MPR Archive presents a collection of varied Native topics in and around Minnesota. Stories include interviews, commentary, events, speeches, documentaries, and reports.
April 21, 2003 - MPR’s Bob Kelleher reports on efforts by Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa officials to relocate the remains of Ojibwe, whose graves were uprooted and moved more than one hundred years ago from a cemetery on Wisconsin Point, which lies along the shores of Lake Superior. The remains were reburied in a mass grave in Superior, Wisconsin.
August 20, 2003 - On this Mainstreet Radio special report, MPR’s Cathy Wurzer presents “Rekindling the Spirit - The Rebirth of American Indian Spirituality.” Program includes various reports by MPR’s Dan Gunderson and Tom Robertson, and numerous interviews with Native Americans on spiritual beliefs and roots.
September 26, 2003 - On this Word of Mouth program, MPR’s Marianne Combs presents a conversation with musician Tim Eriksen & vocalist Mirjana Lausevic; poetry reading by Minnesota poet Kate Green; a profile of St. Paul hip hop group Los Nativos; followed by a Word of Mouth segment on local arts and culture events.
November 14, 2003 - Mainstreet Radio’s Mark Steil reports on auction of rifle believed once owned by Dakota Indian chief Little Crow. He was a central figure in the Dakota Conflict of 1862. Report includes a historical overview of Little Crow, and interviews with various parties, including Little Crow’s great-granddaughter.
March 1, 2004 - 15 years after state officials signed gaming compacts with Minnesota's Indian tribes, 18 casinos have been built. They generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, far more than anyone imagined they would. The state of Minnesota gets only a small sliver of that money and it's used to regulate the casinos.
August 30, 2004 - Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports that Minnesota court records show Native Americans living in some northern counties are arrested at a rate far higher than any other race. That's got the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota.
October 26, 2004 - In this installment of our occasional series "Every Vote Counts," Mainstreet Radio’s Cara Hetland reports on South Dakota's close race for the U.S. Senate. The margin for a victory could be just a few hundred votes, and Native American votes could be the deciding factor.
November 2, 2004 - Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports that a Minnesota poll shows most Minnesotans favor a gaming proposal from Governor Tim Pawlenty. The governor wants Indian tribes to share some of their gambling revenue with the state. The poll conducted last week also shows a majority of Minnesotans are opposed to an expansion of gambling in the state.
November 18, 2004 - Mainstreet Radio’s Annie Baxter reports that The Mille Lacs Band is stepping out of negotiations with Governor Pawlenty over a casino profit-sharing partnership. The band made the announcement in a letter sent to the governor.
January 7, 2005 - Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports that Governor Tim Pawlenty and leaders of three northern Minnesota Indian tribes say they were pleased with an historic meeting on the White Earth Reservation. Much of the discussion centered on the governor's push to change the landscape of casino gambling in the state.