the restaurant and arts venue Alma in Tacoma, Washington, the traditional lands of the Puyallup peoples. In this episode, find out why it was important for Lisa to draw upon her Indigenous network as she expanded her team, and what it has been like to bring her d...

Nov 17, 202114 minSeason 1Ep. 12

Spotlight: Parks - Yellowstone

We’re sharing an episode of the podcast Parks , which explores the truth about the creation of U.S. National Parks, retold alongside Indigenous peoples. This, the first episode of Parks, dives into the history of Yellowstone Park with guests Lynette Saint Clair (Eastern Shoshone) and Shane Doyle (Apsáalooke Nation). They share stories about Indigenous stewardship of this land from the Ice Age to the present, and speak about the U.S. treaties made and broken with local Indigenous peoples in advan...

Oct 13, 202132 min

Victoria Tauli-Corpuz and Jennifer Corpuz: The mother and daughter who fight for Indigenous rights

Victoria Tauli-Corpuz and Jennifer ‘Jing’ Corpuz (Kankana-ey Igorot, Philippines) are policy makers and Indigenous rights advocates as well as mother and daughter. Both women share personal stories about making the shift from student activism to effecting change on a global scale with world leaders, as well as how they honor and continue a family legacy of leadership. They also share ideas for what we all can do to support policy work on behalf of Indigenous peoples and the planet. Hosted by Jes...

Sep 22, 202143 minSeason 1Ep. 10

Spotlight: What's Up With Docs - Storytelling as Medicine

This week, Seedcast is sharing an episode of the podcast “ What's Up with Docs ” by our friends Toni Bell and Ranell Shubert, who have each supported documentary creators for years and now interview them to share what’s hard and what’s amazing about creating documentary film. We're sharing the very first episode they aired, with Seedcast Executive Producer and Nia Tero Managing Director of Storytelling Tracy Rector. The interview was recorded live at Big Sky International Film Festival in 2020, ...

Sep 01, 202137 min
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