16: Oscar Hokeah: Bringing Authentic Native Stories to the Page

16: Oscar Hokeah: Bringing Authentic Native Stories to the Page

💬 Siyo! We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text! (Make sure you include your name and contact information.) [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2454338/fan_mail/new] Siyo from the Rez is back for Season 2! In our premiere episode, we sit down with Oscar Hokeah, who drew from his Cherokee and Kiowa upbringing and Mexican heritage to write his celebrated debut novel, “Calling for a Blanket Dance.” Oscar reflects on moments from his life and family history that influenced his novel and why writing what you know can lead to work that feels both personal and universal. This is Cherokee Nation's official podcast. This episode was hosted by KenLea Keys and Colton Branstetter. Producer: Bryan Dugan Executive Producers: Julie Hubbard and Jason McCarty Editor: Samantha Robinson Graphic Designer: Justyne Eden Visual Effects: Ray Carey Soundtrack by Chuj Mackey This episode was filmed at the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah on the Cherokee Nation Reservation. 💌 Email us at podcast@cherokee.org!

15: Dennis Sixkiller | Broadcasting the Cherokee Language Across the Airwaves

💬 Siyo! We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text! (Make sure you include your name and contact information.) [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2454338/fan_mail/new] We’re closing out the first season of Siyo from the Rez with an extra special guest: Cherokee National Treasure and host of “Cherokee Voices, Cherokee Sounds” Dennis Sixkiller! 📻❤️ Dennis joins us to talk about hosting his #CherokeeLanguage radio show for 20+ years, his traditional upbringing in Jay, his passion for Cherokee marbles, and why he’s dedicated to keeping our language alive for future generations. Tune in for a laugh, a language lesson, and help us celebrate our season finale of Siyo From the Rez! 🎙 💌 Email us at podcast@cherokee.org!

14: Keli Gonzales | Redefining Cherokee Art with Modern Culture, Color, Creativity

💬 Siyo! We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text! (Make sure you include your name and contact information.) [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2454338/fan_mail/new] Keli Gonzales makes audacious art. It's bold. It's modern. It's rooted in Cherokee culture, but it doesn't shy away from her pop culture influences like The Simpsons. Keli wants her art to pop, using Cherokee syllabary and design motifs in unique ways and swapping the earth tones that people expect in Native art for daring colors like bright pink. Beyond the bright colors, Keli reveals the deeper purpose behind her art, from the importance of depicting strong Cherokee women to showing the humor in our culture that's been underrepresented in media. In this episode, Keli also discusses her day job at our Cherokee Immersion School, her passion for inspiring little Cherokees to be excited about showing their creativity, and her art that’s currently on display at the Cherokee Cultural Pathway in downtown Tahlequah. 💌 Email us at podcast@cherokee.org!

13: Rob Daugherty | The Untold Native History of Major League Baseball

💬 Siyo! We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text! (Make sure you include your name and contact information.) [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2454338/fan_mail/new] Baseball holds a special place in our communities, but how much do you know about the Native players who helped shape the game? In our first episode of the new year, we sit down with Rob Daugherty, a Cherokee Nation citizen and first-language Cherokee Speaker, who is a dedicated baseball historian. Rob joins us to celebrate the release of his new book, "Native American Major Leaguers." He shares the untold stories of 28 Native athletes — six who were Cherokee — who played baseball professionally between 1897 and 1947, long before history often gives them credit. Rob talks about his journey to verify these legacies, his passion for collecting memorabilia, and the deep connection our people have with the sport. Tune in to hear how Rob is helping preserve this vital part of our history for future generations. 💌 Email us at podcast@cherokee.org!

12: Bringing “How to Train Your Dragon” to the Rez

💬 Siyo! We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text! (Make sure you include your name and contact information.) [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2454338/fan_mail/new] In this new episode of Siyo from the Rez, meet Ethan Winn and Hondo Kirk, two friends who grew up together, graduated from our Cherokee Immersion School and are now the voices of Snotlout and Hiccup in the Cherokee version of “How to Train Your Dragon”! Ethan and Hondo talk about their incredible full-circle journey — from learning the Cherokee language as students to working at our Durbin Feeling Language Center and voicing these iconic animated characters. Discover the story behind this amazing opportunity to work with DreamWorks Animation, the unique challenges of translating the world of dragons into tsalagi, and what this project will mean to the next generation of Cherokee language learners. 💌 Email us at podcast@cherokee.org!