Podcast · News

MEDIA INDIGENA : Indigenous current affairs

by Rick Harp · English · News

A weekly roundtable about Indigenous issues and events in Canada and beyond. Hosted by Rick Harp.

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 46 min
Latest: 3 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

3 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 28 min

Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 13 (ep 382)

This episode, the return of BFF: Beyond Fires and Floods —our extended series on Indigenous climate narratives rooted in a 3-day gathering at UBC of journalists, scholars and experts in late 2025. An event co-convened by MEDIA INDIGENA regular Candis Callison and host/producer Rick Harp, so far we've shared its first two days of discussion. And with one still to come, this episode is about something that's always nagged at us: the fact long-time roundtabler Ken Williams wasn't able to be at BFF. So we came up with the next best thing, a check-in with the man himself about what he's heard so…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E381 · 23 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 14 min
Petrostate Pushback: Part 4 (ep 381)
In this fourth and final instalment of "Petrostate Pushback"—our 2026 mini-summer-series on Indigenous resistance to energy extraction and exploitation—the back half of our investigation into infrastructure, from the material to the relational. Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Trina Roache , Assistant Professor of Journalism, University of King's College • Kenneth T. Williams , playwright and Associate Professor of Drama, University of Alberta • Candis Callison , Professor with the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the School for Public Policy and…
E380 · 13 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
Petrostate Pushback: Part 3 (ep 380)
On the third instalment of "Petrostate Pushback," our 2026 mini-summer-series on the Indigenous-led struggle for climate justice, we look at the climate implications of infrastructures, structures which invariably reflect and reinforce the priorities of power. (Part one of two.) Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Clifford Atleo Jr. , Senior Advisor and Associate Vice-President of Indigenous Affairs at the University of British Columbia • Candis Callison , Professor with the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the School for Public Policy and Global…
E379 · 25 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 36 min
Petrostate Pushback: Part 2 (ep 379)
Our 2026 mini-summer series "Petrostate Pushback" continues with part two—'Tactics and Terrains'—as we focus on the various frontlines of Indigenous resistance to governments and corporations trying to sacrifice their territories for massive energy projects. Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Lisa Kingshott , communications and broadcasting expert • Karyn Pugliese , journalist and editor • Kris Statnyk , Indigenous rights lawyer • Irina Cerić , Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Windsor • Shiri Pasternak , Associate Professor of Criminology at…
E378 · 27 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 21 min
Petrostate Pushback: Part 1 (ep 378)
Introducing the first in our four-part series for Summer 2026! Collected, connected conversations drawn from our decade-deep archive, it's a mini-series that falls smack dab in the middle of our mega-series , Beyond Fires & Floods: Indigenous Narratives in an Era of Extremes , our co-convened gathering of climate journalists, scholars and experts. Which is why we thought it only makes sense to make these compilations climate-compatible with the overarching theme of 'Petrostate Pushback': Indigenous resistance to the political, cultural and economic forces driving resource extraction and…
E377 · 30 Jun 2026 · 37 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 12 (ep 377)
ON THIS EPISODE… Part 12 of BFF: Beyond Fires and Floods , our extended climate series based on a three-day gathering of Indigenous journalists, scholars and experts we co-convened last fall at UBC. And at the tail-end of BFF 's second day, we set aside time for participants to pause and reflect on all they'd heard to that point, a session we entitled 'Synthesis.' Kickstarting it all last episode , invited respondents Alice Te Punga Somerville and Kim TallBear , whose opening insights last episode set the stage for the responses to follow, including those of fellow BFF attendees Lagipoiva…
E376 · 23 Jun 2026 · 25 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 11 (ep 376)
ON THIS EPISODE: Part 11 of BFF: Beyond Fires and Floods , our extended series on Indigenous climate narratives, based on conversations we co-convened over 3 days last fall at UBC. And with a lot of ground covered those first two days, we thought it best to end day two with a session for reflection, an open-ended exchange we entitled 'Synthesis.' (So, if by chance this is your very first foray into BFF , it's recommended you start from the start , to get the most out of all this episode's call-backs and references.) Kicking things off, respondents Alice Te Punga Somerville and Kim TallBear ,…
E375 · 15 Jun 2026 · 33 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 10 (ep 375)
ON THIS EPISODE: the tenth takeaway from BFF: Beyond Fires and Floods , our extended series on Indigenous climate narratives, collecting close to 40 journalists, scholars and experts last fall at UBC. This time 'round, the closing portion of "Taking on Water," which, if you caught the first half , got a little 'fishy' as we went along. Proving perhaps that everything and everyone is connected at some point in time and space, including our panelists Tara Atleo , Shannon Waters , Tristan Ahtone and Zoe Todd , as we continued to interweave waters' well-being with that of fish and humans,…
E374 · 7 Jun 2026 · 30 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 9 (ep 374)
ON THIS EPISODE: The ninth instalment of BFF: Beyond Fires & Floods —our extended series on Indigenous climate narratives—presents the beginning of "Taking on Water," the fourth session of our gathering's second day, encapsulated as follows: Oceans cover some two-thirds of the planet; watersheds traverse and transcend human borders. Water is literally everywhere, yet that hasn't stopped colonial governments from trying to control and contain its movements, along with the lives of those it sustains. From rivers and lakes, to oceans and ice, this session looks at how Indigenous narratives work…
E373 · 29 May 2026 · 32 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 8 (ep 373)
ON THIS EPISODE: The eighth instalment of BFF: Beyond Fires & Floods —our extended series on Indigenous climate narratives—presents the back half of "Reframing Fire & Forests," recorded at day two's third session. Moderated by UBC Professor (and MI regular) Candis Callison , she re-joins panelists Warren Cardinal McTeague , Keara Lightning , Leonard Linklater , and Bernard Perley , with follow-up responses by fellow BFF attendees Matteo Cimellaro and Olga Ulturgasheva. Learn more about BFF , including our core sponsors, at mediaindigena.com/BFF // CREDITS: Our intro/extro theme is 'nesting'…
E372 · 20 May 2026 · 30 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 7 (ep 372)
ON THIS EPISODE: Part seven of BFF: Beyond Fires and Floods, where we go beyond mainstream infatuation with crisis and catastrophe to instead dive deep into Indigenous climate narratives. Recorded at a 3-day gathering of nearly 40 journalists, scholars and experts last fall at UBC, "Reframing Fire & Forests" was day two's third session, encapsulated as follows: With extreme fire events monopolizing our attention in the daily news cycle, long-standing Indigenous-led practices of forest care, stewardship and prevention have only begun to make their way into public consciousness and policy. Yet…
E371 · 12 May 2026 · 40 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 6 (ep 371)
ON THIS EPISODE: the sixth instalment of BFF: Beyond Fires & Floods —our extended series on Indigenous climate narratives—in which we bring you the back half of "Storying Systems vs. Symptoms," day two's second session. Returning for the remainder of this conversation, moderator Candis Callison picks things up with panelists Michelle Cyca , Tiara R Naputi , Jeffrey Ansloos , and Gina Starblanket . We also hear the thoughts of fellow BFF attendees Savannah Ridley, Stephanie Papik and Eriel Tchekwie Deranger. Learn more about BFF , including our core sponsors, at mediaindigena.com/BFF //…
E370 · 4 May 2026 · 38 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 5 (ep 370)
ON THIS EPISODE: Part five of BFF: Beyond Fires & Floods , in which we bring you the first half of 'Storying Systems vs. Symptoms,' the second session of the second day of climate conversations we co-convened with dozens of Indigenous scholars, journalists and experts last October at the University of British Columbia. Moderated by long-time MEDIA INDIGENA roundtabler Candis Callison—a jointly-appointed Professor in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, and the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies at UBC—she was joined at the panel by Jeffrey Ansloos , Michelle Cyca , Tiara R…
E369 · 20 Apr 2026 · 33 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 4 (ep 369)
ON THIS EPISODE: BFF: Beyond Fires & Floods —part four, featuring the back half of "Storytellers Without Borders," the lead-off session on BFF 's second day, where close to 40 scholars, journalists and experts gathered to discuss Indigenous climate narratives last October at UBC. Returning with their thoughts are panelists Tristan Ahtone, Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson, Deborah McGregor and Stephanie Wood, along with contributions by fellow BFF attendees Mark Trahant, Gina Starblanket, Cutcha Risling Baldy, and Eriel Tchekwie Deranger. ✪ BFF: Beyond Fires & Floods is sponsored by the Pierre…
E368 · 11 Apr 2026 · 39 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 3 (ep 368)
ON THIS EPISODE: part three of BFF: Beyond Fires & Floods! (And if this is your first encounter with our new series, you might want to start with BFF Part 0 , i.e. , episode 365, for best results.) Based on three days of conversations hosted at UBC last October, BFF brought together close to 40 scholars, journalists and experts who document and depict how Indigenous peoples contend with climate change. In this instalment, "Storytellers Without Borders," the first in our second day's sessions, we discuss what and whom climate change stories currently serve—to what extent is what we're…
E367 · 4 Apr 2026 · 37 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 2 (ep 367)
ON THIS EPISODE: The back half of our live panel at the Great Hall of the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, it was the only public portion of BFF: Beyond Fires & Floods, our 3-day gathering of journalists, scholars and experts focused on Indigenous narratives of climate change. Assembling four seasoned storytellers— Judi Kochon , Paul Seesequasis , Tanya Talaga , and Mark Trahant —they joined host/moderator Rick Harp to set the table for the other three-dozen voices who gathered that weekend back in October 2025. ✪ BFF: Beyond Fires & Floods is sponsored by the Pierre Elliott Trudeau…
E366 · 1 Apr 2026 · 41 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 1 (ep 366)
On this episode, the formal kick-off to our extended series, Beyond Fires & Floods (BFF): Indigenous Narratives in an Era of Extremes, beginning with the first half of a panel recorded last October before a live audience in the Great Hall of the Museum of Anthropology at UBC . The opening, public component of a 3-day gathering of journalists, scholars and others focused on Indigenous narratives of climate change, the panel assembled four seasoned storytellers embodying decades of experience, a wide-ranging conversation which served as a microcosm of the overall event—co-convened by MI…
E365 · 24 Mar 2026 · 55 min
Beyond Fires & Floods: Pt 0 (ep 365)
ON THIS EPISODE: Part 0 of "Beyond Fires and Floods: Indigenous Narratives in an Era of Extremes." Otherwise known as "BFF," it's the name of a three-day gathering we co-convened last October on Musqueam Lands, home to the campus of UBC. Assembling close to 40 participants from media, academia and more, BFF fostered connections and conversations on Indigenous experiences and expertise with climate change. An extensive set of dialogues to be released on MEDIA INDIGENA in the weeks and months to come, we thought we'd first ground it with an overview of BFF 's origins, contents, and objectives.…
E364 · 10 Feb 2026 · 42 min
Interrogating 'The White Possessive', Pt. 5 (ep 364)
On this episode: the last of our five-part series on the seminar, "Sovereignty First: Tackling the White Possessive in an Era of 'Collaboration,'" where we jump into genomics, a realm rife with racialized thinking and practice according to population scientist and Princeton graduate anthropology student Noah Collins. Yet despite challenges to Indigenous-led research in terms of access to financial and human resources, Collins notes that hasn't stopped their projects from prioritizing community over commerce. Returning to the table with host/producer Rick Harp to discuss Collin's presentation…
E363 · 4 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
Interrogating 'The White Possessive', Pt. 4 (ep 363)
ON THIS EPISODE: part four of 'the White Possessive,' the latest in our five-part series on the seminar, "Sovereignty First: Tackling the White Possessive in an Era of 'Collaboration.'" Based on a presentation about pretendianism by Kim TallBear (Professor of American Indian Studies at University of Minnesota–Twin Cities), she joins fellow MI roundtabler Candis Callison (Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia) and host/producer Rick Harp to discuss what makes settler…
E362 · 28 Jan 2026 · 47 min
Interrogating 'The White Possessive', Pt. 3 (ep 362)
ON THIS EPISODE: part three of 'the White Possessive,' the latest in our five-part series on the seminar, "Sovereignty First: Tackling the White Possessive in an Era of 'Collaboration.'" This time around, the property in question is intellectual. Rooted in a talk by Olga Ulturgasheva (Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer in Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester), we digest and discuss her account of how unscrupulous colleagues misappropriated and misrepresented her personal stories and observations, a case study in what she calls "epistemological extractivism." Returning to…
E361 · 17 Jan 2026 · 37 min
Interrogating 'The White Possessive', Pt. 2 (ep 361)
ON THIS EPISODE: Part two of 'the White Possessive.' And back in part one , we brought you the basics of this analytical framework as articulated by Aileen Moreton-Robinson, an analysis at the heart of the event, "Sovereignty First: Tackling the White Possessive in an Era of 'Collaboration.'" Featuring five presentations, the first was by none other than MI's Candis Callison (Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia), applying her lens as a media scholar. Here in our second engagement with…
E360 · 6 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 23 min
Interrogating 'The White Possessive', Pt. 1 (ep 360)
ON THIS EPISODE: Interrogating 'the white possessive.' And according to Indigenous scholar Aileen Moreton-Robinson , countries like Canada, Australia and the U.S. are best understood as 'white possessions'—possessions which take a great deal of work and resources to maintain, a relentless reproduction of "the nation-state's ownership, control and domination" over stolen Indigenous lands and waters. But, of course, the machinations of white possessiveness can also be less overt. Secure in their belief in a colonial status quo, states now promote Indigenous 'inclusion' within socioeconomic…
E359 · 22 Feb 2025 · 50 min
Storytelling on stolen land: Indigenous eyes on Canadian politics, Pt 2 (ep 359)
On this episode: the back half of the all-Indigenous panel MI host/producer Rick Harp moderated at "Reimagining Political Journalism: Perils, Possibilities & What Comes Next"—convened last November by Carleton University's School of Journalism and Communication in Ottawa—in which the audience joins in with their thoughts and questions for our all-star panelists: Candis Callison , Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia Veldon Coburn , faculty chair of McGill University's…
E358 · 25 Jan 2025 · 37 min
Storytelling on stolen land: Indigenous eyes on Canadian politics, Pt 1 (ep 358)
On this episode: Reimagining Political Journalism, the title of a three-day November 2024 event at Carleton University's School of Journalism and Communication in Ottawa, it included a formidable panel of Indigenous practitioners, moderated by MI's own Rick Harp! Sub-titled "Perils, Possibilities & What Comes Next," our all-Indigenous panel delved into all three over our 90-minute conversation—shared here as the first of two parts—a frank and freewheeling exchange on power, politics, and journalism in Canada, featuring: Candis Callison , Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical…
E357 · 30 Sep 2024 · 46 min
Political Pontifications: Part 3 (ep 357)
On this week's collected, connected conversations, our three-part pile of political pontifications concludes its campaign—as does our Summer 2024 Series as a whole—with a comparison of activism versus access: in the pursuit of mainstream political influence, is it better to be in the room or out on the streets? Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Brock Pitawanakwat, associate professor of Indigenous Studies at York University • Ken Williams , playwright and associate professor with the University of Alberta department of drama • Michael Redhead Champagne, a…
E356 · 20 Sep 2024 · 1 hr 9 min
Political Pontifications: Part 2 (ep 356)
On this week's collected, connected conversations (the seventh in our eight-part summer series): the push and pull of performative politics, where we address the question of just how far Indigenous individuals can advance Indigenous interests in a settler-centric system. Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Brock Pitawanakwat , associate professor of Indigenous Studies at York University • Ken Williams , playwright and associate professor with the University of Alberta's Department of Drama • Nick Martin , senior editor with National Geographic • Candis Callison ,…
E355 · 9 Sep 2024 · 56 min
Political Pontifications: Part 1 (ep 355)
On this week's collected, connected conversations (the sixth in our summer series): a political perusal of the prerogatives of power. The first in our three-part look back at the allure and limits of mainstream political participation, we begin with a Trudeau triple-header, a Liberal dose of discussions about the only federal leader this podcast has ever known. Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Brock Pitawanakwat , associate professor of Indigenous Studies at York University • Ken Williams, playwright and associate professor with the University of Alberta's…
E354 · 29 Aug 2024 · 1 hr 17 min
Why Canada Needs Natives Needy: Part 5 (ep 354)
On this week's collected, connected conversations (the fifth in our summer series): the conclusion to our five-part retrospective, Why Canada Needs Natives Needy, wherein we feature a few more settler-centric solutions to settler-made problems, as well as examples of what truly independent Indigenous initiatives look like. Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Naiomi Metallic , associate professor of law at Dalhousie University, and Yellowhead Institute advisory board member • Tim Thompson , First Nations education advocate, and Yellowhead Research Fellow and…
E353 · 19 Aug 2024 · 1 hr 18 min
Why Canada Needs Natives Needy: Part 4 (ep 353)
On this week's collected, connected conversations (the fourth in our summer series): part four of Why Canada Needs Natives Needy, ranging from the precarity of charity to the dubious duty to consult. Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Michael Redhead Champagne , Winnipeg-based community leader, helper, author, and public speaker • Lisa Monchalin, criminology lecturer at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in B.C. • Candis Callison , associate professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University…

About MEDIA INDIGENA : Indigenous current affairs

A weekly roundtable about Indigenous issues and events in Canada and beyond. Hosted by Rick Harp.

MEDIA INDIGENA : Indigenous current affairs is a English news podcast from Rick Harp. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Rick Harp
Language: English
Category: News
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 46 min
Latest episode: 3 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1092220986

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